The history of how our homes and workplaces are kept warm in the winter probably sounds like a boring topic, but we think it’s pretty interesting.

Okay, we admit, we’re biased! We’ve been in the heating and cooling industry since 1970, locally owned and operated that entire time, so of course we’re interested in how modern heating systems came to be.

But trust us, this is probably more interesting than you realize. It’s a journey that will take you from ancient Greece right into New Jersey.

Take a look:

• Central heating has actually been around since the ancient Greeks. Places like the Temple of Artemis had flues built into the floor. These flues would circulate heat throughout the temple, with the heat being generated by fires. In a lot of ways, it’s not much different than the home heating you have today!
• The ancient Romans did much the same, with empty spaces built beneath the floor. Furnaces called hypocausts were created underneath important buildings, in rooms supported by many stone pillars. Wood-fed fires created heat, which was pumped throughout the building through a system of pipes and flues. These were essential to those famous Roman baths!
• After the Roman empire collapsed, so did central heating technology, at least in Europe. For centuries, Europeans went back to primitive fireplaces to keep their homes and buildings warm.
• Europe may have been without central heating technology during this time, but not elsewhere. In Korea, excess heat from cooking stoves was circulated throughout houses through air ducts. Early Muslim architects also used central air, with pipes run under the floors to distribute heat to homes, government buildings and places of worship.
• By the 13^th Century, that old technology had been brought back in Europe and was improved. Monks utilized it to heat their abbeys, using channels under the floor to heat large rooms. By most accounts, the systems were incredibly efficient, almost matching modern standards.
• In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the first systems that closely resemble modern systems were invented. Inventory William Strut created a large stove-live furnace that brought air in from the outside, heated it, and then circulated it through a building using central ducts. Yes, that’s a lot like how your house works!
• Not long after, steam heating systems were put to use, pumping steam through a building instead of hot air.
• In the mid 1850s, the radiator was invented, one of the last major steps towards the central heating systems we have today.
• And finally, in 1919, New Jersey’s Alice Parker was granted a patent for a central heating system that used natural gas to power the heating furnace. Her invention revolutionized the way homes were heated and led directly to today’s home heating systems. Thank you, Alice!

See, we told you we’d end up in New Jersey.

These days, of course, modern technology has dramatically improved how your homes and workplaces are heated – with a little help from friendly neighborhood contractors like us, of course. Now even the most frigid of winters can be pretty comfortable as long as you’re indoors.

And if you’re having problems with your heating system, no worries. Contact us today!

As a homeowner and a consumer, it’s easy to be skeptical when a heating and air conditioning company suggests you get an annual furnace inspection. It probably sounds like a sales pitch to you, and since you’ve never had annual maintenance done on your furnace before and everything has been fine, it’s got to be some kind of sales scam, right?

The truth is, annual furnace inspections really are an important part of home maintenance.

The experts to listen to on this topic aren’t HVAC contractors like us, either. Instead, listen to the furnace manufacturers themselves. Every furnace manufacturer recommends annual service and maintenance on their products. Further, these manufacturers include language in their warranties indicating that damage caused by improper maintenance, or a lack of maintenance, is not covered under warranty. (To be clear, the chances of you having a warranty claim rejected because you didn’t have annual inspections are exceedingly slim, though take note that they can ask for your service records before approving a warranty claim.)

According to a report on the subject from Angie’s List, “The manufacturers that built them all agree on this; you should get it serviced once [a year] for heating and once for cooling,” said Paul Mills, an HVAC tech from North Carolina. “Tuning it up and checking it out is definitely recommended. Much like a car, if you ignore it, a lot more things break. You [will] extend the life of it and help prevent major breakdowns.”

Annual inspections can be referred to a number of ways, but the terms are largely interchangeable. Annual maintenance, a checkup, a “tune up,” and others. All mean basically the same thing: a thorough review of your furnace and related systems by a qualified professional, checking for leaks, blockages, rust, corrosion, wear and tear on parts, and overall safety. Sometimes this might include a cleaning, too, if necessary.

No, you’re not going to discover some expensive problem with it every year – and that’s the point. The idea is to prevent problems before they happen, extending the lifespan of your furnace and addressing issues before they become expensive fixes.

In fact, more than half of no-heat service calls made during the winter could have been avoided had the furnace been serviced in the autumn.

As Fox Business noted in its report on the topic, “The best analogy is going to the dentist every six months for a checkup and cleaning; probably not necessary, but recommended.”

Depending on the age of your furnace, there is some flexibility in how often you get yours serviced. If you have a new furnace, it’s safe to have inspections every other year. When your furnace is over a decade old, however, an annual inspection is recommended.

A further benefit of annual maintenance is that it can help your heating system operate more efficiently, which means spending less money on your energy bills. Even routine maintenance you can do yourself can make a big difference. According to Energy Star, a branch of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), simply changing your air filters every three months can result in a reduction in your energy bills. A programmable thermostat can help, too.

Want to more about what is entailed with annual furnace maintenance? Contact us at (732) 244-2880 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.

When Sergeant George “Tyler” McGibbon of Toms River, NJ returned home in 2017, the wounded warrior was welcomed with open arms. To help him transition back to civilian life, a squad of friends, family, contractors, decorators and veterans support groups went into action – including the team at Mitsubishi Electric, ABCO, and Toms River Heating & Air – to customize a home living space for him.
Renowned actor Gary Sinise set the project in motion with his RISE program which provides injured veterans with specially customized smart home makeovers. They teamed with George To The Rescue, the hit NBC TV show that undertakes home makeovers for people in need.

Soon after, the garage in the McGibbon family home had been transformed into a new living space with full bed, bath and living room customized for Sgt. McGibbon. Stylish, roomy and functional, it’s an all-new place to call home as he continues therapy and readjusts to daily life.

Maximizing limited home space. Jason Wong of ABCO’s Lakewood, NJ branch spoke to the versatility of Mitsubishi Electric’s ductless equipment. “It lets us tailor HVAC systems to meet specific needs of individual customers. That’s what we did for Sgt. McGibbon.” The job called for a heating and cooling solution that didn’t take up a lot of space and provided year round comfort, durability and energy efficiency.

The indoor Mitsubishi MLZ one-way ceiling cassette heat pump was installed in the bedroom and living areas

Out of sight comfort from above. Mitsubishi Electric MXZ-C One-Way Ceiling Cassette Heat Pump
The indoor Mitsubishi MLZ one-way ceiling cassette heat pump was installed in the bedroom and living areas.
The units are compact and fit snugly between standard ceiling joists and are ideal for retrofit and new construction.

• Sleek design easy mounting
• A variety of speeds and capacities
• Sync with wifi kumo cloud app for remote control
• Quiet operation reducing distracting noise
• Washable antibacterial and deodorizing filters that capture & neutralize bacteria, pollen, and other airborne allergens
• Accessible from bottom, no access panel is required

Stylish cozy all year, the way it should be.

For even more convenience, the units are sync’ed up with the kumo cloud wifi system. “Our ductless system was a logical choice for this project in which a small space was skillfully turned into a new fully-outfitted, roomy and comfortable apartment for Sgt. McGibbon,” said Tim Rabel of Mitsubishi Electric.

Catch the whole story . Now you can meet the family, the friends, the fire fighters and town officials who pitched in to make the project a success. Because George to the rescue chronicled it from beginning to end and will broadcast it on NBC TV on October 27, 2018. Tune in and learn all the details of this story of courage, coming home and inspiration.