Below is a picture of a direct vent water heater that we just installed in a Wellesley, MA home. Call (978) 486-0904 for all of your water heater repair and water heater replacement needs!

Below is a picture of a Wellesley, MA home that we are doing a custom plumbing buildout for that will feature 6-12 bathrooms.

What’s worse than a major home maintenance disaster? How about several major home maintenance disasters at once? For the quarter-million families who have their homes ruined and their lives disrupted each winter because of frozen water pipes, frigid nights can very quickly turn to ongoing, inconvenient, extremely expensive ordeals.

In cold and warmer climates alike, pipes freeze for a combination of three central reasons: quick drops in temperature, poor insulation, and thermostats set too low. Both plastic and copper pipes can burst when they freeze, and recovering from frozen pipes is not as simple as calling a plumber. A 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can spew up to 250 gallons of water a day, causing flooding, serious structural damage, and the immediate potential for mold.

In the United States, frozen pipes cause a huge amount of damage each year; unlike natural disasters, this disaster is largely preventable. By taking a few simple precautions, you can help save yourself the mess, money, and aggravation frozen pipes cause.

Your Best Bet: Don’t Let It Happen
There are a number of preventative steps you can take to keep your pipes from freezing. Here are a few simple tips:

Before The Cold
Remember the three central causes of frozen pipes? Quick drops in temperature, poor insulation, and thermostats set too low. You can prepare by protecting your home during the warmer months. Here’s how:

• Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl spaces and attic, even if you live in a climate where freezing is uncommon. Exposed pipes are most susceptible to freezing. Remember: The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
• Heat tape or thermostatically controlled heat cables can be used to wrap pipes. Be sure to use products approved by an independent testing organization, such as Underwriters Laboratories Inc., and only for the use intended (exterior or interior). Closely follow all manufacturers’ installation and operation instructions.
• Seal leaks that allow cold air inside near where pipes are located. Look for air leaks around electrical wiring, dryer vents, and pipes, and use caulk or insulation to keep the cold out. With severe cold, even a tiny opening can let in enough cold air to cause a pipe to freeze.
• Before winter hits, disconnect garden hoses and, if possible, use an indoor valve to shut off and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This reduces the chance of freezing in the short span of pipe just inside the house.

When The Mercury Drops
Even if you’ve taken the right preventative steps, extreme weather conditions can still harm your pipes. Here are a few more steps you can take:

• A trickle of hot and cold water might be all it takes to keep your pipes from freezing. Let warm water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.
• Keep your thermostat set at the same temperature during both day and night. You might be in the habit of turning down the heat when you’re asleep, but further drops in the temperature – more common overnight – could catch you off guard and freeze your pipes.
• Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to un-insulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

If the temperature drops and you think your pipes are in danger, call us at (978) 486-0904 for an inspection and service.

Looking to make you home or business more energy efficient? Call Campbell Plumbing, Heating & Air for all of your plumbing and HVAC needs in MA & southern NH:

Campbell Heating & Air offers he comprehensive range of products and services from Viessmann

Viessmann sets the technological pace for the heating industry. The comprehensive range of products and services from Viessmann offers individual solutions with efficient systems for all application areas and all energy sources.

As environmental pioneers, the company has, for decades, been supplying particularly efficient and clean heating systems for oil and gas, as well as solar thermal systems, heating systems for biomass and heat pumps.

The comprehensive range of products and services from Viessmann offers top technology and sets new benchmarks. With its high energy efficiency, this range helps to save heating costs and is always the right choice where ecology is concerned.

Individual and efficient solutions

Viessmann offers the right heating system for any demand – wall mounted or floorstanding, in individual combinations – all are futureproof and economical. It makes no difference whether you need a system for detached or two-family houses, for large residential buildings, for commerce and industry, or for local heating networks, or whether the system is intended for modernization or new build.

The spectrum of goods and services offered by the Viessmann Group includes:

■Condensing technology for oil and gas

■Solar thermal systems

■Heat pumps

■Wood combustion systems

■CHP modules

■Biogas plants

■Services

Of course, we also offer full maintenance and service after the sale, to ensure that your Viessmann continues to operate at peak efficiency.

With 6800 employees around the world, the Viessmann Group is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of heating technology – and Europe’s best-selling brand of floor-mounted boilers. Worldwide, the name Viessmann stands for expertise and innovation.

What if I want a Viessmann Boiler? Call us at (877) 410-3752.

We will arrange for someone to come to your home and discuss different Viessmann boiler and/or other heating options for your particular needs.

We proudly service Massachusets and Southern New Hampshire including:

Westford, Acton, Sudbury, Chelmsford, Concord, Lincoln, Carlisle, Newton, Brookline, Wellesley, Weston, Needham, Dover, Sherborn, Wayland, Littleton and surrounding areas.

Campbell Heating & Air is your local MA / NH Lochinvar provider of High Efficiency Water Heaters, Boilers, and Pool Heaters.  Our service mechanics are highly trained and certified to provide you with the top equipment and service in the industry.

In 1993, Lochinvar introduced the Copper-Fin II, the first line of horizontal chassis, copper-finned tube water heaters, boilers and pool heaters to operate with fan-assisted combustion. Available in models up to 2,070,000 Btu/hr, the Copper-Fin II line is known throughout the industry for its high thermal efficiency, unique gasketless heat exchanger, proportional firing, small footprint and multiple venting options. Today, the proven performance of this line has been further enhanced with design updates and a new operating control, taking Copper-Fin II to a new level of innovation.

Smarter System, Greater Control

Among the major enhancements to the Copper-Fin II family of products, all models are now equipped with the exclusive SMART SYSTEM™ control. Originally developed and introduced in 2005, SMART SYSTEM is the industry’s most advanced integrated operating control designed to simplify installation, system sequencing, set-up and troubleshooting.

The user-friendly SMART SYSTEM interface features a two-line, 16 character LCD display that provides readouts of setup, system status and diagnostic data in words rather than codes. Equipped with a built-in cascading sequencer, SMART SYSTEM allows for the installation and control of up to eight units. Further expanding upon the well-established cascading sequencer, the Copper-Fin II offers balanced control with Front End Loading capabilities when connected to Lochinvar’s CREST® Condensing Boiler.

Other standard SMART SYSTEM control features include outdoor reset with sensor, Domestic Hot Water prioritization, three pump control, night setback and password security. Optional PC software offers expanded capability for recording, tracking and analyzing system data to fine-tune operation for maximum performance and troubleshooting.

In addition, the Copper-Fin II now has a more conveniently positioned High Voltage Terminal strip for easy connection to a 120-volt power source; control contacts for System Pump, Boiler Pump and DHW Pump; as well as a Low Voltage Terminal board allowing for connection to an array of control and safety features such as 0-10 VDC BMS input, contacts for air louvers and optional Modbus protocol.

Space-Saving, Service-Friendly Design

While Copper-Fin II is known for its small footprint and Lochinvar’s unique factory-welded Stack Frame option that allows for installation of two units in the area normally required for one, the enhanced models offer a more service-friendly design. The gas inlet and internal controls have been repositioned to the front of the appliance for easier access during installation and service. The built-in air filter reduces maintenance and improves performance with a field convertible option to install the air intake on the rear or the right side of the boiler.

Expanding upon the versatility of the Copper-Fin family, the larger units ranging from 990,000 to 2,070,000 Btu/hr are now rated for installation on combustible floors. The smaller units may be installed on a combustible floor when equipped with an optional combustible floor kit available from Lochinvar.

Time-Proven Heat Exchanger

In 1989, Lochinvar was the first manufacturer to offer gasketless cast iron and copper-finned tube heat exchangers. This unique gasketless design enhances reliability by eliminating o-rings and gaskets often encountered with other brands. The advanced heat exchanger features glass-lined headers and copper-finned tubes with extruded integral fins spaced at seven fins per inch for exceptional heat transfer. The heat exchanger is built to ASME construction standards for 160 psi working pressure and is backed by a 10-year limited warranty.
 
If you live in Massachusetts or New Hampshire and would like more information on High Efficiency Boilers & Water Heaters, please call (877) 410-3752 or visit https://www.campbellheatingandair.com/

As much as half of the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. So making smart decisions about your home’s heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) system can have a big effect on your utility bills — and your comfort. Take these steps to increase the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.

Change your air filter regularly

Check your filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool — wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system — leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.

Tune up your HVAC equipment yearly

Just as a tune-up for your car can improve your gas mileage, a yearly tune-up of your heating and cooling system can improve efficiency and comfort.

Install a programmable thermostat

A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time throughout the week. Through proper use of pre-programmed settings, a programmable thermostat can save you about $180 every year in energy costs.

Seal your heating and cooling ducts

Ducts that move air to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent — and sometimes much more.

Focus first on sealing ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement, or garage. Use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed (foil) tape to seal the seams and connections of ducts. After sealing the ducts in those spaces, wrap them in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Next, look to seal any other ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled part of the house.

Consider installing ENERGY STAR qualified heating and cooling equipment

If your HVAC equipment is more than 10 years old or not keeping your house comfortable, have it evaluated by a professional HVAC contractor. If it is not performing efficiently or needs upgrading, consider replacing it with a unit that has earned the ENERGY STAR. Depending on where you live, replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with ENERGY STAR qualified equipment can cut your annual energy bill by nearly $200. But before you invest in a new HVAC system, make sure that you have addressed the big air leaks in your house and the duct system. Sometimes, these are the real sources of problems rather than your HVAC equipment.

Ask about Proper Installation of your new equipment

Replacing your old heating and cooling equipment with new, energy-efficient models is a great start. But to make sure that you get the best performance, the new equipment must be properly installed. In fact, improper installation can reduce system efficiency by up to 30 percent — costing you more on your utility bills and possibly shortening the equipment’s life.

High efficiency boilers are furnaces that operate by taking advantage of condensing to lower energy consumption and energy bills. This type of boiler is favored by many for its financial and environmental benefits.

How High Efficiency Boilers Work

High efficiency boilers save energy by recovering heat that would normally by removed through the flue system of an older model, non-condensing boiler. High efficiency gas boilers have large heat exchange mechanisms that enable them to maximize the transfer of heat from the burner. In the condensing mode, high efficiency boilers simply limit the loss of flue gases. This enables high efficiency boilers to take better advantage of heat produced.

Efficiency Ratings

Boiler models have efficiency ratings that rank from A to G. High efficiency boilers, which are always condensation models, have an A rating. A boiler’s efficiency is a concern for those who want to keep energy bills as low as possible.

Boilers Efficiency has Several Impacts

High efficiency boilers are considered the superior models for a few advantageous reasons over non-condensing models. High efficiency gas boilers not only save money, but they reduce the use of natural gasses, as well. This makes high efficiency boilers the more environmentally friendly choice.

HVAC Acton, MA – Campbell Heating and Air

When winter ends and the temperature begins to rise, many people begin the annual ritual of spring cleaning. Dusting away winter cobwebs and cleaning the insides of windowsills are usually performed to keep the home in good condition. But many people overlook the maintenance on one household item that is relied on all summer long: the air conditioner.
You should make sure your air conditioner is in proper working condition before the summer hits, just as you would make sure your furnace is in proper working condition before the winter. Your HVAC system as a whole functions to keep you and your family comfortable, so an inspection by a professional HVAC contractor should be done at least once a year (usually before the winter season).
Before the summer, however, you should check over your air conditioning unit to identify any potential problems. By far, the most important maintenance task you can perform is changing the air filters on a regular basis. Failing to replace the air filters once per month (or two months, depending on the type of air filter) is a mistake that could cost you a lot of money in energy bills and will significantly reduce the lifespan of the entire system. Make sure you purchase air filters that allow for proper airflow and are recommended by the HVAC system manufacturer. Purchasing expensive air filters may not always be your best option, as these filters reduce airflow and make the air conditioner work extra hard to cool your home, costing you more money in energy bills.
Another thing you can do before you turn your air conditioning unit on for the summer is clean your registers and air returns. Make sure the vents and registers are free of dust and opened properly to allow clean air to enter and exit the cooling system. Also check the sealing around the ductwork, as you can loose a lot of cool air through unsealed ductwork, which will dramatically raise your cooling costs.
You may want to inspect the evaporator coil for dirt and dust. There are special cleaners available that are designed for use on refrigerant coils. However, this may not be an easy task and accessing the evaporator coil may be difficult. You may want to contact a professional HVAC contractor to perform this maintenance, as certain lines may need to be cut and reinstalled for proper cleaning and use.
Your outdoor air conditioning unit should be free from debris. Remove leaves and overgrowth around your outdoor unit to ensure it has enough space to maintain proper airflow. Try to keep water away from the unit, as this can cause premature rusting and corrosion. A licensed HVAC contractor can inspect and clean the inside of system for any signs of potential problems and make sure it is ready for summer, as well as check the refrigerant levels to ensure there is enough to keep your house cool all season long.
Taking these steps to clean and maintain your air conditioning system will ensure that it lasts a long time and runs at a very high efficiency. You’ll save money in the long run and your family will stay cool and comfortable during those hot summer days.