Archive for the ‘Go Green’ Category
Friday, January 20th, 2012
As January inches closer and closer to its close, many of us are beginning to realize that this winter is not going to be as fierce as expected. We haven’t had to rely on the furnace as much as we have in recent years, and the decreased demand for heat has driven down the price of natural gas. The savings have begun to roll in and now all of this money that was to be allocated for heating and home is sitting around in need of use. Why not put that money to good use and invest it in your home? We cannot hope for these mild winters to continue in the future, but you could energy costs down even in the harshest of winters by making energy efficient improvements with Four Seasons!
Efficiency Improvements from Four Seasons
Any efficiency improvement from insulation to light bulb upgrades would make a difference, but upgrading the furnace and air conditioner will literally transform the way your home consumes energy. The combined energy use of these two systems makes up the majority of the energy use within the home. If these units are inefficient, that could add up to a lot of waste especially during the heavy use seasons. (more…)
Tags: affordable, Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Chicago, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, Furnace, Heating, heating company, HVAC, IL, investment, mild, Posen, Savings, winter
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Thursday, January 12th, 2012
Have you ever thought that going green was simply out of your reach? Well, if you have you are not alone. When many of the energy efficiency technologies were first put into furnaces and air conditioners, the prices of these systems dramatically increased to a level that made them impractical for the average homeowner. Nowadays things are different. Sure there are still the super fancy, super high tech systems that cost a bit more, but now there are also more affordable systems that can still reach the high efficiency levels that you are looking for. Four Seasons wants you to know that you don’t have to spend your life savings just to save a little more every month on your energy bills, and we will show you how!
Affordable Energy Efficiency
The Lennox G43 Gas Furnace may be the perfect system for your home if you are working on a tight budget and still want to save some money. This system falls under our lowest price range, yet it is still rated at 92.1% AFUE! That level of efficiency could save you hundreds of dollars each year compared to your current standard furnace. Couple this with our attractive financing options and almost anyone can afford a high efficiency furnace from Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning. Get started today by calling your Home Comfort Specialist for more information, and go green on a budget now!
Tags: affordable, AFUE rating, Blue Island, budget, Chicago, energy efficiency, financing options, Four Seasons, Furnace, gas furnace, Go Green, Heating, Ingleside, installation, Lennox, replacement, save money
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Wednesday, November 30th, 2011
Our congress may be debating day in and day out the value of going green as far as our government is concerned, but for the average American, going green should be common sense. Our argument isn’t about global warming or diminishing fossil fuels, but it is about saving you money! Any homeowner that is looking to save money should care about going green, and should be taking certain steps to make their home more energy efficient. Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning is in the business of saving you and your family money and that is why we are also in the business of going green. From energy efficient furnaces to attic insulation services, we have a plethora of ways that you can go green and start saving today.
The Best Big and Little Changes You Can Make
Not all green home improvements are created equal. Some will save you more money than others, and depending on your home’s situation, you may be in greater need of one improvement over another. You should also consider your budget when you are looking to go green. Some home improvements are more expensive than others, but you don’t have to break the bank in order to go green. In our humble opinion, replacing the furnace is the best large investment and adding attic insulation is the best small investment you can make into the energy efficiency of your home. (more…)
Tags: 95%, AFUE, attic insulation, Chicago, energy efficiency, Evergreen Park, Four Seasons, furnace replacement, Go Green, high efficiency furnace, IL, Naperville
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Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
Having a garage attached to your home is highly convenient for many homeowners. It eliminates long trips from the garage to the house transporting groceries or other purchases. It eliminates the mad dash into the home from the car when there is pouring rain, and there are probably many more uses for attached garages that homeowners across Chicagoland enjoy. However, your attached garage could be the reason why you are having trouble making your home more energy efficient and green friendly. Luckily, Four Seasons can eliminate this energy waster with a few simple improvements and it won’t cost you an arm and a leg!
Not Built Air Tight
When your home was built, it was created to be as airtight as possible. Several layers of insulation were put in place and cracks were sealed, but the garage was not built this way. The garage may have some insulation in the external walls, but the garage door and attic are often left open to the elements. Taking this into consideration along with the fact that the seals around the doors are probably not airtight, you can see how the temperature outside will be very similar to that inside the garage. This becomes a problem when it is able to creep into the main area of the home. We often find that many homes don’t even have adequate insulation in the wall that is shared with the garage. This leads to lower temperatures in the home during the winter time that the furnace must make up for. If your home was better sealed against the effects of the temperature in the garage, you could save tons of energy! (more…)
Tags: air leaks, air tight, attached garage, Des Plaines, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, garage, garage door, Go Green, Heating, home improvements, IL, Insulation, Riverside, save money, weather stripping, winter
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Thursday, September 15th, 2011
The number one complaint made by homeowners during cold weather is a drafty home that just doesn’t seem to be able to get warm. Many people call Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning looking for a furnace repair when really what they need is new replacement windows in the home. Luckily for them, Four Seasons can still help! The Four Seasons Window Collection can solve your home’s draft problems, but first you need to understand how they do this and that requires an understanding of u-factors.
Why U-Factors Matter
The u-factor of your windows takes into account the window’s ability to resist the transfer of heat as well as the amount of airflow around the window and the glass’s ability to resist absorption of infrared energy. In simpler terms, the u-factor is a rating of how energy efficient your new windows will be. The lower the number the better, and the ratings range between 0.16 and 1.20. If your home is drafty and you suspect the windows are the culprit, your current u-factor is probably closer to the 1.20 mark. That translates into loads of money lost every month to high energy bills, and with time it will take a toll on your furnace. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, comfort, drafts, energy bills, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, Frankfort, Glen Ellyn, save money, u-factor, u-value, vinyl replacement windows, Willow Springs, windows
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Thursday, September 8th, 2011
What have you been paying for natural gas during the heating season? Chances are you have been paying too much. Every year more and more customers are switching to higher efficiency furnaces when their old unit gives up and stops working. The 98% efficient furnace has gotten many people to take the first step towards going green. In the past, going green meant you spent more money than the average person in your quest to save the planet. Today going green means you save green.
What’s Wrong with the Unit You have Now?
The average home now has an 80 % AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) furnace and a 10 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) air conditioning system. Both of these systems are inefficient compared to the new industry standards, and if you have been operating these systems in your home for several years, odds are they aren’t even working at these levels. 80 % AFUE furnaces have been the least efficient furnace sold for about two decades in the United States. Today the cost /savings ratio on the new 95% and 98% furnaces have made upgrading a financially smart thing to do. (more…)
Tags: 98% furnace, AFUE, air conditioner, Chicago, energy costs, energy efficiency, Furnace, Go Green, IL, La Grange Park, Lansing, Lynwood, money, save green, save money, SEER, utility bills
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Thursday, August 4th, 2011
Opening the energy bill every month has become a painful process for many homeowners across the Chicagoland area. Sure it’s nice to have a cool home during the intense heat, but is it really worth paying an arm and a leg for it once the bill finally arrives? If you are one of the thousands that have been grumbling about high energy costs, then you may be scrambling for a way to save some energy that doesn’t require giving up your comfort. Well, at Four Seasons, we have another service that will help you both save money and increase comfort! How about replacing those ancient, leaky windows with new vinyl replacement windows? Among their many benefits, you will find energy savings to be their forte. (more…)
Tags: affordable, Chicago, energy bills, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, handyman services, heat gain, Hines, Home Services, IL, leaks, Palos Heights, Savings, vinyl windows, window replacement
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Friday, July 29th, 2011
Making our homes more energy efficient has been a topic of conversation for several years now, and many of us feel an obligation to be more earth friendly and energy efficient in our homes. If you are one of those people that feel a tinge of guilt every time you turn on an old inefficient appliance, stop letting the guilt get to you and upgrade! The air conditioner is often the most inefficient appliance that homeowners are operating in their homes on a daily basis, and replacing this wasteful unit with Four Seasons could be the big step you take towards having a greener home. (more…)
Tags: 21 SEER, air conditioner, Chicago, Cooling, earth friendly, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, Go Green, IL, Lennox, Oak Lawn, Orland Park, responsibility, solar ready, waste
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Tuesday, June 14th, 2011
Which refrigerant reigns supreme? This discussion has been going on for a few years now, and depending on what type of refrigerant your air conditioner uses, you may be biased towards one over the other. However, when you look at the facts, R-410a is the better choice over R-22. This is true for two reasons. First, R-410a is friendly to our environment, and second, R-410a is cheaper than R-22!
The Law of the Land
R-410a was created to be an environmentally friendly form of air conditioner refrigerant. Past forms of refrigerant like R-22 contained ozone depleting compounds and the damage being done to our environment by leaking air conditioners was becoming astronomical! That is why our government decided to take action. Since 2009 the government passed a law that banned the manufacturing of air conditioning units that required R-22. By 2020 R-22 will be completely eliminated from the HVAC industry, and as the years go by the amount of R-22 on the market will gradually decrease. This law has the potential to do a lot of good for our environment, but what does it mean for you as a consumer? (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, Chicago, Cooling, cost, environment, Four Seasons, freon, Go Green, IL, installation, leaks, refrigerant, repair, upgrade, Westmont, Woodridge
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Friday, May 20th, 2011
For many, the idea of converting your home to solar power seems unattainable and out of reach. In the past, this may have been true, but with each passing day, solar power becomes more and more realistic for homes all over the United States. Here in Chicago and the surrounding suburban areas, Four Seasons can help you get started! You may be confused as to how a heating and air conditioning company can help you go solar, but when you consider that your air conditioner consumes anywhere from 12 to 17% of the energy in your home, it starts to make a bit more sense.
Start Small and Add on Later
A solar system consists of a series of panels that are placed upon the roof of your home and hooked into your home’s electrical supply. The number of panels dictates the number of appliances that you can run the system off of. Many homeowners will begin by getting just enough panels to cover the air conditioner’s operation. During the daylight hours, the air conditioner will be powered by the energy created by the panels of the roof as they absorb the sun. When the air conditioner is not in use, the panels can power other appliances in the home. When your home creates its own energy, you pay less for energy provided by the big power companies! The more panels you have, the less you will pay every month on your energy bills! (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, Burr Ridge, Chicago, electricity, energy savings, Four Seasons, grid system, IL, Lennox, power company, solar power, SunSorce, Villa Park, Wood Dale
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