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Quality Heating & Sheet Metal Company, Inc.

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2840 North Brookfield Rd
Brookfield, WI 53045

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Fax: 262.786.5098

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Finding the Right Furnace

January 7, 2022 By SunAnt

The heating and cooling system in your home is one of the most important long-term choices you will make. The old oil furnaces that last 40 to 50 years (and have no energy efficiency) may no longer exist, but your heating and cooling system should last around 15 to 20 years. So you should really think about all aspects that figure into choosing the right heating system for you. In addition to the initial investment, you must consider energy efficiency, required maintenance, and warranty when making your decision. In this post, we’ll examine some of the factors that you should consider.

Climate

The first thing that you need to consider is the climate where you live. In Wisconsin, we have harsh winters and hot summers. All of Wisconsin is in Zone 5 of the Heating Climate Zone map, and the further north you go, the colder it gets (usually). That means that you probably need between 50 to 60 BTUs per square foot. (https://www.inchcalculator.com/calculate-btus-to-heat-home/)

Geography

The landscape that surrounds your home has tremendous impact on the kind of furnace that you will need. Are you situated in a clearing on a hill with views of a valley? Or are you nestled in a grove of trees? Or are you part of a housing development with neighbors on either side? The permutations can be endless; but the geography your house occupies will influence how much energy is needed to heat your home, and how efficiently it can be maintained.

Building Itself

Finally, there’s your home itself. It will be no surprise to you that a new build will have better insulation and tighter windows than an older home. If your home gets a lot of natural sunlight, that’s another factor that needs consideration. The experts at Quality Home Heating can conduct an analysis of your home’s thermal envelope. A thermal envelope is “everything about the house that serves to shield the living space from the outdoors” (National Renewable Energy Laboratory). It includes the wall and roof assemblies, insulation, air/vapor retarders, windows, weatherstripping, and caulking .

Furnace Type

The choices in heating and cooling are many and varied. There are two basic kinds of systems: split and packaged. A split system is more typical with a condensing unit, furnace, and coil. A packaged system is an all-in-one heating and cooling system where an outdoor unit contains all the parts. If you’re building a new house, all options are open to you. If you’re looking to replace an existing furnace, you may need to go with the more conventional choice.

Fuel Source and More

Then there’s the fuel source. You may not have a choice about that, but if you do, we can talk you through oil, natural gas, and more. Ductless systems are also available now. Some systems allow you to claim a tax credit for the purchase and installation of Qualified Energy Property. And then there are the numbers. In addition to AFUE, different units have SEER numbers (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio), and HSPF numbers (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor). It can become a confusing maze of too much information.

One of the professionals at Quality Home Heating can perform a Manual J load calculation to confirm the system size you need in your particular home. This calculation takes your entire home into account — from square footage to window efficiency to external geography. Give us a call; we’ll make sure you get the right furnace for your home.

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Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

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Our Location

2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: Furnace, HVAC Installation

Time for Furnace Preparation

November 4, 2021 By SunAnt

You may have been fooled with the unusually warm October that Milwaukee has been experiencing, but fall is really here. Temperatures are starting to fall below freezing at night, and it looks like November will bring back our typical weather. That means that it’s time to make sure your furnace is ready for the winter. You want it running at peak efficiency to keep your heating costs as low as possible. The heating and cooling system in your house accounts for as much as half of the energy used in your home. So an annual servicing of your furnace makes sense. There are some simple things you can do, too.

Thermostat

Your thermostats should have fresh batteries going into the winter. And if you have the programmable kind, you should think about your family’s needs, and program the thermostat accordingly. It’s silly to heat the house at the normal level when no one is there; have the heat increase about a half hour before people arrive, and it will be toasty warm for you. If you have worries about programming your thermostat, the experts at Quality Heating can talk you through it. Your thermostat may need re-calibration, too. That’s something that we will do when we come to service your furnace.

Filters

All the filters should be changed as well. Clogged filters can cause your furnace to work harder to heat your home, so having clean filters increases your furnace’s efficiency. If you’re comfortable changing the filters with your system, you should definitely be careful about getting the correct filters for your brand and model. If you have the professionals at Quality Heating come to service your furnace, we will automatically change the filters.

Professional Servicing – Inspection

At Quality Heating, we’ll do a visual inspection of the whole system and test all components. We will measure air flow and temperatures. These measures help us find any leaks in the system; if we find any, we will deal with them immediately. We monitor flue draft and refrigerant pressure as well.

Professional Servicing – Cleaning, Calibrating, and Lubricating

A clean furnace runs properly and efficiently. Quality Heating professionals will spend time cleaning all furnace components. We will change all the filters. We will calibrate the thermostat to ensure that it genuinely heats to the temperature it’s set to, not above it or below it. We will lubricate all parts that move. Naturally, if we encounter any problems (or potential problems) we will fix them.

The US Department of Energy agrees that for “all heating and cooling systems, proper maintenance is key to efficient operation. The difference between the energy consumption of a well-maintained heat pump and a severely neglected one ranges from 10% to 25%.” Now that winter is just about here, it’s time to prepare your furnace for the season. Call the experts at Quality Heating to do a professional servicing of your furnace. Keep your heating costs as low as possible while keeping your family warm and comfortable.

Request a Free Quote

Quality Heating & Sheet Metal Company - About Us Summary Graphic

Get In Touch

Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

Reviews

Read Testimonials

 

Have Questions?

Send us a message
Email Us

Our Location

2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: Furnace, Furnace Maintenance, Furnace Preparation

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Services

  • Heating
  • Cooling
  • HVAC System Installation in Waukesha, WI
  • HVAC Maintenance & Repair
  • Indoor Air Quality

Additional Services

  • Boiler
  • Ductless Mini-Splits
  • Forced Air Zoning Systems
  • Heat Pumps
  • Ground Coiled Systems
  • Light Commercial
  • Radon Testing & Mitigation

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