Posts Tagged ‘Air Conditioning’

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Chicagoans Can Still Save Big on HVAC!

February 1st, 2012

The thick of winter in Chicago didn’t show up until January. For many of us the mild winter meant less use of the furnace and odds are the system really hadn’t been put to the test until the first big snowfall of this year. Now you may be faced with the need to replace that old furnace. For many this is their current predicament and they are kicking themselves for not acting sooner. The federal tax credits and rebates ran out at the end of 2011. Many homeowners have accepted the fact that they are going to have to pay full price, but wait a second! There are still substantial savings out there to be had, but you need to know where to look!

Two Ways to Save:

  • Gas Company Rebates: The local gas companies in Chicago, Nicor and People’s Gas, are still offering rebates on high efficiency furnaces and air conditioners. Replacing both units can get you up to $800 in rebates, and even if you can only afford to replace the furnace, you could still get up to $200 back on your purchase. Every penny counts and the savings could be enough to make buying that high efficiency furnace worth it.
  • Lennox Home Comfort Systems: If the furnace and air conditioner you plan to purchase are from Lennox Home Comfort Systems, you could stand to save even more! They are currently offering manufacturer rebates up to $1450! » Read more: Chicagoans Can Still Save Big on HVAC!

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Go Green, Heating, Money Saving, Value

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How Much Heat Gain Do You Have?

August 1st, 2011

Do you have a room that isn’t cooling as well as it should? Is there air coming from the vent? If you answered yes to these questions, chances are you have too much heat gain in that part of the home. Now the other two questions you should be asking yourself are: where is that heat gain coming from, and when did it start?

Time and Your Attic Insulation

Time is your attic insulation’s number one enemy! Over the years attic insulation has a tendency to settle and compact. This is a major factor of heat gain in older homes. As time rolls on and your insulation becomes denser (more compact), and the R-Value decreases. A decrease in R-value is a decrease in efficiency, and excess heat from the attic will seep into the rooms below.

The air flow from the vents in the effected room may not have changed over the years, but the amount of heat it has to over come may have. If you think your air flow has been diminishing with time, duct cleaning could be a solution, but chances are the problem is heat gain. » Read more: How Much Heat Gain Do You Have?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Home Improvements, Insulation, Money Saving

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Too Small to Keep Up

July 13th, 2011

Sizing an air conditioner for your home can be a tricky task if you do not know what you are doing. A mistake of choosing either too big or too small a unit can end in disaster, but more often than not, homeowners that try to buy a new air conditioner without the assistance of a trained professional purchase a unit that is too small for their home. Why is that? Well, a smaller system will typically be cheaper than a larger one. Everyone is looking for ways to cut costs these days, but the installation of a new air conditioning system is not an area you can afford to make drastic cuts. Doing so and making a mistake could cost you more in the end than hiring a professional and having a system properly sized.

Comfort

Air conditioners are designed to cool only a limited number of square feet. When a unit that is undersized for a space is installed, it encounters many problems. Since the unit is designed to cool a much smaller space, it will have to run for a longer period of time in order to meet the temperature set on the thermostat. The thermostat will not trigger the unit to shut off until this happens, so your unit could have cycles that are several hours long. In some cases, the home never gets to the desired temperature and rooms that are furthest away from the system receive little to no cool air. » Read more: Too Small to Keep Up

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, HVAC Repair

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Is Your Cash Flying Out the Window?

July 5th, 2011

I just left a service call that left me totally amazed at the lack of attention some people pay to their electric bills. The homeowner in question had a nice home in a nice neighborhood. Everything seemed normal until I tested the current draw on his air conditioner. What I found was truly shocking! His air-conditioner was robbing him blind. What do I mean by that? I mean that the air conditioner was using almost double the electricity needed to cool his house!

Paying Double

The only question I had for this customer was, “How long have you been paying double on your electricity bills?” The homeowner was confused and honestly couldn’t tell me how long this had been going on for. He just attributed the change in cost to the rising cost of energy in this country, and paid off his bills without ever questioning the extra expense. This has got to be the best reason for tuning up your air-conditioning system. A well tuned system will save you money, but more importantly it can alert you to an electricity thief living in your own home. » Read more: Is Your Cash Flying Out the Window?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Money Saving, Value

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Common Causes of A/C Damage

June 7th, 2011

What do children, lawn mowers, and rodents have in common? At first guess you may think nothing, but they are actually some of the most common causes of physical air conditioner damage. This summer, a local teenager wielding a lawn mower, a family or mice, or you mischievous children could cost you hundreds of dollars in repairs to the air conditioning unit it you are not careful about protecting your system.

Be On the Lookout For:

  • Children: The air conditioner is not a toy, but though it may not look like one to you, your children will find the system very intriguing. Before you allow your condenser to become your child’s jungle gym, consider this. Children like to place toys, sticks, and pretty much anything they can get their hands on inside the air conditioner’s fan blades. Although they find it funny, a bent fan blade will cost hundreds to replace. » Read more: Common Causes of A/C Damage

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Maintenace, Safty

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Bad Dog!

April 14th, 2011

Every year for the past four years I would do a spring time clean and check on my friend’s air conditioning unit. The clean and check usually took about an hour to do. We would clean his unit and then cook a few burgers on the grill and drink a few beers. Well for the past couple of years I told him the corrosion on his coil was getting worse and that it looked like a dog was urinating on the coil of his air-conditioner. I warned him he needed do something to keep it from ruining his A/C. For some reason he didn’t believe me until his unit sprung a leak early last summer. He waited too long to react. It was way too late.

The Effects of Urine on You’re A/C

The chemicals in the urine start to eat away at the aluminum and cooper coil very quickly. The aluminum will start to turn white or gray and then it will just crumble away. The fins start to crumble and fall off in big patches. All of the tubing will start turning green where ever it’s exposed to these chemicals. Under the right conditions in just one cooling season an air-conditioning condensing unit can be destroyed. » Read more: Bad Dog!

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Consumer Protection, Information, Money Saving

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Energy Efficiency and Your Duct Work

March 21st, 2011

During the course of making our homes more energy efficient, many homeowners look to the HVAC system for savings. An old and inefficient furnace and air conditioner could be the source of your energy waste, but what if the problem really lies in the third component of your HVAC system. The duct work is often left out of the energy efficiency equation, and those that live in older homes, the duct work could be the real source of their energy problems. Homes that are 40, 50, or even 60 years old or more have probably ran through at least a few furnaces and air conditioners, but many still rely on the same old duct work system to deliver heating and cooling to all of the rooms in the home. Doesn’t really make sense does it? If you have had to replace a furnace because it was old and rusted out, just imagine what the ducts look like hidden away in your walls, floors, and ceilings. » Read more: Energy Efficiency and Your Duct Work

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Furnace, Money Saving

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Don’t Blame the Thermostat; Blame the Location

January 4th, 2011

Thermostats are known for having problems regulating temperatures in the home accurately. But, sometimes the real problem isn’t the thermostat; it is where it is located! Thermostat that are:

  • Exposed to sunlight
  • Exposed to heat from appliances like televisions and computers
  • Exposed to heat from a lamp or other light source that emits heat
  • Installed on an exterior wall of the home
  • Installed too close to a window
  • Installed too close to a supply vent
  • Installed in an enclosed area far from a return vent
  • Installed too close to a door
  • Installed in an area that is prone to drafts
  • Installed in an area this is not frequently occupied » Read more: Don’t Blame the Thermostat; Blame the Location

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, Heating, Money Saving

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Energy Star Central Air?

June 21st, 2010

So, why should I choose an ENERGY STAR Air Conditioner for my next system? » Read more: Energy Star Central Air?

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Go Green, Money Saving

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Maximize Your Air Conditioner and Minimize Your Costs

April 26th, 2010

With the summer months approaching rapidly many people will find themselves with an air conditioner that is not ready for the season. These are the people that will start up the unit on an 80 degree day only to find that it doesn’t work. To prevent this from happening to you, there are several steps you can take to ensure a cool, efficient, and economical summer. » Read more: Maximize Your Air Conditioner and Minimize Your Costs

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Posted in Air Conditioning, Contractors, Information, Money Saving, Safty

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