Boehmer Heating & Cooling Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Furnaces’

Should I Choose a Gas or Electric Furnace?

Monday, December 4th, 2023

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If you’re in the market for a new furnace, there are a couple of essential decisions you need to make before you move forward. The first thing you’ll need to decide is whether you get an electric or a gas furnace.

This can be an easy decision if your home doesn’t have access to natural gas. However, if your home has a gas connection, choosing between gas and electric requires some deliberation. There are pros and cons to both gas and electric furnaces. Let’s break these down easily for you so you can make the best choice for your budget, home, and family.

Tags: Furnaces, Gas Furnaces, Pittsburgh
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Furnace Comparison Guide for New Installations

Monday, September 11th, 2023

Furnace technology has advanced enormously in just the last decade. The furnaces of today are designed to be more energy efficient while reducing your carbon footprint. With greater energy efficiency comes a reduction in energy bills, and with how much you use your furnace during our cold, bitter winters, these are all benefits that homeowners are happy to reap!

So what do you need to take into consideration when shopping for a new furnace? Some key things to consider are its fuel type, AFUE rating, and blower speed. Let’s take a look at these in depth.

Tags: Furnace Installation, Furnaces, Pittsburgh
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How to Prevent Furnace Repair

Monday, November 6th, 2017

The furnace is a durable heating system that works well for nearly any home, as long as there is a ventilation system in place. That does not mean, of course, that your home heating system will never require repairs. A furnace is strong and efficient, but it can be finicky if you do not get your system the service it needs.

In many cases, furnace repair is entirely preventable. Other times, we show up to find a heating system broken down, when sooner repairs could have helped make the problem a lot less severe. Learn how to prevent major and minor heating repairs from our guide, and call our team when you need routine service for your gas or electric furnace.

Tags: Furnace Repair, Furnaces, Heating Repair, Whitehall
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Boiler or Furnace: Which is Right for Your Pittsburgh Home?

Monday, January 21st, 2013

Boilers and furnaces are two of the most common heating systems in the United States. There are pros and cons to each heating system but when it comes down to it, the best system for your home is the one that you like the most. But which one is right for your home? This can be a hard question to answer without knowing the specifics of your home, your budget and your personal preferences. Boehmer Heating & Cooling has been providing complete boiler and furnace installation in Pittsburgh for many years. We’ve help countless customers figure out which system is right for their home and then installed it for them so that it works when they need. Here are some of the things to think about as you move forward with this process.

Radiant Heat vs. Forced Convection

Boiler systems generally heat your home using radiant heat. This means that the heat from the under floor or wall pipes radiates out into the room and heats up the objects in the room. You can also have baseboard radiators which heat the air. A forced-air convection system, like a furnace, heats up the air and moves it through your home.

The Pros and Cons of Boilers in Pittsburgh

As is the case with everything, boilers do offer some great advantages to your homes but they also have some disadvantages. To begin with, many people report that radiant is more comfortable than forced-air heating. If you have radiators in each room, you can turn some of them off if you’re not using the room which offers energy savings. However, boilers are typically much more to install and to replace. They also don’t offer any humidity control for your home because they don’t circulate air.

Pros and Cons of Furnaces in Pittsburgh

Furnaces offer certain benefits over boilers. They allow you to incorporate an air filtration and humidity control system directly into your heating system. They also cost much less to replace and to install. However, because they move air around, they pick up dust and other allergens and move them into the air.

If you need any kind of help picking out a new heating system for your home, just call Boehmer Heating & Cooling. We have years of experience providing complete furnace installation and boiler installation in Pittsburgh. Call us today!

Tags: Boilers, Furnaces, Heating, Heating Installation, Pittsburgh
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Boehmer Heating and Cooling Welcomes Jim to the Team!

Thursday, December 27th, 2012

Boehmer Heating & Cooling would like to welcome Jim to the team! Jim comes to us as a veteran of the lumber and building materials industry for 38 years. He brings his experience in sales and management to help our customers plan the replacement of their heating and cooling systems. Jim calls Jefferson Hills home with his wife Paula. He enjoys spending time with his grandkids and volunteering at church.

“I enjoy working for Boehmer Heating & Cooling because of their reputation, honesty, and commitment to their customers. It is a great pleasure to work with a third-generation family business that has been around for 80 years!”

Boehmer Heating & Cooling offer heating installation, maintenance and repair services in the greater Pittsburgh area. If you need boiler, heat pump or furnace services give us a call today!

Tags: Boehmer Heating & Cooling, Boiler, Custmer Service, Furnaces, Heating Installation, Heating Repair, Pittsburgh
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Boehmer Heating and Cooling’s Happy Pittsburgh Customers!

Friday, November 30th, 2012

At Boehmer Heating and Cooling customer service is our top priority. Our expert team and wonderful staff help ensure that our Pittsburgh area customer are thoroughly satisfied with our service. Whether installing a new furnace, explaining the benefits of a geothermal system, or providing air conditioning repair service, we do everything we can to give you the best service possible.

“I was impressed and grateful for the prompt service. Everyone was polite and courteous.”

-Susan D.

“I am very pleased with your company and staff. I will always use you for any work I need. Your staff is very professional and courteous. Thank you.”
-Josie G.

“It was perfect from the first phone call through to completion. I was away from home during installation and was thrilled when I returned home. Loved the sales guy… good man.”

-Gloria A.

Tags: Boehmer Heating and Cooling, Boilers, Furnaces, Heating Service, Pittsburgh
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McKeesport Heating Question: What Is the Most Efficient Way to Heat My Home?

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

When it comes to heating, efficiency is one of the main factors most people take into consideration in McKeesport. There are quite a few different options in terms of home heating, including oil, gas and electric furnaces, heat pumps, and boilers, and each of these have their own set of advantages and disadvantages depending on your own particular situation.

For better or worse, there is no one system that is universally more energy efficient and effective than the others. The one that will turn out to be the best choice for you is the one that fits best with your specific heating needs, the climate you live in and the relative price of the fuel sources available to you.

For instance, if you live in a relatively moderate climate, a heat pump may very well be a good option for you. These systems are able to operate much more efficiently than furnaces because they extract heat from the air rather than generating it themselves. That means that in the winter, a heat pump can take heat from the outdoor air and pump it indoors to heat your home. In the summer, the heat pump can actually do the opposite, taking the excess heat from indoors and transferring it out to provide you with a yearlong temperature control solution.

Heat pumps generally run on electricity which can be expensive, but since they use so much less energy than something like an electric furnace, they can still be a very energy efficient home heating option. However, these systems are not as effective in areas with harsh, long winters, and so would likely require a supplemental heating system as well. Also, the lower the outside temperature, the less efficient a heat pump is going to be.

Furnaces, on the other hand, are quite effective at heating homes no matter how harsh or cold the climate. Gas furnaces are generally the most popular of the models available now, mostly because the cost of natural gas is lower in most areas compared to the cost of other potential fuels.

However, it may be worth considering an oil or electric furnace if these types of energy sources are relatively inexpensive in your area. No matter what type of furnace you get, you’ll be able to choose how energy efficient you want it to be as well, with lower efficiency 80% AFUE furnaces costing substantially less than those with an AFUE of 90% or more.

If you are interested in installation a new heating system in McKeesport or the surrounding area, give Boehmer Heating & Cooling a call today!

Tags: Boilers, Furnaces, Heat Pumps, Heating, Heating Installation, McKeesport, Pittsburgh, Sewickley
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Pittsburgh HVAC Contractor Tip: Furnace Air Temperature

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

When your furnace turns on every day and warms your Pittsburgh home, just how hot is the air being blown through your vents? It’s a common question and while it varies depending on the type of furnace you have and the length of your ductwork, normally, the air is about the same temperature in most homes.

The Heating Process

When you turn on your furnace, it ignites fuel (gas or oil) or heats elements (electricity). A blower fan blows air through the heat exchanger and then into ductwork that distributes the heated air to vents around your home. When the combustion occurs and air is first heated, the temperature is between 140 degrees F and 170 degrees F.

This is extremely warm and could be dangerous to anyone if they got too close to it or it was blown directly into your home. However, as the heated air is distributed into your home it starts to cool. In some cases, it loses a significant amount of its energy in the ductwork.

This is intended, of course, because the temperature would be much too high if it was distributed directly to your rooms. That’s why high velocity ductwork often requires regulation to avoid overheating of the air. Cooling like this is normal and results in a better, more evenly distributed airflow.

When Something’s Wrong

To know something is wrong with your heating system, you must first understand what temperature air normally is when distributed through the vents. This will vary depending on which room you are in and how big your home (and furnace) are. However, if you notice a sharp drop off in comfort level in your home, it takes longer to heat rooms when cold or if that heating is suddenly uneven, it may be time for someone to inspect your furnace and check for potential problems.

A technician will then check to see if the air is being heated to the target 140-170 degrees F or if heat is being lost in the air handler or ductwork. There are a number of issues that can contribute to lost heat in your heating system – the easiest way to be sure the problem is solved properly is to call a Pittsburgh professional when you notice the problem.

Tags: Furnaces, Green Tree-Scott, Heating, Pittsburgh, South Hills, Washington County
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A Question from Carnegie: What Makes a Furnace High Efficiency?

Friday, December 16th, 2011

You’ve probably heard in Carnegie about the new lines of high efficiency furnaces being released by popular home heating companies, but what exactly is different about these high efficiency devices from your current furnace? Let’s take a closer look at what a high efficiency furnace offers and why it can save you money.

Added Features

A high efficiency furnace uses familiar technology in a new way to reduce the amount of energy lost when combustion takes place. This means:

Sealed Combustion – Instead of open combustion which allows heat to escape during and after the combustion process, a high efficiency furnace uses a sealed chamber with carefully measured and fed airflow to burn fuel and produce heat. Exhaust heat can then be recaptured and used to heat air transferred to your air vents.
Two Stage Gas Valves – With a two stage gas valve, your furnace can respond to the temperature outside. There isn’t just one “on” switch. The furnace will regulate gas flow based on how much energy is needed to produce heat for your home. So, if there is a sudden burst of cold outside, the furnace will respond accordingly, but for most days when heating needs are low, it will use only the minimum amount of needed gas.
Programmable – High efficiency furnaces are now programmable, meaning you can set specific time limits for operation, change thermostat settings digitally and inspect the device through an electronic read out. The level of control given to you by a programmable high efficiency furnace can greatly reduce gas or electricity consumption.

Cost Benefit

The real reason many people are interested in high efficiency furnaces is that they are so much less expensive to operate. Instead of costing hundreds of dollars to run through the winter, they operate the bare minimum needed to heat your home. Using up to 95% of the fuel they consume to produce heat and regulating gas to cut how much is consumed during milder days, these furnaces are built to save you money.

If you have an old furnace that chews through energy like nobody’s business, now might be the time to consider the benefits of a brand new, high efficiency model.

Tags: Allison Park-Hampton, Carnegie, Energy Efficiency, Furnaces, Heating, O’Hara, Washington County
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Pros and Cons of Various Heating Systems in South Fayette

Wednesday, December 14th, 2011

When it comes time to install a new heating system in your South Fayette home, there are a lot of options to consider. Many people get overwhelmed when confronted with all of the furnaces, boilers and heat pumps on the market these days. So, to help you get a handle on what each has to offer and which will offer you the best benefits, here is an overview of the modern heating system market.

Furnaces

Furnaces are the core of a forced air heating system and use gas, oil or electricity to heat air which is then circulated through your home by a blower in your air handler. Furnaces are among the most fuel efficient heating systems on the market today with options available at up to 95% AFUE (meaning it uses up to 95% of the fuel consumed to produce heat). They are also inexpensive to install and while they don’t last quite as long as boilers, they are highly efficient when well cared for.

Boilers

Boilers use gas, oil or electricity to heat water or steam which is then circulated through your home into radiators or baseboard heaters. The heated water or steam releases heat into your home and heats it in turn. While not quite as energy efficient as a high efficiency furnace, boiler heat is perfect for homes with existing radiators and no room for vents and ductwork. It also has less of an impact on indoor air quality since there is no air movement and boilers tend to last a very long time when well maintained.

Heat Pumps

Heat pumps are becoming increasingly popular, especially in milder climates where it rarely gets below 40 degrees F. A heat pump uses the same technology as an air conditioner to extract heat from outside using a compressor, evaporator coils, and condenser coils with refrigerant.

It is most efficient in the spring and fall when temperatures are mild, but it uses much less energy than either a boiler or furnace and it can be used in the summer to cool your home. When properly maintained, a heat pump will last 10-20 years and save quite a bit of money, though it is recommended that you have an emergency heat source for days when the temperature outside gets below 40 degrees F.

Tags: Boilers, Cranberry, Furnaces, Glenshaw, Heat Pumps, Heating Installation, South Fayette, Westmoreland County
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