Help!! Our furnace died!!

Posted: Mon Nov 05, 2007 9:39 pm

Can anyone recommend an HVAC company in the Milwaukee area. Our furnace died today and we are in the cold!! Crying or Very sad

We had a technician out late this afternoon and he said our furnace was throwing off massive amounts of carbon monoxide and we should only run it if we don't want to wake up in the morning. He then said we could run the furnace, but only with the windows open. What a smart ass!!

Anywho, we need a new furnace and we need it done quick and at a reasonable price.

Any recommendations??

Thanks and Brrrrrrrr.......

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 1:13 am

Figures the furnace dies just before the first cold snap! They had no suggestions on how to fix the furnace, or would the fix be too expensive to be worth it?

I've had good luck with Nimmer Heating and Air Conditioning (www.nimmer.com / (414) 543-3626), but only for tune ups and A/C recharges. Angie's List Milwaukee recommends the following companies for HVAC work on the south side of the metro area (in no particular order, all won "superior service" awards in '06):

DONOVAN & JORGENSON INC
NEW BERLIN , WI 53151
(262) 784-6440
www.donovanjorgenson.com

GROSS HEATING & AIR CONDIT...
BROOKFIELD , WI 53005
(262) 783-6000
www.grossheating.com

NIMMER HEATING & AIR CONDI...
MILWAUKEE , WI 53220
(414) 543-3626
www.nimmerheating.com

SEIDER HEATING & COOLING
MILWAUKEE , WI 53209
(414) 354-1180
www.seider.com

NEW BERLIN HEATING & AIR C...
NEW BERLIN , WI 53151
(262) 784-8889
www.newberlinheating.net

Hopefully others will chime in with some suggestions before you get too cold... and if you really are going to replace that furnace, the choice of who you go with will obviously depend on what brand furnace you want.

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:20 am

Thanks for the info.

Our recently departed furnace is a 35 year old Lenox with a dura-curve heat exchange coil that has a bad crack. Just to add insult to injury the massive blower assembly is shot. Some old Lenox models can be retro-fitted and brought back to life, but not our model. In other words, no way of fixing this poor old horse. More funds into the money-pit.

I was hoping to buy a new car before the end of the year, but it looks like I'll have to nurse it through the winter until we replenish the funds.

We have Roth Heating and Air Conditioning and a Rheem contractor scheduled to come over for an estimate on a new furnace this morning and we hope to have a new furnace installed sometime this week.

It is currently 55 degrees in the house, so we will probably be in a motel tonight.

Thanks again for the recommendations!! I'll give them a call.

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 8:58 am

Matt, my suggestion is to stay away from Rheem. I can't say for sure what the furnaces they make are like, but if they are anything like the water heaters they make, you don't want one.

I've installed Rheem water heaters exclusively for 5 years now. In the last three months, I've had to replace 4 of those already, due to the tank splitting, or electronics failing.

Just a thought!

Now I wish I could remember the name of the company that is selling this new furnace I've been hearing about on the radio. It lets you switch between natural gas or electricity for heating. You use whichever is cheaper in your area at the time. It's supposed to be one of the most efficient units on the market as well. I'll try and do a bit of research today and see if I can come up with a name.

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 5:01 pm

We had a new furnace put in about a dozen years ago by these guys:

http://www.yellowpages.com/info-SA30823195/Landolt-Service?from=qpibp

They did a great job and (at the time) their price was fair.

George (the owner) is a real hoot, you will enjoy talking with him, I guarantee it.

Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:00 pm

Thanks for the info. I'll give them a call. At this point, we are not so much concerned about nickel and dime savings. You can do that in the summer or during warmer weather. We just need a quality furnace installed within a few days. The first to come in with a reasonable quote, with an acceptable install date, will get the not.

Still holding at 50 degrees. We might just make it through the night!!

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:03 am

"unofficially" I've had good work experience with Affordable Heating out of Cudahy ... they service the Milwaukee area for sure ... you didn't hear this from me.

Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:59 pm

WE HAVE HEAT!!! Thank you so very much for the recommendations. We made a few calls, obtained a few quotes, and had the furnace installed today. Sure...I'm out a few thousand shells but I can once again feel my toes.