ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Winnetka’

Why Do Boilers Tend to Last Longer Than Furnaces?

Monday, February 27th, 2017

The two most common types of heating systems found in homes are gas-fired boilers and furnaces. The furnace is by far the most popular type of home heating system in the U.S., but the boiler has remained competitive for a number of reasons. Boilers require fewer repairs on average, can cut down on energy costs, provide heat without blowing around dust, and operate at quiet levels. They also tend to outlast furnaces. The average furnace life expectancy is 15 to 20 years. Boilers can last up to 30 years, letting a whole generation grow up in a house with the same heating system.

But it isn’t enough to simply know a boiler lasts longer. Why it last longer helps to understand how boilers work and why they have so many other advantages. Let’s take a closer look at boiler longevity.

Tags: Boilers, heating replacement, Heating System Maintenance, Winnetka
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My Furnace Keeps Tripping My Circuit Breaker

Tuesday, January 10th, 2017

The last thing you want to happen on a cold winter day is to turn on the furnace to heat your home, only to have the furnace immediately stop working. When this happens, we recommend that you check on the electrical panel to your home to see if a circuit breaker has been tripped. If one has, reset the breaker and try the furnace again. If the furnace turns on, but then immediately trips the circuit breaker again, there’s a problem that needs to be addressed.

(Yes, a gas furnace can trip a circuit breaker. Natural gas furnaces do rely on a number of electrical components, such as the blower motor fan and the electronic ignition system. This isn’t just an electric furnace problem.)

Tags: furnace repair, gas furnaces, Winnetka
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Get Your Generator Maintained before the Serious Cold Hits

Monday, December 12th, 2016

The temperatures in Chicago are dropping rapidly into the 30s and 20s, and of course it’s only going to get colder. We hope that you’ve already scheduled an inspection and tune-up for your heating system (it’s always best to have this arranged in the early fall) so that your heater can have an easy time for the rest of the season. But have you arranged for maintenance for your home’s standby generator? If you haven’t, call our generator specialists right away!

Tags: Generator Maintenance, Winnetka
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Does Corrosion Mean My Water Heater Is Finished?

Monday, November 14th, 2016

There’s probably nothing more upsetting to find on a water heater than rust or other forms of corrosion. Because water heaters have water and metal in constant contact, the development of corrosion seems like something that should naturally occur. But yet it rarely does… until the water heater is at an advanced age. When people spot a corroded water heater, they often think that it must be replaced. Is there any truth to this?

Tags: heat pump water heaters, Tankless Water Heaters, water heater replacement, Winnetka
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Check Your Gas Furnace before Winter

Monday, October 17th, 2016

The most important way to check up on your home’s gas furnace to make sure that it’s ready to handle another tough Illinois winter is to schedule professional maintenance. Our regular maintenance program is an easy way to take care of this each and every year.

If you’ve already had your heating maintenance appointment, we still recommend that you make a check on your furnace a few weeks afterward, right before the major cold strikes. It’s simply good planning, and you can never be too sure about your furnace!

Tags: Furnaces, Heating Repair, Winnetka
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Furnace Maintenance: You Need It Done Every Year!

Monday, September 19th, 2016

If we have to guess what type of furnace you have working to keep you and your family warm during the winters here in Illinois, our first guess would be a natural gas-powered furnace. And the odds are good we would be right, because gas furnaces are still the most common type of heating systems found in homes throughout the U.S. Gas furnaces are powerful, able to overcome the most intense winter chills, and the lower price of gas compared to other heating oils and electricity makes them attractive for cutting down on energy costs.

Tags: Heating Maintenance, Winnetka
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Tips for Keeping Your AC Healthy Through the End of Summer

Monday, August 22nd, 2016

Air conditioning systems perform the most work during the tail end of summer. Temperatures are still high during August, often hotter than they were in July, and the air conditioner already has a large amount of stress accumulated from steady work since May. As the end of summer approaches, we recommend that you takes steps to help your home’s air conditioner continue to work at its best and avoid malfunctions—even breakdowns.

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, Winnetka
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A Few Warning Signs of Water Heater Repair

Monday, July 25th, 2016

Even when it’s the hottest time of the year, you’ll still need one important heating device working around the clock in your house: the water heater. Hot water is necessary for cooking, cleaning, showering, and bathing, and you need to see that you act quickly when your water heater needs to have repairs.

Some of the warning signs of water heater trouble are obvious, like a complete loss of hot water. But you want to catch early warning signs so you can get to the problem repaired before your hot water supply is in jeopardy. Below are a few of the more common indications that a water heater needs repairs.

Tags: water heater repair, Winnetka
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Is There a “Hot Room” in Your House? It Could Be an AC Problem

Monday, July 4th, 2016

Proper air conditioning for a home is about more than having a cooling system that blows out a sufficient quantity of cold air. That conditioned air must receive even distribution throughout the house via the ventilation system. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a house where some rooms are comfortable, while others are uncomfortably hot.

Tags: Air Conditioning Repair, Winnetka
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Different HVAC Air Filters and How Often to Change or Clean Them

Monday, June 13th, 2016

Now that it’s almost the official start of the summer and temperatures are on the rise, make certain that you’ve already had your spring air conditioning maintenance visit. (You can find out about our maintenance program here.) If you already had your professional maintenance done, then you’ll have a clean filter in the HVAC system that’s ready to see that the air conditioner is able to draw enough air through the return vents to work properly.

Tags: Air Conditioning Maintenance, Winnetka
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