Author Archive
Tuesday, November 8th, 2011
Many customers may not know or even care if their furnace technician is a permanent employee of their heating and air conditioning company, but if the company you choose uses subcontractors to get their work done, you may have a problem. When a company sends a subcontractor to your home to repair your furnace, in effect they are saying that you are not worth the cost of hiring their own servicemen and that basically, quality of work doesn’t matter either. Not only do they think you won’t notice the difference between a subcontractor and a hired professional, but they are also depriving you of a specific benefit. Added value is what we are talking about. The other HVAC companies won’t provide it because they won’t pay more for something the consumer may not notice.
Don’t Hire a Subcontractor!
A subcontractor is paid to perform certain jobs under the name of a company. What the consumer gets is someone who may or may not work for that company a month later or even next week. The company doesn’t even have to invest time doing background checks, drugs testing, or even assessments of the person’s skills. It is cheaper to just give the subcontractor a chance by having him do a job for the company, and your furnace is the guinea pig! The subcontractor has little incentive to do their best work because for them the goal isn’t to stay hired by that one company. His goal is to work as many jobs as he can and let the company deal with the results, good or bad. (more…)
Tags: Four Seasons, furnace repair, guaranteed, Hickory Hills, Highland Park, installers, professional, Quality, service technicians, subcontractors, value
Posted in Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Quality, Tips and Suggestions, customer service | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010
This article on Dryer Vent Fires is meant to be educational and serves as a caution and is not meant to be alarmist or to scare people. It is a simple fact that occasionally the news media hit on a certain topic and it becomes an item that appears to be a trend. Dryer vent fires are such an event and it seems they are occurring more often. It is possible that people are being better educated on the hazards of dryer vent fires and their occurrences.
One method of prevention is to get your dryer vents cleaned by a professional service that has the type of equipment and expertise to perform the job correctly. There are some duct cleaning companies that perform dryer vent cleaning as a separate service. There are many factors to consider whether your dryer vents should be cleaned. (more…)
Tags: Carol Stream, Chicago, dryer fires, dryer vent, dryer vent cleaning, Duct Cleaning, fire, Four Seasons, Home Services, IL, Lemont, Lynwood, Safety
Posted in Consumer protection, Safety, Vent Cleaning | 2 Comments »
Monday, October 18th, 2010
Don’t put off home maintenance any longer. As soon as the snow melts, take care of your home. It’s almost time to come out of hibernation and inspect your home for winter damage. Snow and ice can really take a toll on your home. For example ice damming on your roof and gutters which is an accumulation of ice formations – a sign of inadequate insulation. Here are a few things you should take care of ASAP.
Clean and check your home heating system
You need to clean and check your furnace filters and be sure to clear away any debris, leaves, etc. from your air conditioner.
Clean or replace your furnace filter
A dirty filter will cost you 30% more in your utility bills as well as premature breakdown of your equipment. If you need a new furnace the springtime offers some of the best pricing and manufacturer rebates on furnaces. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, Four Seasons, Furnace, furnace filter, home comfort, home safety, IL, maintenance, Naperville, Orland Park, rebates, snow, Westmont, winter
Posted in Consumer protection, Furnace, Health, Informational, Safety, Savings | 2 Comments »
Saturday, October 16th, 2010
Do you know that most deserts have a relative humidity of 25 percent? Now compare that to most homes that have a relative humidity of 17 percent!! Dry air may be a good answer to why you get sick more often in the winter months than in any of the other seasons. Getting a humidifier / in-duct humidifier can greatly reduce this risk and have you feeling more healthy all winter long! According to Consumer Reports “These humidifiers are the ideal choice if you have a forced air heating system and want to humidify the whole house.” “They’re also the least expensive to run: about $30 or so per year, compared with as much as $350 or more for four tabletop models.” (more…)
Tags: Air Quality, Chicago, Country Club Hills, dry air, Four Seasons, Health, heating system, humidifier, humidity, in duct humidifier, Maywood
Posted in Air Quality, Furnace, Health, Heating | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 12th, 2010
Summer is finally here, staying cool indoors is key. We’ve been waiting for these warm days for months upon months of rain, sleet, wind, and rain. The days are longer and the enjoyment of being outside in our beautiful city can finally be experienced. But that enjoyment can be interrupted by walking back into a home that is warmer than it is outside. There could be many different reasons for the Air Conditioner to not be working properly when you return home from your day in the sun.
Here are a few tips from Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning to hopefully make things easier. Be sure to check the thermostat that it is programmed correctly, check the filter to make sure it is not too dirty and air can move through it, check the breaker panel to be sure the breaker isn’t tripped or in the off position, and if possible check the outside disconnect box to be sure that the switch is set to the “ON” position!! (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, filter, heat, tempereature, thermostat
Posted in Air conditioning, Informational | Comments Off
Sunday, October 10th, 2010
By cleaning your system prior to the season you will help, Extend the Life of Your Equipment, Prevent Untimely Breakdowns and Enjoy the Peace of Mind that your system is working at peak efficiency.
Before setting an appointment with a licensed heating & cooling company verify what they will perform during the cleaning process. Here is a checklist to help you through this process. (more…)
Tags: air conditionig, Furnace, heating cooling, spring tune-up
Posted in Air conditioning, Heating | 2 Comments »
Friday, October 8th, 2010
How Can Four Seasons Home Services hep you save time and improve your home? See this list of projects that Four Seasons Home Services can help you achieve with just one simple call.
Organizing the Home or Garage Utilizes Wasted Space
Are you tired of tripping over clutter, tools and boxes in your garage or in your basement? Some simple solutions can include installing peg-board with heavy-duty hangers can be the perfect option for all of your outdoor tools like shovels, rakes, hoses, and extension cords. Plastic or metal shelving will help organize all of those paint cans, household cleaners, and smaller tools off the floor. Ceiling hooks can also be installed to get those bicycles, strollers, and other large items out of the way.
Four Seasons storage solutions can help simplify your life.
Annoyed by the Task of Assembling your Furniture?
Then call of Four Seasons Home Services to assist you in putting together your new furniture. From desks, to bookshelves, and your swing sets or your outdoor patio furniture, call on the pros who know for your assembly needs. Our experienced handymen can easily assemble any of your recent purchases and will only charge you based on the necessary time required to do the job. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, Elmhurst, Four Seasons, handyman, handymen, home improvement, Home Services, Mokena, odd-jobs, Plainfield, repair projects
Posted in Home Services, Informational, maintenance | Comments Off
Friday, October 1st, 2010
If you have an air conditioner that uses R-22 refrigerant it is advisable that you retrofit your air conditioner to one that uses R-410A. Several years ago, the EPA put into law new regulations that require the gradual phase-out of air conditioners that run on R-22. In fact, it is no longer legal for air conditioner manufacturers to make R-22 units. Your local heating and air conditioning company might be able to sell you one if they have one left over in their warehouse from the days when they could be manufactured, and they will likely be willing to sell an R-22 air conditioner to you for a significant discount. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, air conditioning installation, air conditioning sales, Calumet City, Chicago, Four Seasons, IL, Oak Park, Plainfield, R-22, R-22 refrigerant
Posted in Air conditioning, Consumer protection, Go Green, Informational, Quality | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 30th, 2010
When you think of summer we all think of hot sun outdoors and keeping our homes cool by running our air conditioners. Were there are other ways besides an air conditioner or fans to stay cool indoors. What people often ignore is the amount of attic insulation they have in their homes. That is understandable since the attic is a place we seldom go to, and is not a primary living space. However, if you do not have adequate attic insulation you may be paying more to keep your home cooler this summer.
Here is why, insulation helps to maintain uniform temperatures throughout your house. It keeps walls, ceilings and floors warmer. Over time insulation settles and does not provide the barrier it did when first installed. If you have gaps in your insulation then cold air and warm air will mix minimizing the effectiveness of your cooling system. During the summer heat transfers from outside into your home so your cooling system works harder to remove that warm air.
The best way to know if you have sufficient attic insulation is to have a professional company like Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning come to your home and measure. The performance of insulation is measured by R – value, and every region of the United States has a recommend level of R-value depending on that regions climate. If you have an uncovered attic floor and your attic insulation is below the attic floor joist it is likely you do not have sufficient insulation.
Just as we mentioned when we started the whole point is to keep your home cool while saving money and attic insulation will help to reduce your cooling cost. This savings can be significant, plus keep in mind that through the end of 2010 the government is providing up to $1,500 in tax credits when you purchase attic insulation. In effect the attic insulation will not only save you money but also help pay for itself in the form of tax credits.
For more information on ways to save money, be green and save energy see these sites.
Article 1
Article 2
Tags: Air conditioners, attic insulation, cooling system, stay cool, tax credits
Posted in Air conditioning, Go Green, Informational, Savings, attic insulation, maintenance | Comments Off
