Tag: <span>refrigeration</span>

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Pipe insulation is a great option for plumbing and heating projects whether you are using copper piping or PEX piping. To choose which type of pipe you want to use, you should first learn about the materials that the two pipes are made from.

Copper, an element found in nature, is reddish in color and metallic. It is a rather soft and malleable metal. You may hear about the high thermal or electrical conductivity of copper. That is another way of saying it is a very good conductor of heat and electricity. Silver is the most electrically conductive metal, but copper is a close second. There are a wide range of copper tubing types available: Type L Copper Tubing, Type K Copper Tubing, and Refrigeration Soft Copper Tubing. These Copper Tubes are sold in copper tubing coils.

PEX piping is longer-lasting, less expensive and easier to install than copper piping. It also has a much lower expansion rate, which reduces noise as your system heats up, and makes it less likely to burst if the pipes freeze. When planning a project for either a plumbing or heating application, you can choose between PEX and copper;if you choose PEX, you will then have even more choices to make, including a fitting system. There are now more than 20 different brands of PEX piping for plumbing systems on the market. A few example brands are Rifeng, AquaPEX, HydroPEX, Viega, Watts, Zurn, etc. Typically, red PEX piping is used for hot water while blue PEX piping is used for cold water. Examples of PEX piping for heating are ThermaPEX, Rifeng, and Uponor hePEX.

After choosing between copper piping and PEX piping, you should then consider installing pipe insulation. This is a great option for either type. A good rule of thumb is to treat your PEX Pipe installation the same way you would copper pipe.

Both PEX and copper pipe lose a significant amount of heat to the air. As hot water passes through, the conductivity of the material pulls heat away from the water and then the air pulls that heat from the pipe. Energy is also wasted when frost forms on cold water plumbing, chilled water and air-conditioning lines. Whether your project involves your heating system, hot water plumbing or cold water plumbing, pipe insulation is a great, affordable way to utilize heat that is being wasted and reduce your energy bills. Not only does pipe insulation help lower your energy bills, but it starts at just a few dollars for a 6′ length, depending on the diameter needed.

There are two popular types of insulation, Therma-cel and Insul-lock, designed to limit heat loss, condensation and frost formation. Therma-cel is a flexible, polyolefin, thermal insulation. Therma-cel Pipe Insulation also slows heat loss on hot water plumbing. This insulation may be used with copper or PEX pipe. Insul-lock is another type insulation that works the same way but is pre-slit and self-adhesive, making it extremely easy to install. It is non-porous and non-fibrous to resist mold growth and guarantees a strong, durable seal without the risk of messy adhesives.

Good luck with your piping project. Hopefully, you have learned more about the differences between copper piping and PEX piping and the benefits of installing pipe insulation.

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Source by Lauren O’Toole

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My wife and I frequently pick up the gallon size cans of cheddar cheese sauce from SAMs club for use on Nacho Chips or in Macaroni and cheese meals for my grandson. We see the idea of purchasing the sauce this way is both economical and cost-effective however it is usually more than what we can use within a reasonable amount of time. Often the product will be opened for use in a couple of meals and then go bad while sitting idly by in the refrigeration.

After considerable thought we feel that we have a solution to this problem. We decided that canning the remainder of the cheese for some future time would resolve this issue completely. I must make mention at this time that the procedure I am about to present is not recommended by the USDA nor is it mentioned in the Ball Blue Book of Canning. According to the USDA, it is considered potentially unsafe to can products of this nature. In fact they often discourage the canning of homemade dairy products completely. It will be up to you to make your own decision as to what risks you are willing to take in order to can cheese products.

The procedure I will describe is for the regular cheese sauce and not the nacho flavored sauce commonly sold. We have as yet not tried canning the Nacho Cheese. I will need to see the complete ingredient list in order to determine the safe pH levels involved with the product. You can use either pint jars or the 12 ounce Ball Jars frequently sold at most popular department stores such as Wal-Mart. The 12 ounce jars are taller however I believe that they conduct heat a bit better than their pint size cousins.

To begin the process take the gallon can of Cheddar cheese and then pour it into a large pot. Place the pot in the oven on the lowest setting until it is fluid like in consistency. Add it to the sterilized jars and adjust the lids accordingly leaving one half-inch head space in each container. Process the pints in a boiling water bath canner for at least 60 minutes.

These can readily be used for macaroni and cheese, placed on baked potatoes or even used to make scalloped potatoes. Isn’t it time you prepared for those upcoming emergencies that we all see coming in our not to far future?

Joseph Parish

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Source by Joseph Parish

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When it comes to owning a home, there are many things a homeowner can do to improve the quality of life around the house. Monitoring the heating and cooling system can go a long way towards not only improving comfort, but saving money as well. The following are tips on how to better care for and monitor your home’s heat pump.

Take Time To Understand How Your Heat Pump Works.

There are two parts to heat pump installations. This is commonly referred to as a split system. There is an outdoor unit containing the compressor and a coil, also called a heat exchanger. The indoor unit is comprised of a few more parts. These include another coil, grille, electric heating elements, and of course, a fan that blows air through your duct system. The indoor and outdoor units are connected by copper tubes. Within these tubes, a gas refrigerant is moved between the outdoor and indoor coils. Even at the lowest of temperatures, this refrigerant (such as freon) is capable of absorbing heat from the air.

In the wintertime, air is drawn across the outdoor coil and the refrigerant absorbs heat. While already hot, the refrigerant becomes even hotter when it goes through the compressor. The hot gas then moves to the indoor coil via copper tubing. This is where the rest of the parts mentioned earlier come into play. As the air is drawn through your return grille by the fan, it is then pushed across the indoor coil. The hot gas transfers its heat to the air blown across the coil and into the duct system.

When the outdoor air temperature drops below the freezing mark, some heat pumps need assistance.

During these more severe weather conditions, the electric heating elements will come on automatically to assist. Many thermostats have a light to indicate that the electric heating is running. They are usually labeled in one of two ways: auxiliary or emergency. Usually, these lights should only appear during very cold days.

Lowering your thermostat temp will not only conserve energy, it will also save you money. Be careful though, as you could use more energy if you frequently change your settings. It is usually best to only adjust your thermostat one degree at a time. Your electric back-up heat will begin to run if you change the temperature by more than one degree, and that will mean you are more than likely wasting energy.

Don’t Forget About Your Air Filters.

The most neglected part of the heat pump is also the most important to keep up with – the air filter. This causes many high electric bills! When properly functioning, air filters collect pollutants and particles that can end up clogging your indoor coil. Not changing or cleaning your air filter means that you’ll run the risk of substantially increasing energy usage. This will not only reduce your comfort, but it could also cause damage to your HVAC equipment! It is an excellent idea to replace or clean your air filters every four to six weeks.

Make Sure Your Air Is Flowing Properly.

Another component to ensuring efficient heat pump operation is air flow. Closing off more than ten percent of the registers in your home will disturb this process. It’s also good to check to make sure that no registers are blocked. Not only is air flow important indoors, it is also important outdoors as well. Keep your outdoor unit clear from shrubbery, grass and leaves.

Monitor Your Equipment.

While it is totally fine for you to change the air filters for your system, all other servicing should be performed by your qualified HVAC tech. When you experience any of the following, give your local heating and cooling contractor a call: a) the indicator light on your thermostat is always on, b) no air flow from your registers, c) unusual noise coming from your equipment, d) your outdoor unit continuously iced over, or e) your equipment running constantly in “good” weather.

Coming Back After a Power Outage.

If you experience a power outage for more than 30 minutes, switch over to emergency heat on your thermostat. When electricity returns, the heating system will run for approximately one hour in this mode. This setting allows the refrigerant that may be in the compressor to be warmed up by the compressor heater. Then, just allow an hour to go by and then switch back to normal heating (this is not required on a lot of the newer heat pumps out there, so consult your local heating contractor to know the required steps for your equipment).

In the end, practicing these measures will not only increase the comfort of your home, but they’ll also save you money!

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Source by Jerred Holtzople

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If you live in an apartment or condominium, you may have to rely on your building’s central cooling system to stay comfortable during the scorching summer heat. However, if this proves to be inefficient or if you’re concerned with rising energy costs, you may have to resort to less efficient cooling methods such as ceiling or portable electric fans in order to find respite from rising temperatures. Thankfully, portable air conditioners are the perfect portable cooling solution for areas that cannot accommodate traditional window units such as apartments or even computer server rooms.

Portable air conditioners work similar to traditional central or window air conditioners in that they utilize the refrigeration cycle and a coolant to cool a room or area. However, they are portable, mobile, and do not require any sort of permanent installation. Instead, they consist of a box-like frame that holds both the cold and hot side of the AC along with an exhaust hose to expel heat. Water is removed from the air, and this condensate is either collected in a tray or bucket located within the unit or in more advanced models, even self-evaporated.

When purchasing a portable air conditioner, one of the most common terms you’ll see advertised is a unit’s BTU rating. As an acronym for British Thermal Units, BTUs refer to a portable air conditioner’s cooling capacity, and this can range anywhere from 5,000 BTUs to 18,000 BTUs. The higher the BTU value, the stronger the air conditioner. To get a ballpark estimation of the amount of BTUs you’ll need for your room, simply find the square footage of the room and multiply this number by 35.

However, keep in mind that while BTUs are one of the most important factors to look for in an air conditioner, be aware that many portable AC manufacturers often overstate the BTU rating of their units as a way to market their products. Thankfully, in our quest to find the best portable air conditioners on the market, we found the NewAir AC-1600H to be one of the most powerful portable ACs available.

At a Glance:

When we first removed the NewAir AC-1600H from its package, we were quite impressed with its design. Its sleek silver finished complemented our 400 square foot living room’s décor, and the unit itself weighed approximately 75 pounds. Rolling casters made maneuverability a snap, while the large, easy-to-read LCD display panel with remote control made operation simple and hassle-free.

Cooling Abilities:

As mentioned above, BTU ratings are one of the most important factors to consider when purchasing a portable AC. The NewAir AC-1600H provided 16,000 BTUs of cooling power – more than many of the units we tested. NewAir recommends this unit to be used in areas 400 square or smaller, but we found that it may have even had the capacity to cool areas slightly larger in ideal conditions (64° to 90° F).

Moisture Removal:

A portable air conditioner’s use of the refrigeration cycle also allows it to remove moisture from the air, making it especially great for humid areas. In addition to cooling, the NewAir AC-1600H portable air conditioner also had the ability to remove up to 80 pints of water per day. Moreover, because it utilized advanced auto-evaporative technology, this eliminated the need to empty any water tanks (assuming your climate isn’t too humid).

Multi-Functionality:

The NewAir AC-1600H also came with a built-in space heater that offered 16,000 BTUs of heating power. Furthermore, the inclusion of a 3M Filtrete filter removed dust, pollen, bacteria, and animal dander from the air, while the activated carbon filter was able to adsorb odors such as smoke.

Overall, we found the NewAir AC-1600H to be an excellent portable AC that included many advanced features. Best of all, it offers more BTUs than most portable ACs on the market, and its sleek, European design is sure to complement any type of décor in your home.

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Source by Jeanie Wong

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The history of air compressors as a tool dates back to antiquity. Man has used air compression for thousands of years to heat his home, cook food, and move objects. The earliest type of compressor was a bellows used to blast compressed air onto a fire. These simple compressing units were either powered by man or animals to compress. These were replaced by mechanical air compressors which were used for industrial purposes. With advances in science, compressors were reduced in size and found uses outside of factories as aids for underwater diving or to power pneumatic tools and drills.

Air compression devices have been used since 2000 BC and were made of leather. These first air compression devices were pumped open and closed manually. This model was improved upon with the addition of handles and intake valves. But, the newer version was still a hand or foot powered low pressure device used mainly to fan fires. Later, the foot powered compressors were replaced by water wheels.

With science advancing, new air compressors were invented to expand the uses for compression. In 1650, German scientist Otto von Guericke, devised a single piston and cylinder air pump. In 1797, the first motorized compressor was designed by George Medhurst of England. By the 18th century, scientist discovered that compressed air could be used as a source of energy to power and move items. The discovery happened when water boiling in a container exploded and moved an item. After this discovery, compressed air was used for rock drilling. In the 19th century, Paris devised an air compressor grid system to power their clocks with a pulse of air every minute. Paris, also in the 19th century, experimented with the idea of air compressor systems as an alternative to electricity.

With the birth of the industrial age, air compression gained new uses in the field of manufacturing. The 20th century saw the use of piston compression air compressors in industry. In 1930, the screw compressor, first invented in 1878 Germany, offered quieter forms of air compression. By the end of the 20th century there were three main types of compressors used. The reciprocating, or, piston compressor, was used for oil refineries, gas pipelines, and refrigeration plants. They draw air in through an intake valve then out through an outlet. Its pistons are driven by a crank shaft to deliver air at high pressures. The rotary compressors, a type of gas compressor, emerged after the piston compressor. They deliver larger volumes of high pressure air which is good for industrial use. These compressors use a continuous sweeping motion to limit pulsation. And, the jet compressor uses pressurized water or gas to force air out a cylinder or diffuser.

Today, compressors are used in all walks of life. They are found on construction sites, factories, medical offices and homes. The history of air compressors will continue to evolve as technological advances create different demands for compressed air and the quality of compressors improve.

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Source by Michael P Richards

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If you have difficulty in sleeping at night because of the heat, why not install an air conditioner in your home. Having one can provide a more comfortable sleep.

Air conditioning is a way of cooling a room in the form of a refrigeration cycle. It was first invented by Stuart Cramer but actually the term was coined after Willis carrier. It is available in various sizes and also with various cooling capacities and prices.

Air conditioning systems reduces the humidity of the air and it maintains the quality of the air. There are also some that would dry the air without cooling it. It is usually composed of a condenser, evaporator and a compressor component in it.

It also uses a chemical that could convert the liquid to gas and vice versa. Most air conditioning systems also uses the split system and a package system. In the split system, the condenser and compressor are placed outside the room and the evaporator is placed inside the room.

The evaporator is used in circulating the air throughout the room. In the package system, all components are placed outside the room.

An air conditioner can give you comfort through the day and it can help you in many ways. For instance when the air cooler was invented and first installed in the Houston theatre, a vast difference is seen. The number people who visited the theatre gradually increased after the installation.

In hot climatic weather as in summer, no one could concentrate on the work or can satisfy their work. So the scientific invention helps people in many ways. Air conditioner also makes a vast difference in the transportation.

There are also industry grade air conditioners used in many manufacturing sectors for various purposes.

Air conditioner from the time of its invention has been a beneficial one till now. It has been almost used in all commercial residential and industrial sectors. Most of the commercial sectors use centralized air conditioner which performs same as the regular one.

The advantage of using the centralized air conditioning is that it produces less noise in indoor as the unit is placed outside the room.

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Source by Ricky Lim

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Commercial cooling desires are clearly growing throughout the world. Air conditioning was once measured as a luxury and is now more of a necessity. Reputed and expert manufacturers have played a good part in making units more reasonably priced. They have increased their competence and improved technology as well as commercial air conditioner accessories. The increase in the competitiveness of the industry has simply produced more and more superior products.

These appliances differ significantly in size. They obtain their energy from several different sources. The attractiveness of commercial air conditioners has augmented dramatically with the arrival of central air. The strategy utilises ducting for both cooling and heating. Air conditioning systems with a heat pump is a central air conditioning as well as heating system. In one of the modes, it performs the conditioning function. In the turn round mode, it becomes a heater.

The commercial variants, almost every one of them, have altered a lot as energy costs continued to rise and power sources continued to change and get better. Let us look at the air conditioner components.

A) Outdoor Components

1. Condenser Coil – stays outdoor

Condenser coils are a system of tubes filled with the refrigerant. The function is to eliminate heat from the hot gas refrigerant and change the refrigerant into a fluid form. The surplus heat rises into the outside air, therefore making the condenser coil an outdoor air conditioner component.

2. Compressor – stays outdoors

A compressor is clearly the heart of the air conditioning system. This component of the system circulates the refrigerant in an enclosed loop between the evaporator and condenser coils. You can get compressors in more than one variety. There are scroll type and reciprocating ones. Scroll type compressors can be costlier but are generally elevated in efficiency and less noisy than reciprocating compressors.

3. Fan – stays outdoors

This air conditioner component takes in air through the condenser coil so that heat dispersal can take place.

B) Indoor Components

1. Evaporator coil – stays indoors

Evaporator coils are a system of tubes filled with the refrigerant. The function is to eliminate heat and moisture from the air so that the refrigerant can evaporate into a gas again.

2. Air filters – stays indoors

This element traps dust, other airborne particles as air moves throughout. This component is necessary to improve the cooling operation as well as ensure our health.

3. Air handling unit – stays indoors

This component is the blower of the central air conditioning system. It passes air through the air ducts.

You can find stocks of all the necessary air conditioner components and commercial air conditioner accessories online. These components are needed for putting together a cooling or heating system. Whether you are changing your old one or need a whole air conditioning system, the online sellers provide all major air conditioning products of different quality brands. A simple organic search will yield your stocks of the best grade air conditioner components available. You can choose your pick!

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Source by Rohit Bisht

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Liquid Aloe Vera has been around long before pills came into existence and it is a tried and true method of getting the benefits of Aloe Vera into the body for internal applications. There is also the benefit that the body does not have to process liquid Aloe Vera the same way that it has to process anything in pill form. However, this does not mean that liquid Aloe Vera is the right choice for someone looking for the internal application of Aloe Vera.

Benefits of Liquid Aloe Vera

The benefits of liquid Aloe Vera are simple. You can take it quickly, easily, and it reaches the body faster than most pills because it does not have to be broken down. It is easy to take for those that have difficulty taking pills and you can purchase it in large quantities relatively inexpensively.

Disadvantages of Liquid Aloe Vera

There are some disadvantages to liquid Aloe Vera. One of them is the fact that this substance has to be refrigerated depending on the brand and type before use and during use. This can make it highly inconvenient for someone who is always on the go and can not carry it around with them.

Liquid Aloe Vera is not made to be added to anything. It is meant as the final form of the supplement. This means you can not use it in creams or other topical mediums for use on the skin, you can not put it in water to drink. Though there are some concentrations that allow this, and you can not take it with you without the benefit of keeping it cool.

You can do all these things and more with Aloeride. Aloeride provides you with the dosage of Aloe you need in only a few pills. It can be added to water as well as topical mediums. It also does not need to be refrigerated so you can place it in your lunch bag, purse or briefcase and not have to worry about where to put it.

You also get a liter or Aloe Vera in every box making it a highly concentrated form. This means you have to take less and have to take it for a shorter duration before you start to see the benefits of Aloe Vera. There are a number of benefits to taking Aloe Vera and many people overlook them because of the inconvenience of having to carry around a product that is refrigerated or worse yet they can only take it when they are at home or at the office where there is the option to refrigerate and for those that do not have the benefit of refrigeration it is strictly at home which means they are missing out on many of the benefits that come with extended and consistent use.

Aloeride takes care of all these disadvantages by providing a pill that provides you with the dosage you need to see results, in a method that can be used in multiple mediums and at the same time does not need to be refrigerated.

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Source by Sophia Gray

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A heat pump is a heating and cooling system that works efficiently to heat homes.

It does not use fuel to generate heat, rather it transfers heat from the outside air into its compressor and converts hot or cool air using a refrigerant chemical.

The cooling system absorbs heat from the air, while the heating system releases heat into the air.

The cooling system is activated when the thermostat is turned down and the heating system is activated when the thermostat is turned to higher temperatures

In order to maintain the temperature, the standard system has to cycle on and off repeatedly. This is very inefficient.

The Standard Cycle:

In a regular cycle, once the refrigerant reaches the thermostat temperature, the cycle stops completely. When the room temperature changes, the system has to restart to bring the refrigerant temperature back to the correct room temperature.

Each time the unit has to restart, the system has to consume energy.

The Inverter Cycle:

An Inverter Heat pump is a more efficient appliance that reduces the load and power requirements.

An inverter heat pump has a variable speed compressor or inverter. With a variable speed compressor the refrigerant cycle does not have to start and stop.

Instead of starting and stopping, the refrigerant continuously cycles at different speeds.

While the heating cycle would use a higher flow rate, the cooling cycle requires a lesser refrigerant flow rate

The inverter cycle automatically adjusts the speed of the refrigerant flow depending on the, room temperature. This eliminates the need for wasted energy caused by stating and stopping.

Pros and Cons:

The variable cycles of the inverter heat pump removes cold drafts as it cycle continuously, adjusting its speed to match the room temperature. A regular heat pump would experience cold drafts while waiting for the system to restart when the room temperature changes.

Also some inverter heat pumps are manufactured with noise reduction that would help contribute to reducing malfunctions of the compressor and other system components

You will usually pay more for the inverter heat pumps and there may be higher maintenance involved, due to their complex operating system.

However, the inverter heat pump is listed as an Energy Star appliance that qualifies for tax credits, depending on the model.

What to Look For

Consumers should look for a unit with a variable speed or multi-speed compressor.

In addition, consumers should be aware that the terms multi-speed and variable speed are also used to describe the blower speed.

The blower speed has benefits of its own that are unrelated to the compressor speed.

If the intention is to purchase a high-efficiency unit that will eliminate cold drafts, it should be noteworthy to make sure the unit purchased has a multi-speed compressor not a blower.

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Source by DC Wilson

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Nowadays people are realizing how day-to-day choices impact the way they experience comfort in life whether at home or at work. And that is where doing the best way find comfort at home or at work becomes necessary. So let me ask this, are you staying comfortable? If your answer is no, then you might want to avail of the heating and cooling services. Furthermore, we all know that dirty air makes us sick and getting a cooling/heating service might make a difference. This article will show some guides on what you can do and get the best service that you deserve.

Finding a Qualified HVAC contractor

The main goal of HVAC services involves cooling, heating, and cleaning the air you breathe. Some HVAC companies offer commercial and residential HVAC equipment repair services, Air conditioning repair, remodeling etc. depending on your needs. If you are in Houston Texas areas, then you are lucky enough since there are HVAC contractors you can easily find in your area. There are also trusted HVAC contractors in the Memorial Villages and River Oaks.

Make certain to look for a licensed and insured company since rest assured that they will provide you with reliable service. A promise is a promise, and there is no long waiting period as every second counts. In most cases they offer same-day service. Also, find companies who are certified in heating and air-conditioning, are certified in refrigerant recovery, and holders of NATE or North American Technician Excellence certification. You need to consider these because these are significant factors if you want quality service.

You can browse online and look for sites for a view of the companies’ range of air conditioners, refrigeration and air conditioning maintenance services whether for the residential or commercial applications. Make the right choice and find the right service!

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Source by Scott Lee Thompson