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.

This furnace was in full working order. (see pictures in the original post) The customer was looking to replace the furnace after over 100 years of service to capitalize on energy saver rebates and to get a more energy efficient model. Originally this was a coal fired furnace. It was later converted to oil and then most recently to natural gas.

While Four Seasons will service any make and model, there is no questioning the reliability of these old Lennox Furnaces.

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.

How to Drain Your Water Heater

Your first step is to set the temperature control to the OFF position and let the water inside the tank cool down. Make sure to close the shutoff valve on the water supply, afterward attach a hose to the bottom drain valve that leads to an open drain. Turn on the hot water in the house to release air from the tank. At this point you can open the drain valve on the water tank. When the water has completely drained  from the tank you should open and close the cold water supply valve a few times to assist in flushing out the tank. At the point that the water that is released from the valve is clear and free of sediment you can remove the hose, open the inlet valve on the cold water pipe and proceed to refill your hot water tank. You can then reset the temperature to it’s normal setting.

Remember to shut off the hot water faucets that you turned on earlier when your were relieving the air from the tank. Now you have successfully removed the sediment from your hot water heater. Need more help with other household projects see our home services website for more information.

-J.A.

1. Forward phones after hours to answering services or answering machines at night
2. Companies with few employees and have to have customers frequently wait to be scheduled for repairs
3. Companies  who charge extra for after hour support if they offer it at all

The first two leave you out in the cold with needless delays and the last give you an unexpected surprise.  Let’s face it, if you have to wake up in the middle of the night because your furnace or boiler stopped working.  The last thing you want to do is deal with a run around.  Not only that, delays in getting your equipment serviced leave your family and home at risk.  Just one burst water line could cause you thousands of dollars in repairs!

At Four Seasons we believe in customer service and doing everything in our power to keep your family and home safe.  We staff our facility around the clock.  When you call Four Seasons, no matter what time of night, you will talk to a Four Seasons employee on site at our main office.

Four Seasons also strives to do the little things to help protect your home and investments.  We keep tight inventories of our service trucks, keep a large warehouse stocked with commonly needed parts, and have agreements with large parts warehouse companies for special after hour access to make every effort to have the right parts when they are needed.  We do all of this at no additional charge and all of the work is performed by one of the nations highest rated HVAC companies.

If you don’t believe us, try us out.  Give us a call today!

For all the right reasons, Four Seasons!

If the basement or crawlspace in your house falls below the water table having a sump pump installed is a good precautionary measure. When the soil surrounding your homes’ foundation gets over saturated by heavy rains, water may make it’s way through leaks or cracks and into the basement. As little as an inch of water in your basement is enough to do significant damage to any storage items or in a finished basement.

Most sump pumps are run on electrical power, however, there are battery powered back up systems that will provide power in the case of electrical outages. If power is not supplied during an electrical outage the sump pit can overflow. A back up power supply is valuable to have if the primary source of power is not available for an extended period of time. Recent models of sump pumps have a back up battery built in for added measure.

Once installed your sump pump should last many years if maintained properly this includes periodic cleaning. The sump pit may be cleaned as often as every year depending on where you live or as little as every 4 years. A quality sump pump can last as much as 10 years. If you have an older sump pump or a model that existed when you purchased your home you may want to invest in a new sump pump simply for the peace of mind you’ll have. We all have a neighbor or relative who either neglected to install a sump pump or failed to maintain their sump pump. The reality is you don’t want to be caught off guard if you can prepare ahead of time. Both Spring and fall time are ripe for heavy rainstorms and flash floods and a quality sump pump installed by an experienced contractor can make your life much easier.

Did you know that over 24 million people suffer from asthma and 8 million of those people are children?  In just the past 12 months over 13 million people have reported having an asthma attack.  Each year asthma accounts for over 15 million doctor visits as well as over 3 million hospital emergency room visits.

Many things can trigger an asthma attack such as physical activity, pet dander, mold and poor indoor air quality.  Have you ever visited someone’s home and after awhile your eyes itch, your nose is running and your throat is scratchy?  All of those symptoms are due to poor indoor air quality.

Here are a few things you can do to help improve your indoor air quality:

Living Room Area

In most homes, the living room is the center point of activity where we all spend most of our time.  In order to improve the air quality in the living area, be sure to keep this area well ventilated and keep second-hand smoke outside and vacuum and dust on a regular basis.

Smoking

If someone in your home is a smoker, have them smoke outside.  The second-hand smoke from cigars and cigarettes can trigger a severe asthma attack, especially in young adults and children.

Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas and can cause severe health problems; even death.  Be sure to have a CO detector on each floor of your home and have your furnace tuned-up and cleaned each year.  If you have a fireplace be sure to have the flue damper all the way open and that your chimney is clear and clean.

Pet Hair and Dander

Try to avoid certain breeds of animals that shed their hair.  Keep all pets out of the main living areas and off the furniture.  Most pet stores sell a special shampoo that will help eliminate pet dander as well as a supplement you can put in their food to stop them from shedding.

Looking for more ideas?  Give us a call, check out our section on Air Quality, or other helpful tips and resources.

There are many different types of mold and some are very dangerous.  Bathrooms, crawlspaces and attics are the most common places for mold.  High amounts of humidity as well as leaking roofs, drain pipes, crawlspaces, bathroom showers, etc. are all potential sources for mold growth.

Mold can cause allergic reactions, asthma attacks and other respiratory issues.  You can help prevent mold growth by using dehumidifiers, fans that help circulate the air and by drying an area in a timely manner should water or moisture be present.  It is very important to clean and dry the area in the first 24 – 48 hours.

If you have severe mold growth in your home contact a professional to help.  All homes have mold spores and it’s impossible to get rid of all mold spores.  But you can help trap them by installing a MERV 16 Air Filtration System on your home furnace.

Manufacturers such a Lennox make the best air cleaners for total home air purification as they work with your Furnace and air conditioning systems.

Four Seasons Heating can install any air cleaner on any and all models of furnaces.

1. If you have an air conditioner tune up performed it will do a better job of dehumidifying your home, plus save you money by operating more efficiently. Combined with regularly changing your filter and your are well on your way to making the air in your home cleaner.
2. There are many indoor air quality products that can help purify the air in your home which can be added to your system. If you do not have an Air Cleaner or Air Purification system the next best thing you can do is to have a professional cleaning and inspection of your furnace and air conditioner.
3. The duct systems in many homes often get ignored when it comes to home maintenance. Oftentimes the duct  system is responsible for the dust particles, pet dander and pollen that travel through your home as it gets repeatedly cycled through your system. A professional duct cleaning as part of your HVAC maintenance can help remove the dust particles and other irritants associated with household allergies.
4. Regular maintenance and cleaning of your heating & cooling system will save you money by keeping your system running efficiently and using less energy. Ultimately the greatest benefit to having your system cleaned  is that it can make the air that circulates inside your home cleaner. This should help reduce symptoms of allergies and reduce irritants that can alleviate asthma conditions making your everyday life more enjoyable for you and your family.

by using your Furnace and Water Heater Wisely!

Did you know that 70% of your gas bill costs are due to your furnace and water heater?  If you would like to reduce your natural gas bill try keeping your furnace filter as clean as possible and change it every month and have professional tune-ups on an annual basis.  (Air purifiers in your home can also help keep your filters cleaner which also helps) This will insure that your furnace runs at its peak efficiency.  These two very small steps will help reduce your gas bill and insure that you receive reliable service from your furnace.

Your water heater should be cleaned on an annual basis.  You should also drain approximately 5 gallons from the bottom of the tank every 3 months.  This will drain the sediment that builds up at the bottom of the tank (be sure to be careful; the water will be very hot).  Take a thermometer and check the temperature of your hot water.  It should be 125°F or less.  This will prevent someone from getting burned and help you save energy.

Install an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat to automate your HVAC system and save energy whenever you are not at home or while you are sleeping. A programmable thermostat will adjust temperature settings based on your schedule, and can be overridden for unscheduled events. This “smart thermostat” can turn on the furnace or central air conditioner one hour before arrival and keep it off or at a lower, more energy-efficient temperature on weekends instead of heating or cooling unoccupied space.

Insulation for your hot water tank will prevent energy loss and may even allow you to turn the temperature down and still maintain comfortable water temperatures at points of use, such as faucets and showers. If your water heater is an older, uninsulated unit, consider adding a water heater blanket to prevent heat loss from the tank, and add foam-tube insulation on the first three feet of the hot water pipe out of the heater. Set the water temperature on your water heater only as hot as needed (110°-120° F) to prevent dangerous burns and save energy.

Look for more energy saving tips on our Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning website.

The eligible products include high efficiency water heaters, furnaces, and gas boilers. These products must be installed by a professional heating & cooling contractor.  Your purchase must be made between May 1, 2010, and May 31, 2011. Your application must be received by Nicor, and be postmarked no later than 60 days after purchase.  Unlike, some other tax credits or rebates, this one is available to landlords.

This is a great time to capitalize on the Nicor rebate if you are a Nicor customer because you can also take advantage of manufacturer discounts and the federal tax credit on energy efficient products like furnaces, air conditioners and boilers. A reminder, purchase and installation of attic insulation also qualifies for a tax credit of up to $1,500.00.

If your furnace is 10 years old or older, now is the time.  Furnace incentives are the highest they have ever been.  Manufacturer rebates are $1,200 and President Obama’s stimulus package has offered a $1,500 energy tax credit on high efficient Lennox furnaces.  Don’t let this pass you by.  A new furnace comes with a warranty on all parts and labor and will reduce your gas bill by as much as 45% and improve the level of comfort in your home.  The energy tax credit is a one time credit of $1500 and it expires soon!

Don’t wait, as the economy recovers, the incentives on furnaces will expire.

The first thing I want to point out is that there are many honest hard-working heating and cooling contractors in Chicago and that it’s just a handful of crooks that give our industry a black eye.  That being said, that handful can do a lot of damage if you don’t catch them early on.

If you use the phone book or internet, be careful they are good tools, but you need to look deeper then just looking at an ad.  Your access to information is very limited and some unscrupulous people know what to say in their ad to get you to call them.

Take the time to look in the phone book and use the internet to research them.  If you have an older phone book as well as a new phone book, look to see if the company you are considering had an ad in the old book as well as the new one.  This will give you some idea that they are not a brand new business.

On the internet, check handy resources like yelp.com, yellowpages.com, angieslist.com and the Better Business Bureau.  These sites all have ratings from consumers who have used these companies in the past.  Yelp and Yellow Pages use the star rating and AngiesList and BBB use a grade rating; F+ – A+.

While on the internet, look up the company’s address and plug it into Google maps.  You can often use this to see there building with out driving there.  You will be surprised how many of these companies work out of their homes; but have a professional looking website.  You can also ask them for an appointment to visit their office or showroom.

Of course, if they work out of their home they will tell you “sorry, we don’t have a showroom”, or they will say, “sorry, we’re out of the office taking care of customers and no one will here.”  If they won’t let you see their operations then stay away from them.

I’m sure like most people you are very busy and this sounds like a lot of work when you just want to buy a new furnace, but I’m sure you also work very hard for your money and a furnace is an investment that will be with you for many years to come.  A little research into which you’re going to use will go a long way and pay off in the long run.

By having your air duct system cleaned you remove the dust particles, pollen, dirt and debris that circulate throughout your homes heating & cooling system. These particles, dust and debris may also keep your heating and cooling system from running efficiently. They also decrease the quality of the air in your home and contribute to allergies. Over 60 million people in North America suffer from some form of allergy, with children and the elderly being most affected by respiratory problems.

Many forms of mold, mildew and other bacteria can easily form in the dirt and dusty pollutants that are found within the air ducts of your ventilation system. Some indications that you may have a problem with your air duct system can include:
- The air return grilles in your walls have a black fuzz of dust along the vanes
- A layer of dust returns a few hours after you’ve dusted your home thoroughly
- The filters in your air system have black dust on them
- Dry and stuffy air throughout your home or office
- Higher than normal utility bills due to poor heated air transfer
- Heat registers on the floor have dirt and dust in them
- Sneezing more frequently, especially after air starts to flow
- More frequent cases of attacks in anyone with asthma in your home or office

Getting the air ducts cleaned if you are purchasing a new home is also recommended. You can arrange this service at the same time that you get either the furnace or air conditioner’s yearly maintenance. This will help insure that all systems will run at their optimum, that you have improved indoor air quality and that you don’t run into any unexpected problems down the line.

Since the topic is air conditioner and furnace maintenance let’s first discuss some simple ways to save energy and keep your HVAC system running properly. Change your filters every month. It sounds too simple but you actually have to remember which is the hard part. When you change your filter, write the date on the side of the filter so that weeks later you can have a more accurate gauge of when it’s due for a change. There are many different types of filters, some inexpensive filters and more costly filters. What you will find is the least expensive filters for your furnace allow more airflow but sacrifice on blocking the dust, dirt, dander and pollen that a better more costly filter will catch. The other aspect of a more costly filter is you may sacrifice some airflow it will do a better job of making sure your furnace does not get clogged with dust and dirt that then move across your heating and cooling system.

Regular maintenance of your heating and cooling system is also very important. Make sure to have your HVAC system Tune Up performed by a licensed professional heating and cooling contractor. A yearly furnace cleaning or an AC Tune Up will not only make sure your unit is clean but the inspection may also reveal any potential issues that may be of note. With a clean and check of your furnace or AC, your system will run more efficiently which will cost you less money to operate.

Also consider purchasing a service agreement or maintenance contract for your furnace and/or air conditioner. Your furnace and air conditioner need to be tuned up  A service agreement will ensure that your heating and cooling system gets the scheduled maintenance but also you will pay less to have that service performed. Additionally most if not all maintenance plans include a discount on parts if you ever need a repair to your AC or furnace. At Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning customers who have a our Carefree Maintenance Plan also have priority in scheduling of maintenance or repairs in addition to saving you money.

-MADMAX

When it’s time to replace your HVAC system, the dealer you choose can affect how much you pay, what level of service you receive and the quality of the system you buy. How do you choose a dealer you can trust?

Follow the trail of satisfied customers

Finding a dealer you can trust can be as simple as asking your friends, family and neighbors for the names of the HVAC dealers they have used and would recommend. Based on their suggestions, call the dealers and ask for referrals from recent customers, then follow through with a phone call to the homeowners they name.

Next, ask the dealer if their technicians are members of NATE which is the leading HVAC certification program. When the technician arrives, ask to see their certification card, or have the technician enter his or her name and NATE identification number at www.natex.org. You’ll immediately be able to see in which areas the technician is certified.
Make the dealer work for you

Look for an HVAC dealer who will provide service around your schedule, offering extended or emergency service hours if needed. Ask the dealer to provide you with written copies of their warranty and service policies so you can see how repairs will be handled and who will pay for replacement parts.

Source: Lennox Comfort Matters newsletter

1. Change your furnace filter. Inspecting and replacing your furnace filter regularly helps your HVAC system filter out allergens more efficiently.

2. Leave your shoes at the door. And change your clothes after spending time outdoors. Otherwise you’re simply tracking in pollen and other outdoor allergens and distributing them throughout your home.

3. Wash sheets and pillowcases weekly in hot water. Encasing pillows, mattresses and box springs in plastic covers will also help control the growth of dust mites.

4. Install an air purifier like the PureAir™ Air Purification System from Lennox. Air purifiers remove small, breathable particles of dust, dirt, pollen and allergens to improve your home’s air quality. The PureAir system also removes airborne mold spores, bacteria, viruses, odors and chemical vapors to help you breathe a sigh of relief.

5. Kill mold now. If you’re allergic to pollen and pet dander, you’re probably sensitive to mold spores, too. Mold loves to grow where it’s warm and damp (like the bathroom), so each week clean bath mats in hot water and clean the corners of your shower or tub. Always turn on the ventilation fan while you’re taking a shower.

6. Use a germicidal light to kill contaminants. Ultraviolet lights like the Healthy Climate® UV Germicidal Light attach to your home’s furnace or air handler, destroying contaminants at their source and removing them before the air is recirculated into your home.

7. Target pests. Cockroaches and mice have allergens in their saliva and droppings that can make you sneeze. Be sure to clean regularly under your stove and refrigerator to remove crumbs, and don’t leave dishes in the sink.

8. Vacuum using a HEPA filter system or double-layer bags. Dust mites take up residence in your living room, bedroom, anywhere there’s upholstery and carpet. Use the vacuum’s upholstery attachment to remove pet hair from furniture, and keep pets off chairs as much as possible.

9. Add a multipurpose air-purification system. Choose an indoor air quality system that attacks small particles such as dust and dirt, airborne mold spores and viruses, even odors and chemical vapors.

10. Replace or clean your HVAC system’s filter once a month. You’ll not only remove airborne pollutants, but protect your system’s energy efficiency.

11. Remove clutter. Knickknacks, books, magazines and stuffed animals collect dust. Store them away in plastic bins to keep your home cleaner.

12. Replace kitchen sponges once a week. The moist environment of a sponge is a breeding ground for bacteria – more than 100,000 bacteria per square inch. Sponges can also be soaked in bleach 15 minutes to help kill bacteria.

13. Use microfiber cloths to dust without chemicals. Once used, they can be tossed in the washer to clean for reuse. Dust high to low surfaces first, and then vacuum last.

Source: Lennox | Comfort Matters newsletter

Another significant benefit is that a clean air filter will keep air flow constant whereas, a dirty air filter will reduce air flow and make your air conditioner work harder to bring down the temperature in your home. The result will be higher energy bills as your dirty air filter will force your system to become less efficient every day. Check filters regularly so that you can gauge the proper time to replace a dirty filter with a clean one. Your home will be cooler, have cleaner air and your energy bills from running your air conditioner won’t shock you.

At Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning we see many units that suffer from excessive build up of dust and dirt that reduce not only the efficiency of the air conditioning and furnace system but also affect the longevity of the system. That is why regular maintenance and homeowners that pay regular attention to their systems will benefit most from their investment.

Four Seasons has photographed a 100 year old Lennox Furnace. Originally this furnace used coal to heat the home, later oil and eventually natural gas. The owner replaced the 100 year old furnace with a modern energy-efficient Lennox furnace – even though it still worked.