If you’re looking for a great air filter, you need to know the term MERV. MERV is an acronym coined by the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioner Engineers (ASHRAE) meaning Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value. MERV is a scale used to measure the efficiency of an air filter. Air filters are rated from 1-16. MERV might be a new term to you, but it’s routine to our knowledgeable technicians trained to get you the best air conditioning in Oak Park, IL.
What Does MERV Mean and How Can I Use It to Pick Air Filters?
August 27th, 2018The 5 Most Common Reasons for AC Problems
August 13th, 2018
August is often the hottest, most grueling month of the summer—and it’s a time when many air conditioning systems will start to experience malfunctions because of all the stress that’s been put on them. This is a good time to go over a list of the most common AC problems that can crop up, because this is when you’re most likely to run into one of them and have your comfort put in jeopardy!
If your AC runs afoul from one of the troubles below, you can find excellent professional repair service for your air conditioning in Northbrook, IL with just a call to our team. We’re available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
Reasons We Recommend USB Outlet Installation
July 30th, 2018
Outlets have changed significantly over the decades. Once, homes only had two-pronged outlets. Later, three-pronged grounded outlets became the standard. Now GFCI and AFCI outlets help homes to maintain greater safety with even more powerful electrical loads.
One of the most interesting and convenient developments in outlets is the USB outlet, a completely new type of outlet that allows USB cables for tablets, phones, and other portable devices to connect right into the wall for charging. More new homes are coming with USB outlets already installed near the standard outlets. If you’re a homeowner, you don’t have to wait before you buy a new home to enjoy USB outlets: you only have to contact an electrician in Niles, IL to have these useful outlets installed.
Our licensed and experienced electricians offer USB installation (as well as GFCI and AFCI outlet installation). Here are the reasons we recommend homeowners call to schedule this service:
Is an Air Conditioning System Enough to Control Humidity?
July 16th, 2018
When your air conditioning system is running during a humid summer day—and we get plenty of those in Chicagoland—you’ll occasionally hear a dripping sound coming from the unit. This isn’t because the AC uses water to help cool down the house. The only type of cooling system that does that is an evaporative cooler. What you’re hearing is the water moisture the air conditioner has drawn out of the air with the evaporator coil dripping down into a condensate pan and then being drained outside through a condensate drain line. This collection of moisture is a natural result of the evaporator coil absorbing heat from inside the house to cool the air.
This makes it sound like the air conditioner is also a dehumidifier. But this is not really the case. An air conditioner on its own usually isn’t sufficient to properly dehumidify a house. It can provide cooling to help you feel cooler, but when the relative humidity is above 60%, the AC won’t do much to lower it to comfortable levels.
5 Things We Wish Everybody Knew About Air Conditioning
July 2nd, 2018
The air conditioning system is just a way of life. Homes are now constructed with central air conditioning in mind, and even vintage buildings can enjoy powerful air conditioning without using window units thanks to ductless mini splits.
But even though ACs are everywhere, they’re still poorly understood. Below is a list of five things we want people to know about air conditioning. These bits of knowledge makes it easier to care for an AC and to know when to call on trained HVAC professionals to fix and maintain them.
The Overheating Air Conditioner: How to Prevent It
June 18th, 2018
An overheating air conditioner is a tragic story. Your AC has only one goal: to make you feel cool and happy. Your AC will stop at nothing to achieve this, even if it means burning itself out in the process.
Overheating occurs when one or more of the AC’s components are not working the way they’re supposed to. The system will work extra to compensate for the damaged components, and that will lead to excess energy consumption followed by overheating. If you’re lucky, overheating will do no more than trip your circuit breaker. If you’re not so lucky, your AC will do its best before sadly breaking down.
Overheating can be prevented with regular maintenance and tune-ups. Below are some of the first services a professional HVAC contractor will perform to keep your AC from overheating.
Electrical Problems in Your Air Conditioner Can Mean Big Trouble!
June 4th, 2018
At ServiceMax, we offer a wide range of services for our customers. We’re both an electrical and HVAC contractor for Wilmette, IL and the rest of Chicagoland. This puts us in the special position of understanding the electrical issues that may affect an air conditioning system during the summer. That’s good news—because electrical malfunctions are the most common type in air conditioners. It only takes a few wiring glitches in your home’s AC to turn a pleasant summer day indoors into a sweatbox!
The Tricks to Catching AC Repair Problems Early
May 21st, 2018
As you get ready for the summer weather that’s on its way, you’ll want to make sure your residential air conditioning system is prepared to handle the heat. The best way to do this is to arrange for a system tune-up and inspection with our qualified professionals. We offer superb service for air conditioning and heating in Highland Park, IL, and that includes routine maintenance for both. Our MAX Comfort Plan will help your air conditioner avoid the majority of possible repair problems and prevent breakdowns by 95%.
However, maintenance can’t stop all problems. As your air conditioner starts to operate for the season, there are a few tricks you can use to catch an early developing malfunction. That way you can have it fixed before the serious heat arrives.
Spring HVAC Maintenance—Now Is the Time!
May 7th, 2018
You may already be looking ahead to your calendar toward the end of June and the official first day of summer. If you are, make sure that when you think of the coming summer you also think about handling the summer heat with an air conditioner in the best shape possible. If you haven’t arranged for professional maintenance for your air conditioner yet—the spring tune-up and inspection—now is definitely time to have it done!
If this is the first time you’ve heard about spring maintenance, we’re glad we got your attention. Find out more about this vital service below.
Dare You Switch to a Heat Pump This Spring?
April 23rd, 2018
The question in the headline may sound a bit melodramatic. But when it comes to home heating and air conditioning in Wilmette, IL, you don’t want to take chances. The summers are too hot, and the winters to intense, for you to end up with a subpar comfort system in your home. You’ve probably lived most of your life in homes that use a combination of an air conditioner and a furnace. Perhaps you’re accustomed to a boiler for winter heating and window units for cooling. Whatever the situation, you used two separate appliances for heating and cooling. A heat pump changes that—it’s a single appliance that provides central both heating a cooling. That’s a big change, and you don’t want to make the leap to using one unless you’re certain it’s the best move for your home.