Betlem Residential Has The Solution For Toasty Winter Warmth.

When you talk about winter warmth, most people think of gas furnaces like the Lennox® SLP98V*, the quietest and most efficient gas furnace you can buy. But furnaces aren’t the only method of keeping warm.  In fact, Betlem Residential offers a wide variety of solutions that provide heat for different needs.

Heat Pumps

In the traditional whole-home heating and cooling system, an air conditioner provides cooling during the summer, while a furnace provides heat during the winter. Depending on where you live, a heat pump can be a smart way to provide energy-efficient warmth, especially during transitional seasons.

A heat pump is basically an air conditioner that can work in reverse.  During hot weather, it keeps the home cool by gathering heat from indoors and moving it outdoors.  However, during cool weather, the heat pump is capable of reversing the process, taking heat from outdoors and transferring it indoors to keep you warm.

See how a heat pump works HERE.

Heat Pumps and Dual Fuel

Heat Pumps can help maintain energy efficiency during cool weather, because in many parts of the country, electricity is cheaper than gas.  Because of this fact, many homes can benefit from the use of a dual-fuel system, which pairs a heat pump with a gas furnace.

During cool or transitional weather, the heat pump keeps you warm.  Then, when the weather becomes too cold for the heat pump to work effectively, the system switches to the gas furnace for warmth.  When the temperature falls somewhere between cool and cold, the system will automatically switch between the electric heat pump and the gas furnace based on whichever is most energy efficient for the weather.

Boilers

For many homes in northern climates, steam heat is the preferred method of keeping warm. Boilers work by circulating steam throughout a network of pipes in the home.  This steam can then be piped through radiators, which provide ambient heat without airflow.  Or, in other configurations, the steam travels through a heat exchanger where it transfers its heat to air that is then circulated throughout the home. For these homes, Betlem Residential offers a full line of boilers, including the GWM-IE boiler. 

Many boilers provide a smart benefit when used in homes: free hot water.  Since the water must already be heated to generate steam, it can also be repurposed to provide the hot water needed for bathing, laundry and washing dishes.

Oil Furnaces

Many homes in northern climates aren’t equipped with natural gas lines. Instead, they rely on heating oil to provide warmth. For these homes, furnaces like the Lennox SLO185V furnace can provide energy-efficient heat. For quieter operation and more even heating, the SLO185V uses a variable-speed fan motor to gently circulate warm air.

Packaged Units

In areas where space is at a premium, such as apartments or condominiums, a packaged unit is a smart choice for heating a home.  Available in either dual-fuel, heat pump or gas/electric configurations, a packaged unit combines all of a home’s heating and cooling equipment into one enclosure.

Dual-fuel packaged units combine an electric heat pump and a gas furnace.  During hot weather, the heat pump functions as an air conditioner.  During cool weather, the heat pump reverses itself to provide heat.  Then, during colder weather, the gas furnace takes over to provide warmth.  During transitional weather, the system will automatically switch between the heat pump and furnace to provide warmth, based on whichever is most cost-efficient.

Heat pump packaged units, frequently found in warmer climates, use a heat pump to provide both cooling in the summer and warmth in the winter. Gas/electric heat pumps, on the other hand, use an air conditioner for summer cooling, and a gas furnace for winter heat.

Air Handlers

Typically found in hot, southern climates, air handlers are frequently paired with air conditioners to provide cooling. Essentially, an air handler is a large fan that moves air throughout a home, often including built-in air filtration to maintain indoor air quality.

Since warmer southern climates usually have no need for heating, air handlers don’t typically offer heating capabilities. However, air handlers like the Lennox® CBX32MV, a quiet and efficient air handler for virtually any installation, offer optional electric heating that can be activated when unseasonably cool weather strikes.

Mini-Split Systems

Lennox Mini Split Systems are an ideal solution for areas of your home that can be difficult to heat, and where running new ductwork is not a practical option.  A mini-split system with a heat pump is essentially a miniature heating and cooling system designed to serve one, two, or three areas of a home.

Inside, an unobtrusive ventilation unit mounts near the ceiling, providing airflow.  Outside the home, an outdoor unit is used to either absorb or radiate heat, so that the indoor ventilation unit can blow either warm or cold air. A mini-split system requires no ductwork, and uses only one small hole to connect the indoor and outdoor components. 

Garage Heaters

Garages can be extremely cold spaces during winter. To help preserve your comfort, garage heaters provide a smart solution for continuous warmth.  Available in a wide variety of sizes and heat output levels, Lennox garage heaters combine a fan with a heat source, either natural gas or propane, to circulate plenty of warm air in one area.

Betlem Residential's garage heaters are like a furnace that blows directly into the room, without the need for ductwork.  They not only provide comfort when working on your vehicle, but can also help reduce vehicle wear and tear by eliminating the damage caused by repeated cold-starts.  They can also help preserve belongings that are stored in your garage, and provide comfort for pets that live in garage spaces.

No matter what your heating needs, your Rochester, NY HVAC contractor,  Betlem Residential has the right solution that will keep you comfortable, and energy efficient.  Be ready for winter, no matter what.  And no matter where.

*Based on sound pressure levels during steady-state, high-fire and low-fire operation of Lennox SLP98UH070XV36B and leading competitive units as of July 2013 at mid-point temperature rise and minimum external static pressure when set up per Section 4.4.4 of AHRI 260-2012. Based on AFUE efficiency rating of Lennox SLP98UH090XV60C and leading competitive units listed in AHRI directory as of March 2015. Efficiency ratings established per test standard ANSI/ASHRAE 103-2007. 

Smart Home Technology Makes Every Day Easier.

It seems that every day is busier than the last, and there’s never time to do everything you want. Fortunately, the things we use are pitching in to help. Smart home devices and appliances mean greater convenience, energy savings and peace of mind.

Ranging from security to cooking, these devices usually feature a connection to your home Wi-Fi network and, more often than not, are accessible through your mobile device. This frees you up to do things on the go that used to require more dedicated time and attention.

Smart Security

Today’s smart home technology can do amazing things to help keep you safe from crime, fire and other dangerous situations. And unlike old-fashioned alarm systems that only went off if something was wrong, today’s smart security systems can not only protect you, they can also actually make your day more convenient.

Smart Locks

The lock is the most basic of all security devices. It keeps people out of places where you don’t want them. Old locks used a key. Newer locks can use electronic keypads. But smart locks take security and convenience to a whole new level.

By connecting to a central hub in your home via a wireless signal, smart locks can be locked and unlocked using your smartphone. So if a child forgets his or her key, a quick phone call to a parent gets them inside with ease. And if you have a house sitter watching your home while you’re on vacation, you can grant them temporary access that expires the day you come home.

Smart monitoring

Today’s smart home surveillance and monitoring systems have moved past security, and are now just as much about remote interaction. Crime prevention and safety are still important, but today’s easy-to-implement, Internet-connected cameras allow you to watch a live video feed of what’s happening in your home from anywhere in the world. This means you can watch out for danger, while also doing things like checking in on family and pets, or even seeing if there’s a package waiting on your front steps.

Smart garage doors

Ever had that sudden, anxious realization that you may have left the garage door up? Never again. Today’s smart garage doors give you the ability to confirm closure right from your smartphone. They also allow you to do things like opening the door remotely for a contractor or landscaper. Smart garage doors can even use the GPS in your smartphone to automatically open the door when you pull into the driveway.

Smart doorbells

How could the humble doorbell find a place in today’s connected smart-home world? By becoming your virtual butler. When a smart doorbell rings, it immediately sends a video feed to your smartphone, or even your television, so you know who’s at the door. You can then communicate with your visitors, or ignore them if you so choose. Smart doorbells can also capture video footage of everyone who rings your bell, so it’s just as much about security as it is about interaction.

Smart kitchens

Connected appliances can change a lot of aspects of your life, including your time in the kitchen. By helping you streamline simple tasks or reminding you of important things, they can help you take control of your meals like never before.

Smart refrigerators

Smart refrigerators are not just about storage -- they’re also about awareness. By using bar code scanners or RFID readers, smart fridges can help keep you informed about what you have available to eat. No more last-minute runs to the store for milk. No more surprise spoilage. You know what kind of food you have, and how much longer you’ll have it available.

Smart fridges can also send alerts to you on your smartphone when it’s time to buy more of the things you need. Smart fridges can even be used as information hubs, with integrated televisions and the ability to leave messages and reminders for other family members.

Smart cooking

Nobody wants to cook dinner after a long day at work. With smart ovens and ranges, you can now let your appliances shoulder part of the load. Connected cooking appliances can do simple things, like allow you to start them and clean them via smartphone. But they can also become an invaluable hub for dinner activities by helping you plan meals and offering recipes. 

Even smaller cooking appliances like crock pots can now connect to your home Wi-Fi network, allowing you to start them while you’re at work, and come home to a piping-hot meal.

Smart Lighting

With smart lighting devices, you can use your smartphone to dim different lights to create ambience for dinner, or make it easier to see the television. When you’re away, smart lights can be set to turn on and off to make it appear like you’re still home, using random patterns that more accurately simulate a busy, occupied home.

Smart lighting can also involve natural light. Smart window blinds can be set to open and close on a schedule, or controlled manually via smartphone app. And since they’re motorized, you’ll no longer have to deal with unsightly cords that can entangle children and pets.

Smart HVAC is smarter than ever

Older thermostats were fairly simple devices. They used mechanical switches to turn heating and cooling off based on ambient air temperature. You set one single temperature that was maintained all day and all night. This necessitated an ongoing battle between energy savings and comfort, because saving energy meant setting the temperature to a level that was either too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter. 

Then along came programmable thermostats, which helped make the situation a little more bearable. Now, your home temperature could be set to different levels based around the activity of your family. You could program the thermostat to keep your home at more comfortable temperatures when everyone was home and awake, then dial back to more energy-efficient temperatures when everyone was gone or fast asleep.

Smarter means more adaptable

The problem with programmable thermostats is, most families don’t follow a rigid schedule. So variations in daily life that didn’t correspond with the thermostat’s schedule meant everyone was uncomfortable at least part of the time or you could be wasting energy.

Now, smart thermostats like the iComfort® S30 Smart Thermostat have changed the game entirely. Instead of following a set schedule, they can actually adapt to changes in activity and routine. Smart thermostats can proactively grab energy savings wherever they can, reducing system and utility costs based on your family’s actual schedule.

It knows where you are, and what you want

The iComfort S30 uses a variety of technologies to adapt to life and preserve consistent energy savings. These technologies all work together to find the perfect balance between energy use, temperature and humidity, so you never have to sacrifice one for the other.

Schedule IQ™ Technology: While regular programmable thermostats follow a set routine, the iComfort S30 uses your programmed schedule as a guideline. If it detects a variation in the routine -- for example, a family leaving for the day a half-hour earlier than normal -- it automatically adapts its heating and cooling to match.

Smart Away™ Mode: To get the most accurate picture of your family’s activities, the iComfort S30 coordinates its operation with the GPS in your family’s smartphones. If it detects that everyone is away, it sets back the temperature to save energy. Then, when it detects a family member is on the way home, it restores normal operation so everyone always comes home to comfort.

Remote Capability: To make sure you’re always in control, the iComfort S30 can be monitored and adjusted using the iComfort App on your mobile device. So you can make manual changes anytime you wish.

Active Monitoring: To ensure you have uninterrupted comfort, the iComfort S30 monitors itself continually. If it detects an issue, or senses it’s time for regular system maintenance or a filter change, it can alert you and your dealer with a message via email.

If you’d like to make your home smarter, the possibilities are endless. And if you’d like smarter home comfort with an iComfort S30 smart thermostat, your Betlem Residential Heating & Air Conditioning is here to help. 

The How and Why of Heat Pumps

The term “heat pump” is frequently used in reference to a heating and air-conditioning system, but not every homeowner is familiar with what a heat pump is, or what it does.  In the simplest definition, a heat pump is an air conditioner that can reverse its operation to move heat into the house, instead of out.

The movement of heat

Most everyone is familiar with what an air conditioner does.  It creates cool air, which is then circulated through a house’s ductwork by the furnace or air handler.  But strictly speaking, an air conditioner doesn’t “make cold,” it “gets rid of heat.”

The refrigerant that Betlem Residential puts into an air-conditioning system circulates back and forth between the air conditioner outside, and the coil inside, gathering heat as it goes.  Once that heat gets outside the home, the air conditioner disperses it.

Standing next to an air conditioner, you can feel a steady stream of warm air coming off of it. This heat isn’t generated by the air conditioner’s motor or fan; it’s the heat that was previously in the house, being vented into the atmosphere.

The heat pump difference

When a heat pump operates during warm weather, it performs exactly like an air conditioner.  It gathers the heat that’s inside the house, and vents it outside.

When cold weather arrives, however, the heat pump is able to reverse its operation. It gathers heat from the outside air and moves it inside to warm the house.  Because even when the outside air feels cold on the skin, it still contains enough heat for the heat pump to gather and move inside.

Why select a heat pump?

The decision to choose a heat pump or a furnace for a home has to do with the climate in which the home is located. Heat pumps typically work better in warmer southern climates where winters aren’t too harsh. Since the air doesn’t get very cold, a heat pump can gather enough heat during cool weather or cold snaps to keep the home comfortable.

In northern climates that have colder winter weather, there is usually not much heat present in the air for a heat pump to collect.  And even if there is some heat present in the outside air, it may cost a lot of electricity for the heat pump to run long and fast enough to collect it.

For that reason, homes in northern climates typically elect to use a gas furnace  or oil-burning furnace for warmth.

Dual-fuel systems

For homes located in mild or moderate climates, a heat pump can be paired with a gas furnace to create a dual-fuel system.  In this configuration, you enjoy the best possible balance between comfort and energy efficiency.

In cool weather, when the seasons transition from summer to fall, the heat pump in a dual-fuel system keeps the home warm.  Because electricity is typically cheaper than gas, this means more energy-efficient comfort.

When winter arrives and the weather becomes colder, it would take substantially more electricity to draw in enough heat to keep the home warm.  So the dual-fuel system switches from the heat pump to the gas furnace to provide warmth.

The most energy-efficient warmth, every time

The system will continue to switch back and forth automatically between the electric heat pump and the gas furnace, based on whichever is most energy-efficient for the current weather.

The switching point is preprogrammed by Betlem Residential when the system is installed.  Since the switch point is based on prices of electricity and gas in the area in which the home is located, this allows customized energy savings.

To get the energy-conscious advantages of a heat pump in your home, or to discuss the year-round advantages of a dual-fuel system, please contact Betlem Residential.

Saving Energy: Understanding Energy Ratings

Understanding energy ratings

If you’ve ever shopped for a new air conditioner, furnace, or even a window unit, you’ve probably seen energy rating data listed somewhere on the product. Knowing what those numbers mean, and how to compare them, can save you a lot of money over the life of your equipment.

Making sense of the numbers

Ratings help you make smart choices 

Energy ratings were established to provide a baseline for comparing heating and air conditioning equipment based on the energy it uses to keep you comfortable. In a sense, you can think of energy ratings like miles-per-gallon in a car.

The more gasoline it takes you to go one mile, the more you’ll spend for every mile you need to travel. So if you’re looking at a large SUV that gets 15 miles per gallon, you know you’ll need to plan a larger fuel budget every month than if you’d chosen a subcompact or hybrid car that gets 38 miles to the gallon.

What the ratings mean for your home

With home heating and cooling equipment, the efficiency numbers tell you how much energy you’ll have to spend to get the same performance out of similar products.

Ratings are different for each type of heating and cooling equipment, simply because of the energy source used to power it. In other words, you can’t use the same rating to compare a gas furnace to an electric heat pump, because they don’t use the same type of fuel.

However, when you understand the numbers behind the ratings, you can get a good idea of how much money you’ll spend to run your equipment, whether it uses gas, electricity, or both.

SEER, for rating electric cooling

SEER is one of the most common rating systems for home cooling equipment. It stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, and it gives a pretty good indication of your energy costs because it measures performance over an entire cooling season.

To calculate SEER, you simply take the total cooling output that the equipment will generate over the summer, measured in British Thermal Units (BTU), and divide it by the total amount of energy you’ll have to expend (and pay for) during the same time period.

What you’re really measuring here is how much cooling power the unit will provide, and how much it will cost you to enjoy that cool comfort. The Lennox® XC25 is currently the most precise and efficient air conditioner you can buy*, offering a SEER of up to 26.

Federal law currently mandates a minimum SEER of between 13 and 14, depending upon where in the country you live, and any air conditioner over 14.5 SEER can be eligible for ENERGY STAR® qualification, meaning it’s a smart choice for energy-efficient cooling.

AFUE, for rating fossil-fuel furnaces

AFUE is a different way to measure efficiency, because it deals with a different type of fuel. The AFUE of a furnace, which stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, is a measure of how much heat is generated over the course of the heating season, compared with how much fuel is burned.

AFUE is a fairly straightforward number. The higher the number, the more heat you will actually feel for a given amount of natural gas or oil burned. A furnace with an AFUE of 80 will turn 80% of its fuel into useable heat, while wasting about 20% of its fuel through either air leaks, inefficient burners or a less-advanced design.

On the other hand, a furnace with an AFUE of 95 will convert 95% of the gas or oil it consumes into useable warmth. Any furnace with an efficiency of 90% or higher is considered high-efficiency.

The Lennox SLP98V furnace currently offers an AFUE of 98.7, meaning it converts 98.7% of its fuel into useful heat for your home. With less than 2% fuel waste, it’s a very efficient way to weather the winter.

*The most precise and efficient air conditioner and heat pump you can buy (XC25/XP25)
Efficiency claim based on comparison of air conditioning and heat pump products’ SEER as published in AHRI (January 2013). Actual system combination efficientcy may vary; consult a Lennox Dealer or AHRI for exact system efficiencies. Precision claim based on the cooling capacity range of the XC/XP25-036 units as compared to equivalent-sized competitive variable capacity compressor units.

HSPF, for rating electric heating and cooling

In the simplest terms, an electric heat pump is an air conditioner that can run in reverse. During the summer, it moves heat out of your home into the atmosphere. Then, during colder weather, it reverses the process and draws latent heat from the outside air into your home.

Since it doesn’t use fossil fuel, AFUE really doesn’t apply. So heat pumps actually have their own comparative efficiency rating, known as HSPF, or Heating Season Performance Factor. This is a measure of how efficiently an electric heat pump can warm your home when it’s in heating mode, over the course of an entire heating season.

HSPF is calculated by dividing the unit’s heat output over the course of the season by the amount of electricity required to produce that heat. Anything over 8 is considered high-efficiency, and may be eligible for utility rebates or tax credits.

When shopping for a heat pump, it’s important to remember that since it uses electricity to heat and cool, it will have both a SEER and an HSPF rating since it runs during multiple seasons.

The Lennox XP25 heat pump currently offers a SEER of up to 23.5, and an HSPF of up to 10.20.

The Lennox National Promotion puts impeccable indoor comfort well within reach.

As the weather gets hotter and hotter, Lennox is ready to help. Lennox is offering rebates of up to $1,700 on a qualifying Lennox® home comfort system* now through June 12, 2015.

It’s a sweet deal for every homeowner, because the Lennox National Promotion means savings on extremely capable, full-featured systems that can lower energy use while still delivering custom-tailored comfort to any home.

The Equipment

This year’s Lennox Spring Promotion features some pretty impressive performers.

• The SLP98V Furnace, the quietest high-efficiency furnace you can buy(1).  Because it can adjust its flame to more than 60 different intensities, the SLP98V can perfectly balance heating demand with fuel use.
• The XC25 Air Conditioner or XP25 Heat Pump, the most precise and efficient air conditioner and heat pump you can buy(2).  Built with compressors that can adjust their speed like a dimmer switch, the XC25 and XP25 can find the perfect combination of comfort and smart energy use for even the hottest days.
• The iComfort Wi-Fi® Thermostat, lets you monitor and adjust your home temperature from anywhere.  A bright, high-definition color touchscreen thermostat that offers cloud connectivity, smart scheduling, an energy-saving One Touch Away Mode, live weather forecasts, automatic updates and more.
• The PureAir™ Air Purification System, cleans the air in your home better than any single system you can buy.
• iHarmony® Zoning, a major advance in precision climate control that directs heating and cooling to specific areas in your home, to allow more even, steady temperatures from room to room and floor to floor.

The Deals

• Get up to $1300 in rebates when purchasing a complete qualifying Lennox® home comfort system that includes gas furnace or blower coil, air conditioner or heat pump and thermostat, for example The XC25 air conditioner or XP25 heat pump, the SLP98V furnace, the iComfort Wi-Fi® thermostat and the PureAir™ Air Purification System.
• Save up to $300 in rebates when you buy four or more solar panels for use with the SunSource Home Energy System.
• Save up to $100 in rebates on the addition of a iHarmony Zoning system.

To take advantage of the innovation, and the savings, simply contact Betlem Residential. 

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(1)Based on sound pressure levels during steady-state, high-fire and low-fire operation of Lennox SLP98UH070XV36B and leading competitive units as of July 2013 at mid-point temperature rise and minimum external static pressure when set upper Section 4.4.4 of AHRI 260-2012. Based on AFUE efficiency rating of Lennox SLP98UH090XV60C and leading competitive units listed in AHRI directory as of January 2015. Efficiency ratings established per test standard ANSI/ASHRAE 103-2007.

(2)  Efficiency claim based on comparison of air conditioning and heat pump products’ SEER as published in AHRI (January 2013). Actual system combination efficient may vary; consult a Lennox Dealer or AHRI for exact system efficiencies. Precision claim based on the cooling capacity range of the XC/XP25-036 units as compared to equivalent-sized competitive variable capacity compressor units.

*Some restrictions apply. System rebate offers range from $200-$1,700. Rebate offer is valid March 23, 2015 through June 12, 2015 with the purchase of qualifying Lennox products. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Additional add-on rebates for iHarmony® Zoning System and solar panels valid with a qualifying system purchase only. See your participating Lennox dealer for complete details.