Archive for the ‘Health’ Category
Tuesday, January 18th, 2011
Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning is a 24 hour service company for a reason. Every year in Chicago, we experience months of frigid temperatures, and heating the home becomes a major priority for every homeowner. Four Seasons strives daily to offer around the clock service 365 days a year to the citizens of Chicago land, and we do this because going without heat threatens your family’s safety, health, and comfort. We know that not all HVAC companies offer this level of service, but here are some of the reasons why Four Seasons has made your warmth our priority no matter what time of day it may be:
- Safety Hazards: When the furnace goes out on a particularly cold night, many people search for other ways to heat their homes. These methods often pose dangers to the safety of your home and your family. Space heaters can be a fire hazard if not used properly. If the heater needs to be vented and is not or if the homeowner is using the oven for heating, poisonous carbon monoxide could leak into the home. Another home safety issue is pipe freezing. If the heat is out for an extended period of time, there is a good chance that pipes in the home will begin to freeze. If you are not quick to act, they could burst. The gallons of water that flow from the busted pipe will cause damage to anything around it, and could cost you hundreds or thousands to repair. (more…)
Tags: 24 hr service, around the clock, Elmhurst, Four Seasons, frozen pipes, Furnace, furnace repairs, Health, Heating, Hoffman Estates, home comfort, IL, Joliet, Safety
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Furnace Repair, Health, Heating, Safety | Comments Off
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
Having good indoor air quality is important. I think we can all agree on that, but what type of system we use to achieve good indoor air quality is we some of us may differ in opinion. When it comes to purchasing an air purifier for your home, you will have many decisions to make, but one of the first choices you will have to make is whether you want a whole house air purification system or a portable air purifier. Although portable units do have some advantages, here at Four Seasons we believe that whole house systems are your best choice when you want to clean the air in your entire home.
The BIG Problem with Portable Systems
If you or someone living in your home has allergies or asthma, the air purifier is crucial to their comfort. The biggest problem that exists with portable units is that they can only cover a small area of space. Unless you buy multiple systems and place them in every room of the home, you could be limiting the areas in the home where people with this problem can be comfortable. (more…)
Tags: air purifier, Air Quality, Chicago, Four Seasons, Glen Ellyn, Healthy Climate, Homer Glen, IL, Lennox, portable, whole house
Posted in Air Quality, Air filtration, Health, maintenance | 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 1st, 2010
As of the year 2007 it became an Illinois law that every home must have carbon monoxide detectors installed. Nevertheless, many households have yet to comply, and of those that have installed detectors many have allowed them to fall into disrepair over the years. Among the appliances in your home that can leak carbon monoxide, furnaces and boilers that are poorly cared for are often the source of this deadly gas. Yearly cleanings performed by professionals are the best way to keep your system in check. But, accidents do happen, and that is why carbon monoxide detectors are so crucial to your family’s safety in the home.
Here at Four Seasons, we understand the importance of encouraging homeowners to install and maintain their carbon monoxide detectors. These are some CO detector maintenance checks that you and your family should be performing on a regular basis: (more…)
Tags: Boiler, Carbon Monoxide, Chicago, Four Seasons, Furnace, furnace cleaning, heating services, Home Services, IL, maintenance, Safety, Shorewood, Western Springs
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Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
One of the most frequently asked questions in the HVAC industry is, “How often should I change my furnace filter?” Unfortunately, there isn’t one straightforward answer that we can give you because there are several factors that play a role in the condition of the filter. Obviously, the first step would be to check the packaging on the filter itself. Usually it will have a recommended length of time after which replacement will be needed. However, here at Four Seasons, we don’t want you to suffer the consequences that come from having a dirty filter, so we recommend that you check the filter monthly. If it is dirty, replace it. If not, wait another month and check again. But, some families should be checking their filters more frequently. These are people who have:
- Pets- pet hair quickly clogs furnace filters
- Several people living in the home- the more people in the home, the more dust and debris that will be floating in the air
- Recent construction in the home- Dust and debris from drywall and other construction materials will cause the filter to need to be changed more frequently (more…)
Tags: air filter, Air Quality, Chicago, debris, dust, Four Seasons, furance filter, furnace cleaning, furnace sales, HVAC, IL, Justice, Lisle, Midlothian, pets, smoke
Posted in Air Quality, Air filtration, Furnace, Health, furnace filtration | Comments Off
Monday, November 22nd, 2010
The holiday season is upon us, and many homeowners will be expecting visitors. Getting the home ready for their arrival takes hours of vacuuming, cleaning, and decorating, and after all of the hard work you put in, the last thing you want is for your guests to be greeted at the door by offensive odors. Air fresheners and scented candles only mask the problem, but what if you could eliminate the unpleasant smells altogether? Well, you can with the help of Four Seasons and a Lennox air purification system equipped with an activated carbon filter!
Activated carbon filters act like a sponge that absorbs unwanted smells in the home like:
- Cigarette smoke
- Cigar smoke
- Pet odor
- Cooking fumes
- Chemical fumes from cleaners and other chemically based products (more…)
Tags: activated carbon filter, Air Cleaner, air purifier, Air Quality, Chicago, Cicero, Four Seasons, heating and cooling, IL, indoor air pollution, Justice, Lennox, Park Forest, winter
Posted in Air Quality, Air filtration, Health, Informational, Quality, furnace filtration | Comments Off
Thursday, November 18th, 2010
Here at Four Seasons, we want you to have a safe and comfortable winter, so these are just a few tips to keep in mind when operating your space heater this winter:
- Placement of the Space Heater: Keep the heater at least 3-5 feet away from anything combustible. Find an area that is open and out of the way of high traffic areas in the home. Most fires are caused by the heater being place too close to combustible materials.
- The Space Heater’s Cord: If the cord on your heater is old and frayed, DO NOT USE IT! This is a major fire hazard, and the unit should be replaced. Also, if you need to use an extension cord, make sure that it can handle the power load and can fit the grounding prong from the space heaters cord. Running the heater’s cord or the extension cord under carpet or rugs is also a major fire hazard that needs to be avoided.
- Combustion Heaters: If your heater requires the use of gas or another type of fuel besides electricity, make sure that it is vented properly to the outdoors. Running a combustion unit without proper venting will lead to a buildup of carbon monoxide in the home. (more…)
Tags: burns, Carbon Monoxide, Chicago, energy bills, fires, Four Seasons, furnace installation, furnace repair, furnance sales, Harvey, IL, Lombard, space heater, space heater safety, Westmont
Posted in Furnace, Furnace Repair, Health, Heating, Informational, Safety, Savings | 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
Sunday, October 31st, 2010
You will notice a difference in your home heating – cooling system when you have your air ducts professionally cleaned. You will begin to enjoy the benefits of having the air ducts and furnace cleaned as you will rid your system of many known irritants, debris and dust. The air that circulates in your home may become more comfortable and enjoyable. If you previously dealt with dusty surfaces throughout your home you should notice an improvement. These are a few of the many reasons to have your air duct cleaning performed in your home by a qualified professional duct cleaning service. (more…)
Tags: air duct cleaning, air ducts, Cooling, duct cleaning service, Furnace, Heating
Posted in Air conditioning, Duct Cleaning, Health, Home Services, Informational, Vent Cleaning, maintenance | Comments Off
