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How to Choose a Commercial Refrigeration System

If your business relies on refrigeration to store food or other items, you need a quality commercial refrigeration system. The right choice varies depending on your business’s needs. To ensure you get the best fit for your needs, keep the following elements in mind when choosing a commercial refrigeration system.

Storage Needs

The amount of cold storage you need plays a large role in the commercial refrigeration system you should select. Think carefully about the items you need to store at the moment, but also keep in mind how your cold storage needs are likely to change as your business grows. 

As you consider the volume of refrigerated space you need, also think about how you can optimize your space. For instance, you may need a refrigerator that can fit under a countertop, a refrigerator that makes the most of vertical space, or a refrigerator that relies on an outdoor compressor to safeguard your working space.

Accessibility 

Spend some time thinking about how your refrigeration system is going to affect your workflow, your customer’s shopping experience, your displays, and other elements of your business. Then, choose the commercial refrigeration system that complements your activities the most effectively. 

When considering your accessibility needs, work through the following types of questions: Do you want a large fridge or freezer that you can walk into at your restaurant or potentially even drive a forklift into at your manufacturing facility? Do you need a fridge to keep produce fresh and easily accessible to your kitchen staff? Are you looking for a refrigeration system that allows your customers to access cold or frozen food in your grocery store? Do you need to meet other accessibility objectives?

Style

Commercial refrigeration systems come in a wide range of styles. Your storage needs, workflow, merchandising plans, and business objectives determine which style of refrigerator or freezer you need. In many cases, you may even need a few refrigerators in different styles to meet all of your needs. 

Here are some of the most common styles:

  • Walk-in refrigerators and freezers
  • Reach-in refrigerators
  • Prep table with refrigeration cabinets
  • Drop-in coolers
  • Back bar coolers
  • Open-air coolers
  • Deli cases
  • Refrigerated display cases

Additionally, there are specialty refrigeration systems designed to perfectly meet the needs of businesses in certain industries. These include commercial wine coolers, bakery display cases, sushi cases, milk cases, glass chillers, medical refrigerators, floral coolers, and more. 

You also may need to customize your commercial refrigeration system with shelves, drawers, bins, or other storage solutions, and an experienced commercial refrigeration expert can help with those decisions. To ensure you get the best option for your needs, you should work with a company that has extensive experience helping companies meet their unique commercial refrigeration needs. 

Blast Chillers

A blast chiller brings down the temp of items before you put them into cold storage. Some commercial refrigeration systems can accommodate warm items and bring them down to optimal temperatures for cold storage. However, walk-in coolers are generally not designed to bring down the temps of warm items. As a result, when you put warm items into these refrigerators, they increase the temperature and potentially put other items into a dangerous temperature zone. In these situations, you may need to complement your commercial refrigeration system with a blast chiller. 

Energy Efficiency

When looking at different refrigeration systems, don’t just consider the upfront cost. Also, think about the long-term costs associated with running the equipment. To save money on energy costs in the long run, you should invest in the most energy efficient system you can find even if the initial price tag is a bit higher than less efficient options.

At N.E.T.R., Inc., we provide commercial refrigeration services to businesses in Boston, North Andover, and the surrounding areas, and we can also help your business meet its HVAC needs. To learn more about the right commercial refrigeration system for your business, contact us today.

How to Choose a Commercial HVAC Contractor

A commercial HVAC system requires a significant investment, and to ensure you get the best system for your needs, you should choose your commercial HVAC contractor carefully. Don’t just choose the contractor who offers the lowest quote. Instead, safeguard your investment and your business’s bottom line by looking for a contractor with the following traits. 

Experienced

When choosing a commercial HVAC contractor, look for someone with experience. They don’t just need HVAC experience. Instead, they need extensive experience working with commercial clients. Remember, commercial buildings tend to have vastly different HVAC needs than homes, and you need a contractor who understands how to meet the heating, cooling, and ventilation challenges in a commercial environment.  

To get a sense of how a prospective contractor has helped commercial clients in the past, look for case studies. You can ask the contractor directly for case studies or check to see if they have posted any case studies for commercial HVAC clients on their website. Then, review the studies to get a sense of the contractor’s innovation and commitment to quality. 

Knowledgeable About Current HVAC Technology

Experience is a must, but you also need an HVAC contractor who is up-to-date on current HVAC technology. Commercial HVAC equipment is constantly changing and becoming more efficient. For instance, in the past, heat pumps were only efficient in relatively moderate climates, but now, heat pumps can perform extremely efficiently in subzero temperatures. They also offer zone controls, integration with building management software, modular installation, and other advantages.  

If you hire a commercial HVAC contractor who has been steering clients toward the same system for decades, you may not get the best fit for your needs. To tell if a contractor has current knowledge about HVAC systems, make sure they are licensed. In most areas, you need to complete continuing education courses to keep your license valid. 

References

To get a sense of a contractor’s skills and work ethic, ask them for references. Reading case studies can work in lieu of getting references, but consider asking the contractor if you can reach out to some of the clients featured in their cases studies so you can get additional feedback.

Licensed and Insured

As indicated above, you should choose a licensed HVAC contractor, but you should also look for professional who is insured. If your contractor isn’t insured, you have limited legal recourse if they damage your property or make a mistake during installation. Contractor’s liability insurance helps to protect both you and the contractor from the financial impact of installation issues.  

Additionally, contractors can’t obtain necessary work permits if they aren’t licensed and insured, and when you’re improving a building, you are legally required to have work permits and submit to inspections from the building inspector.  

To be on the safe side, you may want to ask your commercial HVAC contractor about their insurance. In most cases, contractors can’t get licensed unless they are insured — so if a contractor is licensed, you can feel comfortable moving forward with them. 

Numerous HVAC Options

Commercial buildings have a variety of different HVAC needs, and your needs help to dictate which commercial HVAC system is right for you. To ensure you get a custom fit for your needs, you should choose an HVAC contractor who has experience working with a range of commercial HVAC systems including both ducted and ductless systems.

Provides Written Estimate

Finally, as you start to talk with various contractors, get quotes for purchasing and installing your new HVAC system. Ideally, you should only work with a company that is willing to provide you with a written estimate. Then, you know exactly what to expect and you can make a more informed decision about the contractor you select.  

At N.E.T.R., Inc., we are experienced with both residential and commercial HVAC clients. We have case studies posted on our website so that you can learn how our services have helped to improve comfort and efficiency for our commercial clients. We are also licensed and insured for your safety. To get a quote or to talk about your business’s HVAC needs, contact us today.

Electric Heating Versus Ductless Systems

When you are investing in a new heating system for your home or office, you have several different options. Two of the most popular options are ductless systems and electric baseboard heaters. If you’re trying to choose between these two systems, check out how they compare in a few key areas.

Zone Controls

Both baseboard heaters and ductless heating units can feature zone controls. You can attach a thermostat to each of your baseboard heaters, just as you can connect separate thermostats and remotes to the indoor air handling units that come with your ductless heating system. Thanks to the zone set up, both electric baseboard heaters and ductless heating can work in a home addition, an attic, or similar areas, but they can also work in large buildings full of a variety of units and lots of floor space. Although baseboard electric heaters and ductless systems match up well in this category, they have a lot of differences in other categories.

Combined Heating and Cooling

With electric heating, you only get the heating. You don’t get the benefits of cooling unless you install a separate air conditioning system, and because there’s no central system to tap into, you either must put in an HVAC system with ductwork or you must set up separate wall units in each individual room of your home or commercial building. 

In contrast, when you opt for a ductless system, you can put in units that handle both heating and cooling. In fact, ductless units first became popular for their cooling capabilities, and it’s only in relatively recent years that homeowners in cold climates have been turning to these systems for their heating needs as well. Note that the heat pumps associated with ductless systems can provide heating in temperatures as low as -13° F.

Energy Efficiency

Baseboard electric heating can be an efficient way to heat your home, but to work correctly, these units usually need to be installed on walls underneath windows. In this position, they can combat the cold air that comes through the window. 

According to the Department of Energy, ductless systems can reduce your electricity usage by 50% compared to baseboard heaters. Unfortunately, baseboard heaters often tend to be installed incorrectly, and as a result, they lose heat between the unit and the wall. If your baseboard heaters are installed incorrectly, these numbers may be even higher, and your savings may be more pronounced.

Safety Factors

In this area, ductless systems and electric heaters are fairly comparable. Neither system burns fuel internally, and by extension, you don’t have to worry about explosions or the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You also don’t have to deal with leaky radiators or the chance that a radiator might burst.

Humidity Levels

Often, baseboards heaters tend to produce a very dry heat, and after long periods of disuse, they may produce a burning smell when you turn them on. You don’t face either of these issues with a ductless system. In fact, many ductless systems have a humidity setting. As a default, these systems add moisture to the air, but you can also set them to “dry” as needed. If you’re tired of itchy throats, irritated noses, and the other issues that tend to pop up in overly dry atmospheres, you may want to make the switch from baseboard heaters to a heat pump connected to a ductless HVAC system.

Installation Considerations

With baseboard heaters, you have a very limited option on where to install them. They must be by a window along the floor. In contrast, if you opt for a ductless system with a heat pump, you get a lot more flexibility on where you install the indoor units. 

Ductless systems feature an outdoor unit with one or more indoor air handling units. Often, the indoor units are installed near the ceiling along the top of an exterior wall, but you can also choose units that go in the wall near the floor, units that are flush with the ceiling, or units that hang suspended from the ceiling. The ceiling units can come with multiple outlets, so you can control where the hot air goes in your room.

No Ducts

Although the most popular electric heaters are baseboard heaters which don’t have ductwork, there are a few electric forced air heaters that connect to ductwork. Unfortunately, ducts also lose hot air. If the ducts are in your attic or under your floor, the warm air escapes into these unused spaces, and it doesn’t get to your living areas. That drives up your bills, promotes inefficiency, and increases your carbon footprint. This pattern never happens with a ducted system, so you don’t have to worry about losing heat in that way. 

At N.E.T.R., Inc, we are highly qualified installers of ductless heating and cooling systems. We have extensive experience working with both commercial and residential clients, and we can help you decide which system is right for your needs and your budget. To learn more about ductless heating or to get a quote, contact us today. 

Ductless HVAC Mega Guide

At N.E.T.R., Inc. we get a lot of questions about ductless HVAC systems. Check out our mega guide below for everything you need to know about mini-split heating and cooling.

Benefits of Ductless HVAC

Ductless HVAC offers several benefits for home and business owners who make the switch. While lower operating costs are a major consideration for most people, the advantages don’t stop there. Heat pump owners also enjoy consistent temperatures, remote control operation, and a lower carbon footprint.

Ductless System Components

Ductless units consist of a few basic components. Just like a traditional air conditioner, they have an outdoor condenser. They also have one or more indoor air handling units. A conduit runs between these two units with refrigerant, electrical wires, and a drain for condensate. Finally, these units have remote controls that allow you to adjust the settings at the touch of a button from wherever you are in the room.

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How Ductless Systems Work

Ductless systems work by moving warm air from one space to another. In the summer, heat is extracted from indoors, which passes over the cold evaporator coils inside the unit. The refrigerant in the coils absorbs the heat, which then travels through thin pipes to the outdoor unit where it can be released. The cooled refrigerant goes back to the indoor unit where it will be used to lower the temperature of the air blowing into your space.

During the winter, this process happens in reverse and heat is pulled from the environment to warm the air that blows into your space. In both cases, ductless units use variable speed compressors that adjust the temperature by small increments as needed. As a result, the system doesn’t cycle on and off, helping you to avoid uncomfortable highs and lows associated with central HVAC.

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Ductless Air Conditioning

Ductless air conditioning offers superior cooling during the summer for much less per kilowatt hour than you would pay to operate a central or window AC. Mini splits also provide humidity control, which helps to make your indoor air feel cooler by reducing the amount of moisture in it.

These quiet but powerful units can easily take on even the hottest days and keep you comfortable indoors regardless of the weather. Plus, heat pumps use eco-friendly refrigerants and significantly less power.

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Heating With Ductless

When you own a mini split, you can go from cooling to heating with just the flip of a switch. Ductless heaters can extract warmth from outside even in temps as low as -13 degrees Fahrenheit, so you’re never chilly indoors even during Boston’s cold, unpredictable winters.

Heating your space with ductless also eliminates hazards that come with other forms of heating, such as the risk of fire with an electric space heater or the risk of a carbon monoxide leak with a gas furnace.

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What Is Zoning?

Ductless systems allow you to create individual temperature “zones” that can be controlled separately from one another. Depending on your needs, you may have a single outdoor unit with a single indoor unit. This is known as a single-zone system and is a great option for supplementing heating and cooling or keeping a room comfortable that isn’t connected to the rest of your HVAC system.

Alternatively, you may have one outdoor unit with multiple indoor units. This is called a multi-zone system and allows you to have two or more “zones” with different temperature settings. A single outdoor unit can support up to 8 indoor air handling units, but larger applications will require a second outdoor unit.

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Efficiency Considerations

Thanks to zoning, ductless systems are instantly more efficient than traditional HVAC systems because you don’t have to heat or cool areas that aren’t in use. You also never have to overheat or cool one area just to keep another area comfortable. With traditional HVAC systems, you often end up with areas that feel too cold or too warm because all the rooms are connected to a single thermostat.

They also use significantly less energy than central HVAC, window ACs, and gas furnaces. Not only does this trim your electric bill, it also reduces the amount of greenhouse gases that are released into the atmosphere.

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Air Quality  

Home air quality is a lot more important than most people think. Did you know that the EPA says humans spend about 90% of their entire lives indoors? That means that the majority of the air you breathe is indoor air.

Surprisingly, air in your home or office has the potential to be significantly more polluted than outdoor air due to smoke, incense, candles, furniture off-gassing, and more. Ductless can help reduce dust, allergens, and other harmful particles from your air so you can breathe easier.

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The Cost of Ductless 

The cost of ductless varies depending on the equipment you select and the type of installation you’re having done. Rebates may be available to help reduce upfront expenses while tax credits save you money later. That said, operating costs for ductless systems are incredibly low and the savings will eventually cover the cost of the system over time.

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The Installation Process

Installation of ductless units is very straight forward. A ductless professional helps you assess the number of indoor units you need and the right capacity for your outdoor unit. Then, they install the outdoor unit, drill small holes in the walls to run the lines through, and connect the indoor unit.

For a small residential job, this project often can be completed in half a day or less, and even for a large commercial job, installation is relatively quick. For a multi-unit installation, you can opt to have the installation work done zone by zone. For instance, you can do a floor of your building every week until the entire system is installed, or you can install ductless units where they are needed immediately and then install the units in other areas as desired.

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Where to Put a Ductless System

Mini splits are ideal for heating and cooling:

  • Attics
  • Basements
  • Entire homes
  • Office buildings
  • Retail spaces
  • Data centers
  • Gyms
  • Restaurants
  • Commercial buildings
  • Apartment buildings

And more!

Ductless is designed to be outfitted in nearly any residential or commercial space and can be configured to meet a wide variety of different needs. Whether you have a small apartment that needs reliable heating and cooling or you want to upgrade a multi-unit condo with individual comfort controls, mini splits can give you the reliability and efficiency you’re looking for.

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Mounting Options

There are several ways you can install a ductless unit in your home or office. Here are the most common options: 

Wall-Mounted

Most ductless units are mounted on an exterior wall about six inches from the ceiling. This provides optimal airflow in and out of the unit and helps to create a cooling or warming effect that is immediately noticeable. Wall mounting promotes efficient operation and also makes it easy to clean and maintain your unit.

Floor-mounted units are also placed on the wall, just nearer to the floor like where a traditional radiator would be. These cover more wall space but are narrower and don’t jut out from the wall as much.

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Ceiling-Mounted

Ceiling-mounted ductless units are common in commercial buildings but can also be used in homes to provide airflow directly downwards. While the outdoor units of a ceiling-mounted system are the same as any other, the indoor air handler is recessed into the ceiling and looks similar to a central HVAC vent since it sits flush with the surface.

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Ductless and Your Electrical System

One major benefit of switching to ductless heating and cooling is how little electricity mini splits use. Since heat pumps move heat from one place to another instead of generating it, they require very little energy to provide you with superior comfort in every season. Plus, ductless works great with solar power and is easier on old electrical panels that are common in Massachusetts charming colonial homes.

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Ductless Maintenance and Repairs

Because ductless HVAC systems work differently than a central system or window AC, they also tend to require fewer repairs over time. Maintenance is easy and can be completed annually by your technician in just a few hours.

Read more:

Additional Resources

Save More With Ductless HVAC Today

Have questions? Ready to learn more? Curious about installing a ductless heating and cooling system in your home? Contact us today. At NETR, we have the experience and knowledge you need to make your home or commercial space more comfortable and more efficient.

Differences Between Residential and Commercial HVAC Systems

Commercial and residential HVAC systems are both responsible for heating, cooling, and ventilating a home or business. Although these systems accomplish the same functions, they work in vastly different environments, and they use slightly different equipment to achieve their goals. Here is a look at the major differences between residential and commercial HVAC systems. 

Sizes

Most commercial buildings are significantly larger than residential structures. As a result, commercial HVAC equipment tends to be larger and more powerful than residential HVAC equipment. However, in small commercial buildings, the HVAC system may be comparable in size to a residential unit. 

Setup

In most cases, residential HVAC systems feature an outdoor compressor and an indoor evaporator along with a furnace or another heating solution. You may hear this setup referred to as a “split”. In contrast, commercial HVAC systems feature a “packaged” unit which contains everything to heat and cool the commercial building. However, when homeowners decide to use a heat pump, they also get a single outdoor unit paired with several indoor air handling units to meet both their heating and cooling needs.

Placement

Generally, the indoor HVAC equipment in most homes is placed in a basement utility room or in a small closet or laundry room on the main level designed to hold that equipment, and the outdoor unit sits in the backyard or on the side of the house.  

The outdoor unit for a commercial system traditionally goes on the roof of the building. The roof provides ample space for the unit and reduces noise pollution compared to placing the unit on the ground. Additionally, when equipment is on the roof, it can be serviced easily without forcing the business to suspend operations.  

However, many commercial buildings are now making the shift to ductless HVAC systems, and these units feature a very quiet outdoor unit with a small footprint. That allows commercial property owners to place the unit on the ground next to the building, on window ledges, or on roofs.

Zones

Commercial HVAC systems are much more likely to have zones controlled by their own thermostats than residential systems. This allows commercial buildings to meet a variety of diverse heating and cooling needs depending on what’s happening in the building. Traditionally, most homes have a single thermostat to control their entire HVAC system, but many homes are now switching to ductless HVAC systems with zones.  

A modular setup in commercial buildings also allows HVAC technicians to install commercial HVAC systems piece by piece, rather than all at once. Technicians may also be able to handle repairs zone by zone to minimize disruption to business activities. 

Ventilation

For the most part, commercial buildings have more complex ventilation needs than homes. This stems partly from the fact that homeowners can easily air out their spaces by opening their windows, while many commercial buildings are less likely to have windows that are convenient to open. Additionally, commercial buildings that house restaurants, manufacturing facilities, or other businesses that generate a lot of exhaust or chemical-laden fumes need a lot of ventilation simply to stay safe and healthy. 

Drainage Systems

While heating and cooling a space, HVAC systems collect moisture from the air and generate condensate. In both residential and commercial HVAC systems, the condensate gets expelled from the system via a tube that drips into a pan. Again, however, this equipment is larger and more complicated for commercial buildings than for residential homes.  

Maintenance

Finally, due to the differences in equipment and set up, commercial HVAC systems are more challenging to repair and maintain than residential systems. When hiring an HVAC technician to install, maintain, or repair the HVAC system in your home or business, you should find someone who is experienced with your type of HVAC system.  

At N.E.T.R., Inc., we work with both residential and commercial HVAC clients in North Andover, Boston, and the surrounding areas. To set up a repair or to learn more about meeting the heating and cooling needs of your home or business, contact us today.

Baseboard Heating Versus Ductless Heating Systems

In the past, when you were getting a new heating system, you often had to make your choice based on the availability of natural gas, propane, firewood, or electricity in your area. Now, technology has marched on, and you get to consider a lot more than just the fuel source when choosing your heating method. Two of the options you may want to consider are ductless heat pumps and baseboard heating. 

Baseboard heating has been around for decades in the United States, and although heat pumps are just becoming popular in the U.S. market, they’ve been the go-to standard in Asia and Europe for many years. Here’s what you need to take into account when comparing these two options.

Heat Pump Essentials

Like refrigerators and air-conditioning units, a heat pump uses refrigerant to move heat from one place to another, and most of these units are reversible. During the winter, they capture heat from the outside air, compress it, and move it inside the house. During the summer, they move heat from inside the home to the outdoors. 

Heat pumps were quite expensive when they first arrived on the market, but the prices have become much more affordable as the systems have been perfected. They are usually powered by electricity, but natural gas models are also available. Because heat pumps do not require ducts, they are also called ductless heaters, and they are extremely energy efficient and very quiet. These are the two main designs: 

  • Ground-Loop Geothermal Systems: Initially, these were the most popular heat pumps. They used pipes that looped through the ground and extracted heat from the earth. Many people still turn to these systems when they went in-ground heating.
  • Mini-Split Systems: Mini splits are extremely versatile ductless systems that absorb heat from the air. These systems consist of a small, wall-mounted indoor air handling unit and an outside compressor. These units are connected by tubing that runs through a very small hole in the wall. This creates less air leakage than you get with most baseboard heaters.

Baseboard Heating Basics

Baseboard heaters are usually installed beneath windows so the rising warm air from the heater will counteract the cold air coming through the window. They must be properly fitted with the wall, or there can be considerable loss of air, making this a potentially expensive way to heat a home. There are two main types of baseboard heaters: 

  • Electric: The most popular baseboard heaters are electric. These systems house their heating elements in metal pipes, and each baseboard heater is paired with its own thermostat.  
  • Hot Water: There are also hydronic or hot water baseboard heaters. These radiant heat systems use a centralized boiler to heat water. Then, the water circulates through a system of pipes to the baseboard radiators. These systems are very durable and require very little maintenance, but they are slow to heat up. Depending on the system you select, they can be fueled by natural gas, propane, oil, or electricity.

Baseboard Heat Pros and Cons

When deciding between baseboard heaters and ductless systems, remember that baseboard heaters are hot to the touch. That can present a danger for children or pets, and they also impact furniture and curtain placement. Most importantly, you need to be sure that you never drop or leave anything on these radiators, lest it become a fire hazard. Beyond that, here is a brief look at some of the pros and cons of baseboard heating:

Advantages:

  • Energy efficient
  • Usually quiet with no fans or blowers
  • Durable
  • Require very little maintenance 

It’s important to note that although electric baseboard heaters are quiet, radiator baseboard heaters can be noisy as the water and air moves through them.

Disadvantages

  • Require unobstructed placement
  • Need proximity to a window to work properly
  • Often run the length of a wall, creating challenges with furniture placement
  • Slow to heat
  • Poor at regulating temperatures in areas such as basements and attics
  • Cannot be reversed to provide cooling
  • Create a dry heat which can lead to dry throats, itchy eyes, and even bloody noses
  • After periods of disuse, may emit a burning smell caused by the accumulation of dust within the unit

Ductless Heating Pros and Cons

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, moving heat, rather than generating heat means heat pumps can provide up to four times the amount of energy they consume in electricity. Additionally, because there is no combustion (which is the process that makes heat in many conventional heating systems), there are no indoor pollutants such as carbon monoxide. Here’s a closer look at the pros and cons.

Advantages

  • Offers both heating and cooling in a single unit
  • Uses about 50% less electricity than baseboard heaters
  • Doesn’t require placement near windows
  • Provides fast, even heat
  • Zone technology provides precise temperature control for every room of your home
  • Fans are much quieter than those used in forced-air systems
  • Two-speed compressors offer even more savings and less wear and tear on the compressor
  • Individual rooms can be turned on or off to meet your heating or cooling needs
  • Available in various sizes to match your home’s heating and cooling load
  • Single outdoor condenser can support up to four individual room units

Disadvantages

  • Costs more upfront but helps to save money and energy in the long run
  • Requires you to clean the filters once a month 

As you can see, there are many advantages to choosing a ductless heating system. They are less expensive than adding ductwork to an existing home, and they offer key advantages over baseboard heating. To learn more or to get a quote, contact us today. At N.E.T.R, we have been providing ductless heating and cooling systems to homes and businesses in the Boston area for years, and we would love to help you make your home more comfortable and more efficient.

25 Super Cool Facts You Never Knew About Your Air Conditioner

When you think of heating, cooling, and ventilation, “fun” usually isn’t the first word that pops to mind, but after you read this list, it will be. To learn about the history of air conditioning and comfort cooling, check out these fun facts. They’re so cool, they’ll make you hot.

The Interesting History of Air Conditioning

  1. Arguably, the world’s first commercial cooling systems were created in 180 AD by Ting Huan, a famed inventor from the Han dynasty. The fan featured seven ten-foot diameter wheels, cranked by a single person. It could cool a large hall full of people.
  2. In the 1840s, Dr. John Gorrie used ice from northern lakes to cool his hospital rooms in Florida. He believed that cooling was critical for reducing diseases such as malaria, and eventually, he invented a machine that created ice using water, wind, horses, and steam. That set the stage for modern cooling.
  3. Before air conditioning was invented, people used a variety of architectural styles to keep their homes semi-cool. One style, popular in the South, was the dogtrot house. This design featured a small cooking cabin separate from the main house but connected with an open-air corridor.
  4. In 1882, Schuyler Skaats Wheeler invented the electric fan.
  5. In 1902, just 20 years later, Willis Carrier went a step further and invented the first air conditioner. The 26-year-old got the idea while looking at fog on a train platform in Pittsburgh. He founded the Carrier Engineering Corporation 13 years later in 1915.
  6. In 1903, the New York Stock Exchange became one of the first famous buildings to use air conditioning.
  7. In the United States, the first residential air conditioning system was in the Charles Gates mansion. Built in 1913, this Minneapolis home was 38,000 square feet, and surprisingly, it was demolished in 1933 after the original owner died and no one wanted (or could afford) to buy a palatial home with AC.
  8. Prior to the invention of modern air conditioning, people used to cool their homes or businesses with ice, which was often harvested in one-ton blocks. As air conditioning manufacturers began to advertise their products, they wanted to use terms their customers could understand so they used the phrase “ice power” or referred to their systems as one-ton ACs. An air conditioner with a one-ton capacity essentially produces as much cooling as a melting ton of ice. To put it in modern terms, that’s equivalent to 12,000 BTUs.
  9. Summer blockbuster movies got their start thanks to air conditioning. In the summer, people often went to movie theaters to enjoy the air conditioning. Production companies took advantage of this fact, and they began to release their biggest hits in the summer. Although many people now have air conditioning in their homes and they no longer have to seek refuge from the heat at the theaters, the tradition continues today.
  10. Carrier Engineering Company installed the first air conditioning system in the West Wing of the White House in 1930, during Herbert Hoover’s presidency. In 1933, while Franklin D. Roosevelt was president, air conditioning units were installed in the private quarters of the White House.   
  11. In 1932, inventors H.H. Schultz and J.Q. Sherman began to sell the first window air conditioning units. Due to high prices, sales were slow.
  12. In 1939, the automobile manufacturer Packard began installing air conditioning systems (called “weather conditioners”) in its vehicles. This was the first car manufacturer to offer AC, but there was a company in New York that retrofitted ACs for cars as far back as 1933.  
  13. By the 1960s, air conditioning was affordable and widespread. People took advantage of comfort cooling, and they started to move to hot states such as Arizona and Florida.

Fun Air Conditioning Energy Facts

  1. If all the electric resistant heating systems in the United States were replaced with heat pumps accompanied by ductless cooling systems, that would reduce the total residential energy usage by 2%.
  2. Although it varies significantly by area and home size, the average American family spends about $2,200 on energy costs every year, and approximately 48% of those costs are for heating and cooling. Heating accounts for 42% of the total, while cooling only takes up just 6% of the average family’s energy budget.
  3. Annually, the average American household uses 40.4 million BTUs for heating and only 9.3 million BTUs for cooling. That means that contrary to popular belief, cooling has a much smaller carbon footprint than heating.
  4. The world’s largest HVAC system is in the Holy Mosque in Makkah (Mecca), Saudi Arabia. To cool a space that sees up to 1 million visitors a month in a climate where temperatures frequently top 100 degrees, the system has 135,000 tons of refrigeration capacity.
  5. Since 2000, over 95% of new homes in the United States come with air conditioning. Prior to 1940, the rate was less than a third.   
  6. Installation quality directly affects efficiency. According to research from 2012, New York City building owners lose between $130 and $180 million per year in energy costs related to poorly installed cooling systems.
  7. Energy Star ductless heating and cooling systems help homeowners reduce their cooling costs by about 30% to 40% or more compared to forced air HVAC systems. Many home and business owners are starting to make this leap.

More Cool AC Facts

  1. Homes with low humidity levels tend to feel cooler than homes with high humidity. That’s because the dry air causes the moisture on your skin to evaporate, helping to cool you down.
  2. Air conditioning saves lives. An analysis of suicides in Toronto, Ontario and Jackson, Mississippi indicates that suicide rates increase with heat waves. Additionally, when people don’t have access to cooling, they become more likely to die. Tragically, 739 people who didn’t have AC died during a Chicago heat wave in 1995.
  3. Excessive heat also reduces productivity. Based on research from NASA, telegraph operators make an extra five mistakes per hour when the temperature is 80 degrees and a stunning 60 mistakes per hour when the temperature is 95 degrees. Over time, the rate of errors increases, and at 95 degrees, operators start to make 138 mistakes per hour by the third hour in the heat.
  4. Ductless cooling systems can be retrofitted into any home or business, with minimal disruption. Residential installation can take less than a day, while large commercial jobs can be done piecemeal or zone by zone to avoid interruptions to productivity.
  5. Over the next 30 years, demand for air conditioning is set to triple. Analysts predict that 5.6 billion buildings will have AC by 2050, and to make that happen, consumers need to buy 10 new air conditioners every second for the next 30 years. That’s the equivalent of 600 air conditioners every minute and 3,600 air conditioners every hour.

Air conditioners have come a long way since their inception and we rely on them every year to keep homes and businesses cool during warmer months. These impressive cooling facts are sure to leave you with a little gratitude next time you turn on your AC!

25 Hot Heating Facts

When the winter wind comes in, light bedding gets replaced with heavier, warm clothing comes out of the attic, and heaters are turned on for the season. Before you dial in warm temps on your thermostat, take some time to brush up on your heating knowledge with these 25 hot heating facts.

  1. After the fall of the Roman Empire, people heated their homes by insulating them with clay and straw to trap the heat generated by the hearth. This practice marked the first use of chimneys.
  2. Warm molecules move faster than cold molecules. As a result, you can create heat by rubbing two cold items together and speeding up their molecules.
  3. Up to the 1800s, most Americans used fireplaces to heat their homes.
  4. In 1741, Ben Franklin developed the Franklin stove which slowed the escape of fireplace heat up the flue and tried to keep as much heat as possible in the home.
  5. In the early 19th century, Lord Kelvin’s research on thermodynamics focused on moving heat from colder bodies to warmer ones, arguably laying the foundation for the future invention of heat pumps.
  6. While fireplaces were the most popular option for English settlers, German settlers turned to cast iron stoves which were a more effective way to create radiant heat.
  7. As coal became more popular, so too did cast iron stoves.
  8. In 1816, the Massachusetts Medical College became the first building in America to have central heat.
  9. In 1863, Thomas Edison invented the electric heater and changed home heating forever.
  10. Out on the plains, settlers were using buffalo chips (dried buffalo manure) to heat their homes. At various times, dry dung fuel has been used to create heat around the world.
  11. One of the first private homes to enjoy central heating, the Biltmore Estate was owned by the Vanderbilts. The 175,000 square foot home used three boilers that held 20,000 gallons of water and required about 500 tons of coal per year. On top of that, the house had 65 fireplaces for extra heat.
  12. Developed in the mid-1930s, early forced air heating systems burned coal to produce heat and then used electric fans to blow the heat though the homes.
  13. Ducted systems can lose over 30% of their heating energy if the ducts travel through uninsulated spaces or are overly long and windy.
  14. After accidentally burning his hand on some pipes in his freezer, Robert C. Webber decided to bury copper tubing in the ground and run freon gas through the tubes, creating the first ground source heat pump of the modern era.
  15. The Romans used to heat their floors by positioning stone slabs over heat sources such as fires.
  16. The hottest natural temperature ever recorded was 134.1 degrees Fahrenheit in the aptly named Furnace Creek Ranch in California’s Death Valley desert. The previous record, set in Libya, was disqualified due to the temperature being taken over asphalt.
  17. Excessively high temperatures increase mistakes and reduce productivity. At 75 degrees, productivity decreases by 3%, and when temps increase to 105 degrees, productivity dwindles by 79%.
  18. Cold temps also affect workers. Errors jump by 44% when indoor temperatures fall to 68 degrees, and at overly cool temperatures, productivity is half the rate it is at 77 degrees.
  19. The electric thermostat was invented in 1886.
  20. Used to starting and tending their own fires, American homeowners were initially reluctant to automate their home heating process, but the trend caught on over time.
  21. According to one survey, 42% of Americans have a programmable thermostat, but the majority aren’t sure how to make the most of that technology.
  22. Over half of U.S. homes use natural gas for their home heating, but fuel sources vary from region to region.
  23. In the South, most homes use electric heat, with natural gas taking second place. In the West and Midwest, most homes use natural gas followed by electric. In the Northeast, natural gas is the most popular, then heating oil, and electricity falls in third place.
  24. The world has more demand for heating than cooling, but the demand should become relatively even over the next decade as the need to cool certain foods and medications increases around the world.
  25. Worldwide, the energy used for heating is expected to fall by 2030 due to the increased efficiency of modern heating methods.

Sources

15 Benefits of Ductless Heating and Cooling

Ductless heating and cooling systems have been around since the 1970’s, but they’ve only recently started becoming popular. These systems offer a lot of advantages compared to traditional heating and cooling methods like central ductwork, and their innovative designs offer key benefits to owners of both residential and commercial properties.

1. Easy Installation

The absence of ducts makes these units easier to install than traditional HVAC systems. The set-up consists of an outdoor unit along with one or more indoor air handlers. Flexible piping runs between these units to carry electricity and refrigerant and installing that is relatively non-invasive and hassle free. The contractor just needs to add a few small and discreet holes.

2. Small Footprint

Generally, the outdoor unit with a ductless system has a relatively small footprint, especially compared to many traditional HVAC systems. You can place these units on the roof, in small alleyways, or sometimes even on ledges. The indoor air handling units are also relatively small and discreet, allowing them to fit easily in a range of environments.

3. Great for Additions

If certain areas of your home aren’t connected to your central heating and cooling system, you can easily meet your heating and cooling needs by installing a ductless system in these areas. A single unit is ideal for additions, attics, basements, and similar spaces.

4. Scalability

Heating and cooling an extra room is just the beginning. Ductless units can be scaled to meet your needs. You can use them to heat and cool your entire home, business property, or even a multi-unit commercial building.

5. Zoned Heating and Cooling

When you install multiple ductless units in a large building, you gain the ability to heat and cool all of these areas separately. If you’re not using a certain area, you can reduce the heat or turn down the air conditioner to keep your costs low. Similarly, if a certain area needs more heating or cooling, you can turn it up in those areas without making the other areas in your building uncomfortable.

6. Individual Controls

You can control each zone of your ductless system from a central controller, but you can also control each unit individually with its own remote. Feeling a little too hot while working or watching TV? Simply grab the remote and turn up the cooling with getting up.

7. Zoned Installation

In addition to controlling the temperatures separately, you can also install these units zone by zone. In a busy commercial space, this allows you to minimize disruption. This approach to installation also allows you to spread out the total cost over a longer time period.

8. Syncs with Building Management Software

To run multiple units in a commercial or apartment building, you need the right software. The CITY MULTI whole building system comes with software to help you manage multiple indoor units from a single controller. You can also put the controls in your tenants’ hands but set parameters so that they don’t over use the system. Most importantly, you can sync this software with your building management system.

9. Ability to Track Usage by Zones

You can also track usage by zones. That helps with calculating what your tenants owe for heating or cooling, and it’s also a useful way to track how your energy consumption for heating and cooling varies from area to area.

10. Energy Savings

Whether you put a ductless system into a home or commercial building, you will likely notice energy savings. On average, these systems use 40% less energy for cooling than ducted systems. Compared to window cooling units or baseboard heaters, ductless units are also less susceptible to air gaps which can also compromise efficiency.

11. Quiet Operation

In addition to being energy efficient, ductless units are also quiet. The indoor units make about as much noise as wind rustling trees, and even the largest outdoor units make less noise than the average dishwasher.

12. Improves Indoor Air Quality

With a ductless system, you don’t have to worry about dust or allergens building up in the ducts and then blowing out into your living or working space, and of course, you don’t have to pay for cleaning your ducts either. Additionally, ductless systems feature multi-stage filtration systems that help to remove pollutants and small particulates from your air, giving your indoor air quality a boost.   

13. Heating and Cooling in a Single Package

Although many people focus on the cooling capabilities of ductless units, they also offer heating. These units contain a heat pump, which works just like the cooling components but in reverse. With early versions of ductless systems, the heat pump really only worked well in relatively temperate climates, but thanks to advances in technology, these systems can now work in areas with cold winters including in the northeast.

14. Design Flexibility

With a ductless system, you have a lot of options. As indicated above, you can put ductless systems in both commercial and residential units. When you select your indoor handling unit, you can also choose from a variety of designs, and you can also locate your indoor unit in a variety of places on the wall or ceiling.

15. High Quality Manufacturing

When you choose a ductless system from a quality company such as Mitsubishi, you also ensure that you get quality parts. That helps to reduce breakdowns and keep the system running longer. 

At NETR, we understand these advantages of ductless heating and cooling as well as a long list of other benefits. Want to install a ductless system in your home or office? Have additional questions? Need to set up service or repair for your existing system? Then, contact us today. We look forward to making your home or office as comfortable and as energy efficient as possible.