Posts Tagged ‘save energy’
Wednesday, December 14th, 2011
Ever notice how the temperature can drop significantly just by moving from one room to another? This is a common problem in many homes and it can be cause by any number of things. High ceilings, lofts, large expanses of glass, or poorly insulated rooms can all cause this type of temperature swing, and many of you may have thought that there really is no way to fix this. Well, Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning has a solution and it doesn’t involve any major changes to the appearance of the home. It’s called zoning, and nearly any forced air unit can be placed on this type of system.
Problems Solved by Zoning the Home:
- Eliminate Energy Waste: Why waste money heating rooms up that no one is going to be in? A zoning system from Four Seasons will help you conserve energy by only warming up the rooms that are currently in use. The rooms that aren’t in use can hover at a much lower temperature than the rooms you actually occupy. This will ensure that the furnace is only used where absolutely needed and waste is eliminated.
- Eliminate Unwanted Temperature Changes: If you have temperature swings in your home from room to room, a zoning system can cure this issue. Rooms that need less heat can be turned down at their thermostat, and those that are excessively cold can get the boost they need to ensure total comfort. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, comfort, dampers, duct work, forced air, Four Seasons, Furnace, Greyslake, Heating, IL, Northlake, save energy, temperature swings, temperature wars, temperatures, thermostat, winter, Wonder Lake, zoning system
Posted in Furnace, Heating, Savings, Tips and Suggestions | Comments Off
Friday, July 8th, 2011
In many situations, bigger is often better. Big houses, big televisions, and big cars are all staples of American society, however, bigger is not better when it comes to your cooling system. Systems that are too big are going to cost you both your money and your comfort this summer, and a sizing problem may be the true root of many cooling issues. Four Seasons Heating and Air Conditioning has come upon countless homes with improperly sized units, but all it takes is a few extra calculations to help our customers figure out what size air conditioner they actually need in their homes.
Big Air Conditioners and Short Cycling
In order to understand the problems caused by air conditioners that are too big, you first must understand what it means to have a system that short cycles. A short cycle occurs when the air conditioner turns on for a short amount of time, blasts a bunch of cold air into a space, and tricks the thermostat into thinking that the target temperature has be reached before the home is actually cooled down. Large air conditioners are built to cool large spaces. They blast out large amounts of cold air upon start up, and when they are cooling a large room, the cool air disperses evenly without problems. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, Calumet Park, Chicago, comfort, Crestwood, Four Seasons, IL, installation, Maywood, save energy, save money, short cycle, sizing, thermostat, too big
Posted in Air conditioning, Savings, Tips and Suggestions | Comments Off
Wednesday, June 15th, 2011
Cooling your home this summer may be a challenge for some. Using the air conditioner every day could cost much more than many of us can afford right now, so alternatives to traditional cooling are being sought out. One such alternative is the use of fans, but many homeowners are finding themselves confused when it comes to using the fans that they have in their homes. Exhaust fans seem like they may help cool down the home, but in fact the have they exact opposite effect.
Exhaust Fan Functions
An exhaust fan in the kitchen or bathroom serves at most two functions. They are made to remove unpleasant smells from the home and excess moisture created by hot and humid showers. Some homeowners, however, try to use these fans to remove stuffy air from the home. During the heat of summer, the air inside can become thick and muggy. The exhaust fan seems like a good idea, but in reality, it could cost you big time. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, bathroom, Chicago, comfort, Cooling, Downers Grove, exhaust fans, Four Seasons, kitchen, Medinah, save energy, save money, summer, Wayne
Posted in Air Quality, Air conditioning, Savings | Comments Off
Monday, January 17th, 2011
With every passing month here in Chicago another energy bill arrives. At this point you probably cringe at the cost, and the weather doesn’t look like it is getting any warmer any time soon. So, the only option is to conserve energy, and here at Four Seasons, we have an idea that you probably haven’t thought of. Use the sun! On days that the sun is shining bright, you could easily cut back on your heating costs and cut down your electricity costs as well!
Sunny Day Savings
On the next sunny day, take a walk around your home and open the curtains, blinds, and any other coverings that you may have on your windows. Kick the thermostat back a few degrees, and we bet you won’t even notice the difference. The sun is the earth’s natural heating source, and though it may be freezing outside, you can still take in the sun’s heat through the windows in your home. However, you must remember to recover the windows at night to prevent drafts and air leaks from reversing your energy savings. (more…)
Tags: electricity, energy efficiency, Four Seasons, Hazel Crest, Heating, IL, Robbins, save energy, save money, sun, thermostat, utility bills, Westmont
Posted in Go Green, Heating, Informational, Savings | Comments Off
Friday, December 24th, 2010
Do you have drastic temperature changes from room to room in your home? Have you ever considered that this may be caused by the location of your thermostat? If not, it very well may be. The thermostat is device that controls the operation of the furnace and the air conditioner. Depending on the temperature that you have it set at, it will either turn on or turn off the systems in order to maintain that temperature in your home. When the thermostat is poorly located, it may be inaccurately gauging the temperature in your home. For many, this often results in uneven temperatures from room to room and high energy bills.
Some of the areas were a thermostat can be poorly located include:
- Thermostat too close to a heat source: When the thermostat is located very close to a heat source, it will think that the home is warmer than it actually is. During the winter, this will cause the furnace to run much less than normal and you will have to crank up the temperature setting in order to get adequate heat in the home. In the summer, the thermostat will turn on the air conditioner much more than normal to compensate for the added heat. In both instances, you waste energy running the HVAC systems more than necessary. Some sources of heat include: sunlight, lamps, computers, televisions, and supply vents that push out heat in the winter. Overexposure to cold temperatures also has a similar effect. (more…)
Tags: air conditioner, Carol Stream, Chicago, Elmhurst, Four Seasons, Furnace, high energy bills, IL, save energy, save money, thermostat location, uneven temperatures
Posted in Air conditioning, Heating, Savings | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, November 17th, 2010
1. Placing Furniture Too Close to Registers: Your forced air furnace uses a system of ducts to move air around your home. Supply registers deliver heat to the rooms, and return registers bring cool air back to the furnace for heating. When a couch, drapery, chair, or any other piece of furniture blocks a register, that room will not receive adequate heating. Give each register some breathing room. Take a quick look around your home. You may be surprised by how many times you make this mistake.
2. Closing Only the Supply Register: A lot of bad advice has been floating around in the HVAC industry about closing off registers in unused rooms in order to save money. Unfortunately, many people are taking this advice without ever consulting a professional. As a result, several mistakes have been made that may end up drastically increasing energy bills rather than reducing them. The first mistake is made when the homeowner only closes the supply register and neglects to close the return register as well. (more…)
Tags: Chicago, Dolton, duct work, energy bills, Four Seasons, furnace repair, IL, Oak Park, registers, save energy, save money, supply and return, vents
Posted in Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Savings, maintenance | Comments Off
Saturday, October 30th, 2010
WHY INVEST IN A 2-STAGE FURNACE? This is one of the most frequently asked questions to an HVAC professional, which is not surprising given the many misconceptions that are out there. The main advantage to the two stage furnace is the improved home comfort that is achieved through the reduced indoor temperature fluctuations that the 2-stage furnace delivers, NOT increased efficiency (a 90% furnace is 90% efficient, regardless of how many stages it runs in). (more…)
Tags: Addison, Burr Ridge, Chicago, efficient, Four Seasons, Furnace, Glenwood, Heating, heating system, IL, save energy, save money, two stage, variable speed
Posted in Furnace, Furnace Repair, Heating, Informational, Savings, maintenance | 4 Comments »
Sunday, October 17th, 2010
You should insulate your home when the following occurs:
>You have an older home and haven’t added insulation. Consider that only 20% of homes built before 1980s are well insulated.
>The distribution of heat in your home is uneven, cold zones in the winter or hot zones in the summer. Adding insulation creates a more uniform temperature and increases comfort by evenly covering your attic across all areas of your home. It is not uncommon to find settling of material if your current attic insulation is more than 15 years old. (more…)
Tags: attic insulation, Chicago, energy bills, Four Seasons, Harvey, Home Services, IL, Olympia Fields, R-Value, save energy, save money, Tinley Park
Posted in Air conditioning, Go Green, Heating, Home Services, Informational, Savings, attic insulation | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, July 14th, 2010
ComEd the local electricity company in the Chicago and Northern Illinois area has begun to put a practice in place during extremely hot days when demand for electricity is high. The increase in air conditioner usage and fan usage places a strain on their systems. Not only do they have to meet the electricity demands of normal usage but as people attempt to beat the heat outages and blackouts can occur. Similar instances occurred in the last two weeks during the East Coast Heat Wave.
One of the things ComEd is promoting is to have customers set their thermostats to 78 degrees during daytime hours. They are also recommending that customers unplug any items that will not be in use to help deal with the increase in demand and avoid blackouts. These steps will also save money for customers as the rate ( price ) for electricity is increased during peak days and times.
If you can you are encouraged to set the thermostat for your A/C at 78 degrees if you are not at home as a way to save money and save energy.
Tags: Central Air Conditioner, Chicago, save energy, save money, summer
Posted in Air conditioning, Go Green, Informational, Savings, customer service | Comments Off
