Archive for the ‘Duct Cleaning’ Category
Monday, January 31st, 2011
The Illinois Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, is looking for justice for some of the most vulnerable members of our population here in the Chicagoland area. Our senior citizens have been targeted by a number of different scams, but in this suit, Illinois is taking on a duct cleaning company that stole thousands of dollars from elderly homeowners.
The Suit
In the suit, it was found that the company in question was deceiving homeowners by convincing them that they had mold present in the home. The cleaners would show the homeowner pictures of the mold that was supposedly in the ducts, but in reality the picture was not even taken in that particular person’s home.
After the crew supposedly cleaned the mess, the price that was originally quoted would suddenly skyrocket. These charges were added on without the homeowner’s knowledge or consent, but many handed over payment to evade threats from the company’s owner. These services were not needed, and the evidence provided to the consumer was false. (more…)
Tags: Alsip, Attorney General, Chicagoland, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, Four Seasons, fraud, Illinois, Justice, Lisa Madigan, mold, Phoenix, save money, scam
Posted in Air Quality, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, Informational, Savings | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 26th, 2011
Nearly every duct cleaning company in the industry, along with the Better Business Bureau and countless news broadcasting companies, has tried to warn consumers about the deceptive tactics that illegitimate duct cleaning companies use to make a quick buck. However, this multimillion dollar con is still claiming victims across our country and in the great city of Chicago.
A Popular Lie
Their most well known scam involves attracting customers with an impossibly low price. They will then raise the price at the time of service through the cost of add-ons that the customer doesn’t really need. Although the consumer thought they were getting their air ducts cleaned for $69, in the end, they pay hundreds and maybe even thousands of their hard earned dollars on poorly performed services. (more…)
Tags: Addison, BBB, Chicago, coupons, Duct Cleaning, Four Seasons, fraud, IL, NADCA, Oak Forest, save money, scam prevention, Westmont
Posted in Air Quality, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, Sale, Savings, customer service | Comments Off
Monday, December 27th, 2010
Many of us like to do projects around the home on our own, and having the know-how to complete these projects can save you both time and money. However, there are certain jobs that should only be handled by the professionals, and cleaning the air ducts is one of those jobs. Cleaning the air ducts on your own can cause several problems including:
- Insufficient Removal of Particles: Most of the sites that offer “do it yourself” duct cleaning tips suggest using your vacuum cleaners hose to remove dust and other particles from the areas of the duct work that you can access. The first problem with attempting to use this technique is the fact that a good portion of the duct work in your home is inaccessible using the 4 foot hose on your vacuum cleaner. That leaves large portions of the duct work untouched and therefore still dirty.
- Inefficient Removal of Particles: When professional duct cleaners, like those at Four Seasons, clean your duct work, they will hook up a powerful vacuum system that will create negative air pressure within your duct work. As their tools kick up the particles in your air ducts, they are removed from the home safely and efficiently by this vacuum system. When you attempt to use your little vacuums hose, you kick up the particles in the duct work, but have no way to capture them. Suddenly the home is covered in dust and debris from the duct work. (more…)
Tags: Air Quality, Chicago, Chicago Heights, Cooling, Duct Cleaning, duct work, Four Seasons, Harvey, Heating, IL, Safety, save money, Westchester
Posted in Air Quality, Duct Cleaning, Health, Home Services, Safety | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, December 22nd, 2010
Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning has many services and products that can potentially offer allergy symptom relief to many this winter season. Winter allergies can often be as bad if not worse than the spring and summer allergies that most of us are accustomed to hearing about, and being cooped up indoors, for months at a time, makes those with allergies very susceptible to the indoor air pollutants that plague thousands of homes in Chicago and the Chicago land area. Duct cleanings, furnace cleanings, air purifiers, and humidifiers are all excellent options to decrease the presence of allergens in the home, and Four Seasons can make implementing these products and services in your home a breeze this winter season.
- Duct Cleaning Services: Four Seasons offers professional duct cleaning services that will clear the pollen, dust, mold, and dander from your duct work system. These are allergens that are constantly circulating in the air when the furnace is running, and a duct cleaning will greatly reduce their presence in your home.
- Furnace Cleaning Services: Yearly furnace maintenance tune-ups are important if you want to keep your furnace running reliably all winter long. But, these cleanings can also help relieve allergy symptoms. A dirty furnace is packed with dust and other allergens and as the air in your home passes through the furnace to be warmed, it picks up these allergens. These particles are then delivered to all of the rooms in your home. Combine this service with a monthly filter change and a duct cleaning, and you will greatly improve your indoor air quality. (more…)
Tags: air purifier, Air Quality, allergy, Chicago, Country Club Hills, Crest Hill, Duct Cleaning, dust, Four Seasons, furnace cleaning, humidifier, mold, pollen, Riverdale, winter
Posted in Air Quality, Duct Cleaning, Health, Heating, maintenance | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010
When it comes to duct cleaning, many homeowners assume that the only ducts in the home that need to be cleaned are the ones that are attached to the central heating and cooling system. However, there is another vent in the home that should be cleaned regularly in order to prevent problems. That vent is the clothes dryer vent. With time this vent can become clogged with lint and other debris, and without proper cleaning, it could lead to some costly problems including high energy bills, frequent appliance replacement, and even house fires.
Warning Signs of a Clogged Vent
If you have a dryer vent in your home that has never been cleaned, there are a few things you should be looking for:
- Musty smells on clothes
- Longer drying times
- Removable filter does not collect a lot of lint
- Lint present in the tub of the dryer
- Multiple cycles to dry one load
- Overheated laundry (more…)
Tags: Bolingbrook, Chicago, clothes dryer, dryer vent cleaning, Duct Cleaning, energy bills, fires, Four Seasons, Lyons, Safety, Streamwood
Posted in Duct Cleaning, Home Services, Safety, Vent Cleaning | Comments Off
Monday, December 13th, 2010
- Look for the Fine Print: Many illegitimate duct cleaning companies will hide clauses in their contracts that allow them to change their pricing whenever they so choose.
- Verify Pricing: Ask and ask again about the price of the work being performed. Make sure that the price you are being quoted is the price you will pay.
- Get it in Writing: If the duct cleaning company you choose is making you promises, get them in writing! In the event that there is a problem, you will have the necessary paperwork to protect yourself.
- Get a Second Opinion: If a duct cleaning company tells you that there is mold present in the home, do not sign any paperwork and get a second opinion. Scam artists in this industry like to convince homeowners that there is mold in the home in order to drive up the price of the services. (more…)
Tags: Air Quality, Berwyn, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, duct cleaning scam, Evanston, Four Seasons, IL, mold, Oak Forest, save money
Posted in Air Quality, Duct Cleaning, Home Services, Quality | Comments Off
Friday, November 26th, 2010
Don’t know who to hire for your seasonal tune-up, duct cleaning, or furnace repairs? Well, this year, look no further than Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning for all of your HVAC system’s needs! What makes Four Seasons any better than other heating and cooling companies? There are many things that set us apart in this business, but our customer service ethic is defiantly one of the big ones.
We strive to have the utmost honesty and integrity when working with our customers, and in order to sweeten the deal, we always offer coupon and special discounts to take some of the load off of investing in their homes heating and cooling systems. These days we are offering three discounts that visitors to the Four Seasons website can take advantage of through December 31st 2010: (more…)
Tags: Alsip, Chicago, coupons, discounts, Duct Cleaning, Four Seasons, furnace cleaning, furnace repair, Hillside, IL, indoor air quality, maintenace, Oak Lawn
Posted in Air Quality, Duct Cleaning, Furnace Repair, Heating, Quality, Savings, maintenance | Comments Off
Friday, November 19th, 2010
With the tax credits and extreme discounts that have been offered this past year on new high efficiency heating and cooling systems, many people have replaced their old systems in hopes of experiencing all the benefits that come from installing a new high efficiency furnace or air conditioner. The only problem is that many of these people are overlooking a very important component of the HVAC system that could be damaging and reducing the efficiency of their new systems. Which component could be doing this? The duct work! Poorly designed, improperly installed, and unbalanced duct work systems can cause major problems to your heating and cooling systems and to your comfort this upcoming winter.
Common Duct work Problems
- Poorly Designed System: The goal of the duct work system is to get conditioned air to the rooms of your home and draw unconditioned air back to the furnace or air conditioner to be warmed or cooled. In order to do this effectively, the system needs to be designed efficiently. The number of bends and the length of duct work runs need to be kept at a minimum. The longer it takes for the air to reach its target location, the more restriction there will be upon airflow. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, air flow, Berwyn, Brookfield, Chicago, Contractor, duct work, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, Furnace, heating and cooling, HVAC, IL, installation
Posted in Air conditioning, Duct Cleaning, Furnace, Heating, Quality | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 16th, 2010
According to the EPA, “23 million people, including 6.8 million children, have asthma.” That is a very BIG number! Chances are you know someone who suffers from asthma, or at the very least you know someone with severe allergies. If this person lives in your home you should ask yourself if you are doing everything you can to relieve this person’s symptoms. The EPA warns that poor indoor air quality is one the top five health concerns facing Americans and the effects of poor indoor air can be much worse if there is someone in the home who has asthma or allergies.
What can you do to improve indoor air quality? The answer is simple: Call Four Seasons! Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning is your home comfort specialist, and we can help you drastically improve your indoor air quality. We can help you choose the air purification system that will meet your specific air quality needs. There are three classes of contaminants that may be affecting the air quality in your home. These include:
- Bio aerosols: Airborne mold spores, bacteria, and viruses
- Breathable particles like dust, dirt, pollen, and allergens
- Odors and chemical vapors (more…)
Tags: Air Cleaner, air filter, air purifier, Air Quality, Allergies, asthma, Duct Cleaning, EPA, indoor air quality, Lennox, mold
Posted in Air Quality, Air filtration, Duct Cleaning, Health, Informational, furnace filtration | Comments Off
Thursday, November 11th, 2010
The Warning Signs of a Scam Artist
- Extremely Low Pricing
- Door to Door Solicitation
- Pushy Sales Tactics
- Failure to Provide References when Asked
- No NADCA Certification
- Low BBB Rating
The Season for Deception
As winter approaches, homeowners begin to prepare themselves for the long hours spent indoors during the cold months in Chicago. We get our furnaces tuned-up, weather-strip the windows and doors, and some of us may even have the duct work cleaned in order to improve the indoor air quality. It is not uncommon for scam artists to come out of the woodwork at this time of year, and this year has been no different. Once again, another scam artist has been uncovered in the duct cleaning industry, and the Better Business Bureau has completed a thorough investigation. (more…)
Tags: A+ Rating, bait and switch, Better Business Bureau, Chicago, duct cleaning scam, Four Seasons, fraud prevention, Hanover Park, Homer Glen, illegitimate services, Plainfield, scam prevention
Posted in Air Quality, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, Home Services, Informational, Quality, customer service | Comments Off
