Brewer Commercial Services

Programmable Thermostats are not just for Homeowners….

admin — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:55:24 +0000

Many business owners benefit from the advantages of having a programmable thermostat installed. They act as a way to reduce energy in your building by adjusting the temperature in your building to the temperature settings and time intervals that best suit your building’s needs. Some benefits of a programmable thermostat are;

Convenience – No more worrying every night if an individual such as building maintenance, the last person out of the office or the cleaning crew to remember to turn the air up/down the air, even worse if they remembered over that four day holiday weekend.

Comfort – Programmable thermostats tend to be more accurate than manual models, your customers and staff are sure to enjoy a more stable temperature. In addition, the desired temperature can be set prior to the opening of business to ensure the comfort of customers and employees.

Savings – It is estimated that having a programmable thermostat in conjunction with an heating and air conditioning system your energy may be reduced by 10%.

To achieve maximum results with a programmable thermostat it is important to make sure good guidelines are used. The benefits of a programmable thermostat are fully achieved when ensure comfort and maximum efficiency are booth achieved. When determining the best presets for your building daily use the manufactures guidelines as a strong recommendation and adjust for your building’s individual needs.

Programmable thermostats are an HVAC item that are easy to install and program. Should you have any questions or need the advice of professional Heating and Air Conditioning subcontractor please call Brewer Commercial Services.

What is Hydro-Jetting?

admin — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:26:00 +0000

Hydro-jetting is a process in which high pressure water is used to clear clogs in sewer runs and drains. It is typically the first approach to clear most types of clogs and blocked sewer runs. With the exception of a collapsed pipe, hydro-jetting will solve the problem.

Hydro-jetting also plays an important role in routine maintenance of sewer pipes and drains. Over time, accumulations build up on the inside of pipes much in the same way that years of poor diet will cause buildup in arteries. Grease, sand, scale, silt and any number of other sediments are the culprits in most cases

Hydro-Jet systems have heavy-duty power nozzles attached to high-pressure that are operating at approximately 4000 psi, the hydro-jetting process will destroy even the most stubborn line clogs and efficiently clean the entire pipe, helping to maintain the life of your plumbing system. This process should be a regular plumbing maintenance item for businesses such as restaurants, hotels, schools, shopping centers, and food processors.

Because of its effectiveness, Hydro-Jetting has become the industry standard for sewer runs and drain cleaning.

To see a video of the process check us out on our YouTube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/BCSPlumbing#p/a/u/1/37wsuzg6shU

Smoke Testing Plumbing

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:51:25 +0000

A smoke test is when slightly pressurized smoke is pushed through plumbing sewer runs to detect clogs in sewer pipes or other plumbing issues that may be hard to detect or locate through conventional leak detection methods. The smoke used for the plumbing smoke test is an odorless, colorless, non-toxic smoke that quickly dissipates once the test has been performed. Locating the areas of concern can be quiet simple with smoke testing as the smoke quickly penetrates through any opening or leak in the plumbing system where it can be seen by a plumbing technician. Brewer Commercial Services provides smoke testing in addition to its many commercial plumbing solutions. Including Hydro-jetting, backflow testing, drain and sewer, and plumbing repair.

Sizing a Water Heater

admin — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 22:01:24 +0000

When installing a water heater in a commercial application, it is very important that the appropriate water heater is selected. Water heaters come with a variety of different heater capacities, vent types, BTU’s, recovery times; the list goes on and on. Because commercial applications vary greatly, making an inadequate water heater selection can have a detrimental impact on business. Imagine an apartment building with a heater too small to provide hot water to its tenants or a restaurant that runs out of hot water half way through a busy dinner rush. This can be avoided by properly sizing a water heater prior to purchasing and installation. Any professional plumber will make this assessment prior to installing a new water heater for a customer. Some things to consider when sizing a water heater are the installation method; will the unit be installed indoors or outdoors? What type of energy will fuel the water heater; gas, electric or solar? The vent type is important as well as the altitude of the project. Some other things to consider are the number of storage tanks, the number of water heaters, the intentional oversize percent, the water temperature rise percent, and possibly the recovery time in gallons per hour/gallons per minute. The more information gathered for the application; the more accurate the sizing. Many water heater manufacturers provide this service. When used in conjunction with a trusted and licensed plumber you are sure to get the right size water heater for your commercial project.

Confused about SEER Ratings?

admin — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 03:34:19 +0000

Heating and Air Conditioning equipment is generally rated during the design and manufacturing process. For consumers these ratings are crucial in determining which A/C unit best suites their commercial HVAC needs. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings (SEER) are calculated based off the unit’s total cooling capacity during ideal operating conditions divided by the electric energy input. The higher the SEER rating, the less energy the unit needs to perform, thus the less cost the unit requires to operate. The Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is a great resource to get an in-depth understanding of SEER ratings and better learn how they can impact your business.

An Air Filters Role

admin — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 20:12:29 +0000

Air filters serve a valuable role in the HVAC process; however if not used properly they can undermine your system and cause it to become inefficient and costly.

An air filters role in the HVAC system is to remove dust, dander, dirt and any other particles in the air as they pass through it and into the system. As this occurs the filter naturally adds resistance to the system as the system’s fan must use additional energy to suck the air through the filter and into the system to be pumped to the rooms the system supplies air for.

Types of filters are available on the market that offer additional filtration features such as additional allergen removal. However, these filters also create higher resistance for the fan and cause the system to work at an increased level. Over time the increase in can cause premature wear, among other issues. When selecting a filter that best suits your needs, ask your HVAC specialist for their recommendations.

How Do Air Conditioners Make Cold Air?

admin — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 18:52:15 +0000

In the summer everyone knows what an air conditioner is, but not everyone knows howcold air is created. Air conditioners in a sense are like refrigerators without the insulated box. They operate by the evaporation of a refrigerant such as Freon. Freon is a brand name of chlorofluorocarbons(CFC’s) owned by the DuPont corp. There are several brands of refrigerants used in the air conditioning industry. During evaporation the air conditioner’s compressor works first by compressing the cool refrigerant, this compression causes the refrigerant to become hot. While under pressure the hot refrigerant travels through the unit’s coils, as the heat dissipates it condenses into a liquid. The liquid refrigerant then travels through your HVAC system’s expansion valve. During this process the liquid evaporates, the pressure is reduced and the liquid becomes extremely cold and is used for cooling.

Saving Money – Heating and Air

admin — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:52:10 +0000

There is always a balance business owner’s face when it comes to heating and air conditioning. That is how they save money but still keep their customers comfortable. How does preventative maintenance balance the scales? Well first by having your commercial air conditioner or heater maintenance performed at least on a bi-annual basis you will extend the life of the unit. Secondly, it is important to remember to change your filters often. Filters may need to be changed more frequently depending on your climate, dust, use, etc. Failing to change your air filters can cause your air condition system to clog and even freeze up. In the middle of summer this could result in huge profit loss as customers flee to your air-conditioned competitors. The last to consider with your heating and air conditioning is replacement versus repair. Talk to your heating and air conditioner contractor and discuss when the costs of repairs begin to exceed the costs of replacing the unit all together.

Grease Traps

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:04:26 +0000

Grease Traps or interceptors are plumbing devices that prevent grease or other solids from making its way into the city sewer line where it can hinder the transportation of waste in the sewer and complicate the treatment of water at the local municipal water treatment facility. Grease traps are used by commercial business such as cafes, restaurants, food chains, and any other business where grease or oil may be discarded into the public water system. The grease trap its self is more or less a box within the drain run located between the businesses kitchen and the sewer system. The businesses other drainage systems, ei toilets, do not need to pass through the inceptor as no grease or oil flows through these types of drainage systems. Depending on the amount of grease/oil and business produces determines the location and size of the trap. A business with little grease production may have a grease trap located in the kitchen under the sink, business with large amount of grease/oil interception requires a concrete interceptor that is installed underground. Grease traps work by first slowing down the flow of water coming from the drains, this allows the grease/oil time to cool. As the grease/oil cools it coagulates or thickens and floats to the top of the water. The solids then fall to the bottom of the trap; the remaining water is free to flow through to the city sewer line.

Drain Clogs

admin — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:22:53 +0000

Drain clogs are a common plumbing problem to have. Whether you’re in the restaurant business where grease commonly gets poured down the drain or you’re in the hotel business and drains clogged with hair are a regular occurrence, chances are you already know what drain cabling or a plumbing snake is. If you unfamiliar drain cabling or a plumbing snake is a very common and affordable method used to unclog drain pipes. A licensed plumber is always your best candidate when selecting a plumber to provide such services. The snake itself is an electric unit that is extremely effective and has the ability to travel through a couple hundred feet of drains and sewer runs. It has an attachment at the end of the cable that spins and aids in clearing the clog from the drain. Brewer Commercial Services’ Drain Divisions has these cabling machines right in our vans ready to clear drains on site.