High-Efficiency Furnaces—Are They Worth It?

September 24th, 2018

man-putting-money-in-piggy-bankFall is here: time for homeowners to evaluate their readiness for cold weather. For many, this means replacing an old gas furnace.

If you are one of the homeowners hunting for a new heating system to help you through another winter in Chicagoland, then we need to discuss high-efficiency furnaces. You’ve probably already given some thought to going high-efficiency, but aren’t sure if it’s worth the additional cost to upgrade. We’ll shed some light on the question of whether a high-efficiency gas furnace is worth it. When you’re ready, call us to arrange for furnace installation in Winnetka, IL or elsewhere in Chicagoland, and we can help you make the best unit choice and have it put in place.

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How to Find Out (Politely) the Age of Your Air Conditioner

September 10th, 2018

air-conditioners-recyclingIt’s not polite to ask people their age—unless they’re children, in which case they’ll probably tell you their exact age to half a year without you having to bring it up.

You never need to worry about offending your air conditioner by asking its age. But you may not know how to go about “asking.” This can be a problem if you’re debating whether to replace the system before next summer. An AC’s age is a vital piece of info for choosing “repair vs. replace.” If you didn’t originally install the air conditioner, you may have no idea how long it’s been in your home.

We can help. Discovering the age of a cooling system is simple once you know how. (Figuring out what to do afterwards is the tricky part!)

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What Does MERV Mean and How Can I Use It to Pick Air Filters?

August 27th, 2018

air-fliter-cuIf you’re looking for a great air filter, you need to know the term MERV. MERV is an acronym coined by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers (ASHRAE) meaning Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. MERV is a scale used to measure the efficiency of an air filter. Air filters are rated from 1-16. MERV might be a new term to you, but it’s routine to our knowledgeable technicians trained to get you the best air conditioning in Oak Park, IL.

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The 5 Most Common Reasons for AC Problems

August 13th, 2018

Air-conditioner-repairmanAugust is often the hottest, most grueling month of the summer—and it’s a time when many air conditioning systems will start to experience malfunctions because of all the stress that’s been put on them. This is a good time to go over a list of the most common AC problems that can crop up, because this is when you’re most likely to run into one of them and have your comfort put in jeopardy!

If your AC runs afoul from one of the troubles below, you can find excellent professional repair service for your air conditioning in Northbrook, IL with just a call to our team. We’re available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

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Reasons We Recommend USB Outlet Installation

July 30th, 2018

electrical-outlet-wallOutlets have changed significantly over the decades. Once, homes only had two-pronged outlets. Later, three-pronged grounded outlets became the standard. Now GFCI and AFCI outlets help homes to maintain greater safety with even more powerful electrical loads.

One of the most interesting and convenient developments in outlets is the USB outlet, a completely new type of outlet that allows USB cables for tablets, phones, and other portable devices to connect right into the wall for charging. More new homes are coming with USB outlets already installed near the standard outlets. If you’re a homeowner, you don’t have to wait before you buy a new home to enjoy USB outlets: you only have to contact an electrician in Niles, IL to have these useful outlets installed.

Our licensed and experienced electricians offer USB installation (as well as GFCI and AFCI outlet installation). Here are the reasons we recommend homeowners call to schedule this service:

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Is an Air Conditioning System Enough to Control Humidity?

July 16th, 2018

flushed-man-in-front-of-fanWhen your air conditioning system is running during a humid summer day—and we get plenty of those in Chicagoland—you’ll occasionally hear a dripping sound coming from the unit. This isn’t because the AC uses water to help cool down the house. The only type of cooling system that does that is an evaporative cooler. What you’re hearing is the water moisture the air conditioner has drawn out of the air with the evaporator coil dripping down into a condensate pan and then being drained outside through a condensate drain line. This collection of moisture is a natural result of the evaporator coil absorbing heat from inside the house to cool the air.

This makes it sound like the air conditioner is also a dehumidifier. But this is not really the case. An air conditioner on its own usually isn’t sufficient to properly dehumidify a house. It can provide cooling to help you feel cooler, but when the relative humidity is above 60%, the AC won’t do much to lower it to comfortable levels.

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5 Things We Wish Everybody Knew About Air Conditioning

July 2nd, 2018

air-conditioning-collageThe air conditioning system is just a way of life. Homes are now constructed with central air conditioning in mind, and even vintage buildings can enjoy powerful air conditioning without using window units thanks to ductless mini splits.

But even though ACs are everywhere, they’re still poorly understood. Below is a list of five things we want people to know about air conditioning. These bits of knowledge makes it easier to care for an AC and to know when to call on trained HVAC professionals to fix and maintain them.

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The Overheating Air Conditioner: How to Prevent It

June 18th, 2018

thermometer-going-redAn overheating air conditioner is a tragic story. Your AC has only one goal: to make you feel cool and happy. Your AC will stop at nothing to achieve this, even if it means burning itself out in the process.

Overheating occurs when one or more of the AC’s components are not working the way they’re supposed to. The system will work extra to compensate for the damaged components, and that will lead to excess energy consumption followed by overheating. If you’re lucky, overheating will do no more than trip your circuit breaker. If you’re not so lucky, your AC will do its best before sadly breaking down.

Overheating can be prevented with regular maintenance and tune-ups. Below are some of the first services a professional HVAC contractor will perform to keep your AC from overheating.

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Electrical Problems in Your Air Conditioner Can Mean Big Trouble!

June 4th, 2018

HVAC-installer-strips-small-wiringAt ServiceMax, we offer a wide range of services for our customers. We’re both an electrical and HVAC contractor for Wilmette, IL and the rest of Chicagoland. This puts us in the special position of understanding the electrical issues that may affect an air conditioning system during the summer. That’s good news—because electrical malfunctions are the most common type in air conditioners. It only takes a few wiring glitches in your home’s AC to turn a pleasant summer day indoors into a sweatbox!

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The Tricks to Catching AC Repair Problems Early

May 21st, 2018

air-conditioning-manometer-pressure-refrigerantAs you get ready for the summer weather that’s on its way, you’ll want to make sure your residential air conditioning system is prepared to handle the heat. The best way to do this is to arrange for a system tune-up and inspection with our qualified professionals. We offer superb service for air conditioning and heating in Highland Park, IL, and that includes routine maintenance for both. Our MAX Comfort Plan will help your air conditioner avoid the majority of possible repair problems and prevent breakdowns by 95%.

However, maintenance can’t stop all problems. As your air conditioner starts to operate for the season, there are a few tricks you can use to catch an early developing malfunction. That way you can have it fixed before the serious heat arrives.

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