Posts Tagged ‘energy savings’
Friday, December 3rd, 2010
You have heard Four Seasons talk about how important it is to have a properly insulated home, and we often put special emphasis on the attic space. This is the area of the home where insulating will have the greatest impact on your comfort and your energy bills. Here at Four Seasons, we use blown-in fiberglass insulation for all of our insulation services. If you have never added insulation to your attic, chances are, the builder installed “batts” of fiberglass insulation. Over time, the batts have settled, and its costing you big bucks year-round on your energy bills. Four Seasons uses a different style of fiberglass insulation because it solves the problems that old batts leave behind.
The Problem with Batts
Batts of fiberglass insulation come in the form of giant rolls, and they are laid out and then stuffed between the floor joists in the attic. With proper insulation, this style of insulation can be effective initially, but any gaps between the joists will only get worse with time. The effectiveness of the material, or the r-value, is diminished as the insulation settles and as more gaps are formed. The barrier created by the insulation is ineffective when it is full of leaks. You could install another layer of batts, but you would still end up with the same problem all over again in a matter of years. Wouldn’t you want to solve the problem for good? (more…)
Tags: attic insulation, batts, blown-in, Chicago, Downers Grove, energy savings, Evanston, fiberglass, Plainfield, professional installation
Posted in Heating, Home Services, Savings, attic insulation | Comments Off
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
Going Green this Winter
“Going Green” seems like a rather daunting task. Every day we are being told to change our entire lifestyle in order to save our planet. There is nothing wrong with going green, but it would be nice if was made a little easier. Here at Four Seasons, we aren’t asking you to trade in your car for a bike or to ration your water supply. You could if you wanted to, but here we have a slightly simpler way to making a big change. All it requires is a 2 degree adjustment on your thermostat.
The Two Degree Pledge
Setting the thermostat back two degrees this winter will not only reduce your homes carbon footprint, but it will save you money too! The less your furnace or boiler has to run, the less energy you will use and the less you will pay every month on your energy bills. (more…)
Tags: 2 degree pledge, Alsip, Boiler, Broadview, Chicago, comfort, energy savings, Four Seasons, Furnace, Go Green, IL, Park Forest, save money, thermostat
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Go Green, Heating, Savings | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010
As the days continue to get shorter, the temperatures will continue to plummet. Hopefully you haven’t waited this long to have the furnace inspected, but if you have, now is the time to get your furnace back on track! Neglecting the furnace will not only cost you more on your monthly energy bills, it will also put you at risk of inconvenient breakdowns. If you are starting up your furnace for the first time, trust your senses to tell you if something is wrong, and call Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning if you suspect a problem. An affordable yearly tune-up may be all your furnace needs, but ignoring the problem could cost so much more.
Use Your Senses:
- Smell: A common complaint among homeowners is a burning smell from the furnace when they first start the unit up. You may have dismissed this smell in the past, but it isn’t something you should continue to ignore. The burning smell is a clear indicator that there is a buildup of dirt, dust, and debris in the system.
- Sight: If you have a burning smell in the home, it is important that you actually go down to the furnace and check for signs of fire or smoke. If there is smoke coming from the system, you must shut it down immediately and call Four Seasons. (more…)
Tags: blower motor, Chicago, Downers Grove, energy savings, Flossmoor, Four Seasons, furance filter, furnace cleaning, furnace repair, IL, save money, winter, yearly maintenance
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Furnace Repair, Savings, furnace filtration, maintenance | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 9th, 2010
When searching for a new furnace, it is smart to get a couple of quotes on different systems in order to compare and contrast your options. At Four Seasons, we like to give you options as well, and we will often quote both a high efficiency, 90-95% AFUE furnace, and mid-range efficiency, 80% AFUE furnace. Both units are probably much more energy efficient than the unit you currently have in your home, so how do you know which one to choose? Looking at each unit’s specifications side by side, you will notice that one has a “variable speed blower motor” and the other one doesn’t. The benefits of choosing a unit with a variable speed motor over a single speed include: (more…)
Tags: Air Quality, Chicago, energy efficiency, energy savings, Evanston, Four Seasons, Furnace, home comfort, IL, Lennox, noise reduction, save money, Steger, variable speed blower motor, Woodridge
Posted in Air Quality, Furnace, Heating, Savings, furnace filtration | Comments Off
Wednesday, November 3rd, 2010
On June 7, 2010 The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Home Star Energy Act . The purpose of the bill is to not only help job growth but also to reduce our consumption of energy. The rebates if passed by Congress would give consumers significant money back on purchases of air conditioners, furnaces boilers and more.
The eligible products would have to be energy efficient and provide significant energy savings. The Home Star program has been compared to the “Cash for Clunkers” program in which consumers would replace existing air conditioners, furnaces and boilers for more energy efficient models. The rebates would go directly to the homeowner to offset the purchase price. In addition to the bonus that the rebates provide consumers should also benefit from long-term savings related to reduced energy bills every month.
For more information visit the Four Seasons Heating & Air Conditioning website and the Four Seasons news blog.
Tags: Air conditioning, Berwyn, Chicago, energy savings, Four Seasons, Furnace, Hazel Crest, Home Star Rebates, Hometown, IL
Posted in Air conditioning, Furnace, Go Green, Heating, Informational, Savings | 1 Comment »
Friday, October 29th, 2010
Summer is all but a distant memory, and many of us have already begun the process of preparing out homes for the cold months ahead. We dust off the furnace, change filters, weather-strip, and insulate, but many people neglect to protect the air conditioner. Covering the air conditioner during the winter is a smart way to keep the unit safe from falling ice and other debris, but only if the correct cover is chosen. For those who use window or wall air conditioning units, covering the air conditioner is especially important because of the potential for heat loss.
The Wrong A/C Cover
You may assume that all air conditioner covers are the same, but in reality this is far from the truth. There are hundreds of “do it yourself” websites that give various instructions on how to make your own air conditioner cover, and they may seem like a good option. However, the “do it yourself” covers and even some manufactured covers have a major design flaw that could actually damage your air conditioner instead of protect it. (more…)
Tags: a/c cover, air conditioner, Chicago, energy savings, Four Seasons, Furnace, Hinsdale, IL, Lynwood, Orland Park, save money, wall air conditioner, window air conditioner
Posted in Air conditioning, Furnace, Heating, Savings, maintenance | Comments Off
Thursday, October 28th, 2010
Thermostats are confusing, and for many people, choosing the right temperature to set the thermostat at can be a big enough challenge in and of itself. With all of the misconceptions about indoor temperature it is no wonder that so many people are confused. The only problem is that if you set the thermostat wrong, you could be wasting tons of money on your energy bills. As the temperature continues to drop, we all need to take some time to learn how to properly set the thermostat. With the help of some of the thermostat experts here at Four Seasons, we have outlined some of the mistakes that you may be making and offer solutions to help you save energy this winter. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, energy savings, Four Seasons, Furnace, furnace repair, Hoffman Estates, IL, Markham, programmable thermostat, save money, Streamwood, temperature setting, thermostat
Posted in Boiler, Furnace, Go Green, Heating, Savings | Comments Off
Monday, October 25th, 2010
The home improvement contracting industry is one of the most popular industries for scam artists to target. This isn’t new information for most people, but there is one service in this industry that is often exploited that many consumers may not know about. We are talking about attic insulation services, and the scam artists that abuse this industry have worked up some very sneaky tactics to maximize their profits and minimize services. It is the illegitimate contractors and companies that perform these devious practices that make it so hard for consumers to find a company that they can really trust. Four Seasons wants to help you choose wisely, so here we have pointed out some of the tactics used by fraudulent companies. (more…)
Tags: attic insulation, Chicago, Consumer protection, efficiency, energy savings, Four Seasons, fraud, Homewood, HVAC systems, IL, Midlothian, save money, scams, Worth
Posted in Consumer protection, Home Services, Informational, Savings, attic insulation, customer service | Comments Off
Monday, October 18th, 2010
The northwest suburbs of Indiana got a nice surprise when they opened their gas bills last winter. The cost of heating their homes was drastically cheaper than what they were accustomed to. NIPSCO, the gas supplier for northern Indiana, said that this was due to the fact that residents received credits to their bills from overcharges in 2009 when gas prices had fallen considerably. Unfortunately, everything is back to normal. Gas prices have stabilized over the past year for this part of the country and as a result, the residents of northwest Indiana will see a 79% increase in their gas bills!
The Good and the Bad
The bad news is that for a typical residential customer, they will see about a $230 increase over last year; the good news is that homeowners will still be paying less that they had been in years prior to the 2009-10 winter season. Unfortunately, many homeowners will still struggle to find the funds to make up this 79% increase. But, with the help of Four Seasons, you can save money on your heating costs this winter. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, energy bills, energy savings, Four Seasons, Furnace, Gary, gas prices, Hammond, maintenance, Merrillville, northwest Indiana, programmable thermostat, tax credit
Posted in Furnace, Heating, Savings, maintenance | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 29th, 2010
These days, it seems like everyone is talking about energy efficiency. Light bulbs, washers, dryers, and HVAC systems are often at the center of the discussion. Everyone is looking to save money and do their part to save the Earth as well. This winter, you may even be looking to swap out that old furnace for a new high efficiency model. Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning has the Lennox Home Comfort System that you are looking for. The SLP98V Furnace is the most efficient and the quietest furnace you will find of the market today. (more…)
Tags: Alsip, Chicago, Downers Grove, energy savings, Four Seasons, furnace installation, furnace sales, high efficiency, Hinsdale, Lennox, quiet operation
Posted in Furnace, Go Green, Heating, Sale, Savings | Comments Off
