Archive for the ‘Informational’ Category
Thursday, December 29th, 2011
Your furnace is your home’s source of comfort. As long as that unit keeps running and continues to keep you and your family warm, there is a sense of security in the home. However, your furnace can quickly turn into a source of danger if you don’t take the proper precautions. Having a furnace in the home is like having a well ventilated and circulated fire in the home. It is able to keep everyone warm, but in the process is creates harmful combustion gases that must be expelled from the home. When everything is working properly and well cared for, venting these harmful gases is not a major concern. Yet, when maintenance falls by the wayside, the furnace can cause dangerous problems for your family. Luckily Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning is around to help you keep your furnace in check.
Heat Exchanger Deterioration
Not maintaining the furnace yearly could lead to a variety of problems that will require any number of repairs. But, the problems that a lack of maintenance can cause for your furnace’s heat exchanger are what truly concern us. The heat exchanger expands and contracts with every cycle of the furnace. Over time this will lead to the development of cracks and holes in the steel of the heat exchanger. Nearly all furnaces will meet this fate if they are in operation for long enough, but the goal is to prevent this from happening for as long as possible. That means that you must have yearly furnace cleanings performed on the system along with regular filter replacements. (more…)
Tags: air flow, Alsip, Chicago, comfort, filter replacement, Four Seasons, Furnace, furnace cleaning, Hanover Park, heat exchanger, Heating, heating problems, HVAC contractor, IL, maintenance, maintenance checks, over heating, Safety, yearly cleaning
Posted in Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Safety, Tips and Suggestions, furnace filtration, maintenance | Comments Off
Wednesday, December 28th, 2011
You have seen the ads in the newspaper, on television, and on the highway. Duct cleaning seems to be a pretty popular but you have probably also heard much of the controversy that surrounds this service as well. Is it worth having done? Is it all just a scam? How much should having your ducts cleaned really cost? All of these questions could stop you from even considering this service, but then you take a peak down one of your return vents and you suddenly realize that something needs to be done. Four Seasons will show you what real duct cleaning service is suppose to look like, and all you have to do is call!
Dishonest Duct Cleaning Services
The scam artists out there like to pry on this service because the homeowner has little ability to see if the job was actually done properly. For the most part your ducts are hidden from view and without camera evidence of the cleaning being performed any scam artists can walk in, pretend to clean, and walk out with your money. Many of these companies will also throw on extra charges at the last second that you weren’t expecting, and when it comes to money, no one wants to be surprised by what they owe. These types of tactics are what shy people away from this valuable service, but Four Seasons offers the customer a much different experience. (more…)
Tags: air ducts, camera evidence, Chicago, cost, coupon, discount, Duct Cleaning, Four Seasons, HVAC, Justice, Orland Park, professional cleaning, scam artists
Posted in Air Quality, Consumer protection, Duct Cleaning, Home Services, Informational, customer service | Comments Off
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
The holiday season is a popular time of year for many people to travel. We pack up cars and take planes all over the country to visit family and friends and we leave our homes behind. Every year, without fail, there are hundreds of homeowners in the Chicagoland area that will turn off the thermostat to save some money while they are away, and as a result, they experience a real disaster in the home when they finally get back. We know you want to save some money while you are away, but there is a safer way. Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning is issuing this warning so that you can protect your home this season, and our handymen can help you prepare the home as well.
Frozen and Burst Pipes
Turning off the thermostat when you leave the home can be a big mistake. Sure, you save some money on the energy bills, but you put all of the plumbing fixtures in the home at risk. The winter may have so far been pretty mild, but all you need is one icy cold winter night and suddenly you have frozen pipes. Once that frozen pipe begins to thaw, the water rushing into the pipe may cause it to burst and cause serious water damage to that particular area of the home. The worst part is that if you are out of town, there is no one there to turn off the water supply, so the mess you come home to could be a true home disaster that will cost much more to fix that the little bit of money you were trying to save by turning off the furnace in the first place. (more…)
Tags: 24 Hour Repair, burst pipe, Chicago, Four Seasons, frozen pipes, Furnace, Heating, Hoffman Estates, repair, Safety, save money, service, temperature, thermostat, water damage
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Home Services, Plumbing Services, Safety, Tips and Suggestions | Comments Off
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Nothing is more satisfying on an icy cold winter day than taking a nice hot shower or bath. Unfortunately, there are countless people that attempt to enjoy this simple pleasure and find themselves with a scald burn. Many of us will leave the tub or shower unattended while it warms up, but set the dial too far to the left and you could cause some serious damage to your skin. This can be even more so damaging to the skin of small children if they are placed into a bath with too hot water or if they are new to taking showers. It is easy enough to prevent this from happening in your home and all it takes is a simple adjustment of your hot water tank’s thermostat.
Set the Tank Temperature Back!
Go down to your hot water tank and check what temperature you currently have it set at. If it is set higher than 120-130 degrees, here is your potential problem. Roll back the thermostat to 120 degrees and see if you notice a difference. Odd are your showers will be just as comfortable as they have always been, but you will not longer stand the risk of burning yourself or your family members. (more…)
Tags: bath, Chicago, Crete, Crown Point, degrees, energy savings, Four Seasons, Heating, hot water tank, IL, Lockport, protection, Safety, save money, scald burn, shower, temperature, thermostat, winter
Posted in Heating, Hot Water Heater, Informational, Plumbing Services, Safety, Savings, Tips and Suggestions | Comments Off
Friday, December 16th, 2011
Your home is your sanctuary, and odds are you have invested quite a bit of money into the place. You want it to be nice and you want it to be comfortable. When the furnace and air conditioning system are due for replacement, you are going to want to make the best investment for your home. Most homeowners are initially driven by price when comparing and contrasting furnaces and air conditioners, but what they should really be looking for is the best value for their needs. When comparing your offers, you will look for a system that offers comfort, lower utility bills and an increased resale value on the home if possible. If all you are looking at is price, chances are you won’t find all of these things. You need to consider both the quality of the contractor you are going to make this agreement with and the true value of the investment you are about to make.
Choosing Your Heating and Cooling Contractor
When deciding on what equipment and what company will do the best job, it is essential to do your homework. Is the company accredited with the BBB, what is there rating on social media sites. What brand HVAC equipment do they offer, what are the guarantees, are they open 24 hours a day for your needs, do they charge additional fees for evening, after hours, weekend or holiday service. These are questions that when answered will lead you to the best company to meet your HVAC needs. (more…)
Tags: 24 hour repair service, BBB, best value, Chicago, cost, Four Seasons, furnace and air conditioner, heating and cooling, Hines, HVAC contractor, IL, Indian Head Park, installation, lowest price, maintenance, replacement, warranty
Posted in Air conditioning, Furnace, Heating, Informational, Quality, Savings, customer service | 1 Comment »
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Does it sound like a rushing wind is whistling through your ducts every time the furnace turns on? If so, you are not alone. Many homeowners that are still operating old furnaces in their homes put up with problems like this on a daily basis. Noisy motors have been waking up homeowners for years, but luckily there is a solution to this pesky problem. Last week we talked about how variable speed motors can save you money on your energy bills, but another benefit that comes along with this type of motor is its ability to operate almost noiselessly. The furnace will come on and off and you won’t even realize that it is doing its job. This is how furnaces should work and Lennox furnaces from Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning can give you this type of performance.
Ramping Up and Ramping Down
The reason variable speed motors are able to offer near silent performance is because they don’t just kick on full speed and start pumping air into the room. This is how your current motor is probably running. Instead, they slowly ramp up to speed and when the cycle is finished, they slowly ramp down again. The furnace starting up and shutting down is virtually undetectable amongst the typical noises of everyday life in your home, and it will defiantly not wake you up at night! (more…)
Tags: blower motor, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Four Seasons, Furnace, Heating, installation, Lennox furnace, quiet operation, replacement, sales, variable speed furnace, variable speed motor
Posted in Furnace, Heating, Informational, Quality | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 12th, 2011
Hundreds of furnaces across the Chicagoland area are way too big for the homes that they are installed in. How did this happen? Well, there are two possibilities: either the furnace was installed back when the motto, “Bigger is better” rung true, or the installer decided to take you for a ride by selling you a larger and therefore more expensive unit. No matter your situation, having a furnace in the home that is bigger than needed has probably already caused you problems. The only way to repair this problem is to either expand the size of your home or get a new unit, but how are you going to know if your furnace is over sized in the first place? Leave it to Four Seasons.
What Size Should Your Furnace Be?
Next time you need something heating or cooling related performed in you home, call Four Seasons. Our servicemen are heating and cooling experts and they will be able to do the appropriate assessments on your home to determine the proper size furnace you should have installed. Or, if you are looking to install a new furnace anyways, schedule your free estimate with your Four Seasons Home Comfort Specialist. Where other contractors may base their estimate off the size of furnace you already have in the home, Four Seasons is willing to take the time to find out what size the furnace should be. (more…)
Tags: assessment, Aurora, Chicago, Four Seasons, free estimate, Furnace, heating and cooling, Hickory Hills, IL, installation, oversized, replacement, service technician, short cycling, sizing
Posted in Boiler, Consumer protection, Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Informational, Quality | Comments Off
Tuesday, December 6th, 2011
As winter approaches and the weather changes, we become more concerned with our furnaces, and we stop thinking about our air conditioning units until summer returns. One group of people that won’t forget about your air conditioner is thieves! They know that the copper in your air conditioning unit is worth money and realize that winter is the perfect time to strike since people aren’t using and are therefore not thinking about their air conditioner. Countless homeowners will call in at the beginning of the cooling season with complaints about their air conditioner only to find that the system or the copper within the system was stolen when they have one of our servicemen investigate the issue. This doesn’t have the situation in your home, but you have to take certain steps to protect your system from the hands of thieves.
A Four Seasons Security Cage
At Four Seasons we recommend you protect your investment this winter with a Four Seasons Security cage! Our cages are made of iron and painted with high polish, black gloss paint so it won’t rust. We offer the most durable and sturdy cages on the market, so when thieves drive by, they won’t even think to mess with it. Give us a call today and we’ll provide you with a free quote. For all the right reasons, call Four Seasons!
Tags: air conditioner, Chicago, copper, Four Seasons, Heating, Home Services, IL, iron security cages, protection, security cage, spring, stolen, theives, winter
Posted in Air Conditioner Repair, Air conditioning, Consumer protection, Home Services, Informational, Tips and Suggestions | Comments Off
Friday, December 2nd, 2011
Everyday Four Seasons gives 100% of ourselves to each and every customer that allows us to enter their home for one of our many services. From the moment you pick up the phone to call for help, you are engulfed by the caring hands of a Four Seasons associate. We walk you through the entire process and try to make everything from fixing your furnace to getting new windows as easy as possible for you the homeowner. This customer service ethic is something that we have worked on through the years, and we have recently been recognized for this dedication to customer care for the second year running!
Developing Life Long Relationships
The Dave Lennox Award is given to 25 companies out of the thousands that offer Lennox products across the nation. These 25 companies have to demonstrate sound business practices that have lead to growth, but they also must have an outstanding customer service history. At Four Seasons we do things differently. Where other companies may just look at you as a job that they need to milk for every penny, Four Seasons is looking to develop a life long relationship. (more…)
Tags: 2010, 2011, Chicago, Cooling, customer service, Dave Lennox Award, Four Seasons, growth, Heating, Home Services, IL, Quality, windows
Posted in Informational, Quality, Tips and Suggestions, customer service | Comments Off
Thursday, December 1st, 2011
How would you like to take two years to pay off your new furnace or air conditioner interest free? Well, if you choose Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning for your HVAC installation, this could be possible. The winter season is also the holiday season and with all of the gift buying and expensive get togethers, odds are your wallet has been stretched rather thin. Many homeowners find themselves in this position and then the worst happens: the furnace needs to be replaced. Four Seasons understands that sometimes you need someone to give you a break and make things a little easier. That is why we went out of our way to set up financing options that will remove the stress of paying for a new heating system.
Flexible Financing Around the Clock
The Four Seasons Financing Department is available to you around the clock. If your furnace breaks down in the middle of the night and you want to get a new one put in as soon as possible, we will get the ball rolling right then and there. Or, if you are just curious as to whether or not you will qualify for financing, contact Four Seasons anytime to run an application. You will get a decision back quickly and you will know your credit limit before you ever have the salesman out to your home! We try to make the process as easy as possible and we are always available to answer your questions. Don’t hesitate and call today!
Tags: 24 hours, around the clock, Berwyn, Chicago, Cicero, financing, Four Seasons, Furnace, HVAC replacement, IL, installation, interest free, sales, winter
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Heating, Quality, Tips and Suggestions, customer service | Comments Off
