Solving Common Gas Furnace Problems
Hi, my name is Eric Noack. I'm an HVAC technician at ABC Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric. In this month's blog article I'm going to talk about some of the most common gas furnace problems we encounter and some of the things to look for when your gas furnace is not heating properly.
The following are some of the topics covered in my series of videos on furnace problems at About.com.
Thermostat Problems
The first thing to check is the battery. Most digital thermostats have a battery indicator on the display. If you see an icon in the display asking for a battery, follow the manufacturer's instructions and replace the battery with an appropriate size.
If you see no display at all, check the power to the furnace. This particular thermostat has a sealed battery in it, and it's not replaceable.
If you've checked the battery, you've checked the power supply, and your thermostat is still not operating properly, it's likely that you're just going to have to replace your thermostat. It's important to understand how your thermostat operates when it's normal, when everything is right. If you're familiar with the proper operation of your equipment, then it's going to make it easier if you notice something acting unusually and you can call ABC a proper diagnosis.
Mismatching Furnace and Thermostat
Your home's gas furnace needs to be paired with the correct thermostat to work properly; if it isn't, you could run into problems.
Thermostats have to be matched to the system based on the type of furnace that's used and the capacity and capability of that furnace. The best way to make sure you're going to have a thermostat that matches your system is to get it from an HVAC professional.
Electronic Ignition Furnace Problems
To determine what type of ignition system you have, open the front of the furnace and initiate a call for heat. Observe what happens in the burner area. If there's a very small flame that starts first, and then ignites all of the main burners, that's an intermittent pilot type of ignition. If the ignition happens and the main burners come on immediately, then that's a direct ignition.
Once you determine which type of ignition system you've got, if you see it operating in a way that's not correct, it's best to call an ABC service technician as soon as possible. It's important that your are is aware of how the system is supposed to operate when everything is normal. So that way when things do change, you can be aware of it and call for service before it becomes a bigger problem. It's going to help maintain the equipment, keep it lasting longer, keep it safe, and also reduce your energy costs.
Furnace Has a Noisy Operation
Squeaks, rattles, and rumbles are some of the things that we hear from furnaces. In the case of a squeak, it can be related to a motor failing or just making noise. Rumbling and rattling can be caused by an out of balance blower wheel caused by debris or just age or just being dirty. Early gas furnaces used a motor with a belt to drive the wheel. That's the blower that moves the air into the house. All modern furnaces use a direct drive blower that's permanently lubricated. It doesn't require any lubrication or maintainance on that.
Squeaks and squeals can also happen from air leaks. There can be a leak in the duct work or around the furnace somewhere that's allowing a small amount of air to leak in or out causing a whistling or squeaking sound. If you suspect that a high-pitched squealing or whistling noise could be coming from the air flow, what you want to do is check some of the gaps or joints where the sheet metal is connected. Those are the likely sources where that can happen and it can be simply sealed up with tape or a piece of putty or something like that. Sometimes something as little as this door being out of alignment can cause a squeal or a squeak and you can just move it a little bit or just make sure it's firmly placed where it should be.
So when you look at the burners on a furnace, you can kind of judge the condition. If you see any kind of dust, lint or other kind of dirt in the furnace, that could be clogging one of the burners and causing excess noise in a furnace. In that case, it's really important to get a professional out to do a proper cleaning on the furnace for you. Knowing a little bit about your system and being educated about it is the best way to stay on top of it and avoid breakdowns. A lot of times when homeowners hear the system operating in an unusual way, they can have us come out and take care of it before it becomes a bigger issue.
Furnace Blower Does Not Turn Off
The first thing to check is the fan switch on the thermostat. "Auto" means that the fan should only be running to try to heat or cool the home to try to match the thermostat setting. If you see the thermostat fan switch set to "on," or "low," "medium," or "high," then you're going to have continuous fan operation.
The next thing to look at is your furnace filter. If you find a clogged filter, it may have caused damage to the limit switch. What the limit switch does is it senses the temperature inside the furnace. If it sees a temperature that's too high, then it shuts off the fire as a safety and only will allow it to come back on once it's cooled sufficiently. If the filter has been clogged for too long, then it may have damaged that switch to the point where it needs to be replaced. In this case, the furnace high limit is a small button type device that's got two wires connected to it. Every furnace is a little bit different. Some of them have more than one limit, and some of the limits look very different. If that limit switch is failed, it's very important to find the source of why it failed and not just replace the switch. It's a very important safety issue.
Furnace Cycles On and Off Too Frequently
If you notice the frequency of the heat cycles becoming too short, that's an indication of a problem with your system. The first thing you want to check is the fan switch on the thermostat. In this case, it's up here in the display and it says "auto." Now, "auto" means that the fan should only be running to try to heat or cool the home to try to match the thermostat setting. If you see the thermostat fan switch set to "on," or in this case "low," "medium," or "high," then you're going to have continuous fan operation.
If your filter has been in the furnace for a long time and its gotten very clogged, it can cause the furnace to what we call cycle on limit. That means that instead of heating continuously, the flames turn on and off because the unit is overheating due to that clogged filter.
The important thing with filters is watching the air flow direction. There's always an arrow that tells us which way the air should flow through the furnace. On most furnaces, people have drawn arrows that tells you which way the air flow direction should be.
Furnace Does Not Produce Enough Heat
One of the most common sources of this kind of problem is a clogged filter. It's very important that you check your filters regularly and change them frequently for good furnace operation and best efficiency. The second possibility is that the furnace was not sized properly, meaning that it doesn't have enough capacity to keep the home warm. It's important that a heating and air company size the equipment for the capacity needed to keep your home warm. Another possibility, though it's pretty rare, could be that your burners could be clogged to the point where it's not allowing the furnace to create enough heat and meet its full capacity.
Furnace Does Not Heat
Some possible causes of that are: thermostat not adjusted properly, the power going to the furnace could be shut off, the gas going to the furnace could be shut off, or the pilot light could be out. A couple things to check with the thermostat: Now, the first thing to remember is that everybody's thermostat is going to be different. In this case, when the red light is on, that means that it's in heat mode, so it's ready to heat the house. The next thing to check is to make sure the set point is higher than the room temperature. So if we raise that set point above the room temperature, that's going to turn the heat on.
Furnace Pilot is Out
Some of the common sources of a lost pilot light are a failed thermocouple, a strong draft, or a clogged orifice to the gas supply to the pilot light. A thermocouple is a device on a standing pilot system that proves the flame to the gas valve and allows gas to keep flowing as long as there's a flame sensed. It's probably best if you have a professional check it out, clean it and verify that it's working properly. Now, the thing to keep in mind is most modern furnaces don't use a standing pilot light anymore.
10 Ways To Save on Your Heating Bill This Winter
Written by Erik SchrollWith the arrival of cold weather in the Chicago area comes the inevitable rise in home heating bills. ABC has come up with some easy ways to save energy this winter and keep that heating and electric bill in check.
Check For Peak Utility Hours
Your local electric utility may have peak hours when rates are higher as well as hours when they are be lower. If so, change when you use major appliances like dishwashers, washing machines and hot water. You may be getting charged extra for electricity at certain times of day and not even know it.
Zone Your Home
Instead of using your home's central heating system and furnace all day long, opt for room heaters that you can use to heat just one room at a time. This works great if you spend most of your day in a home office or for night time when your're only in the bedroom.
Switch To Energy Star Appliances
By choosing to replace your older appliances with Energy Star rated appliances you can become 15 to 30% more energy efficient. Energy Star rated appliances will also increase your home’s market value considerably.
Let The Sunshine In
On sunny days keep your blinds open all day long so your home can soak in the free heat of the sun. Close them again at night to keep heat from escaping.
Install Energy Efficient Curtains
Putting up energy efficient curtains to seal in heat can make a very big difference in the amount of energy you use for heating your home.
Use a Programmable Thermostat
You'll never forget to turn down the heat when you leave for work or go to sleep.
Change Your Furnace Filters Regularly
As furnace filters get dirty your furnace has to work harder to push air through, meaning more energy is consumed. Change your furnace filter once a month to help your furnace – and your family – breath easier.
Turn Your Hot Water Heater Temperature Down
Many water heaters are set to 140 degrees but most homeowners can easily turn their water heater down to 120 degrees and not even notice the difference.
Seal Off Your Chimney If Its Not Being Used
If your chimney is just for show, than make sure to seal it up. Otherwise it's a large hole taking the heat right out of your home.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fans
Change your ceiling fans to the reverse setting to circulate the hot air back down to where you want it.
Close off unused rooms. If you aren’t spending time in them, seal them off for the winter and reduce the volume of air that you're heating.
The Causes of Low Water Pressure and How To Fix It
Written by Erik SchrollThe causes of low water pressure are many, from simple fixes to more complex water supply problem. The following are some helpful tips to diagnose and fix some of the most common causes of reduced water flow.
Check Your Faucet Aerators
Mineral deposits and debris can cause faucet aerators to become dirty over time, eventually restricting the flow of water. By routinely removing and cleaning your faucet aerator screens you can keep the water flowing freely. White vinegar can be used to dissolve the mineral deposits on faucets and shower heads. Simply submerge them overnight.
Check Your Shower Head
You can find inexpensive, high-pressure shower heads at your local hardware store, and that could be all it takes to make your shower flow better. If your shower head has a low-flow fixture in place, try swapping it out with a regular shower head fixture to increase the flow of water.
Check the Water Supply Valves
If someone in your home has turned off and then turned on a water supply valve in your home recently, it may not have been returned to the fully opened position.
Advanced Solutions For Low Water Pressure
If you've checked the techniques above to increase your home's water pressure with little success, ABC can help with more problematic water pressure problems.
One solution is a home water pressure booster. A water pressure booster is simply a water pump that works with your home's existing water supply to increase water pressure.
ABC can also help find more serious causes of low water pressure problems. If you have a water pipe that is leaking, it will affect the water pressure in your house significantly (while raising your water bill). Try turning off the water supply both inside and outside your home, then check your water meter. Check the water meter once more a couple hours later to determine if the water usage has increased. If so, you probably have a leak that needs to be located and repaired.
Another option is to increase the size of the main pipe supplying water to your house. See if you can determine what type of water pipes you have in the home and running to your water meter. Pipe size is an important factor in the amount of water pressure you'll get in your home. The larger the pipes, the more the water pressure, so you may want to consider increasing the size of the main pipe servicing your house.
Energy Savers Series 5 : Insulate and Seal Your Home to Save Energy and Money
Written by Erik SchrollSealing your home's attic, outer walls, doors, windows, and floors is often the most cost effective way to improve energy efficiency and your family's comfort. With careful attention to drafts and under insulated area of your home, can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs by sealing and insulating.
Follow These Three Energy Saving Improvements:
- Seal air leaks throughout the home to stop drafts
- Add insulation to block heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer
- Choose an ENERGY STAR® qualified furnace, water heater and air conditioner
Some air leaks are easy to find because they can be felt — like those around windows and doors. But holes hidden in your attic, crawlspace, and basement are often a bigger source of energy loss. Sealing these leaks with caulk, expanding spray foam, or weather strip will have a significant impact on your family's comfort and reduce your utility bills.
Will Sealing My Home Affect Indoor Air Quality?
There is often a concern about sealing a house too tightly; however, this is very unlikely in most older homes in the Chicago area. Some fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house.
To be safe, after any home insulating and sealing project, have an ABC home comfort specialist check to make sure that your home's combustion appliances (gas- or oil-fired furnace, water heater, and dryer) are venting properly.
Choosing the Right Insulation For Your Home
Insulation will keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. There are several common types of insulation — fiberglass (in both batt and blown forms), cellulose, rigid foam board, and spray foam. Reflective insulation (or radiant barrier) is another insulating product which can help save energy.
When correctly installed with air sealing, each type of insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year.
Insulation performance is measured by R-value — its ability to resist heat flow. Higher R-values mean more insulating power. Different R-values are recommended for walls, attics, basements and crawlspaces, depending on your area of the country. Insulation works best when air is not moving through or around it. So it is very important to seal air leaks before installing insulation to ensure that you get the best performance from the insulation.
To get the biggest savings, the easiest place to add insulation is usually in the attic. A quick way to see if you need more insulation is to look across your uncovered attic floor. If your insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation. The recommended insulation level for most attics is R-38 (or about 12–15 inches, depending on the insulation type).
Seal Air Ducts
In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, air ducts distribute heated and cooled air throughout the house. In a typical house, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. The result is higher utility bills and an uncomfortable home, no matter how the thermostat is set.
Because some ducts are concealed in walls and between floors, repairing them can be difficult. However, exposed ducts in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and garages can be repaired by sealing the leaks with duct sealant. In addition, insulating ducts that run through spaces that get hot in summer or cold in winter – like attics, garages, or crawlspaces – can save energy.
Choose ENERGY STAR® Heating & Air Conditioning Systems
If you are replacing your furnace and air conditioning equipment,ABC will installs your new system according to ENERGY STAR quality installation guidelines. This includes a thorough inspection of your duct system, including proper sealing and balancing of ductwork, to help ensure that your new system delivers the most comfort and efficiency.
2011 Federal Tax Credits For Energy Efficient Furnaces & Water Heaters
Written by AdministratorIf your old furnace or water heater are in need of replacement, replacing them with new, energy efficient units will save you money every month through the heating season. Chicago area residents can also save money on the purchase cost of new systems by taking advantage of 2011 federal tax credits on new, energy efficient furnaces and water heaters. The rebates vary depending on the type and efficiency of the unit, but can cover 10% of cost up to $500 or a specific amount from $50 - $300.
To quality for these savings you must purchase your new furnace or water heater before December 31, 2011. For more information on federal energy tax credits for new, energy efficient furnaces, visit:http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index.
2011 Changes to Federal Tax Credits
Federal tax credits on qualifying, high-efficiency HVAC equipment have been modified and extended through December 31, 2011 by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010. This program differs from the program effective in 2009-2010 in the following ways:
The maximum amount an eligible homeowner may receive in tax credits for purchasing qualifying products, whether those purchases are in the form of upgraded insulation, windows, HVAC equipment or other eligible improvements, will be reduced from $1,500 to $500.
The $500 cap is reduced by the total amount of residential energy property credits a homeowner has claimed for purchases between 2006 and 2010. If you have already claimed credits of $500 or more from improvements made prior to 2011, you will be unable to claim new credits for improvements made during 2011.
All furnaces and boilers, whether natural gas, propane or oil, must have an AFUE of 95 or above to be eligible for the credit.
The credit is no longer 30% of qualified residential energy property costs (including labor), but is now equal to an amount not to exceed:
The State of Illinois is not offering energy efficiency rebates for home heating or water heaters at this time.
ENERGY STAR® Rated Home Heating Systems
Natural gas, propane and oil furnace style home furnaces can qualify with an AFUE greater or equal to 95. AFUE. AFUE stand for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. Indicated as a percentage, your furnace's AFUE tells you how much energy is being converted to heat. For example, an AFUE of 90 means that 90% of the fuel is being used to warm your home, while the other 10% escapes as exhaust with the combustion gases. The Carrier Performance 95, 96 and Infinity Series furnaces all have a AFUE greater than 95.
ENERGY STAR® Rated Water Heaters
With water heating accounting for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in the average Chicago area home, choosing an efficient model can have a significant impact on your energy costs.
Gas, oil, propane and electric heat pump water heaters with an Energy Factor greater or equal to 0.82 OR a thermal efficiency of at least 90% can quality for a $300 tax credit.
Remember, the most important day in the life of your furnace or water heater is the day it's installed. Your ABC Home Comfort Specialist will help you choose right energy efficient furnace or water heater for your family's needs and budget. With a profesional installation and the ABC Worry Free Guarantee, you will be comfortable in knowing that your new furnace or water heater will provide years of efficient, trouble free service.
Keep Your Family Safe and Comfortable with a Whole House Generator
Power outages are occurring more frequently than ever and lasting longer with more harmful effects. Whole house generators are becoming a popular way for Chicago area homeowners to keep their homes safe and comfortable during prolonged periods without power.
Today's backup generators are quieter, more reliable and offer the convenience of auto start and practically infinite run time. When the power goes out a standby generator goes on - automatically - protecting you and your home 24/7. With a standby generator your family can maintain everyday necessities like heating, cooling, refrigeration and lighting.
Whole House or Portable Generator?
A portable generator needs to be rolled out from the storage, filled with fuel or hooked up to a fuel line, manually started, and connected to your loads. By contrast, a permanent standby generator starts automatically because it is already connected to both the house wiring and the fuel source. It can sense a power outage, isolate your electrical wiring or designated emergency circuits from the grid, and start powering your home immediately.
Whole house standby generators offer power levels higher than portables - their rating ranges anywhere from 5 kilowatt up into hundreds of kW. This makes them the best choice for long-term power outages. While the initial cost is higher than a portable generator, a whole house generator will increase the value of your home.
When power is restored, a portable generator will need to be switched off manually. A whole house generator will connect you back to the utility lines and will turn itself off automatically. You don't even have to be home to switch it over.
What to Look For When Choosing a Whole House Generator For Your Home
Aside from wattage, consider the duration of time you may need emergency power, fuel availability, safety and convenience of use.
By selecting which appliances and lighting you want to maintain during a power outage, you can calculate the power requirements of the designated circuits and select a generator that can maintain the proper wattage for your application.
Most residential generators can run on both natural gas and LP (propane). Your installer will do a simple field adjustment to convert the unit to your available fuel source.
A whole house generator will be permanently installed in a location that provides easy access to your home's electric and fuel supply and that minimizes the risk of exhaust fumes entering the home.
Have backup power generator questions? The experts at ABC Plumbing, Heating Cooling & Electric can help you select the best whole house generator solution to fit your family's needs and budget.
Energy Savers Series : Tip 4 Cooling
There are a variety of changes you can make to improve the energy efficiency of your home's cooling system, from simple maintenance to system replacement. Some of these you can do on your own; for others, you may need to hire an HVAC contractor.
Here are some areas where you can make improvements to increase the energy efficiency and lifespan of your heating and cooling equipment.
Have an Annual Air Conditioner Tune-Up
Having an annual air conditioner tune-up will keep your cooling system running at peak efficiency while also identifying any malfunctions that can cause costly breakdowns during peak use. You'll have the peace of mind knowing your air conditioner is operating safely and efficiently all summer long.
Change Your Air Filter
This simply act makes a big difference. Changing your air filter frequently will not only keep the air in your home cleaner, it will extend the life of your HVAC system by making it run more efficiently and under less load. If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months.
Keep Your Air Ducts Properly Sealed
Forced-air heating and cooling systems rely on ducts to efficiently distribute air throughout the home. Unfortunately, we often see that homes are losing an average of 20% of the air that moves through the duct system due to holes and poorly attached ducts. This leads to higher utility bills and a forced air system that just can keep the temperature comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.
Sealing leaks and insulating ducts will not only make your heating and cooling equipment more efficiently it will reduce the risk of CO poisoning. Leaky ductwork in your heating and cooling system can cause “backdrafting” where exhaust gases from water heaters, gas dryers and other appliances are drawn back into the living space, rather than expelled to the outdoors. Sealing leaks can minimize this risk. A qualified HVAC contractor can evaluate your home's air delivery system and make necessary improvements.
Clean Your Air Ducts
Over time, your home's air ducts will accumulate dust and debris. This will not only make the air your family breathes less healthy, it can also reduce the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioner. A professional duct cleaning will remove this debris, allowing your HVAC system, and your family, to breathe easier.
Install a Ceiling Fan
Installing a ceiling fan will not only help your home feel cooler, allowing you to run your AC less frequently, but will help your air conditioner do its job by circulating the cool air to the warmer areas of your home. Newer ceiling fans are highly efficient and include conveniences like a remote control with speed selector.
Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR Air Conditioner
If you are planning to replace your current air conditioner, there are a variety of cooling systems that you can choose from, and many are ENERGY STAR® qualified units specifically designed for energy efficiency. When making your choice, you should take into account your current system and the size of your home.
While replacing your current cooling system will cost more than the maintenance options listed above, depending on the age of your current system, lower long-term energy bills can make up the difference―saving you money in the long run.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR at: http://www.energystar.gov/
Energy Savers Series : Tip 3 Water Heaters
Water heating can take a lot of energy, accounting for 14% to 25% of the total energy consumed in your home. Even taking small steps can mean significant energy and cost savings.
Lower Your Water Heater Temperature
To see if this tip will be effective, first measure the temperature of your hot water at the farthest faucet from your water heater. To ensure your family's safety and comfort, the water temperature should be between 115 and 120 degrees F. If it is above this range, try adjusting the temperature of your water heater down. Consult your water heater documentation or manufacturer if you have any questions about adjusting the thermostat temperature on your water heater.
Put a Blanket On
Wrapping your hot water heater tank in an insulated “blanket” will reduce energy loss and make heating more efficient. Hot water heater blankets are inexpensive, and you can usually install them yourself.
Always follow the manufacturers' safety instructions before wrapping your water heater tank. Wrap the tank thoroughly, being careful not to cover the thermostat. On gas models, avoid covering the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, and burner compartment.
Insulating the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes can also reduce the heating effort of your water heater.
Lower the Flow
Low-flow plumbing fixtures will help to improve performance and reduce waste. Low-flow shower heads can be an entirely new shower head, or a short, inline fixture that screws between the pipe and an existing shower head.
Treat your water
Reducing chlorine and other chemicals in water will reduce calcium and mineral build-up in the bottom of the water heater. Mineral build-up reduces efficiency by up to 50% and also can cut the life of the water heater in half. By treating the water you will also improve the efficiency of delivery and reduce damage to faucets, piping and clothes.
Wash Clothes In Cold Water
90% of the energy used in washing clothing is from heating the water. Most laundry detergent manufacturers sell detergents made to clean for cold water.
Upgrade to an ENERGY STAR Tankless Water Heater
When it's time to replace your old, inefficient water heater, switching from a conventional water heater to an ENERGY STAR qualified tank-less water heater can be a smart move, potentially cutting your water heating costs by 60% and the new tank-less water heater will last 2-3 times as long as your old heater. Tank-less water heaters also provided unlimited amounts of hot water.
Not only will you save on water heating costs, many ENERGY STAR rated appliances qualify for state energy efficiency tax rebates saving you money on the initial cost of a new water heater.
Learn more about ENERGY STAR at: http://www.energystar.gov/
Energy Savers Series : Tip 2 Programmable Thermostats
Written by Erik SchrollIf you’re a typical Chicago area homeowner, you spend about $2,000 each year on energy bills—and more than half of that amount goes to heating and cooling your home. It makes sense to look carefully at your home's heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to see whether there are changes you could make to reduce your energy bill and improve your comfort.
Automatic Energy Savings
One of the easiest ways to increase the efficiency of your furnace and air conditioner is to use a programmable thermostat. You can save around 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back around 10°–15° for eight hours a day. A programmable thermostat makes it easy to set this up automatically, so that your home heating or cooling system uses less energy while you are sleeping or not at home. You could save nearly $200 annually with an optimally programmed thermostat.
But doesn't reheating my house use more energy?
A common misconception is the belief that turning your thermostat down at night in the winter will end up using more energy because you'll have to heat the house back up in the morning.
Not true! The reality is you are "losing" less heat to the environment when you don't keep your home as warm and thus have to spend less money heating your home...especially when you are sleeping, you won't even notice the difference!
Other Advantages to Programmable Thermostats
- Can automatically monitor and adjust your humidity levels
- Can tell you the temperature outside
- Can be larger and backlit for ease of reading
- Can automatically cycle the air in the home to create even temperatures throughout.
Welcome to ABC's new series of tips to help you save energy and money. To get started with the series we'll be talking about energy audits.
What is an Energy Audit?
An energy audit is a series of tests designed to help to identify where your home is leaking energy and how well your heating & cooling system are working. When performing an energy audit our heating experts will ask you some comfort questions about your home, perform a heat loss calculation, inspect and measure the homes duct work system. By performing an accurate energy audit, we can help determine the right heating and cooling equipment for your home, how to maximize your homes energy efficiency and help even out the temperatures in your home.
According to the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), energy star, and consumer reports, a good heating and air contractor should perform these tests on your home before replacing your heating and cooling system. In fact, the EPA notes “be leery” of any contract not willing to perform an accurate heat loss calculation on your home.
How do I get an energy audit for my home and what does it cost?
There are companies in the Chicago Illinois area that you can hire to perform an energy audit. The cost of an energy audit will depend on the company but we include them as complementary service when you request a quote to replace your heating and cooling equipment.
Can I do an energy audit myself?
Some Chicago are homeowners choose to do their own home energy audit. From our experience it is very difficult to perform these tests on your own. The software to perform an accurate test can be very expensive and tools aren’t readily available. However, there are free basic versions available that can be used to double check your contractors work.
For information on do-it-yourself home energy audits, visit the The Home Energy Saver. The Home Energy Saver will help you compute your home's energy use with online based on methods developed at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. By changing features on a model home, users can estimate how much energy and money can be saved and how much pollution prevented by implementing energy-efficiency improvements. All end uses (home heating, cooling, major appliances, lighting, and miscellaneous uses) are included. A detailed description of underlaying calculation methodsand data is provided in a special report.
I've had an Energy Audit, what's next?
Once you know where your home is losing energy there are many techniques you can use to prevent energy loss and save money. The rest of our Energy Savers Series will be a collection of tips and techniques that expert energy auditors use to help homeowners save energy and money.
Next up, saving energy with Programmable Thermostats
Customer Surveys, Are They Just For Show?
Written by Gordon Schroll, President
Surveys – you get them, I get them. You have probably had someone call from the auto shop to ask how your service went. For me it always seems to be someone who sounds like they are reading from a script. I generally get the impression that it’s for show.
Today I got a phone call from a voice mail asking how my recent experience was. REALLY? A voice mail asking how they did? Now call me cynical but I can’t imagine they really want my opinion or that they will take any action to improve or change things. Whoever came up with that idea ought to get out there and actually talk to some of their customers.
We do a survey here too. I hate to even bring it up because we have all been inundated with meaningless surveys. But – when you take the time to give us feedback we take time to act on it.
We have an on line provision for giving us feedback. The idea is not to be impersonal, but to allow you an easy way to let us know how we did. I personally review every one of these surveys especially taking notes of the comments that you make. I then share this information with our managers and our front line people.
Our people take great pride in their work. We share your comments with them – of course they like the positive feedback, it lets them know that they did a good job. But, (maybe surprisingly) they still welcome the negative feedback because it gives them an opportunity to do better.
So fill out those surveys (you can find our online survey here) or give us a call (847) 419-1000. We are always happy to hear from you – with us, it’s not just for show, that’s a promise.
PS – at the bottom of the on line survey there are a couple of marketing questions, you can leave those blank if you want, but they do help us plan for the future and as always, we keep your information confidential.
More Than A Promise, Our Level Of Service Is Guaranteed
|
For Service In Minutes . . . Not Hours
Call 800-422-2771 Anytime
Popular Tags
Schedule Service
That’s Convenient For You!
Service during these hours
is at our regular rates
with no overtime charges.
Review us on YELP
Review us on Google Places
State of Illinois Plumbing
License Number 055-013536
