Discover the Secret to Thriving Gardens with Brian's Best Compost from tend. ORDER TODAY!
What with energy costs resembling a roller coaster in recent years, it’s understandable that you are seeking a way to get them under control in the new home you are planning to build.
NOCO has a way to do that so your home is energy efficient and comfortable now and for decades to come. We install geothermal heat pump home heating and cooling systems.
Installing a geothermal system as you build your home is incredibly cost-effective. You can install it as part of the construction process, making it easier and less expensive to do than retrofitting in your home. In fact, installing geothermal now is close in price to installing gas-, propane-, or oil-fired heating systems along with central air conditioning.
Geothermal systems, also referred to as ground-source heat pumps, rely on fluid loops buried beneath the surface of the earth to exchange thermal energy with the surrounding soil. Even at a shallow depth, just a few feet below the surface lies an environment where temperatures remain relatively consistent year-round, enabling you to draw warmth into your home in winter and dissipate excess heat during summer months.
To warm or cool your home, the indoor ductwork channels and circulates the air. This system is similar to conventional systems; however, one of its parts -the box with an air handler- stands out due to it transporting house air via a heat pump for temperature regulation purposes.
Installing geothermal offers many advantages to your Western New York home. Here are some of them.
Energy efficiency. Geothermal systems use up to 50% less electricity than traditional cooling or heating systems. This means that geothermal systems can move three units of heat from the earth using only one unit of electricity!
Money in your pocket. Geothermal’s outstanding energy efficiency will cut your home’s heating and cooling energy costs, which usually account for about half of your home’s energy expenses. Also, you will be eligible for tax credits. Currently, if you install an Energy Star® -rated geothermal heat pump system, you’ll get a 30% tax credit.
Improved comfort. Not only do you get all-in-one heating and cooling with your geothermal system, but you also get humidity control. Geothermal systems maintain about 50% indoor air humidity.
Energy independence. By generating much of your heating and cooling energy from your ground-source geothermal system, you are helping to reduce dependence on electrical utilities and their infrastruction.
Longevity. With a 50-year life expectancy for the closed loop components and indoor components lasting up to 25 years, your investment is not only environmentally friendly but practical as well.
According to the United States Department of Energy, you can determine how the heating and cooling efficiency geothermal heat pumps this way:
Measuring the effectiveness of ground-source and water-source heat pumps is done by their coefficient of performance (COP) – a ratio that informs us about how many British Thermal Units (BTUs) are produced for each BTU unit of energy input. The Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER) is the metric used to measure how efficiently they provide cooling, which expresses its efficiency as the ratio of heat removed (in BTUs per hour) to electricity consumed (in watts).
NOCO is here to help you every step of the way with installing geothermal in your Western New York home. Contact us today to get started.
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword. It is a business practice that impacts your business as well as the world at large.
NOCO’s business sustainability services can help you improve your business’ sustainability practices that will help not only the environment, but your bottom line and attractiveness to potential investors.
We offer expert, personalized sustainability consulting that gives you guidance and support for growing your business’ sustainability while keeping your needs and financials in mind.
Our commercial services and partnerships also help you with your sustainability goals.
To help you get started, we’ve put together some information about sustainability so you can understand how it benefits your business, employees, and community.
Sustainability is a principle in which we strive to meet the current needs of society without compromising the ability of future generations to do so. Companies can uphold this value by reducing or eliminating their use of limited resources, and/or shifting their focus towards eco-friendly alternatives that have a smaller environmental impact.
Some examples of sustainability include:
Increasingly, investors are turning to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) metrics as a way of gauging an organization’s ethical standing and sustainability efforts. Investors not only assess a company’s financial performance, but they also take into account elements such as its carbon footprint, water consumption, commitment to community development, and diversity among the board members.
We put our experience and knowledge to work for you in our sustainability consulting.
We’ll teach you about identifying sustainability goals for your business and how to prioritize them, how to work together between departments to achieve those goals, how to use data and analytics to set goals and measure results, and how to leverage your sustainability in the marketplace.
NOCO also offers sustainability services and partnerships that you can use as you work towards your sustainability goals.
Community solar. Invest in a community solar farm and not only get clean energy, but credits that help you save on your electric bills without having to install solar panels.
Glycol recovery and recycling. If your business uses glycols, our collection, transport, and processing services can take care of those in line with all regulations and sustainability best practices.
Energy efficiency. Our energy audit of your space will help identify strategies to improve energy efficiency and lower your expenses without sacrificing workplace efficiency and comfort. Plus, we are partnering with Shanor Electric—now a part of the NOCO family—to bring you quality, efficient, and sustainable lighting solutions for your business.
Geothermal. Want the ultimate in sustainable heating a cooling? Our geothermal services can help you harness the power in the ground to provide natural heating and cooling without relying on fossil fuels.
Food waste services. Did you know that commercial food waste amounts to 66 billion pounds each year? That’s more than 60% of the food waste in the U.S. River Road Research is our partner and will work with your business to reduce and repurpose food waste instead of sending it off to landfills.
Organic surplus. NOCO partners with Buffalo River Compost in their mission to prevent thousands of tons of organic surplus from being dumped into local landfills yearly. Instead, these materials are recycled and transformed into environmentally beneficial compost.
Tend. Our newest product, Tend, crafts quality soil amendments such as composts and mulches to sustain your land. Additionally, our animal feeds are based on protein-rich insect products for a healthy diet!
Do good for your business as well as the planet. Contact NOCO today to set up a consultation about our commercial sustainability services.
While we are still getting through the last days of winter here in Western New York, many businesses are already looking ahead to warmer weather. One factor they need to consider is how to cool their commercial spaces.
Proper cooling is essential beyond keeping your employees and customers comfortable. It is also needed to keep essential technology such as computers and servers, materials such as paints, and more, at a safe temperature.
NOCO is here to help with our commercial HVAC services. We help you choose the right commercial air conditioning system for your business, and provide expert installation, maintenance, and repair services. Our affordable Customized Annual Maintenance Agreement covers annual tune-ups, gives you priority service, and covers many parts and labor costs for repairs.
Not all businesses have the same needs when it comes to cooling. So, there are many options available.
Central air conditioning. These operate similarly to central air conditioning systems in homes. They use ductwork to circulate cooled air around your work space. They also help with dehumidifying a space.
Ductless mini-splits. Also known as heat pumps, these are ideal for small spaces or multiple small spaces as they can create zoned cooling. Ductless mini-splits are also a good cooling option for commercial spaces that do not have ductwork.
Multi-split systems. Multi-split systems operate in a fashion similar to single split units, with the added benefit of being able to link multiple indoor components to an individual exterior unit. Restaurants, businesses, and offices frequently employ this approach as the fewer outside units take up space and make for a more attractive outdoor setting.
VRF/VRV. For commercial establishments of medium to large size, such as hotels, offices and retail outlets, VRF (variable refrigerant flow) or VRV (variable refrigerant volume) are often the ideal HVAC solution. They are essentially the same system; the name varies based on the brand. Heat pumps and heat recovery are used in both systems. Heat pump systems are ideal for open floor plans because they can quickly and efficiently cool the space. Heat recovery systems are a great choice for buildings with many rooms, as they can simultaneously provide both cooling and heating to various areas.
PTACs/VTACs. These are commonly used in hotels and apartment buildings. PTACs (Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners) are mounted on the exterior wall of a hotel room. These allow the dwellers to control the cooling and heating of the space. They also eliminate the need for ductwork to all the rooms or apartments. VTACs are compact, wall-installed air conditioning systems that have the capacity to cool several rooms. The way they work is by absorbing air from the base and releasing it through an upper duct in order to cool the area.
Chillers. Chillers are another common air conditioning system. There are two types of chillers: air-cooled and water-cooled options. Air-cooled systems reduce heat without adding any additional moisture to the environment whereas with water cooled systems, warm liquid is circulated through pipes in order to dissipate the heat from your space quickly and effectively.
Trust NOCO with your commercial HVAC needs. Contact us today for a consultation.
Fluid waste management is a growing industry as global demand increases. This growth can be attributed to population growth, increased urbanization, increased public awareness about the environmental impact of fluid waste, and more stringent industry and government regulation of fluid waste management and disposal.
Reports indicate that the industry will grow by 3.6% worldwide over the next five years as increased waste generation, especially in heavily populated areas, will lead to increased demand for fluid waste management.
If your Western New York business needs fluid waste management services, NOCO is here for you! We have extensive experience in providing simple and sustainable fluid waste management solutions for a wide range of businesses.
Fluid waste management involves procedures and practices in the safe collection and disposal of non-hazardous liquid materials to reduce discharge of pollutants into storm drains, bodies of water, and groundwater.
Commercial liquid waste is defined as any liquid that is contaminated and deemed unusable. Not all commercial liquid waste is hazardous, but it still needs to be managed properly.
These liquids include organic and inorganic wastewater, oil and water mixtures, non-hazardous wastewater, and fats, oils, and grease (commonly referred to as FOGs).
The industries that require fluid waste management include:
Properly managing liquid waste is essential for public safety and the environment. The contaminants can run off into groundwater or a body of water. In the soil, this can have negative impacts on the environment as well as wildlife and agriculture as it impacts growing. Once it’s in the water supply, it can be unhealthy or even dangerous for people and animals for drinking.
Many businesses in Western New York need comprehensive fluid waste management services like those provided by NOCO.
We’ve been meeting the needs of local businesses since 2015, recycling more than 15 million gallons of wastewater to help keep our local water supply cleaner and safer.
Our truck services and applications include:
We charge zero upfront fees for tank measurements or sample testing.
NOCO’s liquid waste management services are fully insured. Our team of equipment operators and vehicle drivers are all experienced, and thoroughly trained to meet all regulatory standards from agencies including DOT, RCRA, OSHA, NYS DEC, and SPCC. You can be assured that your liquid waste disposal will be done in full compliance with all local, state, and federal regulations.
Our commercial services don’t stop with liquid waste management. NOCO also offers waste recovery and recycling services and sustainability counseling.
Get in touch with NOCO today to discuss the fluid waste management needs for your business.
Commercial fuels are an essential part of businesses and businesses need a commercial fuels partner who can provide quality fuels with reliable service. NOCO understands the unique needs of Western New York businesses. We have 85 years of experience in the energy business and are ready to put that knowledge and experience to work for your business!
Whatever business you’re in, it’s our business to take care of all your commercial fuel needs. NOCO provides fuel delivery along with fleet fueling, electric, natural gas, generator fueling, sustainability consulting, and glycol blends services. Businesses of all kinds trust us with their energy needs and rely on our services.
There is a wide range of commercial fuels that local businesses use, and you can count on NOCO for dependable delivery of the fuels your business relies on. We provide fuels for construction companies, restaurants, and commercial kitchens, health care facilities, hotels and event centers, manufacturing plants, paving companies, snow removal businesses, and more.
The commercial fuels experts at NOCO begin with a bulk fuel delivery plan tailored to your needs. With an ample supply thanks to long-standing relationships with our vendors, multiple bulk fuel storage plants, and a large fleet of well-maintained fuel delivery vehicles, you can count on NOCO! We deliver:
Using NOCO’s fleet fueling services makes your business more efficient because it streamlines the fueling process for your vehicles and equipment. Your vehicles will be filled on-site, rather than having your drivers lose work time finding retail filling stations and then filling there before getting back on the job.
Your fuel management is also easier, as you no longer have to deal with fueling cards, receipts, and reimbursements.
NOCO uses sophisticated software to monitor your fuel usage patterns, so we can set up customized fleet fueling services.
NOCO is Western New York’s leader for end-to-end natural gas and electricity services. You get customized energy services, competitive and transparent pricing, and personalized service that no electricity or natural gas utility can match.
Businesses of all kinds should have generators. Whether it’s caused by wintertime blasts of lake effect snow or summer storms, a power outage can wreak havoc on your business. We’ll provide fuel for your commercial standby generator. Here are some of the reasons a standby generator is essential for businesses.
Ready to learn more about how partnering with NOCO can benefit your business? Get in touch with us today to set up a consultation!
In recent years, we have learned the importance of safe and clean air in our homes. It impacts our health, our comfort, and our day-to-day lives.
Many homeowners are looking for ways to improve the indoor air quality in their homes. A first place they are looking is their home’s HVAC system, as it circulates air throughout the house.
Good filtration in the HVAC system helps remove many particles that can irritate allergies or add dust to your home. That’s why homeowners are looking at HEPA filters.
HEPA filters are mechanical pleated air filters that have a high level of thickness to trap particulates. The pleats create an array of fibers arranged in random fashion; this randomly dense formation allows the HEPA filter to capture particles of various sizes. As air passes through, three processes take place: diffusion, interception, and impaction which enable it to effectively capture the particles in the air.
Medical centers use HEPA filters, as they trap more than 99.9% of particles as small as 0.3 microns, removing microscopic pollutants such as dust, pet dander, and mold from the air.
Sounds great, right? But before you jump in the car and head to the home improvement store to get a HEPA filter, that thickness of the HEPA filter creates problems for your home’s HVAC system. Because HEPA filters are thicker than standard air filters that are classified by the MERV (Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value), they are more resistant to airflow. That means the blower in your furnace and central air conditioning must work harder to circulate heated and cooled air around your home. That increased workload can damage your HVAC system, potentially leading to breakdowns and repairs.
For most homes, a non-HEPA filter is more than adequate. To ensure the best possible filtration, choose a filter that has a MERV rating between 13 and 16 for optimizing indoor air quality.
While using quality filters in your home’s HVAC system helps a lot, it may not be enough to make your indoor air quality better. That’s because they cannot trap all airborne particles, including viruses and volatile organic compounds (VOC)
NOCO is here to help!We sell, install, and service iWave air purifiers. These air purifiers are installed inside your HVAC system to make the air in your home clean and fresh. The iWave doesn’t use any chemicals to clean your air. It has the unique capability of generating ions which come in contact with viruses, bacteria, allergens and mold. At this point, the ions separate hydrogen molecules from these pathogens. No hydrogen molecules means that these pathogens are unable to access energy sources. The pathogens die trapped by your ventilation system’s air filter and don’t get circulated back into your home.
An iWave air purifier improves the quality of life in your home in many ways. First, it removes pathogens, viruses, and allergens from the air that can make you and your family ill. Allergy and asthma symptoms can be greatly reduced and possibly eliminated.
Cleaner air in your home can also help you sleep better, as you aren’t being awakened by coughing, sneezing, or a runny nose.
The iWave air purifier also traps and eliminates bad smells such as smoke, pets, and cooking. No more still smelling your Friday fish fry on Monday morning!
Are you ready to upgrade your home’s indoor air quality? Get in touch with NOCO today for your FREE estimate!
Propane’s full name is liquified petroleum gas (LPG). The chemical formula for propane is C₃H₈.
In 1864, Edmund Ronalds—a British academic and industrial chemist—stumbled across propane while conducting research on chemicals present in light crude oil from Pennsylvania.
In 1910, Walter O. Snelling made a momentous discovery in the world of propane- he found that certain evaporating gases could be converted into liquids. At the time, Snelling was employed by the United States Bureau of Mines in Pittsburgh where he was exploring different ways to store and make gasoline evaporation more efficient when he had his breakthrough.
Snelling found that propane was the most plentiful of all gases studied and invented a method for bottling the liquified gas, which was the beginning of the propane industry. He went on to sell the patent for propane to Frank Philips, founder of Philips Petroleum, for $50,000 three years later. That’s about $1.4 million in today’s money.
To make propane detectable by smell, an odorant is added to the gas. The most common additive used is ethyl mercaptan, which smells like rotten eggs. By adding this sharp-smelling addition, people can more easily identify propane leaks. If you notice that rotten-egg smell in your home, follow these propane safety best practices:
Evacuate immediately and go to a safe location. Do not stay in the house or try to find the source of the leak.
The propane used in the United States and Canada is created as a by-product of natural gas processing, which has increased with shale gas production. When natural gas goes through processing, it produces liquids like propane, butane, methane, and ethane.
In fact, around 70% of our domestic propane supply is produced this way. The other 30% come from refining crude oil.
Propane is then transported to bulk distribution facilities through pipelines, tankers, ships, trains, and trucks. From there, the propane is distributed to local vendors, such as NOCO, who deliver it to homes and businesses.
If you’re tired of worrying about your home’s propane supply, never fear! Our Automatic Delivery feature takes the stress out of keeping track. You’ll always have a warm, safe, and comfortable home with our reliable propane delivery service across Western New York. We also provide tank installation and leasing at an affordable price, along with propane appliance installation and servicing.
Propane is an environmentally friendly and efficient energy source that was chosen as an alternative fuel under both the 1990 Clean Air Act and the 1992 National Energy Policy. Propane is a cleaner burning option than natural gas not only because it doesn’t produce methane gas, but also in the event of a leak, propane does no harm to the air, soil, water, or any plant or animal life.
Propane heating systems and appliances have much higher efficiency ratings than ever before, typically 95% or more. This means that by switching to propane, you won’t have to make any compromises when it comes to comfort or convenience in order to decrease your home’s carbon impact.
You can’t beat NOCO for dependable propane delivery and expert service. Become a customer today!
Sometimes, we hear heating oil referred to as “fuel oil.”
Fuel oil is a term encompassing a wide range of petroleum products, including heating oil, diesel fuels, and kerosene.
Heating oil isn’t what it used to be a generation or two ago, when heating oil was seen as “dirty” because of the soot, smoke, and smell. It’s cleaner burning, more environmentally friendly, and more energy efficient than ever before! With reliable heating oil delivery from NOCO, you can enjoy those benefits in your home.
It’s not a top-secret spy agency in a superhero movie. ULSHO stands for ultra-low sulfur heating oil. It represents one of the more dramatic changes in heating oil over recent decades. As of 2018, New York requires all heating oil to have 15 parts per million (PPM) or less sulfur content in order to meet ULSHO standards. Traditional No. 2 heating oil contains an average of 4,000 ppm.
This virtual elimination of sulfur content in heating oil, more than 99%, has resulted in a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. ULSHO lowers sulfur dioxide emissions by 75% and nitrous oxide emissions by 10% from traditional heating oil. Both sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide are greenhouse gases that are major contributors to climate change.
The heating oil industry has a goal to become carbon neutral by the year 2050. It is using technological advances to help make that happen.
One of the biggest advances has been the introduction of biodiesels to heating oil. Biodiesels are made from renewable and natural resources such as:
The biodiesel is blended with heating oil to create a blend known as Bioheat®. There are different kinds of Bioheat depending on the percentage of biodiesel added.
Bioheat® Fuel: Up to 5% biodiesel
Bioheat® Plus: Up to 20% biodiesel
Bioheat® SuperPlus: More than 20% biodiesel
Using biodiesels in heating oil offers many advantages.
The first is that less petroleum is being used. It is not only better for the environment, but also for America’s energy independence as we become less dependent on foreign imports of petroleum products.
The second is the reduced emissions on top of the reductions from using ULSHO. In fact, biodiesel blends of around 20% or greater burn cleaner than natural gas!
The third benefit is increased energy efficiency, as the biodiesel blends burn cleaner. You’ll save money on heating costs without sacrificing one smidgen of comfort, something you’ll appreciate when the Polar Vortex pays Western New York a visit!
Finally, biodiesel blends are better for your home’s heating system. The combination of reduced sulfur in the heating oil and the cleaner burning biodiesels mean fewer deposits on the heat registers in your heating system, resulting in less wear on parts. That reduced wear means fewer breakdowns and a potential extension of the life expectancy for your home’s furnace or boiler by years, both of which mean more money staying in your bank account!
Get reliable delivery of today’s cleaner burning, high-efficiency heating oil from NOCO! Become a customer today.
Heating oil is an outstanding way to keep your Western New York home warm, safe, and comfortable. With reliable heating oil delivery from NOCO, you’ll have peace of mind no matter what Mother Nature or the lake effect sends our way this winter.
But to enjoy the benefits of heating oil, you need a heating oil tank. We’ve put together some commonly asked questions people have about heating oil tanks so you can be more informed.
The most common sizes of heating oil tanks are 275 and 340 gallons, which are sufficient for most residential usage.
Today’s heating oil tanks are built with superior materials and features designed to prevent leaks and overfilling. Some are double-walled, with a weld-free galvanized steel exterior and polyethylene interior tank designed to prevent leaks. Single-wall tanks are affordable and can be used indoors and outside.
We strongly urge our customers to get aboveground heating oil tanks for several reasons.
The first reason is that you can detect leaks in an aboveground heating oil tank where you cannot in an underground tank.
If you plan on selling your home in the future, having an underground oil tank will make that process more difficult because homebuyers are understandably hesitant to taking on the financial and environmental risks posed by underground oil tanks.
We encourage our customers to regularly inspect their heating oil tank. The signs of corrosion you can see are:
If you see any of these, contact us right away and we’ll come take a look at it.
Empty space inside your heating oil tank creates the biggest danger for your heating oil tank, especially in warmer weather. Condensation forms on the bare walls in the empty part of the tank, and that water drips off the walls. Because water is heavier than heating oil, the water sinks to the bottom. Once there, it creates a perfect environment for the growth of bacteria that leads to the development of sediment. That sediment is what starts corroding your tank from the inside out.
Because condensation develops easier in warmer weather, we recommend that our customers top off their heating oil tank at the end of the heating season so there are no bare walls to allow for condensation.
Unfortunately, virtually no homeowner’s insurance policies cover remediation costs for heating oil tank failure.
Earlier this year, a couple near Boston faced the possibility of losing their home after a tank leak in their basement resulted in remediation costs as high as $200,000. We recommend that you talk with your insurance provider about possibilities for separate tank coverage.
Become a NOCO customer and get the most reliable heating oil delivery in Western New York!
The average life expectancy for a storage-tank water heater is 10 to 12 years. If yours is at that age or older, now is the time to begin planning for your water heater replacement.
NOCO provides expert water heater installation, maintenance, and repairs. Our affordable Maintenance Plans help keep your water heater running smoothly and help to shield you from big repair bills as many parts and labor costs are covered.
You have options when it comes to water heaters. Here are the kinds of water heaters available so you can choose the right one for your needs and your budget.
A tank water heater stores and heats a considerable amount of water so that it will be accessible whenever you need it. The pipe transporting hot water to wherever it is needed, such as the dishwasher or washing machine, is located above the tank.
Did you know that replacing your old tank water heater with a new one is an excellent way to save money? Tank water heaters are priced affordably and easy to install, which makes them popular among homeowners. In addition, today’s tank water heaters offer better energy efficiency than older models
A tank water heater stores all the hot water your home has available at a given time. Your tank water heater regularly heats and reheats the water throughout the day and night so that you have hot water whenever you need or want it.
A tankless water heater heats water only when you need it, so you don’t have to worry about running out. With the ability to save you up to 40% on energy costs annually, switching over could be a huge money saver! For most people, heating water takes up 20% of their total energy bill every year.
Although a traditional tank water heater only lasts for about 10 years, investing in a tankless model will provide you with 20 or more years of hot water.
These types of systems use your home’s heating system to heat your water.
Indirect water heating systems are more energy efficient and can reduce your water heating bill, especially during the colder months. However, they need to be connected with your home’s heating system, which makes installation more involved than a conventional or tankless water heater would be. Consequently, indirect heaters also tend to cost more than other types of heaters.
Water heater replacement is best done before your old one fails, so that you have the opportunity to shop around for water heaters and weigh your options. You’ll have peace of mind in your choice.
You can protect yourself from water heater failure by checking your water heater regularly as there are often tell-tale signs preceding a water heater failure. If you notice any of the following, give NOCO a call for repair service:
NOCO is Western New York’s leader in expert water heater installation and service. Contact us for a FREE estimate!