HVAC and Indoor Air Quality

Many people believe that their HVAC system only delivers warm air in the winter and cool air in the summer and provides some ventilation. But the fact is your HVAC system has a great impact on the quality of air in your home all throughout the year. Our HVAC professionals at [company_name] know that a well-maintained system can improve your home’s air quality, while a badly maintained one can worsen it.

Good HVAC, Good Air

Among the things a well-maintained HVAC system does for your indoor air quality are:

  • Remove pollutants and odors
  • Discourage pests
  • Keep humidity low
  • Keep home well ventilated

Our customers are often surprised to learn that the air inside their home can be many times more polluted than the air outdoors. But your HVAC system filters the outside air as it comes in, and that filter traps pollutants such as pollen, dust, mold spores, viruses and bacteria. The cleaner air that results lowers the risks of you or members of your household suffering from allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems.

One of the best things your air conditioning does is lower the humidity in your home, as cold air does not hold moisture as well as warm air. High humidity can make you comfortable even if the temperature is not very high. It can also encourage the growth of pathogenic mold and mildew. On the other hand, the cold air of winter is extremely dry, and the warmed air of a heating unit carries enough humidity to keep the household comfortable.

One problem with new homes is that they are well sealed to help them be more energy efficient. But a drawback of this is the interruption of a healthy airflow. Stale air holds on to pollutants and uncomfortable levels of humidity. Fortunately, the ventilation part of HVAC is the simplest to employ. Ceiling fans, the fans found in HVAC units and open doors and windows help the flow of fresh air throughout your home.

Bad HVAC, Bad Air

An HVAC system that is in disrepair not only fails to deliver cooling, heating and ventilation adequately but can actually be dangerous to your health. Simply, all of the problems that are prevented by a functioning HVAC system are present in one that is either badly maintained or that has been badly installed or designed. This means it allows bad smells and pollutants, including bacteria, mold and dust into the indoor air and blows warm or cool air at such speeds that you’re always uncomfortable. A bad HVAC system also does not regulate humidity, which leads to discomfort and can promote the growth of mold.

Leaking ductwork not only reduces the efficiency of your HVAC, but many critters, including possums, mice and rats find them the perfect places to build a nest. The ductwork blows their droppings and other waste into your indoor air. Worse, it’s not uncommon for animals to die in your ductwork, and the smell of that lingers even if your HVAC system is working.

But pollutants and procreating or dead animals aren’t even the worst things that can happen with leaky ductwork. Backdrafting can happen when gas from your boiler, furnace or hot water heater re-enters your home instead of being vented to the outside. This can cause carbon monoxide, an odorless, tasteless, colorless and deadly gas to infiltrate your rooms.

Bad smells from the ductwork are one sign of poor air quality caused by your HVAC. Other signs may be more subtle. The inside of your home may still be uncomfortably humid even with the AC on. One room may be much cooler or warmer than the other even though you don’t have a zoned system. The system may be blowing air at too high a speed, which also causes discomfort.

Call Us to Learn More

Working HVAC systems are a must in Cedarburg, WI. They not only keep homes cool in the summers but protect you against our brutal winters. Because these systems have to work as hard as they do, they are subject to problems that make them less efficient. When they are less efficient, they can cause the quality of our customer’s indoor air to deteriorate, sometimes to the point where health is affected.

Don’t hesitate to call our HVAC professionals at [company_name] to troubleshoot your system and make sure it and your indoor air quality are always in top condition.

When Should You Change Your HVAC Air Filter?

As air travels through your HVAC system, it’s forced through an air filter. This filter works to remove impurities from the air like pet dander and dust. To ensure that your air filter is consistently improving the quality of the air inside of your home, it’s important that it gets changed on a regular basis.

How to Tell That Your Air Filter Needs Changing

The best way to determine that it’s time to change your air filter is to take a look at its state. As a general rule of thumb, you should be able to hold a new filter up to a light and see through it. When your air filter has reached the end of its lifespan, it will be packed full of dust and other debris. When you hold the filter up to a light, you’ll no longer be able to see through it.

How Often Should You Visibly Inspect Your Air Filter?

If you’ve done any research online to see how often your HVAC air filter needs to be replaced, it’s likely that you’ve run across the recommendation of replacing it every three months. While this is a good general time frame for most households, it’s not a hard-and-fast rule. The specific conditions of your home, how often you run your HVAC system, and many other factors can affect how long your air filter will last. It’s typically recommended that you pull your air filter out once a month and check to see if it needs to be replaced.

Factors That Affect Filter Lifespan

The air filter inside of your HVAC system is a necessary component to ensure that the quality of your indoor air remains adequate. As soon as the filter starts to reach the end of its lifespan, it won’t be able to effectively filter out many of the harmful allergens that show up inside your indoor air. Households where family members have respiratory illnesses, asthma, allergies, and young children, should have their HVAC filters changed on a more consistent basis.

If you have multiple pets inside of your home, they’re constantly creating pet dander. This can make your air filter work much harder and greatly shorten its lifespan. Some other common factors that can influence the amount of time that the average filter will last in your HVAC system include smoking inside the home, how often you run your HVAC system, your typical household cleaning habits, and so much more.

How to Replace Your HVAC Air Filter

Changing out your HVAC air filter is something that you’re going to want to learn how to effectively do since it needs to be replaced on a consistent basis. Before you change out your filter, it’s a good idea to turn off your entire HVAC system. Next, you’ll want to access the filter housing. This may be located near the air handler or one of the wall vents, depending on the specific type of HVAC system that you have inside of your home. It’s a good idea to consult an HVAC professional or the instruction manual for your specific HVAC system to determine where the filter housing is.

Once you locate the filter housing, you’ll want to open it up and remove the old air filter. Go ahead and hold it up to a light source and see if it needs to be replaced. If so, you’ll want to have another filter on hand that is the exact same model number as the one that’s inside of your system. Make sure that you read the instructions that come with the new air filter to ensure that it’s being installed correctly. Many HVAC systems will have arrows that will help you to determine the appropriate direction to install the air filter so that it’s not installed backwards.

What Filter Replacement Should You Use?

When you go to purchase a new air filter for your HVAC system, you’ll need to have the existing filter’s model number so that you can purchase the same one. There are various different types of filters that you can purchase, including pleated, fiberglass, HEPA, and even reusable ones. Each of these different filters comes at its own price point and filtering capability.

It’s crucial to note that every HVAC air filter will have a MERV rating. MERV stands for minimum efficiency reporting value and is ranked on a scale from 1 to 16. The higher the MERV rank, the more efficient the air filter will be at trapping dust and other airborne particles. If you’re concerned about increasing the effectiveness of your HVAC air filter, you want to select one that has a higher MERV rating than your existing air filter.

Premier HVAC Services

[company_name] offers premier HVAC services for the entire Cedarburg, WI, region. We can also assist with all of your electrical, duct cleaning, ductwork, metal fabrication, indoor air quality, and thermostat needs. Simply contact our office today to schedule your next service appointment.

How Long Can My Air Conditioner Run Continuously?

The humid Wisconsin summers mean that your air conditioner often has to work overtime to keep your home cool. As a result, we often get questions from customers asking if it’s okay for their air conditioning to run constantly. The answer is yes, it is fine if you leave your air conditioning constantly switched on. However, the condenser unit shouldn’t run constantly as this will quickly cause the motor to burn out. Moreover, if the condenser unit is running continuously, this indicates that your AC system isn’t working properly and needs to be repaired. To understand why, let’s take a look at cooling cycles to see how long the condenser unit should run under normal conditions.

Understanding Cooling Cycles

The condenser unit is the part of the air conditioning system that sits outside the home, and it serves two primary purposes. The first is to supply cold refrigerant liquid to the evaporator coil inside the indoor air handler unit, and the second is to release heat outside the home and compress the refrigerant back into a liquid.

As hot air passes over the evaporator coil, the refrigerant absorbs much of the heat from the air. This causes the refrigerant to heat up and turn from a liquid to a gas. The hot refrigerant then travels back out to the condenser where it flows through another series of coils to allow the heat to be released into the air outside. Finally, the condenser forces the cooled refrigerant through a compressor, which turns the refrigerant back into a liquid.

Your thermostat signals the condenser to turn on and start this cycle when the house gets warmer than the temperature the thermostat is set to. Once the condenser unit is on, it should run for approximately 15 to 20 minutes before switching off again. Typically, the condenser will perform two full cycles every hour or possibly three cycles in hotter or more humid conditions.

If the condenser runs more frequently than this, it usually indicates that the system is short-cycling. This essentially means that the condenser unit is shutting off before completing a full cycle. When this happens, the unit will typically attempt to start a new cycle immediately, which means the system will run almost constantly. Short cycling leads to increased energy use as well as greater wear and tear on the condenser. If not taken care of, the problem will usually cause the condenser to burn out and need to be replaced.

Common Causes of Short-Cycling

Numerous issues can cause a condenser to short-cycle. One of the most common causes is a clogged air filter, and this issue can be overcome simply by replacing the air filter. To prevent this, all you need to do is make sure to replace your filter at least once every one to three months.

Short-cycling can also occur if the condenser is either oversized or undersized. If the unit is too small, it will need to run almost constantly since it isn’t powerful enough to properly cool the home. If the unit is too big, the thermostat will typically signal it to turn off before completing a full cycle. In both cases, the problem will lead to higher energy bills and decreased home comfort. In these situations, your only real option is to replace the unit with one that is the appropriate size for your home.

Short cycling can also indicate that there is a leak in one of the refrigerant lines. If the system doesn’t have enough refrigerant, it won’t be able to properly absorb heat from inside the home and thus will need to run almost constantly. This issue can also cause either the evaporator coil in the air handler or the condenser coil in the condenser unit to freeze up. If you attempt to run your air conditioning while it is frozen, it will quickly cause the condenser motor to overheat and burn out. To prevent this, it is important that you not turn the AC on until you have a technician repair the leak and add more refrigerant into the system.

Professional AC Repairs and Maintenance

If your condenser is short-cycling or you’re experiencing any other issues with your air conditioning system, the experts at Hometown Heating & Air are here to help. We are available 24/7 for emergency repairs, and our NATE-certified technicians can repair and maintain all AC makes and models. We also specialize in air conditioner installation and replacements as well as a full range of heating and electrical services. With two locations in Cedarburg and Brookfield, we serve customers throughout the greater Milwaukee area. For more information or to schedule service, give the team at Hometown Heating & Air a call today.

Prevent House Fires With These Space Heater Safety Tips

Sometimes there may be a room in your house that may not heat up as warm as you would like it. Installing a portable space heater can be a great way to help make that room warm up without having to increase the temperature for the entire house. If you’re thinking of putting a space heater in one of your rooms, you should follow these safety tips below to ensure that you don’t experience a house fire.

Be Home When It’s on

The most common reason that space heaters result in home fires is that the owners are not home when they’re running their space heaters. Your space heater should never be running if you’re not at home as you won’t be able to respond quickly if it has a problem. It’s also essential to note that you shouldn’t have your space heater running while you’re sleeping as you lack responsiveness during this time.

Give It at Least Three Feet

Due to the fact that space heaters let off a lot of heat, they can catch flammable objects on fire. It’s best to give your space heater three feet of open space the whole way around it. Be mindful of flammable objects like your curtains or your bookcase, as you don’t want them to be too close to your space heater. They could catch fire.

Go Directly to the Wall Outlet

Where you plug your space heater in will have a big impact on whether or not it’s safe. Space heaters draw a lot of energy which means they should be directly plugged into a wall outlet. And, you shouldn’t be using the outlet that is paired with it as you don’t want to draw too much energy from that circuit. Never plug your space heater into a power strip or an extension cord. This is due to the fact that many of these items cannot handle the amount of power that the space heater needs. They can easily get overloaded and end up causing a fire.

Ensure It Has a Safety Certification

Before you purchase your space heater, you should take the time to see if it has a safety certification on the box. There are three different types of safety certifications that can be given to a particular space heater, which are UL, CSA, and ETL. When the heater has this certification, it ensures you that it’s safe to use as it has passed rigorous testing.

Inspect It Often

Over time, natural wear and tear can deteriorate your space heater to the point where it needs to be replaced. You never want to run a space heater that has a cord with exposed wiring or housing that has started to crack. It’s best to do a quick check over of your entire space heater every time you go to plug it in to make sure that everything is in good condition.

Set Boundaries With Your Kids

Unlike adults, kids don’t always understand the dangers that come along with appliances. It’s highly advisable that you sit down and speak to your kids about boundaries regarding the space heater and the dangers that come along with it. Set restrictions for who is allowed to turn on the space heater and for how close your kids may get to the space heater.

Position It Low in Your Room

You want to avoid putting your space heater on all surfaces but the floor. It’s a bad idea to put a space heater on a coffee table, counter, cabinet, or even furniture for multiple reasons. The most important reason is that it’s more prone to being knocked over. When positioning your space heater, make sure that you don’t place it on the rug or carpeting that is prone to catching fire. Stick to hardwood or vinyl flooring.

Smoke Detectors

Before you opt for turning on your space heater, it’s a good idea to have smoke detectors installed throughout your home. You want to check these smoke detectors at least once a month and replace their batteries every six months. Most experts recommend placing a smoke detector outside the bedrooms in your home and as well as on each level of your home.

Outstanding Heating Services

Hometown Heating & Air offers outstanding heating services for the entire Cedarburg, WI, community. We’re also happy to help with all of your indoor air quality, AC repair, AC installation, and AC maintenance needs. Call our office today to schedule your next service appointment.

How to Test the Efficiency of Your AC

Your house has air conditioning, which is great, but you’re not sure how efficient it is. Many homeowners never question the status of their AC until it stops working. If your AC efficiency is questionable, you may be spending a lot more money than you need to. Regular checks of your air conditioner’s components, and a simple test will tell you if it is functioning properly.

Here are four things that can affect the efficiency of your air conditioner. Check these first to make sure that you get accurate test results. Any one of these can cause your air conditioner to struggle to maintain even room temperature.

1. Dirty Air Filter

The first thing to do is check your air conditioner’s air filter. Is it clogged with dust? A dirty filter can make it harder for the unit to pull in the fresh air. Air filters should be checked monthly and replaced when dirty.

2. Clogged Condenser

Can you hear the unit running? It should have a faint humming sound when turned on. The outdoor condenser unit can get clogged with dirt and debris from your yard. Give it a thorough cleaning with a garden hose and make sure it is free of leaves and grass clippings.

3. Closed or Blocked Vents

Do you feel cold air coming out of the vents in each room? The vents should be clear of dust and open to allow air to flow out.

4. Drafty Doors and Windows

Doors and windows can let in drafts that can affect your indoor temperatures. When you have the air conditioner on, close the blinds or cover windows to prevent heat transfer through the glass. The heat that comes in through the windows can make it hotter inside and increase humidity.

After checking the components of your AC system, perform the following test to see how well your system performs. This test will determine if you need to call a repair service or not.

Testing The AC

This simple test works perfectly on older systems since newer units are programmed for maximum efficiency. If you have a system that is between 5 and 10 years old, and it struggles to keep your home cool enough, then give this test a shot.

The only thing you need for this test is a thermometer. Allow your air conditioner to run for at least 20 minutes before performing the test. You can determine the efficiency of your AC by comparing the temperature of the air blowing out of the vent, to the temperature of the air being drawn into the system.

Hold a digital thermometer up facing the air coming out of the vent. Wait until the thermometer has a steady read. Now, repeat these steps for the return vent. You can also use a kitchen thermometer if that is all you have. Just set it inside where the air can blow on it.

Compare the temperatures from both readings. On a properly running air conditioning system, the air coming out should be 20 degrees cooler than the air going in. If the reading is less than 20 degrees difference, it could mean that the unit needs refrigerant or minor repair. It would be hard to properly diagnose the system without an inspection, but this is a common reason for an air conditioner not to be cooling efficiently.

Depending on the results of your test, you should consider contacting a heating and air conditioning company to inspect and repair the system before the problem gets worse. Fixing the issue now would be less costly than waiting until it stops working altogether.

Additional Signs of AC problems:

  • More humidity indoors
  • Increased utility bills
  • Frequent repair visits
  • AC cycles frequently

Call Us for Assistance

At Hometown Heating & Air of Cedarburg, WI, we proudly serve our community by ensuring the comfort of our customers. We have an A+rating from the BBB and received the Super Service Award from Angie’s List in 2020, as well as the Best of Home Advisor Award. We pride ourselves on service and our team of NATE-certified technicians can fix just about any problem you have with your air conditioner.

We provide heating and cooling repair, indoor air quality checks, and system maintenance for the residents of Cedarburg and the surrounding area.

If your air conditioner is not as efficient as it could be, contact us today to schedule a repair service.

Common AC Problems in Summer

The heat has arrived, and you’re enjoying the cold comfort of your AC system. Suddenly, your unit stops working properly, and your indoor air begins to heat up. What’s causing the problem, and how do you get the issue fixed as quickly as possible?

Not every AC problem requires a professional’s skills and knowledge to get resolved. In fact, some air conditioning issues are easy for a homeowner to handle. Knowing how to respond to an AC issue quickly can mean a faster recovery. We’ve assembled a quick guide to outline what can happen and how to approach a repair.

Overall Cooling Is Deficient

There’s nothing worse than insufficient airflow on a hot day. When this problem crops up, your first task is to check for blocked vents. Move furniture, curtains, and other items away from vents. You’ll also need to check your outdoor compressor for debris that’s blocking the unit’s fan. If you still find your overall cooling experience lacking, request a system inspection from your local cooling company.

An inspection can tell you whether the unit you have is built to properly cool your floor plan. Replacing the unit with a larger capacity compressor could solve this issue. You can also choose to close vents and add portable air conditioners in important rooms. This isn’t an ideal way to solve the issue. However, it’s a good temporary solution until you have an updated air conditioner in place.

Air Flows Slowly From Vents

Check your air filter to take care of this issue. Dirty filters slow the airflow and can cause the system to struggle to operate. Regular filter replacement or cleaning is a necessary task for homeowners. Verify the state of your filters every three months or more often according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Pet owners will need to replace filters more often.

When you need an AC repair in Cedarburg, Hometown Heating & Air is ready to help. Our technicians deliver fast, accurate results on a wide range of air conditioning problems. Let us know how we can solve your summer AC issues for you.

AC Delivers Hot Air

If your AC is blowing hot or warm air, then it’s a pretty sure bet that the refrigerant levels are deficient. Either there’s a leak in the component housing the refrigerant or there never was enough refrigerant in the system. The refrigerant is placed inside the system during the manufacturing process. This substance is not a fuel, so it won’t dissipate or get used up. If adequate levels aren’t there to begin with, your equipment can’t produce enough cold air for you.

This is an issue that requires an expert’s skill because of the chemical makeup and pressurized state of the refrigerant. Refrigerant is dangerous when handled incorrectly. EPA-certified technicians know how to locate and fix leaks. They also can safely add more refrigerant for you or dispose of any refrigerant when necessary.

System Won’t Turn On

For an AC system that won’t turn on at all, check your breaker box. Power surges on hot days can cause a breaker to flip. In order to protect your cooling equipment, make sure that the AC is turned off before flipping the breaker back on. When this doesn’t solve the problem, it’s time to test the thermostat.

To do this, set your AC system to the ON mode. Next, make adjustments to your thermostat. Wait for your system to respond to your new temperature settings. If it doesn’t respond as it normally would, the thermostat is faulty and should be replaced.

Compressor Won’t Turn Off

A compressor that won’t shut off or short cycles is signaling that your thermostat is malfunctioning. A broken thermostat can’t tell the system how to operate, and that can cause it to run continuously. Although a repair may be possible, replacing the thermostat is usually the least expensive way to address this issue. A licensed, insured technician can handle this update for you.

Hometown Heating & Air is the company locals depend on for complete air conditioning services in Cedarburg. Our customer-focused approach is supported by our A+ rating and accredited standing with the BBB. We repair, maintain, and install heating and cooling equipment for residential properties. You can lean on us for indoor air quality testing, humidity control, and duct cleaning and sealing services as well. Plus, we provide a 24/7 emergency repair response. Call us today to schedule an appointment.

How To Prepare Air Conditioner for the Summer

Keeping your home cool when the temperature goes past 90 degrees is important, and if you want to have an air conditioner that works reliably all summer long, there are some things you should do right now to improve the chances that your system won’t cause you problems later. Here are some tips for getting your air conditioner ready for the hot weather in Cedarburg, WI.

Clean the Filter

There’s a filter on your air conditioner that removes contaminants and particulates from the air. It prevents your air conditioner from overworking, and it preserves the quality of the air you and your family breathe. Ideally, you should be cleaning or replacing this filter every couple of months when the unit is in operation. Taking care of this now is a good place to begin.

Clean the Indoor Unit

Air conditioning systems have both an indoor and an outdoor component to them, and making sure that the indoor part is clean is important to both the health of your AC system and the overall health of your family. There can be a buildup of dust and other debris in various parts of the equipment. The first thing you should do when you’re trying to get your air conditioner ready for the summer is to take the time to clean the indoor unit.

Always start by turning off the power to the air conditioner at the electrical box. This is vital for your own protection. You should remove the cover of the evaporator coil and dust it off with a soft cloth. Use a vacuum cleaner if necessary.

Mold can build up in the unit, which can be bad for your health. You can prevent this in the drip pan by using a solution of bleach and water to clean it before replacing it under the condenser coil.

Finally, if there’s a clog in the drain, you’ll want to clear it so that the system continues to take humidity out of the air properly. If water is slow going down the line, you can go to the place where everything empties out. Take a wet/dry vac and suck everything out for a couple of minutes. Make sure that you have a tight seal so that you’re removing the clog.

Clean the Outside Unit

When it’s time to clean the outside unit, you’ll need to remove the grate, which will probably require that you take off a few screws. If you didn’t have a cover on the equipment, you’ll likely find some dirt, twigs and leaves inside it. You can easily get rid of this debris by removing all of the big pieces first and using a vacuum to suck out the rest.

You’ll want to clean the condenser coil, and you can find a cleaner designed for this task at a home improvement store. Follow the directions on the bottle. After applying it and waiting a few minutes, use a hose to spray it away along with any remaining debris. Finally, you should make sure that all of the fins are straight because bent fins can really hamper the efficiency of your unit.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

If you have an older, very basic thermostat, you should upgrade to an energy-efficient programmable model. This simple change can save you hundreds of dollars throughout the course of the summer. This type of thermostat will let you set your ideal temperature for when you’re at home and automatically adjust it for when you’re not. You can also make adjustments using an app on your cell phone. If you’ll be coming home an hour early one night, you can remotely adjust your system to start cooling your house sooner than it normally would.

Check the Ductwork

Another energy-saving tip is to check the ductwork for leaks. Even a seemingly small leak means that cool air isn’t reaching the areas of the house where you actually intend it to go. You can use duct tape, mesh and duct mastic to repair the crack or hole in the ductwork.

Implementing these tips can give you peace of mind and save you money throughout the summer. Because your system will be running more effectively, you can feel more confident that it will make it through the season without a hitch. If you’d like more information on this topic or you require any assistance, take advantage of the many services that Hometown Heating and Air offers to residents of Cedarburg. We provide heating, cooling and indoor air quality installation, maintenance and repair. Call us today.

What Size Air Conditioner Do I Need for My Home?

Most people do not think about the size of their air conditioner, even when it needs to be replaced. Rather, the focus is usually on getting a replacement similar to what you already have, with an efficiency improvement. However, an air conditioner should fit like a glove for your home, not too big or too small. Here is how you determine the size unit you should consider for your home.

How Is Air Conditioner Size Measured?

You may have heard the term BTU when it comes to air conditioners, but do you know what it means? This actually stands for British Thermal Unit and is the standard we use even in the United States. One BTU is the energy required to raise 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Being we are talking about cooling rather than heating, the BTU rating gives you an idea of the cooling capacity per hour. The higher the rating, the more that particular unit will be able to cool in an hour.

Given this definition, a common misconception is that if you simply go to a larger capacity, your system will work faster. Unfortunately, that is not the case when it comes to your central air conditioning unit.

Does Size Really Matter?

In the case of your home AC, you really want to find a unit that is just the right size, not too big or too small. When you go with a smaller system than your home needs, you will end up running longer cycles. This translates into much higher utility bills and unneeded wear on your system.

On the other hand, if your system is too big, your system ends up running shorter cycles but more frequently. This means the system never gets to dehumidify your air the way it should, leaving the air muggy. It also means your system is going through more start-up processes, which increases strain, shortening the system’s service life.

The way to get the most from your system at the best cost overall is to get the right size. So let’s look at how you determine the size needed to effectively cool your home.

Determine How Much Space You Need to Cool

If you remember buying your home, you probably remember how many square feet it boasted in the listing. That may be a good reflection of the space you need to cool, but it’s always worth double-checking.

The simple calculation for square feet is to multiply the width of a rectangle or square by the length. If your home is not a perfect rectangle or square, you may need to do some extra work to get at a good number.

Go room by room and calculate the square footage of each. Do not forget areas like hallways and closets in your calculations. Do not include spaces like your attic, garage, or basement unless there are vents serving those areas.

Going From Square Feet to BTU’s

Once you have the rough square footage you are trying to cool, it’s time to figure out how many BTUs you need. There is no specific conversion that is perfect for everyone. However, a general rule of thumb is to use 20 BTUs per square foot as a starting point.

So if your home is roughly 1,500 square feet, you simply multiply this by 20, giving you a 30,000 BTU need. Once you have this rough starting point, consider the other factors affecting your need.

Going Beyond the Rule of Thumb

Other factors include how much shade your home receives and how many occupants you typically have in your home. The rule of thumb takes into account two people. If you have more, you should increase your BTU calculation by 600 for each additional person. Be sure to consider how much entertaining you do during the hot months as you consider this factor.

Also, think about the shade you have around your home. If your home is mostly shaded the majority of the day, you can reduce your need by about 10%. However, if it is in direct sunlight all day long, you may need to increase it by the same factor.

Ultimately, the best way to know you have the right size is to work with an experienced air conditioning professional. Consider getting multiple quotes before making your decision, and then go with a company you feel like you can trust. Not only will the company do the installation, but they will provide the warranty service if something breaks down.

Hometown Heating and Air has been an award-winning air conditioning provider for people around Cedarburg since 2016. Our team is sought out for heating and cooling installation, service, and maintenance, along with indoor air quality solutions. Call to schedule your consultation with one of our expert air conditioning professionals today.

Who Invented Air Conditioning?

During summer, when the temperatures increase, and there is a need for cooling, a simple press of a button can bring cold air flowing into the house. This has been made possible by the invention of the air conditioner. For most people, it is hard to imagine a life without an air conditioner. However, this device was only invented in the 20th century. Since its invention, the air conditioner has helped millions of people live a more convenient life and allowed for advancement in several commercial industries.

Necessity Is the Mother of Invention

Different cooling systems have been invented by people throughout history. The ancient Egyptians used a system of hanging wet mats at the doorway for cooling. The Romans used aqueducts to circulate fresh water through indoor pools, causing a cooling effect in the interior space. However, the modern air conditioner was not invented until 1902.

At the end of the 19th century, the manufacturing landscape in America had expanded with different types of products being produced. The paper printing factories were especially vulnerable to high temperature and humidity, which caused issues with the paper not allowing for proper printing. It was important to solve this issue if paper factories were to operate in regions with fluctuating temperature and humidity.

Willis Carrier: The Father of the Air Conditioner

One paper factory in Brooklyn, New York, hired an engineering firm to find a solution to this problem. The engineering firm assigned this project a young engineer named Willis Carrier, who was a graduate of Cornell University. Carrier had experience in experimental engineering and had worked on finding innovative solutions for the clients of his employer.

As a solution for the paper plant, Carrier made a device that had cold water pass through coils, which reduced the temperature of the air flowing through the coil system. This formed the basis of the concept of an air conditioner. The air conditioner we use today has gone through several improvements in design and technology, but the basic concept of the modern air conditioner has remained the same as invented by Carrier.

With the stunning success of his invention of the air conditioner, Carrier went on to start his own air conditioning company. The air conditioners were initially only used in commercial applications, but by 1914 the air conditioner was being used on residential premises. Carrier kept on improving on his invention and devolved a more efficient model of the air conditioner. This model was called the centrifugal refrigeration machine, commonly known as the “chiller.” This product was ideal for movie theaters and was installed in over 300 locations.

The Legacy of Willis Carrier

The legacy of Carrier lives in our homes, malls, cinemas, airplanes, ships, and anywhere that has an air conditioning unit. The concept used in air conditioning helped engineers and scientists develop other useful products. The air conditioner allowed for an increase in the productivity of its manufacturing plants during the summer months. The transformative device by Carrier helped to manifest plants control the temperature and humidity. This was essential not just for paper factories but for many other types of factories.

Architecture was another industry heavily impacted by the invention of the air conditioner. Before the invention, homes, and factories had to be built with thick walls and systems allowing for insulation from the climate outside. It was common for buildings to have thick walls, high ceilings, balconies, courtyards, windows facing away from the sun, and other necessary features to survive the hot weather. With the invention of the air conditioner, however, homes and factories could be built faster and more cheaply. Plus, they needed less space. Another major impact of the invention by Carrier was the great migration of Americans to the Sunbelt. The air conditioner allowed more Americans to settle in the southern states, which had higher temperatures.

Schedule an HVAC Service Appointment With Us

To schedule an appointment with our technician at Hometown Heating & Air, you can contact us through our website or give us a call. We are a full-service HVAC company, providing heating and cooling services. We are located in Cedarburg, WI. At Hometown Heating & Air, we also provide services for indoor air quality and maintenance services for solar units, boilers, gas furnaces, garage heaters, and more. All of our technicians are certified and experienced in performing these services. They carry all the latest tools and technology for diagnostics, repair, replacement, and other types of services. Contact us now to schedule a service.

How do Air Purifiers Work?

Most homeowners in Cedarburg, WI, are shocked to learn that the air in their homes is up to five times dirtier than the outdoor air. Indoor air pollution comes from many sources, including your house’s furnishings and the materials used to construct your home. The everyday activities you do and the products you bring into your residence add to indoor air pollution. One way to improve the quality of your home’s air is to install an air purifier. Here’s what you need to know about how they work and who should consider having one installed in their home.

What Air Purifiers Do

Air purifiers clean the air. They trap or inactivate a variety of particles. There are two types of air purifiers. Portable air purifiers are designed to clean the air in one room, such as a bedroom. A whole-home air purifier sanitizes all of the air in your house. Both types are rated by their airflow rate. You should choose an air purifier that will handle all of your home’s or room’s air at least twice per hour. This allows the appliance to remove contaminants, such as sneeze clouds laden with viruses before you have a chance to breathe those particles into your lungs. There are two ways air purifiers work.

One way that an air purifier works is by trapping particles. They may have a filter that does this. The filter media includes layers of fibers that trap particles. These air purifiers will need filter changes once every two to four weeks. An air purifier may also trap particles through electrostatic charges. They do this with ions, and the particles then stick to plates. The metal plates need to be cleaned about once per month.

Another way an air purifier may clean your air is through particle inactivation. There are two types of technology for particle inactivation in air purification systems. The first is with a UV-C lamp. A UV-C lamp is a special type of light bulb that emits UV-C energy. This type of energy bombards the outer protein coats of bacteria, viruses, and allergens. The particles break apart into harmless components. The other type of technology that can inactivate particles is ion emission. Ion emission air purifiers release positively and negatively charged ions that inactivate particles. Some of the particles will stick to each other, and they’ll be big enough to be trapped by the unit’s air filter.

How Effective Are Air Purifiers at Cleaning the Air?

Air purifiers are very effective at inactivating and trapping particles from a house’s air. They do the best job with large particles, such as pollen and pet dander. They also do a good job at inactivating infectious germs, such as the viruses that cause the common cold or influenza. To get the best results from your air purifier, you’ll need to keep up with the manufacturer’s maintenance recommendations for cleaning the plates or changing the filters. UV-C air purifiers will need a bulb replacement every one to two years. It’s also a good idea to pair the air purifier with an HVAC filter that has a high minimum efficiency reported value (MERV) rating. Look for a filter with a MERV rating of at least 13. These filters trap particles like dust, bacteria, oil droplets, and pet saliva.

Who Should Consider Using an Air Purifier?

If you or anyone in your home suffers from allergies or asthma, then an air purifier may remove some of the particles that trigger your symptoms. By inactivating allergens and germs in your house’s air, the air purifier also lowers your risk of getting sick. This is helpful for anyone with allergies, asthma, or a compromised immune system. If your household includes a baby or an elderly person, an air purifier could help them breathe easier and give you peace of mind. You may also want to consider an air purifier if you’ve noticed more dust buildup or if you find yourself coughing, sniffling, or sneezing more frequently.

Hometown Heating & Air employs a trusted installation team for air purifiers. You can also count on us for dependable heating and air conditioning maintenance, repair, replacement, and installation services. Our maintenance agreements will make your life in Cedarburg more convenient, save you money, and give you peace of mind. For more details about air purifiers and how they work, get in touch with us at Hometown Heating & Air today.