ServiceMax Blog: Archive for October, 2016

Tips to Keep Safe with a Gas Furnace This Winter

Monday, October 31st, 2016

Do you have a natural gas furnace to provide your home with warmth over the winters? Chances are good that you do, since gas furnaces are the most common type of residential heater in the country—and their powerful heating ability makes them especially popular in in places like Chicago that experience harsh winters.

Although a gas furnace is a great way to heat your house, it can present a number of safety hazards without proper care. These aren’t difficult or arduous steps, but they can make a big difference for your home:

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Do You Need a Humidifier in Winter Because of the Furnace?

Sunday, October 23rd, 2016

One of the important indoor air quality installations that we handle for homes in Chicagoland is a whole-house humidifier. During the winter, moisture freezes out of the air and often leads to air with less than 30% relative humidity—too dry for comfort. When the humidity is this low, it adds an unpleasant edge to the already cool temperatures because heat can leave the body quicker. It also allows for the quicker spread of illnesses and can create damage to wooden and painted surfaces.

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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!

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Your Heat Pump Won’t Switch to Heating: Here Is What’s Wrong

Monday, October 10th, 2016

The weather is finally starting to cool down along with other signs that fall has truly arrived (i.e. Halloween merchandise in all the stores). If you have a heat pump to provide comfort for your house, now is a good time to switch it over to heating mode to see if it’s working correctly. If the heat pump comes on and either blows out cold air or room temperature air rather than the warm air you expect, you want to know about the problem now rather than when the serious cold weather arrives.

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If You Have a Boiler, Is It Time to Get a New One?

Monday, October 3rd, 2016

Last week, we wrote about making the choice to replace an aging furnace. But you may be one of the homeowners who relies on a boiler and radiant heating for winter comfort, rather than a furnace. You will have to deal with replacing your boiler at some point, although the considerations with a boiler are a bit different than those with a furnace.

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