ServiceMax Blog: Archive for December, 2014

5 Facts about Santa Claus

Thursday, December 25th, 2014

Many holiday traditions involve the story of Santa Claus, the lovable old man who spends most of his time at the North Pole taking a single evening to deliver presents and candy to children everywhere. But since Santa Claus is so elusive (unless he happens to be visiting your local shopping mall), how do we know so much about him? Where exactly does his journey begin? Our holiday guide details 5 of the most common traditions associated with Jolly Old Saint Nick.

  1. The Origins of Santa: The name “Santa Claus” comes from St. Nicholas (a name which became Sinter Klaas for short in Dutch), a Christian Bishop from 4 A.D. who was known for giving his fortune away to those in need in Turkey. Santa Claus’ first associations with gift-giving comes from Holland’s St. Nicholas’ feast day, during which children would leave out their shoes overnight and find presents waiting inside the shoes on the next morning.
  1. The Stocking by the Chimney: While many people associate Holland’s shoe tradition with the origins of hanging a stocking, this isn’t entirely accurate. Hanging stockings instead comes from the legend of a time St. Nick helped a man afford to marry off his daughter by throwing a bag of gold down the chimney, which landed in a stocking that was hanging up to dry.
  1. St. Nick’s Outfit: Santa got his fashion sense from a wooden cutout handed out during a meeting of the New York Historical Society in 1804. But it wasn’t until a 1930s Coca Cola advertisement that his traditionally blue, white, and green outfit was transformed into a big red suit.
  1. Leaving Cookies out for Santa: Food was traditionally used as ornamentation during the holidays in medieval Germany as apples and cookies commonly adorned the home at wintertime. When the Christmas tree became a common symbol of the season, edible treats began to vanish, a phenomenon which became attributed to Santa Claus’ snacking habits.
  1. Why Santa Drives a Sleigh: Santa gets his sleigh from a tale spun by Washington Irving, the same author who brought us the Headless Horseman. He wrote down an account of a dream in which Santa Claus drives a weightless wagon through the sky, and the stories became so popular, they stuck around.

Here at Malek Heating, we hope that you have a joyful and safe celebration, no matter what holiday traditions you engage in this year. Happy holidays!

Continue Reading

Do I Need a Humidifier for My Home?

Wednesday, December 17th, 2014

People often associate discomfort with high humidity. When the moisture levels in the air rise too high, it makes it difficult for the human body to release heat through perspiration, and this makes warm temperatures feel even hotter.

However, low humidity causes problems with comfort as well, and if your home is suffering from dry air, you may need a whole-house humidifier installed into the HVAC system. A humidifier will not only help keep you comfortable during colder temperatures (by preventing excess heat from escaping your body), it will also help prevent damage to your home and create a healthier environment.

Continue Reading

The Benefits of a Humidifier in Evanston, IL

Wednesday, December 10th, 2014

You may have heard once before that too much humidity makes people feel sticky and uncomfortable.

People often complain about the problems associated with having too much moisture in the air, as it can cause an exaggerated feeling of warmth on a hot day. Your body cannot properly evaporate sweat, and you may notice a stuffy, musty feeling in the home or even the gradual development of mold and mildew.

Continue Reading

How Low Humidity Can Affect Your Household

Wednesday, December 3rd, 2014

Many people are aware that high humidity can be a problem, mostly because of how uncomfortable it can make you feel. Low humidity can be an equal problem, and one of the best ways to reduce the effects of low humidity is with the installation of a humidifier in Evanston, IL. The effects of low humidity may not be as readily seen as those of high humidity, so we’ll describe some issues that can develop from low humidity below. If you opt to install a whole-home humidifier, make sure you hire professionals you can count on. Malek Heating & Cooling has been serving Evanston and the surrounding areas since 1988, so call us today!

Continue Reading