Author Archive
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
The EPA, which is usually very slow and reluctant to recommend any services, except the ones which have been proven to be viable and beneficial, recommends inspecting and servicing fuel-burning furnaces before each heating season (www.epa.gov) to be sure that you are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning.
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. (more…)
Tags: Furnace, Furnace Inspection, furnace tune up, heat exchanger, Heating, HVAC, service technician
Posted in Consumer protection, Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Informational, Safety | 3 Comments »
Monday, September 27th, 2010
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.
Tags: air conditioner, Chicago, Cooling, Darien, energy efficiency, energy savings, Four Seasons, Homewood
Posted in Air conditioning, Air filtration, Informational, Savings | Comments Off
Saturday, September 25th, 2010
The flu season is on the way, and public health officials are encouraging people to safeguard themselves. You can do more than simply vaccinate. Have you taken all of the precautions you could to protect your home or your work facility from the threat of the Swine Flu (H1N1) virus? If you have not installed a UV light, then you have not.
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. (more…)
Tags: Air Quality, Chicago, Four Seasons, germicidal uv lights, heating and cooling systems, Homewood, IL, Palos Hills, spores, Swine Flu
Posted in Air Quality, Air conditioning, Air filtration, Consumer protection, Health, Heating, Informational | Comments Off
Sunday, September 19th, 2010
If you do an internet search under handyman services, how many handymen do you find? For many homeowners, it’s a guessing game to see which handyman will do the best home repair or remodeling job and who will give a fair price. Four Seasons Home Services, a home repair, remodeling and handyman services company, offers five tips to selecting the right handyman for your home repair or home remodeling job.
- Select a home improvement contractor that you know and trust, a company that has a long history of satisfied customers and can provide references. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, Flossmoor, handyman services, household jobs, household repairs, Tinley Park
Posted in Consumer protection, Home Services, Informational, Introduction, customer service | 1 Comment »
Saturday, September 11th, 2010
Yes, you should have your air conditioner cleaned and make sure it’s done by a qualified HVAC contractor. They need to inspect the furnace blower, filter, a-coil, condenser coil, Freon levels or pressures and amp draws on all motors. Making sure these are within manufacturer specs is very important.
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
Tags: air conditioner, Cooling, Furnace, HVAC contractor
Posted in Air conditioning, Informational, maintenance | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, September 8th, 2010
Many of the things we do to become more energy efficient are helpful in more ways than just saving money. In this article we’ll take a look at a few reasons why Energy Efficiency Is Good For Everyone. Lots of Americans are focused on keeping their bodies and healthy but also doing things that contribute to a healthy planet. We strive to do little things like walk more and drive less which help us stay healthy and reduce energy consumption. In our homes there are things that we can do to that will keep us healthy and save money.
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.
(more…)
Tags: attic insulation, energy efficiency, furnace cleaning, heating system, HVAC
Posted in Air Quality, Air filtration, Duct Cleaning, Furnace, Health, Safety, attic insulation, furnace filtration | Comments Off
Friday, September 3rd, 2010
Most people may not be aware of the crucial function the heat exchanger play in the operation of the furnace. The primary function of the heat exchanger is to move warm air through the duct system while also venting the toxic gases outside the home. Over time the heat exchanger may become cracked or even fail. When this happens the ability of the heat exchanger to vent gases is decreased and can even result in the gases being circulated into the duct work and throughout your home.
(more…)
Tags: Furnace, furnace tune up, heat exchanger, HVAC, Inspection
Posted in Air Quality, Furnace, Health, Heating, Informational, Safety, maintenance | 1 Comment »
Thursday, September 2nd, 2010
The first Monday of each September is a very important holiday that we know as Labor Day. It is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers and constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well being of our country.
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.
Tags: Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning, HVAC
Posted in Heating, Informational | 1 Comment »
Monday, August 30th, 2010
Here are some useful tips from Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning for maintaining your water heater. Though often neglected draining the water heater is an important part of water heater maintenance and extending the life of your hot water tank. Most people fall into the trap of out of sight- out of mind. Most homeowners do not regularly check the temperature of their water heaters or remember to drain the sediment from the tank.
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.
(more…)
Tags: drain, hot water tanks, maintenance, water heaters
Posted in Heating, Home Services, Informational, Quality, maintenance | Comments Off
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
A savvy consumer knows quality when they see it. Manufacturers of heating and air conditioning products produce millions of pieces of equipment. The equipment used to heat and cool your home is becoming more and more efficient as we move forward. At Four Seasons, we install Lennox brand equipment because we know they make a high quality product that we can sell to our customers at a fair price. But no matter what the brand, the product is only as good as those that install or service it. That is the Four Seasons difference. We are dedicated to constant training for our brand new employees all the way up to the longest-tenured employee so that EVERY unit we install or service is going to provide quality comfort exactly as it is supposed to from the manufacturer. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, Air conditioning, Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning, Heating, Lennox, Quality
Posted in Air conditioning, Boiler, Furnace, Heating, Informational, customer service | Comments Off
