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.

A Four Seasons Professional

A permanent employee, such as a Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning installer or service technician, has an incentive to perform at their best at each and every job. We have many installers and technicians who have worked many years for Four Seasons, and it is their career, not just a job. Their performance is measured and they know they must do their best so that customers continue to call on Four Seasons year after year. The more satisfied customers we have, the more job certainty they have. In fact, some customers even request certain technicians by name to perform their seasonal furnace or air conditioner maintenance. That’s all part of the added value you get with Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning. We strive to create a family-like atmosphere amongst our employees, so the technician you get in your home truly cares about representing our company in the best way he can.

Subcontractors Offer Few Advantages | Hickory Hills, Highland Park is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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. As “white goods” (dryers, refrigerators, washers) tend to last longer than ordinary appliances it is conceivable that you can go 10 years without cleaning your dryer vents. If you move into a new house there is no way to tell the condition of the new home’s dryer vents. For added peace of mind you should consider dryer vent cleaning and research an qualified professional duct cleaning service that can successfully and correctly perform the job.

Another useful resource is a recent consumer reports article that has some preventive measures you can use

Dryer Vent Fires| Lemont, Carol Stream, Lynwood is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Keep your cooling system running at peak performance by having your contractor perform an annual tune-up on your central air conditioning unit. Think of an air conditioning tune up not only as maintenance but also insurance that your system will continue to run well down the line because the inspection will reveal any potential issues .

A/C Tune-ups can help you:

>Saving money on your monthly electricity bill

>Improving the efficiency of your air conditioner

>Achieving better humidity control

>Preventing costly repairs

>Keeping your home more comfortable by helping your system run at it’s optimum performance.

During the tune-up service, an HVAC contractor will use state-of-the-art equipment to accurately analyze your cooling system’s performance and adjust your air conditioner to optimize its energy efficiency—resulting in a cooler, more comfortable home.

Stay Cool,

- MADMAX

Early Summer Still A Good Time to Get A/C Tune Up is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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.

Clear snow from vent air intakes and crawl space doors

During this season, ice and snow will accumulate around furnace outside vents, intakes and gas meters.  Keep these areas free and clear to avoid potential problems.

Visually inspect your roof

Our cold, snowy winter will put all of our roofs through a test and a lot of wear and tear.  Remove any snow and ice.  Be careful not to damage the roof surface and of course be careful on the ladder.  From the street, look for any dips in the roof or any missing shingles.  Nail down any loose shingles or flashing.  Look for shingles that are cracked or curling and check the tuck pointing on your chimney.  If the job is large, seek the help of a professional.

Check downspouts and gutters

With the large amount of snow we have and the spring rain, your gutters need to be clean and clear to handle all the water.  Be sure to check your gutters with a hose to be sure that they are clean and clear and they don’t back up.

Inspect your basement and crawl space

Look for standing water, cracks and mold or mildew.

Perform safety checks around your home

Check all smoke and CO detectors and be sure to change your batteries to coincide with daylight saving time in March.  Check your fire extinguisher and be sure it’s charged and has a current date.  Have a fire escape plan.  Make sure you practice it with your family and that the kids understand it.

Home Comfort Tips| Orland Park, Naperville, Westmont is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Even when the winter weather is mild, dry air in your home can be associated with the types of colds typically seen in the coldest months of the year. It’s not always necessarily the amount of allergens and viruses in the home during this time, but the low humidity causes some serious dryness that results in dry skin, drying of the nasal passage ways (Sinus headaches), and those “shocks” that you feel when you touch certain objects. Those nasal passages are an important line of defense for your body to fight off nasty flu and cold viruses that are always present in the air.  When they are kept moist the nose can catch those very viruses before they have an opportunity to enter the body. This can be best achieved with a bypass humidifier.

Dry Air in Your Home?| Country Club Hills, Maywood is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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!!  If it is just a matter of having to turn down the thermostat consider using a programmable thermostat so that you don’t have to wait for your home to cool down.  You can simply set up your thermostat to have your house at your desired temperature at various hours throughout the day.  Just a few things that might be able to help you avoid the summer heat when all you want is the cool air inside your home!!

Keep the heat outside not indoors is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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.

• Clean Burner Assembly
• Tune Burners
• Clean Ignition Assembly
• Clean Heat Section
• Verify Flue Draft venting properly
• Calibrate Thermostat
• Test Refrigerant Charge
• Test Capacitors
• Test Crankcase Heaters
• Inspect and Check Controls and Safeties
• Adjust Fan Switch
• Adjust Balancing Dampers
• Clean and Replace Filter
• Clean and Adjust Blower Assembly
• Check Air Flow
• Visually Inspect Duct Work
• Tighten Electrical Connections
• Measure and Record Voltage and Amperage
• Lubricate all Moving Parts
• Clean Inside Evaporator Coil
• Clean Outside Condensing Coil
• Clean Condensate Drains
• Apply Protective Coating

Check and verify the following will be completed during your Spring Furnace or Air Conditioning Tune Up and you’ll enjoy nothing but roses throughout the season.

Spring Cleaning means its time for a Spring Tune-Up is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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.

Remove that unused, unnecessary TV antenna!

Afraid of heights?  Four Seasons handymen can easily come to your home and remove that unnecessary TV antenna from your homes roof or exterior and will make sure to patch the roof as necessary to prevent water leaks in the future.  Call today and have this eyesore removed.

Looking For New Shutters?

If your home’s exterior is in need of sprucing up, then call Four Seasons Home Services to have your existing shutter replaced or re-painted.

Window Treatments

Our experienced handymen can take care of all of your window treatments needs.  From cleaning your existing window treatments to hanging new blinds, curtain rods, shades, or valances, call on the name you trust, Four Seasons Home Services.

Grilling Season Is Here

Have you recently purchased a new grill and find that it is still in the box?  Don’t delay, Four Seasons Home Services can come to your home and put that new grill together for you in a timely and professional manner at a price that won’t break the bank.  Call today and cook out tonight.

Does your Yard Need Some Sprucing Up?

If you look at your yard, is it overgrown, and looking shabby?  Our experienced handymen know how to get your yard standing tall.  From installing mulch to trimming the overgrown shrubbery, to cutting those low hanging branches, to blowing off your patios and driveway, we can do it all.  You can call on Four Seasons Home Services and we will come out and do your job right the first time.

Power washing can restore your deck!!

If you want your deck restored and looking like new call Four Seasons Home Services.  Our experienced handymen know how to do the job right the first time, and don’t mind getting a little wet in the process.

Appliance Installation

We can install your new washer, dryer, dishwasher, oven/range, and refrigerator.

Ice Maker Hook Up/Installation

Our Skilled Technicians can easily hook up your ice maker in your homes freezer.

Take advantage of our professional handyman / home improvement specialist to have the projects you’ve long put off finally completed. Four Seasons Home Services has a wide variety of individual home services that we offer.

Save Time, Improve Your Home! | Elmhurst, Mokena, Plainfield is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Do not fall into this trap. The transition to air conditioners that run on R-410A has been slower than the EPA anticipated largely because of situations such as these. This slower transition has resulted in an estimated 27.5 million pound shortfall of R-22. What this means is that you may not have much luck in the future acquiring R-22 refrigerant for your system should you need it for a repair. Think ahead and don’t find yourself in the group of people that will be “left out in the heat.” Consider replacing your R-22 air conditioner with an R-410A air conditioner today.

R-22 Phase Out| Calumet City, Plainfield, Addison is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

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.

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A/C is not the only way to stay cool is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Carbon monoxide can enter your home or facility any time you have a defect in your heat exchanger. A heat exchanger is the largest part of the furnace, usually made of aluminum or stainless steel, through which the poisonous carbon monoxide-containing exhaust fumes leave the furnace and are vented to the outside of your home. Heat exchangers, over time and/or as a result of a manufacturer’s defect, can have or develop penetrating scratches and holes. The result of these defects is simple: some of the carbon monoxide that was on its way out of the home will leak through these apertures and into your home or facility.

When selecting an HVAC contractor to perform the precision tune-up that the EPA recommends, it is extremely important to select a company whose technicians understand how to properly inspect heat exchangers, such as Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning in Chicago. It might surprise some readers to learn that very few companies are as equipped and willing to properly inspect your heat exchanger as Four Seasons is. I say “willing” because, as luck would have it, the heat exchanger is the absolute hardest component of the furnace to properly inspect. The heat exchanger is usually not even visible after you’ve removed the front panels of the furnace. The heat exchanger sits behind all of the parts you can see, including the motors, gas valve, pressure switch, circuit board, igniter, etc., and in most cases the entire blower motor assembly must be removed in order to gain access to the heat exchanger.

The blower assembly in an up-flow furnace (the vast majority of furnaces) will be on the very bottom of the furnace, and will include a housing, wheel (squirrel cage) and motor. The motor, like most furnace parts is wired in to the circuit board, which will usually be found near the blower assembly. In order to properly inspect the heat exchanger in an up-flow furnace, the technician must completely remove this entire housing. Even so, how then can he access the heat exchanger if it is behind all of the rest of the parts of the furnace?

Imagine a service technician lying on his back on your concrete floor and sliding the top half of his body into the furnace and underneath the otherwise inaccessible heat exchanger (much like an auto mechanic accesses certain parts of your car), using only the light from the small flashlight that is tied to his forehead to see up the furnace.

Now stop imagining. If you don’t SEE this very thing during your furnace inspection, the heat exchanger is not getting the attention and inspection that it deserves considering that if it is defective, carbon monoxide may be entering your home or facility.

If you have never had your heat exchanger properly inspected, you would probably guess that this is a fairly involved and time consuming process. You would be right. A Four Seasons precision furnace tune-up takes 45 minutes to 1 hour on a furnace where no problems are found. When problems are found, this time obviously increases.

If you have had your furnace worked on by a company other than Four Seasons, chances are you have NOT witnessed the proper inspection of your heat exchanger.

Of course, removing the blower motor and wheel assembly and looking at the heat exchanger does not mean that the heat exchanger was inspected thoroughly for all possible defects. All Four Seasons’ service technicians are certified Heat Exchanger Experts, as part of Four Seasons’ unmatched commitment to continuing education for its technicians. What this means to you is that your entire furnace, including the heat exchanger, will be serviced by someone who has been trained by industry leaders to identify any and ALL types of possible defects in your heat exchanger.

Ask your contractor if all of its technicians are Certified Heat Exchanger Experts. Chances are you will be asked “What is that?” And of the contractors who have heard of this cutting-edge training program, if they are being honest, most will likely admit that they’re technicians are not. That is, unless of course, you are calling Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning in Chicago.

Most heating & air conditioning contractors do not have the resources or even the ability to certify their technicians. The training is extremely expensive, and, even if price were not an issue, smaller companies cannot afford to take one of their only or very few “technicians” off of the street for the duration of time required to complete the training. This is yet another benefit of dealing with the biggest and the best, and another reason why, year after year, Four Seasons is remains North America’s largest and most award winning residential heating & air conditioning contractor.

The awards that Four Seasons receives, year after year, including the for the 5^th year in a row a service award from a leading consumer review (list) website, The Dave Lennox® award, A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, etc., are no mistake. They are the direct results of programs such as the ongoing continuing education and training for all Four Seasons Technicians. Heat Exchanger Experts training is only one of the many types of training that each Four Seasons technician receives and enjoys.

Unfortunately, certain companies which do NOT hire only the best and brightest HVAC technicians and who do NOT provide continuing education for their technicians once they are hired, have polluted the reputation of the industry that Four Seasons is proud to be a leader of. “Technicians” whose backgrounds and skills are not properly screened and who do not receive the benefit of continuing education and training are typically the types of technicians who develop unethical and unscrupulous behavior. It is not uncommon for technicians such as these to use “scare tactics” to sell parts and equipment which are not needed to unsuspecting consumers. Technicians such as this are an embarrassment to the HVAC industry and are not considered for employment at Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning in Chicago.

Did you know that each and every new Four Seasons service technician signs a comprehensive ethics statement before he or she is allowed to set foot in any customer’s home? The statement states that the technician understands that he or she may never sell a part, accessory, service, or piece of equipment to any customer that doesn’t need it, want it, or can’t afford it. Four Seasons maintains a zero tolerance policy with regard to the ethics statement and any breach of it would immediately cost the technician his or her employment at Four Seasons.

I would suggest that you ask your service provider,(if it is not already Four Seasons) if they have their service technicians sign an ethics statement.

As you probably already guessed, “inspecting” the heat exchanger provides an unscrupulous and dishonest service technician the ultimate scare tactic to sell an unnecessary piece of equipment to an unsuspecting homeowner. Imagine the following scenario: It is late at night and 5 degrees below zero in Chicago. You called a heating & air conditioning company because your furnace is not working. The technician arrives and tells you that not only is your system not working, but your heat exchanger is cracked and the entire unit needs to be replaced. What are you to do? You’re likely not going to want to spend the money or the time to try and find another company to come out that late at night, you’re freezing already, you’re worried about your pipes bursting….you’re likely going to purchase that furnace that you didn’t really need because you believe the heat exchanger had a crack that it didn’t really have. You can also expect to pay much more than a fair price to this dishonest and unethical technician at the same time. Remember, it is late at night and you don’t exactly have the option of shopping price. If this “technician” was the type of person who was willing to lie to you and tell you that you had carbon monoxide exposure when you did not, he will also be willing to rip you off at the same time.

Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning is so serious about its ethical commitment to its customers that it issues the following heat exchanger guarantee with each of its precision tune-ups and furnace repairs:

If a Four Seasons technician diagnoses a defect in heat exchanger and that defect does not exist, Four Seasons will replace the furnace for free.

That’s right! If a Four Seasons technician ever tried to sell you a furnace under false pretenses, you would receive the very furnace that he or she tried to sell you absolutely free, installation included. Of course this does not happen because of the types of technicians that Four Seasons hires and its commitment to the highest ethical standards and continuing education, but this guarantee will give you the peace of mind that you deserve anyway.

A Precision Tune-Up from Four Seasons is meant to be a pleasant, informative service visit to your home that carries with it no obligation and nothing to lose. If your Four Seasons technician has nothing to gain by trying to sell you a furnace that you do not need, is thoroughly trained in correctly identifying problems the “right way”, and has signed a statement that he or she will lose his job if he tries to sell you a furnace that you do not need, wouldn’t you believe what he or she said? If a technician such as this tells you that you have a defect in your heat exchanger and that your home is being exposed to carbon monoxide, wouldn’t you want to know about it?

Schedule a Precision Furnace Tune-Up with a Certified Heat Exchanger Expert from Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning in Chicago. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

In closing, if you choose to use a company other than Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning, we wish you the best of luck, but would remind you to follow the pointers and ask the questions mentioned in this article. Be aware of the companies offering $29 and $39 “clean & checks,” because that is exactly what you will get. No ethically minded company is going to send a qualified, well-trained service technician to your home for a process that takes an hour on the average for $29 or $39. They wouldn’t be in business if they continued to do that for very long. Is it possible that they simply want to gain entry into your home through their misleading low price and then try to make up the difference once they are inside through misleading or deceptive practices or extremely high prices? I’ll leave it to you to answer than one.

Whatever your answer is, you can be sure that this will not be a concern if you choose Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning. It’s all in our reputation and in our guarantees. For more information, please visit www.fourseasonsheating.com

HVAC Tune-ups Can Save Lives| Sauk Village, Matteson, Oak Lawn is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

In an effort to take advantage of popular programs and consumer support for energy savings the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate recently moved forward on proposed legislation to improve energy efficiency in the United States. The House version of a measure titled  “Home Star” will help homeowners reduce their energy bills through investments in energy efficient products. In the Senate, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee plan to adopt new consensus minimum efficiency standards on a variety of products.

The House bill establishes a new program that provides grants to homeowners for weatherizing their homes. There are two options for homeowners.

• $250-$1,500 incentives for a variety of specific energy saving measures, up to a maximum of $3,000 per home
• incentives of $3,000-$8,000 per home for comprehensive packages of energy-saving measures

The Senate bill adopts consensus minimum efficiency standards on residential air conditioners, furnaces and heat pumps, pole-mounted outdoor lights (e.g., street lights), drinking water dispensers, and more. It is clear that once the government backs incentives to homeowners for purchasing energy efficient products, homeowners will begin to see marked reductions in energy expenses for heating and cooling their homes.

Ways To Stay Cool Indoors- Save Energy! | Homewood, Darien is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Germicidal UV lights use intense rays of ultraviolet light. Installing a Germicidal UV light in your heating and cooling system is one of the most efficient ways to kill the microorganisms responsible for infectious diseases and bacteria that live and breed in your air ducts and circulate throughout your home. Did you know that only 5,000 micro-watts of UV light are required to kill a typical swine flu spore and stop it in its tracks? Best of all, UV lights are relatively inexpensive and very easy to install. Contact your local heating and air conditioning contractor and consider having a UV light installed today.

Remember that the flu season typically lasts until mid-spring, and installing a UV light in your heating and cooling system will provide year-round protection and dramatically reduce concentrations of potentially harmful microorganisms.

UV Lights can Reduce Swine Flu Threat| Palos Hills, Chicago, Homewood is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

1. Select a home improvement contractor that you know and trust, a company that has a long history of satisfied customers and can provide references.
2. Ask for and call on the handyman’s local references. You should be checking to see if they were satisfied with the completed work, the level of service, and timeliness of the job.
3. Make sure the handyman has worker’s compensation and liability insurance. If the contractor you hire does not have insurance you are liable and often your homeowner’s insurance policy will not cover liabilities if you hire an uninsured contractor.
4. Get all estimates in writing.  The contractor should submit a written estimate detailing all the repairs. Include the quality, quantity, weight, color, size and name brands you expect to see. The devil is in the details so be sure to dot your I’s and cross your T’s.  Be sure this estimate is signed by both parties before the work gets started.
5. Ask for the right to cancel. Homeowners should receive written notice of their right to cancel within three business days of signing the estimate.  Additionally, in the state of Illinois contractors are required by law to inform you of your consumer rights.

How To Select A Handyman in Chicago, Flossmoor, or Tinley Park is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Few routine chores will pay off more handsomely, both in comfort and in dollars saved, than a simple cleaning of your air conditioner. The payoff: Summertime comfort and lower cooling bills. You’ll also prolong the life of your air conditioner.

Make sure you get everything in writing from the service technician, this will act like a report card and help the technician maintain your unit to maximize its full efficiency.

Hope this helps.

-MADMAX

Should I Have My Air Conditioner Cleaned?? is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

One of the things that contributes to energy efficiency and health is a furnace cleaning. Having your furnace cleaned will provide you with an inspection that will ensure your heating system runs well, you can avoid potential breakdowns and maintain comfortable temperatures in your home.  A furnace cleaning will help your system run more efficiently helping you to reduce heating bills. In addition, properly insulating your home whether it’s attic insulation or just putting plastic over your windows will help eliminate drafts. These are all steps that will keep your family warm, safe and save energy and money. Your local HVAC company can assist you most of these items.

Dryer vent cleaning is something that seems like it would not be necessary but every year clogged dryer vents cause deadly house fires. Having your dryer vents cleaned as part of your seasonal home maintenance measures is both good for your health as you will eliminate the risk of a dryer vent fire and your dryer will use less energy and run more efficiently.

Other items that contribute to healthy living and energy efficiency are regularly changing your furnace air filter, air duct cleaning and indoor air quality products which help kill bacteria, allergens remove pet dander and keep the air in your home cleaner.

-R.J.

Energy Efficiency Is Good For Everyone is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Today, most homeowners know the value of having a carbon monoxide detector in their home. Carbon monoxide is an odorless gas that can be harmful and even deadly depending on the level of exposure. A heat exchanger inspection conducted by a qualified Four Seasons HVAC technician experienced in detecting crack and failures will help avoid potential hazards and dangers when operating your furnace. The major focus of the heat exchanger inspection is to determine any possible integrity issues and to be able to resolve them as quickly as possible should a replacement be deemed necessary.

A heat exchanger inspection is recommended alongside yearly maintenance of your furnace. Prior to the start of the heating season you should have a professional heating and cooling company perform a furnace tune up to ensure proper operation of your furnace and keep it operating at it’s optimum performance. These steps prove to be very helpful to homeowners in saving money, and avoiding potentially serious issues down the line.

-G.M.

Does My Furnace Need A Heat Exchanger Inspection? is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Some folks see Labor Day as the end of summer weekends away, cookouts, and the closing of the pool!  Either way it is appropriate that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strengths, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.  At Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning we recognize the contributions and dedication of our employees. We also want to recognize our customers who are also hard-working people who choose us for their HVAC needs. So tip your hat to yourself and all you know who work hard all year long to enjoy and relax on the one day dedicated to them.  Have a safe and happy Labor Day 2010!!

-P.K.

Labor Day 2010 is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

By draining the hot water tank you can help eliminate the build up of sediment in the tank.  What sometimes happens is after a few years the build up of sediment may limit the amount of water available to be heated but also the sediment may cover the heating element and lead to it burning out.

How to Drain Your Water Heater

Your first step is to set the temperature control to the OFF position and let the water inside the tank cool down. Make sure to close the shutoff valve on the water supply, afterward attach a hose to the bottom drain valve that leads to an open drain. Turn on the hot water in the house to release air from the tank. At this point you can open the drain valve on the water tank. When the water has completely drained  from the tank you should open and close the cold water supply valve a few times to assist in flushing out the tank. At the point that the water that is released from the valve is clear and free of sediment you can remove the hose, open the inlet valve on the cold water pipe and proceed to refill your hot water tank. You can then reset the temperature to it’s normal setting.

Remember to shut off the hot water faucets that you turned on earlier when your were relieving the air from the tank. Now you have successfully removed the sediment from your hot water heater. Need more help with other household projects see our home services website for more information.

-J.A.

Water Heater Maintenance is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair

Quality Beyond Products is a post from: Heating and Cooling furnace repair