Althoff Home Services Blog: Archive for the ‘Heating’ Category

Sept 25 is National Tune Up Day: Is Your Furnace Ready for Winter?

Thursday, September 14th, 2017

Now that school is back in session and we settle into our Fall routines, it is time to think about the inevitable winter ahead. In fact, September 25 is National Tune Up Day for furnaces across the country. It is particularly important here in the greater Chicago area where our winters can be brutal. What can you do to be a part of National Tune Up Day? First, you can schedule a furnace tune up. The second thing you can do is to use #NationalTuneUpDay on social media to spread the word. This is important because a furnace tune up is not only a matter of ensuring a furnace is operating efficiently, but that it is operating safely as well.

Why Preventive Furnace Maintenance?

A thorough furnace tune up ensures your heating system is clean, operating efficiently and also checks that any impending part failures are addressed. A skilled technician will have the appropriate tools to test gasses to make sure they are safe and that your furnace is vented properly. Notice we said “thorough” furnace tune-up. Many of the $39 and $49 furnace tune-up coupon specials you’ll see this time of year are no more than a promotional vehicle that may just be used to “find” additional problems. This is why it is important you select an experienced company with the proper equipment and training, a superior reputation and a customer-centric approach.

How Often Should You Schedule a Furnace Tune-Up?

If the tune up is thorough, once a year may be sufficient. We recommend you get a furnace tune up in the Fall as we head into the cold weather season. This assures that your furnace is ready for the hard work that it will be performing in the coming winter months, keeping you warm without interruption. That’s why we feel September 25th is an optimal time to remind our customers, and potential customers, to schedule a tune up.

What Should Be Included in Furnace Preventive Maintenance?

A furnace tune should includes this extensive list:

1. Remove dust and dirt from the unit and vents

2. Check and change HVAC air filter.

3. Ensure fresh air intake grills are not blocked.

4. Check blower wheel and motor for efficient and quiet operation.

5. Secure wiring, check all wiring for any damage or wear.

6. Examine all parts for any corrosion or cause of corrosion.

7. Determine that drains and traps are in good condition.

8. Establish that fuel-jets are working efficiently.

9. Analyze combustion gasses and compare this analysis to what is recommended for your furnace.

An HVAC technician goal while performing this checklist should be to ensure you, the homeowner, that you have a clean, safe, and efficient heating system that will keep your family comfortable throughout the winter months.

Will a Tune-Up Prevent Future Problems?

While a furnace tune up cannot guarantee you won’t have problems in the coming months, you will be far better prepared to prevent problems. In many instances, problems may be age-related, meaning the older your heating system, the more issues you may face. That being said, the older your furnace, the more important a furnace tune up can be. Even on newer systems, however, a furnace tune up can maximize its lifespan.

Discover the Althoff Difference

At Althoff Industries, our technicians are trained and provided with the latest technology to appropriately analyze the operation of your furnace. We have built our company not on selling more parts, but by delivering better service. We are customer focused and are proud of our online reviews and testimonials. Before you observe National Tune Up Day with a coupon special, discover the difference with a comprehensive furnace tune from Althoff Industries. Contact us for an appointment for a thorough furnace tune up and enter the winter season with greater peace of mind.

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7 Signs Your Air Conditioner Needs Repair

Thursday, July 27th, 2017

It isn’t always obvious that your air conditioner needs repair. The warning signs of an A/C problem are usually there long before the unit breaks down.

  1. Your utility bills are going up.
  2. You have to set the thermostat lower to stay cool.
  3. Your air conditioner runs too long or is short cycling.
  4. Your air conditioner has started making strange noises.
  5. Certain rooms aren’t cooling properly.
  6. The A/C unit is on but not blowing cool air.
  7. The A/C doesn’t come on at all.

We’ll get into these in depth in a minute. First, think of your air conditioner like a car. Your car may get you from Point A to Point B without breaking down, but that doesn’t mean it’s running properly. Low coolant levels could be creating excessive heat that’s damaging the engine. Low tires could be causing poor gas mileage. Eventually, these problems catch up with you and there’s a breakdown or flat tire.

It’s the same with your air conditioner. Unattended issues can cause costly inefficiencies and damage. Eventually, the A/C will stop working altogether.

Here are 7 signs you may have an air conditioner problem.

1. Your utility bills are going up.

This is a tricky one because it’s easy for utility bills to creep up over time without you noticing. Take a few extra minutes to look over your cooling bill each month. Compare the usage to the previous month and the same month in the previous year. Has your usage gone up? If you know you’ve been running the A/C more because of hotter-than-usual outdoor temperatures, that might explain it. But if not, and you notice a trend of steadily increasing usage, an inefficient air conditioner is the likely culprit.

A/C inefficiency can be caused by a variety of reasons, including:

  • Clogged air filter
  • Overgrown vegetation “crowding” the outside unit
  • Too much dirt and debris on the condenser coils

All of these stifle airflow, making your air conditioner work harder than it should. Thankfully, they’re easy fixes.

  • Check your air filter every month and change it when it’s dirty.
  • Trim back any vegetation around your outdoor unit so it has plenty of room to “breathe.”
  • Condenser coils should be thoroughly cleaned by a professional during your yearly air conditioner maintenance.

2. You have to set your thermostat lower to stay cool.

If you have to keep setting your thermostat lower and lower to keep your home comfortable, you likely have a developing A/C problem.

This too can be the result of poor airflow, or your fan motor may not be working properly. It’s also possible that your home is retaining too much moisture—humid air always feels warmer. (You’ve probably heard the phrases: “It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity!” or “But it’s a dry heat!”) If taking the above steps to restore airflow doesn’t solve the problem, an A/C professional can help determine the source of your issue.

3. Your air conditioner runs too long or is short cycling.

A/C systems aren’t designed to operate constantly, or to run frequently for short periods of time. If you notice that your air conditioner is running far too often or is short cycling, you have a problem that needs to be addressed. This can be a fan motor or relay issue, a thermostat problem, or may be yet another result of poor airflow.

4. Your air conditioning system is beginning to make strange sounds and noises.

Let’s revisit our “an air conditioner is like a car” comparison for a minute. Just like with your car, it’s easy to quickly get used to new noises and think of them as normal. You naturally start to tune them out. That’s why if you hear a new, odd noise coming from your A/C, you should call for service right away. Otherwise you may accidentally ignore a developing issue until it becomes a costly breakdown.

5. Certain rooms aren’t cooling properly.

This is often the result of poor airflow to those rooms. Make sure the intake vents aren’t blocked by a box, laundry or other easy-to-remedy issues. Check to see if the cooling vents are open. If this has been a long-term problem for your home, your system may not be properly sized or vented. A call to an HVAC professional is recommended.

6. It sounds like the A/C unit is on but it’s not blowing cool air.

This is likely a blower motor issue. The A/C is cooling, but the air is not being circulated throughout your home. This could be a simple relay problem or it may be a failure of your blower motor. In either case, it will require the assistance of a professional HVAC technician.

7. The A/C doesn’t come on at all.

If your air conditioner stops working altogether, it may have lost power. The circuit breaker may have tripped. You can reset the breaker easily enough, but if it trips again, you likely have some sort of a short in your A/C system and need to call a professional right away.

If you still have power to the A/C unit but it’s not coming on, check the thermostat to make sure it’s properly set.

Regular maintenance is the key to preventing costly air conditioner repairs.

There are plenty of simple things you as a homeowner can do to maintain your air conditioner. Many of the A/C problems stemming from poor airflow in particular can be headed off with these air conditioner maintenance tips.

For the rest, there is no substitute for an annual A/C tuneup from an HVAC professional. Having your A/C system thoroughly cleaned, inspected, and tuned-up is a terrific way to avoid loss of cooling at a critical time. It can also help your equipment last longer and operate more efficiently.

If your air conditioner is showing signs of needing repair, don’t wait.

Air conditioner problems don’t resolve on their own. Ignoring the problem could cause damage to your unit that then requires more extensive and costly repairs. Calling in a trusted HVAC professional to take a look is your best move.

If you’re in the Greater Chicago area, have one our licensed Chicago HVAC technicians check out your A/C issue now and get peace of mind. Contact us at (815) 455-7000 to schedule.

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14 Smart Tips to Lower Summer Cooling Bills

Wednesday, June 28th, 2017

Most of us in the greater Chicago area are glad to see the summer months arrive. It means the return of baseball, vacations, and trips to the beach. One thing though that summer brings that is not so welcome is the higher summer cooling bills. You are not helpless, however, in fact, far from it. From investing in solar panels to using energy saving LED lighting, there are plenty of steps you can take to be more energy efficient which in turn helps reduce summer cooling and electric bills. Here are 14 obvious, and some not-so-obvious, tips to save on your summer cooling bills.

  1. Consider a new HVAC system. We know, “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. In the case of your HVAC system, however, a new high-efficiency system can actually reduce bills by 50% or more. It doesn’t take long to realize significant savings with efficiency ratings like those now available.
  2. Get rid of energy-gobbling appliances. Have a 15 or 20-year-old refrigerator in your garage for beverages? Odds are that refrigerator costs more to run over a few months than it is worth. Buy a small energy efficient dorm room size refrigerator if you need the space.
  3. Turn off fans in rooms where no one is spending time. Fans serve to move air and cool the skin. Moving the air in an empty room just isn’t an efficient use of electricity.
  4. Use room darkening blinds or curtains. You’ll be surprised at the difference window treatments can make in cooling a room, especially on westward facing windows.
  5. Switch to LED lighting. Not only does LED lighting use minimal electricity, it doesn’t give off any unnecessary additional heat into your living space. They are perhaps the most energy efficient device for your home available today.
  6. Consider how landscaping can help. A properly positioned tree can provide years of cooling shade. Bushes can deflect the heat that your outside brick may otherwise absorb. Grass disburses heat better than concrete. Landscaping is a terrific, natural way to reduce summer cooling bills.
  7. Look into solar options. You don’t have to have a solar farm built in your backyard or on your roof to take advantage of solar energy. You can start small, like with a solar water heater or outdoor lighting. As you realize savings you may be encouraged to do more!
  8. Make sure your AC units, duct work, and filters are clean. Make sure your outdoor AC unit has room to breath and is free from debris. Change filters at least every three months and have duct work cleaned annually.
  9. Have you thought about awnings? Awnings can save energy, add to the appearance of your home and create outdoor living space. Contemporary options are more appealing than ever.
  10. Be on the look out for energy thieves. We use so many electronic devices we may not even be aware they are constantly using energy. These include charging cell phones, laptops, computers, printers, electric shavers, TVs, clock radios and others. Make sure both the unit and charger is unplugged when charging is complete and unplug devices in spare rooms.
  11. Un-condition yourself. We call it air conditioning but we are really conditioning ourselves to be less resilient in uncomfortable temperatures. Make the effort to “un-condition” yourself by increasing the temp in your home or car. You do realize air conditioning wasn’t even invented until 1902 and people did live without it, right? You may not want to go to that extreme but you can increase your use of fans and use less AC.
  12. Make your HVAC system “smarter”. There are plenty of smart home devices to help you take charge of when your AC system is operating. Does it make sense to have your home cooled to 72 degrees for hour after hour when no one is home?
  13. Improve your insulation. You don’t have to go the whole house route but increase an area each year. Make sure doors and windows are sealed as are electrical sockets. Work on the area above the garage this year, in the attic next year. Just keep making progress!
  14. Price energy efficient windows. Not only can new windows save on your cooling and heating bills, but you’ll probably find they make your home quieter and more comfortable. A window and door company should be able to provide you with your approximate energy savings upon installation to help you make your decision.

It can be quite liberating to see your summer cooling bills get smaller, so get started today. If we can be of assistance, please contact us at Althoff Industries.

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Do I Need a Humidifier In My Home?

Wednesday, June 21st, 2017

If you feel something isn’t quite right about the air quality in your home, determining the best route back to optimal functionality can be a complicated process. While it’s true that weather and climate have a significant impact on indoor air quality, there are numerous other factors you need to consider.

Even when the solution seems obvious, it is important to do your research before installing any indoor air treatments like a humidifier in your home.

If you choose to skip this step, you can wind up creating a much larger problem than you had when you started. Sometimes, those problems can even turn out to be hazardous to your health.

When in doubt, it is always better to ask a specialist. In this article, we’ll identify some of the best indicators humidity levels are not where they should be. From dry air during the winter months, to sticky, uncomfortable indoor air in the summer–this is your guide to understanding whether you need a humidifier (or some other indoor air treatment) in your home.

Too Much Moisture or Not Enough?

To simplify things for you, below are some signs to help identify whether your moisture levels are too high or too low.

Indicators of High Humidity

Summer air in the Midwest can be especially humid. It is not uncommon for moisture in the air to reach humidity levels of 75% and above. When there is excess condensation in the air inside your home, you may notice a sticky, moist, or clammy feel. At a more advanced phase, you may even detect a musty odor.

When left unchecked, high moisture air quality can create an environment perfect for the growth of unwanted nuisances such as pests, dust mites, bacteria, and even viruses.

Signs of Low-Moisture or Dry Air

During the colder months of the year, the opposite begins to happen. Instead of becoming sticky and moist, the air starts to feel dry. As temperatures drop, the cold air loses its ability to hold onto as much moisture.

This lack of humidity in the air comes with a host of potential health problems, commonly related to the respiratory system. If you live in an environment that enjoys all four seasons or has a traditionally dry climate, you’re likely no stranger to these symptoms.

Some of them include:

  • Chronic runny nose
  • Asthma or allergy flare-ups
  • Dry skin and nasal passages
  • Increased static in hair and electric shocks when touching people or objects
  • Bloody noses
  • Sinus congestion

Among these, an unexplained early morning cough, dry throat, or dry mouth are all indications you may be exposing yourself to dry air. All of these variables have the potential to impact your health significantly and can exacerbate or worsen existing respiratory conditions like allergies and asthma.

Solutions for Improving Air Quality

When you’ve identified your indoor moisture levels, you can start exploring potential solutions.

When Humidity Is Too Low

If you’re experiencing symptoms that are consistent with dry air, you will want to incorporate a solution that adds moisture in the air. Chiefly, a whole-home humidifier.

What Is a Humidifier?

Humidifiers are moisture increasing devices known to help relieve dry climate and wintertime symptoms by, at the most basic level, adding water vapor to the air.

Humidifiers can protect your body from the effects of dry air, but they can also be beneficial for proper maintenance of indoor finishes and structures.

Hardwood floors, wooden furniture, and hardwood moldings are just a few of the fixtures that can commonly become damaged due to excessively dry air.

To get the best results–and quality for your investment–you should choose a humidifier that is best suited to your personalized conditions and environment.

Types of Humidifiers

Central humidifiers or whole-home humidifiers are designed to improve moisture throughout your entire home. If you want to reduce or even eliminate the problems associated with dry indoor air, this is the most effective option. Because of its efficiency, it is more expensive than alternatives but more effective.

Steam humidifiers or vaporizers convert water into steam to add more moisture to indoor air. These humidifiers are beneficial, even in homes where much humidity is needed to keep levels balanced.

Bypass humidifiers connect directly to your HVAC system. These units use the blower motor of your furnace to force air through a water panel, which adds moisture. The motor then circulates the treated air back into the rest of your home.

Fan-powered humidifiers connect with your HVAC system, as well. Through the use of a built-in motor, fan-powered humidifiers work by pulling air into the unit and through a water panel, where water is added and redistributed with increased humidity. These can work as standalone units without an HVAC system as well, which lowers energy consumption.

Not super interested in the different makes and models of humidifiers?

Don’t let the task of choosing the right humidifier keep you with dry sinuses and itchy skin for the duration of the winter season. Instead, look for a team of air quality experts to help you find the best product to suit your household, budget, comfort, and personalized needs.

With qualified technicians like the team at Althoff by your side, you can enjoy the comfort of knowing they can install the equipment correctly.

Why Althoff Industries

Our goal is to bring our customers superior indoor air quality.

We understand that your system must work efficiently to maintain the comfort of your home. It must help clean, heat, and cool your indoor air while reducing indoor humidity through the steamy summer months and adding moisture to the air during the cold Chicago winters.

We specialize in creating solutions to maximize your savings without compromising comfort.

Since 1961, we’ve been serving Chicago area businesses, industries, apartment and condominium and single-family homeowners with a range of services including the installation of humidifiers.

Schedule an appointment today and discover the difference we can make in your indoor air quality and comfort. We look forward to assisting you!

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Will an Air Purifier Minimize My Allergy Symptoms?

Thursday, June 8th, 2017

There are plenty of myths about how to best clean the air in your home. Some people believe a good HEPA air filter will do. Others suggest an air purifier. Still others say that perhaps there is nothing you can do, especially when it comes to allergens. The Chicago area has experienced medium to high pollen levels throughout the spring and forecasts call for it to continue. If you or someone in your family suffers from pollen-related allergies, the following may help.

Will My HVAC Filters Help?

The answer is yes, but to a limited degree. HEPA filters provide more stringent cleaning than standard filters but when it comes to allergens, your basic filters provide limited protection. These filters are designed to keep airflow moving unobstructed to your HVAC system, not in removing dust or allergens from your home.

What is an Air Purifier?

While HVAC filters remove contaminants from clogging your HVAC system, and do, in fact remove larger particles from the air, an air purifier or air cleaner is designed to remove contaminants from the air in a room. A HEPA filter in particular is designed to pass the air in a room through it multiple times, removing increasingly smaller particulars from the room.

Will an Air Purifier Help with my Allergy Symptoms?

Again, the answer is yes, but probably only to a limited degree if you are not taking other steps. Your first goal should be to limit your exposure to allergens.

  • Avoid spending time in the outdoors, where you may breathe in allergens or even have them collect on your hair and clothes.
  • Take a shower before bed so you will not transfer allergens to bedding and your pillows.
  • Make sure all filters in your HVAC system are cleaned and/or replaced often, at least once every three months.
  • If someone in your family has severe allergies, consider replacing carpeting with solid flooring material like wood, wood-like flooring, or tile flooring. This will keep allergens from collecting in carpeting and being redistributed during vacuuming.
  • Furniture can gather allergens so make sure yours is cleaned regularly.
  • Keep your windows closed at home, even when the weather is tempting you to open all the windows. This is really important in the spring when flower and tree pollen is highest.
  • Take spring cleaning seriously. Allergies are a good reason people take the time to thoroughly clean their homes. It works. It also helps to keep the air clean with the appropriate filtration devices.

If you have taken the above steps and are still suffering significantly, it is a good idea to contact the indoor air experts at Althoff Industries. Depending on your home, your HVAC system and your specific allergen related issues, Althoff can design a system using a variety of the latest technologies to removed allergens, dust and dust mites from your indoor air. Without the proper air filtration and purification system, many homes are simply recycling dirty air. Help is just a phone call away.

The Althoff Difference

At Althoff Industries, we aren’t interested in selling the latest trendy devices. We have built our reputation and our company on providing solutions that work. This includes air cleaner and air purification systems that perform in concert with your HVAC system to provide a healthy environment for you and your family. Are you experiencing runny noses, sneezing, red or watering eyes, or seem to be constantly dusting your home? We may have the solution for you. Contact Althoff Industries and enjoy cleaner, healthier and more comfortable air in your home.

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Winter Thermostat Settings – What is Best for the Midwest?

Tuesday, January 17th, 2017

The debate rages on at cocktail parties and family gatherings. There are some who have an extreme view to the right and those who would prefer people lean left when it comes to the subject. One thing we can all agree on is that in Crystal Lake and the Northwest Chicago area suburbs, winters are cold. So what is the definitive answer to what is the best temperature for a house in winter? What are appropriate winter thermostat settings for your home? The answer may be a bit more complicated than you think.

The perfect winter thermostat settings involve a variety of factors, few of which are scientific or even comparable.

Thermostats are Not Always Accurate

Did you ever follow a recipe to the ‘t’, cook it in your oven and then have it burn? The likely reason is that the temperature setting and the exact temperature in the oven may not match. It happens frequently. Likewise, your thermostat may not exactly provide the temperature it is set to deliver to your home. This causes two potential problems.

The first is that the temperature you have your thermostat set at and the temperature it delivers may not match. This can be remedied by making sure your HVAC professional calibrates your thermostat with the furnace. The second issue is that the thermostat of your friends and neighbors may not be correctly calibrated. This means you may be discussing why one family enjoys a 68-70 range and others prefer a 70-72 range when in reality, the actual temperature is the same. The key is making sure your thermostat is reflective of the actual temperature your HVAC system is providing. We can do that for you at Althoff Industries.

There Is a Difference Between Heating Sources

Electric heat is often described as “dry heat” while natural gas furnaces tend to deliver heat that has more moisture. While there are products that can add humidity to electric heating systems, consumers should be aware of the differences. Comparing comfort levels in a room of the same temperature with dry heat and gas heat will offer different opinions on which is better.

Draft and Air Movement

Another major factor in the comfort of a room is the air movement in the room and if it is “drafty”. A room may be heated to an appropriate temperature but if there are drafts from under doors, through windows or due to poor insulation, the room will not be as cozy as one where there are drafts and invasive air flow.

What’s Best for You and Your Family?

The biggest considerations in the proper setting of your home’s thermostat are the comfort of your family and your energy bill goals. If your family agrees on an environmentally friendly program of wearing sweaters, using blankets, and keeping the thermostat to a certain level, congratulations! If not, there are other steps you can take, like installing a programmable thermostat that will control your furnace when no one is at home. If you live alone or as a couple, “smart” thermostats can be controlled from a cell phone to save energy when you are not at home but can get it warmed for your arrival.

The bottom line is that it is difficult to compare comfort levels with others because thermostats may be calibrated differently, homes have different insulation characteristics, and drafts may be more common in some homes than others.

At Althoff Industries, we can make sure your thermostat is accurately calibrated. We can help you create an indoor environment that uses heat and humidity that results in maximum comfort. We will help you with suggestions to keep your energy costs at a minimum.

If you are tempted to compare comfort levels with friends and neighbors, that is understandable. You should be aware, however, this may be an apples to oranges comparison. It can depend on your thermostat calibration, heating sources, insulation, air movement, and more. The bottom line is that you and your family get comfortable with both your indoor environment and your energy costs. We can help you find that balance when you call Althoff Industries.

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