Locally Owned and Serving Birmingham, MI for Over 17 Years
If you are a Birmingham resident and are experiencing heating or cooling issues, or are in need of a system installation or update, don’t hesitate to call us. Our team at Oasis Heating & Cooling has been servicing Birmingham and its surrounding communities since 2007 and here to keep you home comfortable all year round.
If you are in need of any of the following services, please call the number below or click to contact us.
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Our Birmingham Experience
A medium-sized, suburban city located along the Woodward Corridor, Birmingham features a number of beautiful residential homes and some of the most expensive real estate in Michigan in neighborhoods like Barnum Park. While most of these homes are brand new and have been built within the last twenty years, there are a number of commonly overlooked best practices that should be maintained to keep your home’s HVAC system in top condition and to avoid unnecessary degradation.
Contemporary Architectural Styles May Cause Temperature Issues
As a large number of homes in Birmingham have been built even in the past five years, many of them are constructed in a more contemporary style, featuring a boxy shape and flatter roofs. More commonly found in the southern and central neighborhoods of Birmingham, While these homes offer a unique aesthetic appeal, flatter roofs can be a source of heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer. Additionally, they often offer less room for insulation.
Our technicians can inspect your home’s insulation and provide recommendations on how to minimize temperature fluctuations.
Large Windows in Modern Homes May Increase Heat Loss
In addition to flat roofs, Birmingham’s modern-style homes frequently feature large windows and extensive uses of glass features. These windows can increase solar gain, allowing for more solar radiation to enter and heat the home, especially if the windows face east or west. Additionally, larger windows can also result in heat loss, further making indoor temperature maintenance harder.
Beyond installing more energy-efficient windows, our technicians routinely recommend considering a zoned heating system to counteract these issues in specific areas of the house.
Wood Paneled Siding May Allow Excess Air Infiltration
Birmingham neighborhoods like South Poppleton are home to many homes with wood-paneled siding. While these homes offer a beautiful and distinguished look from the street, wood is a moderate insulator and can lead to air infiltration issues. The material itself is far more porous and prone to cracks and leaks. This is particularly relevant to Birmingham’s climate of cold winters and humid summers. If proper insulation is not maintained over time, uneven heating, drafts, and excess moisture absorption may result.
We recommend periodically examining the caulking and insulation in your home, as well a general inspection of your HVAC system regularly to ensure longevity and avoid these issues.
Newer Homes Experiencing Serious HVAC Issues May Have Improperly Sized System
If your home is new or was recently remodeled and yet you are still experiencing HVAC difficulties, there is a high likelihood that your system was improperly installed or is mismatched to the size of your home. More than roughly 50% of homes in Birmingham possess improperly installed or sized HVAC systems. When outfitting a new home with HVAC, it is imperative to take into account any unique features of your home.
Our expert technicians can perform load calculations on your system to determine your current efficiency. Additionally, we’ve outlined some of the most common features of homes in Birmingham that may exacerbate improperly sized systems below.
Large Chimneys May Pull in Cool Air and Increase the Load on the HVAC System
Large chimneys can often worsen issues that are rooted in an improperly sized system. Masonry chimneys can be a significant source of energy loss. Warm air will often escape through a chimney, creating a vacuum effect and drawing colder air into the house. This issue is known as the “stack effect” and can increase the heating demands on your system.
Installing a top-sealing damper on the chimney can help mitigate this effect. Additionally, homeowners should inspect their chimneys for cracks or insulation issues. Our team is prompt and able to advise you on the appropriate next steps.
Homes with Extensive Stonework May Exacerbate an Undersized System
As a material, stone has a high thermal mass, meaning it stores lots of heat and releases it slowly over time. While stone can help stabilize indoor temperatures in colder climates, it can also cause issues when temperatures drop drastically or fluctuate, as they do in Birmingham. Stone may take longer and more heat to initially warm, which can cause strain on your HVAC system, especially if it is undersized.
To combat this, we can upgrade your HVAC system, or additional insulation in your walls may be necessary to maintain comfortable temperatures through cold snaps and Michigan winters.
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The Climate in Birmingham
Birmingham experiences a climate typical for the areas surrounding Detroit, featuring freezing, snowy winters, humid summers, and partly cloudy conditions year round. We’ve outlined some more specific information about Birmingham’s climate below.
| Average Yearly High | 83°F |
| Average Yearly Low | 30.3°F |
| Average Annual Temperature | 48.2°F |
| Average Annual Humidity | 73.14% |
| Heating Cost Index | 306.13* (Less Expensive than MI Average) |
| Cooling Cost Index | 36.02* (More Expensive than MI Average) |
| Average Annual Wind Speed | 16.13 MPH |
| Peak HVAC Usage | June, July, August |
*Heating and cooling cost index are measures of the relative heating and cooling costs of an area. The Michigan heating cost index average is 326.80 and the cooling cost index average is 20.76.
Working with Oasis Heating and Cooling
We guarantee customer satisfaction, transparent pricing, and technician punctuality. To schedule a maintenance service, please fill out the form below or give us a call during business hours.
As one of the only locally owned HVAC companies in the Detroit metro area, we care deeply about treating our customers with care and respect. We are a member of the community and act accordingly.
Source: http://www.usa.com/birmingham-mi.htm
