HVAC Contractors
By Max Bellamy

If you are building a house, you probably need an HVAC contractor or an expert in heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and products. A certified and experienced HVAC contractor will help you decide what kind of HVAC equipment you need and determine the practical and resource-efficient systems.

When choosing the right HVAC contractor, consider the company profile. First, you need your contractor to be very efficient at what they do. Otherwise, you will have problems that are difficult and expensive to fix later on. Second, you must choose with insurance coverage. They must be able to pay you in case they break something while installing your HVAC. Remember that your HVAC equipment and the system that support them are among the most important features of your home or office. And they are also the most difficult to change. So be very careful with your choices. When in doubt, always consult a construction expert. You may also canvass for contractors online. Most sites offer complete information about their HVAC contractors and staff.

Old houses that need renovation need to be seen and inspected first by a licensed and certified HVAC contractor. This may be the perfect time to take down the old system and introduce a more modern but cost-effective alternative.

And if houses need HVAC contractors, then commercial and residential buildings and facilities also need these kinds of professional experts. While the electrical engineer, the civil engineer, the architect, and designer may already have talked about the blueprint, they will need to consult with an HVAC expert. Because of his knowledge and skill, the HVAC contractor has a lot more to contribute to the design and implementation of the plan. On your end, you can be assured that nothing will go wrong with your HVAC system. It is also important for you to befriend the organizers, as they will most likely be the ones responsible for the maintenance of your equipment and system.

HVAC provides detailed information on HVAC, HVAC Training, HVAC Jobs, HVAC Contractors and more. HVAC is affiliated with Home Insulations.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Bellamy

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How Underfloor Heating Systems Work?
By Natalie Aranda

Underfloor heating systems are common in mainland Europe, and recently are increasing their popularity in the United Kingdom and the United States. Underfloor heating provides even distribution of heat in rooms and are easy to install.

Diy underfloor heating is even more popular as it is proven that people hate to walk over cold floors. Underfloor heating systems are easy to install for anyone since they don't require special skills or knowledge.

These systems are non obtrusive and there is no restriction on the placement of furniture as occurs with other systems, requiring minimal maintenance in any case.

There is nothing more comfortable than feeling the soothing heat of a diy underfloor heating system, but how do underfloor heating systems work?

There are two type of underfloor heating systems, those that work with warm water (wet system), and those that are powered by electricity (dry systems). When it comes to the wet system, there are pipes buried in the foundation or under the floor that distributes the water. Depending on the system, water can be simply running underneath the floor surface.

In the case of diy underfloor heating, hot-water system has pipes of about one-half inch of inner diameter, or larger. The advantage of these pipes is that they can be covered with flooring materials, and engineers usually install them within the concrete slab before proceeding with the floor finishing.

Underfloor heating can also run under wood subflooring systems, which preserve the heat better. In any case, the system works by transferring heat through large surfaces but only slightly so the heat can never can be compared with that of Radiator systems.

Diy underfloor heating is usually more complicated to install, and not recommended by a do-it-yourself task, because special equipment, skills and tools are required, so call a professional for getting this type of heating systems installed.

Otherwise, underfloor heating by water is something that you can do if the provider of the underfloor pipe work gives your further instructions on the proper way in which to install.

Electric underfloor heating systems are up to 40% more expensive that water underfloor heating systems, and are not recommended for wooden floors. To ensure that a diy underfloor heating system works properly it is necessary to setup its own circuit due to the electrical current needed to power it.

Whether you choose a wet underfloor heating system or a dry underfloor heating system powered by electricity, do not forget that they are not perfect and have a number of cons, such as long heat up time and cooling down period that both of them require.

Underfloor heating systems often require a disruption on existing structures and floor finishing, requiring extra attention. Finally, once installed and running they don't respond immediately to sudden temperature changes

Natalie Aranda writes on home and family. Underfloor heating systems are common in mainland Europe, and recently are increasing their popularity in the United Kingdom and the United States. Underfloor heating provides even distribution of heat in rooms and are easy to install. Diy underfloor heating is even more popular as it is proven that people hate to walk over cold floors. Underfloor heating systems are easy to install for anyone since they don't require special skills or knowledge.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Natalie_Aranda

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Heating homes: 9 main systems
By Hans De Keulenaer

Nine possible systems and a consideration
Until 250 years ago, wood and peat were the only means to heat a home. At present, there is a growing variety of residential heating systems. It is not easy to formulate an opinion which system is best in terms of environment, economy and comfort. But does the ideal heating system of the future really exist?

Each system has its own advantages and disadvantages. Which technology is the best should be evaluated on a case by case basis, without any prior exclusion of technologies.

Primarily nine different systems are being used today:

1. Natural gas is the most environmentally friendly fossil fuel, especially when it is burned in a high efficiency boiler with heat recovery. Yet it requires a gas network. And maybe natural gas should be used for generating electricity?
2. The oil boiler is a similar system to the gas boiler, yet with a higher emission rate. It doesn't require a network but a storage tank and road transport. The oil boiler is likely to loose market share in the upcoming years.
3. Electrical heating has been out of grace for some time in some countries, but today it is again seen as one of the heating systems of the future. An electrical system can be an efficient and cost-effective alternative when electricity is generated from low carbon sources, or when the heating demand is relatively low - for instance in new, compact, and well isolated houses.
4. The heat pump. Since it takes over 2/3 of its energy output from the environment, it has a very high efficiency. But a ground-water heat pump requires a large surface. It should be combined with a low temperature heating system in a well insulated house, but the investment is only cost-efficient if there is a sufficient heating demand. A best practice solution for relatively large buildings in temperate to cold climates. Reversible heat pumps could be used in climates where there is both a heating and cooling requirement.
5. Domestic CHP (Combined Heat and Power) is an emerging technology. It has the advantage that it makes fully use of the capacity of natural gas to produce electricity - a high quality energy carrier. But it requires matching heat and electricity demand, and may produce too much heat for well insulated dwellings with relatively low heat requirements.
6. District heating with a central CHP plant is only efficient in (compact) cities where buildings have a sufficient heat demand. So the better houses are insulated, the less interesting it becomes. Only in cold climates, the heating demand will still be large enough to justify an investment in district heating. An important consideration: if a district heating network already exists, reducing the heat demand of dwellings (e.g. by improved insulation) is still a good idea, since new technologies allow producing more electricity for a lower amount of heat.
7. Coal stoves are regarded as an old-fashioned way for residential heating. Nevertheless, they are still commonly used in many countries. They produce a comfortable heat atmosphere and have a fairly good efficiency. But they are inconvenient to operate, and CO2 emissions are high. In Europe, the market share of coal as an energy source for heating will probably continue to decrease.
8. Most coal stoves can also burn wood or wood pellets. The influence of wood pellets on the global CO2 emissions requires more investigation. Maybe wood should ideally be used for CO2 storage rather than energy carrier?
9. Solar energy. A solar water boiler can be combined with low temperature heating. A wind or photo-voltaic system can be the energy source for electrical heating. None of both systems will be able to supply large power, so they should be used in houses with small heating demand or combined with other sources. Photo-voltaic systems have the disadvantage that they produce most power when the least heating is necessary, but solar cooling is an application where ambient generation will naturally match demand.

And to conclude a consideration. A house can be seen as our third skin, while our second skin consists of clothes. Reinforcing both skins can save a lot of energy, money, and CO2 emissions. The third skin can be improved by a maximum insulation, an excellent airtight construction, use of sun heat by intelligent glazing, and ventilation with heat exchange. The second skin can be improved by simply wearing an extra sweater! This allows setting the thermostat a bit lower - we know 1 degree results in a few % less energy per year.

Or we could use electricity even more intelligently. In Asia, so-called 'kotatsu' tables have an (electric) heating element underneath and a blanket and they are being used to heat just a small amount of space. They're quite comfortable, provide the emotional center for the home and one of the most efficient ways possible to provide high heating comfort to occupants. A similar system exists in Southern Spain.

In short, it is not easy to compare a variety of heating systems, used in different climates to provide various lifestyles.

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Hans De Keulenaer manages Leonardo ENERGY initiative, the Web portal for sustainable energy professionals.

http://www.leonardo-energy.org

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hans_De_Keulenaer

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A Few Simple Facts About Gas And Electric Heating Systems
By Phillip Rye

To make your home more energy efficient, you need to understand the energy efficiency of different types of heating and cooling systems. Many times people are confused by inaccurate information they receive from manufacturers and sellers of heating and cooling equipment. But all you need to know in order to make wise decisions when purchasing this equipment are a few simple facts.

First of all, the proper sizing of equipment is of utmost importance for comfort and low utility bills. Once the proper size is known, then you must decide what type of system best suits your needs. Let's look at three ways houses are heated.

Natural gas furnace, Air-to-air electric heat pump, Geothermal heat pump (electricity).

Now, let’s consider how efficient they are. And when I talk about heating efficiency, I’m talking about how efficiently the system converts either natural gas or electricity to heat for you home.

A typical gas furnace will be rated at about 80 percent efficiency when it is new and if it is installed properly. That percentage will lessen with each year’s use. An 80-percent efficiency rating means that 80 percent of the gas used will provide heat and the other 20 percent goes up the flue. For example, look at your neighbor’s gas flue on a cold winter morning and see the steam coming out.

While I don’t recommend this, a gas furnace that is 90-percent efficient can be used. With this unit, about 10 percent of the fuel goes up the flue. At first glance, you might think 80 to 90 percent sounds pretty good. But consider this. Would you purchase gasoline for your car and pump 10 to 20 percent of it on the ground? In my opinion, our nation would not have to worry about shortages of natural gas if we simply didn’t waste it.

Another popular type of heating system, an air-to-air heat pump, uses electricity instead of gas. All Doug Rye homes use electric heating systems. An air-to-air heat pump, properly installed, would operate at an efficiency of around 250 percent. I know what you are thinking. “How can anything be more than 100 percent energy efficient?”

Remember, we are talking about how efficiently a unit uses either electricity or gas to move or create heat. Unlike a gas-fired furnace, a heat pump does not actually create heat, it simply moves heat from one location to another. Air-to-air pumps extract the heat from the air. With a heat pump, you use one unit of electricity and get about 2.5 units of heat.

My favorite system, the geothermal heat pump, is simply the very best there is. Most geothermal heating systems operate at close to 400 percent energy efficiency! Wow!

That’s five times the efficiency of the 80 percent gas furnace. As this heat pump is extracting heat from Mother Earth, which is a constant 57 degrees, it is operating on minimal stress and using a very small amount of electricity to move the heat from the earth into the house.

With a geothermal system, you buy one unit of electricity (one unit of heat) and Mother Earth will give you three more units of heat for free. (That three units of heat is solar energy that Mr. Sunshine gave us over millions of years.) In future columns, we’ll talk more about how air-to-air and geothermal heat pumps work.

Doug Rye is a nationally recognized energy consultant and licensed architect. Doug also host the "Home Remedies" radio talk show that is broadcast in 15 states.

Phillip Rye is a licensed engineer and has spent the past 15 years studying energy efficiency and energy conservation.

Discover how you can have lower utility bills guaranteed! Visit http://www.dougrye.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phillip_Rye

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