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Quality Heating & Sheet Metal Company, Inc.

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Brookfield, WI 53045

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Preparing Your HVAC System For Spring

April 1, 2022 By Anthony Bodden

The HVAC system in your house is responsible for keeping you and your family warm in the winter and cool in the summer. And comfort is only part of its importance. The system is also designed to filter out contaminants in the air, both actual dirt particles, and biological ones. So your family’s health is also in play. Finally, your HVAC system uses a lot of energy, and you want to make sure that it’s working at peak efficiency so that you spend only as much as you need to. All of that makes maintaining your HVAC system really important, and the best way to do that is to have it professionally serviced twice a year. For best results, you should have it done in the spring and the fall.

Importance of Regular Servicing

The heating and cooling system in your house accounts for as much as half of the energy used in your home. So maintenance of that system is one of the most important money saving practices you can do. Newer heating and cooling systems can be very energy efficient, but can’t perform at their best without continued maintenance. Service calls can identify issues when they are minor, and avoid breakdowns that always happen at the most inconvenient times. Manufacturer warranties usually require regular maintenance in order to be valid; you’d hate to discover that your warranty won’t be honored because you neglected your regular service. And the longevity of your system as a whole can be increased by semiannual servicing.

What Regular Servicing Means

At Quality Heating, we perform thorough maintenance services. We do a visual inspection of the system, test all components, measure air flow and temperatures. We find any leaks in the system and deal with them. We monitor flue draft and refrigerant pressure, as well as calibrate the thermostat. We clean all the parts that require it; we lubricate all those that move. 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%.” If there is any minor damage or repairs necessary, we do that too.

Spring and Fall Is Best

In the winter and summer, your HVAC system must be ready and working at its best, so spring and fall are the times for regular servicing to be most effective. At Quality Heating, we’re happy to come and do maintenance on your system when you ask us to, but you should consider a maintenance agreement. In your busy life, remembering to make an appointment twice a year for your heating and cooling system service could easily fall through the cracks. It only takes one neglected regular maintenance to invalidate your equipment warranty. Once you have a maintenance agreement with us, we’ll remember so you don’t have to. Every fall and every spring, we will make sure that your heating system is working its best.

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Ph:   262.786.4450
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2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: HVAC Installation, HVAC Repair, Uncategorized

How Often Should I Service My AC?

October 14, 2021 By SunAnt

In our hot Wisconsin summers, AC is a necessity. If your AC suddenly stops working, or begins working improperly, it can be more than a nuisance. Regular servicing keeps your AC running well all season long. So just what does regular servicing mean? Generally, you should have your air conditioner serviced twice yearly: once in the fall and once in the spring. Those are times the professionals should come out; in between, there’s plenty you can do yourself to keep your AC in good shape. In this post, we’ll go over what an AC Servicing includes, and what you can do yourself.

What Does AC Service Include?

Fully trained and certified experts will inspect the whole AC system, from the blower to the condenser to the ductwork. Any damage or deterioration of parts will be noted and if necessary, repaired. HVAC specialists, like those at Quality Heating, use special tools to measure electricity and airflow levels. Refrigerant levels will be checked, too. All components will be thoroughly cleaned and lubricated. Your AC technician will also take a look at your thermostat to evaluate its accuracy and whether it’s communicating well with your AC unit. If necessary, it will be recalibrated or reprogrammed. The condensate drain should be a place of particular attention. Clogs are common in the spring and fall because ACs typically aren’t running as often; it’s easy for mold and gunk to build up.

What Should I Do In Between?

Maintenance of your AC system throughout the summer will keep it working at peak efficiency. That will lower your electricity bills and keep you and your family comfortable. There are some simple things you can do to accomplish this.

Filters

Air conditioners and furnaces take in all sorts of dust and dirt that naturally floats in the air. As such, to reduce the amount of residue they take in, they’re equipped with HVAC filters. These filters stop residue in its tracks but the filters get absolutely inundated with it in the process. The filters need to be changed on a regular basis. You should change your HVAC filter at least every 3 months; if you have cats or dogs in your home, you should do it once a month. Your HVAC filter could be located in your return air vents or it could be located within your furnace. If you’re not sure, your HVAC technician would be happy to show you where they are. If you have a media filter, they should be replaced every 9 to 12 months; this filter is located inside your ductwork next to your furnace or air handler.

Your Condenser Area

Your AC’s condenser is located outside of your home. As such, it’s exposed to falling branches, kicked-up stones and dirt, bushes, and all sorts of overgrowth. In rare cases, overhanging greenery can fall into condensers, causing jams and general mechanical damage. Then there’s the havoc that creatures cause. Squirrels, mice, and even ants and other insects can chew on the electrical wirings or are attracted by the water. It can be hazardous to them and they can damage your outside unit. Professional servicing will deal with any damage, but you help prevent it by keeping the area around your condenser clear of plant life and debris, and checking for evidence of chewing. Five feet of clearance on each of its sides (and ensuring that any trees or hedges in its proximity are properly trimmed) will also make it less attractive to critters.

Your Condensate Drain

When condensate drains are running at full speed during a hot spell, they are constantly removing water in the air; but when they are turned on less often, it means that your condensate drain can start to accumulate algae, mold, and gunk. It builds up faster than you might think, and a clogged drain means a water problem! A simple way to keep your drain clear is to pour a cup of plain vinegar down it periodically. If you find it difficult to remember, talk to your HVAC technician at your servicing; they have some longer-lasting solutions to prevent these clogs.

Your Vent Covers

AC systems use a duct system to distribute the air that comes out of vents in the different rooms—on walls, ceilings, or floor. Keep an eye on your vent covers for any build up of mold. Excess humidity leads to mold, and you’ll want to take care of that immediately. Mold can cause those sensitive to it to become quite sick. If you’re not sure what to look for, ask one of the professionals at Quality Heating.

Having your AC serviced twice a year by professionals, combined with performing simple maintenance yourself will keep your AC at peak efficiency and minimize the possibility that you and your family will be stuck sweltering during a hot spell.

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Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

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2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Ways to Avoid Overworking Your AC

September 14, 2021 By SunAnt

Wisconsin summers can be horribly hot, and excruciatingly humid. We’ve already had a few really hot spells this summer, and there’s still August and September to get through. You need your AC! This post explores how to avoid overworking your AC so that your whole family can stay cool and comfortable even when Milwaukee is melting.

When central air conditioning is installed, load calculations need to be made. These are based on design criteria like the size of the home in volume, number of windows and other factors.

20 Degree Differential
Your AC should be set to the highest comfortable temperature. The Department of Energy recommends 78 degrees as the best way to balance energy efficiency with comfort. If you decide 78 is too high, remember to keep the 20 degree differential rule in mind. When your AC is set more than 20 degrees below the outside temperature, it’s working harder and longer than it needs to.

Air Flow
Many people believe that shutting off rarely used rooms will help the air conditioning work better. In fact, the opposite is true. AC units are designed with a certain static pressure in mind, so closing and sealing off vents and interior doors add to the unit’s stress and decrease the overall airflow. Doing this can result in resistance and can cause issues with coils leaking, compressor failure, and motors and capacitors failing because the AC unit is working too hard.

Air Filters
A clean air conditioning unit is almost always an efficient one. The key to keeping your air conditioner clean rests primarily with the air filters. The higher efficient five-inch filters that your specific AC manufacturer recommends should be changed every six months. One-inch filters at the unit or the return air grill should be changed a minimum of once a month. If you have an older house or lots of in-and-out traffic, and pets, then those filters likely need to be changed twice a month during the summer season.

Return Air
Air conditioners work by blowing cooled air out into the home, and then recycling that air to cool it again. When the ratio of return air to output air is skewed away from 1:1, your AC becomes much less efficient. Most homes do not have enough return air. If the unit cannot suck back the same amount of air it pushes out, it will start pulling it from cracks and air gaps around the windows, doors and even attics. These areas bring more dust into the house. Evidence of air infiltration is dirt buildup on the floor, window sills, blinds and curtains, and near doors. This is because the AC is pulling air from the outside, a clear sign that there is an issue with return air.

Ductwork
The same sized duct throughout the house is not efficient. It’s essential to look at the volume of space in the room you are trying to cool, which direction it is facing, and how many windows it has. Two rooms of exactly the same size can have different sized ductwork depending on orientation and number of windows. Duct systems should be designed based on a room’s cubic feet per minute (CFM) requirement. That allows you to control dampers and move the air to where it is needed and avoid hot and cold spots. As units get older, they may not be working as efficiently as before. They have a more challenging time maintaining the temperature you have set. Often, ductwork can be the culprit of higher bills. As insulation around the flex duct starts to degrade, the unit has a harder time keeping your house cool.

All of these considerations factor into determining whether or not your AC is overworking. If you are concerned about your air conditioner’s efficiency, contact one of the experts at Quality Heating. We’ll be happy to come out to your home and carry out an assessment with any maintenance required.

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Get In Touch

Ph:   262.786.4450
Fax: 262.786.5098

Reviews

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Our Location

2840 North Brookfield Rd, Brookfield, WI 53045

Filed Under: Uncategorized

After Every Storm Comes a Rainbow

April 28, 2020 By Quality Heating & Sheet Metal

Throughout these days of uncertainty, we all have had many different decisions to make. Our lives have forever been changed by this pandemic that surrounds us. My question to everyone is this: through all this chaos, has your attitude been “sink or swim” or “rise to the occasion”? I say dig deep and work harder to overcome the challenges.

The many obstacles that I have had to confront while working in an essential service industry have made life very interesting. They are nothing compared to those that have had firsthand experience with COVID-19 but are all unique experiences that our company has never had to deal with before. A couple of the changes that have been implemented are the virtual meetings we conduct to safely provide a premium level of service and the rollout of products that can help enhance indoor air quality during a pandemic (ultra-violet lights and special filtration systems/equipment). The biggest challenge during this trying time is to keep our employees working while managing the day to day events and keeping the health and wellbeing of our customers/employees as our top priority. I always feel a bit awkward when wearing the personal protective equipment (masks, gloves, booties while disinfecting before and after each call) to go into people’s homes, but it has become normal to me at this point. It is amazing what can become normal to a person.

I have tried to rise to the occasion instead of letting this negatively affect my work ethic or mood. I have accomplished all of my “honey to-do list” at home, spent more time with my family than I have ever been able to in the past, and thought of new and creative ideas to which I can apply towards the work campaign, and so much more. I would challenge those currently feeling a little frustrated about what is going on to push forward and make the best of the situation.

When this all started, I was a bit disappointed with how people were acting: the hoarding of toiletries, price gouging, etc. As events play out, there are so many people that have come together while still 6 feet apart.

Get creative, put a smile on someone’s face each day, call a friend to connect, have a game night over Zoom, or whatever puts a smile on your face.

After every storm comes a rainbow!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Glass Half Empty or Glass Half Full

April 24, 2020 By Quality Heating & Sheet Metal

With everything going on in our present state, it is hard not to get discouraged and stressed out.  I have watched and heard some harsh facts on television and on the radio that really have gotten me to think about my game plan.  I am sure it has done the same for everyone else.  Here is an inspirational writing. Whether completely fact or not, it is still a very pleasant thing to think about.

“When this all ends -AND IT WILL… Every game will sell out, every restaurant will have a two hour wait, every kid will be glad to be in school, everyone will love their job, the stock market will skyrocket, every other house will get TP’d and we’ll embrace and shake hands.  That’s gonna be a pretty good day.  Hang in there, world!”

A person can choose to take the time they are given positively or sit and wallow in misery.  The confinement to our homes, road bans, layoffs, etc. can be turned to something good also.  This is time with our families, betterment of our business practices, future planning.  We have finally gotten the time to play catch up rather than flying by the seats of our pants.  I know that at Quality Heating, we have been working on our up-coming season, specials to offer, the virtual side of things; fife goes on!  We have been trying to find ways that our company can really contribute to the fight against this virus.  Providing better quality of air or purifying the air. Ultra-violet lights are great products to purify a person’s indoor air quality.  I personally love the idea that it fights against allergies, removes viruses, bacteria, dust mites, foul odors, etc.  Providing heathy purified air is one of the healthiest things a person can do for their self. 

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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