Do you have a natural gas furnace in your home that’s more than 15 or 20 years old? Then it’s probably a unit that wastes power every time it turns on. It isn’t just because the furnace is old and starting to deteriorate. It’s also because it has a lower energy efficiency rating than modern furnaces that have the benefit of superior construction and recent advances in heating technology.
ServiceMax Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Winnetka’
Why Are Gas Furnaces More Efficient Today Than They Once Were?
Monday, December 21st, 2015A Closer Look at How a Whole-House Humidifier Works
Monday, November 23rd, 2015Earlier in the fall, we discussed why it’s advantageous to have professionals install a whole-house dehumidifier to prepare your home for the winter. Cold weather tends to draw moisture out from the air, and furnaces can also make the air in a home uncomfortably dry. A humidifier can counteract this so you have better comfort, less need to run the heater, and a decrease in the health issues associated with low humidity.
Do Boilers Also Need Heating Maintenance Every Year?
Monday, October 26th, 2015Although boilers are not as common residential heating systems as furnaces, they are still popular, and many homes today enjoy the even warmth and energy-saving performance of the hydronic heating from boilers.
Watch Out for Air Conditioner Capacitor Problems!
Monday, August 31st, 2015In our last post, we discussed some issues your air conditioning system might face at the close of the summer. It’s always a smart idea to see to any repairs your air conditioner may need right away, even as the weather begins to cool off. You may still need the AC to work for you in September, and the earlier you have any fixes done, the less expensive they are likely to be.
How Air Conditioning Refrigerant Leaks Start
Monday, August 3rd, 2015Among the many different problems that can occur in an air conditioning system, one of the most common (and serious) is a leak along the refrigerant lines that allows the liquid/gaseous refrigerant to escape. Refrigerant, sometimes known as “Freon,” is essential for an AC to work, and if the level should ever drop, the system will not only start to work poorly, it could suffer from a catastrophic breakdown. When refrigerant leaks happen, you need to call on professionals who will 1) locate the leaks, 2) seal them, and 3) recharge the refrigerant to its proper level.
What did I do wrong that caused these leaks?
Don’t worry: you almost certainly aren’t at fault for refrigerant leaks. The unfortunate part of this problem is that it is difficult to prevent and almost impossible, even for professionals, to notice before it starts. You must simply be vigilant about your AC’s performance and call on repair technicians immediately. Regular maintenance will also catch any leaks when they are still small.
Now, as to what causes the leaks in the first place: formaldehyde. You are probably unaware of it, but this chemical is a common pollutant in residential air, and even with excellent air purifiers it is hard to remove it entirely. Formaldehyde causes something known as formicary corrosion along copper lines, such as those in an AC, as it leaves formic acid along the surface. Although copper is resistant to most forms of corrosion, formicary corrosion is an exception. It’s almost impossible to notice along copper surfaces until it weakens the metal to the point the leaks occur.
Any AC over four years old is susceptible to this kind of corrosion, and high-efficiency air conditioners are more likely to suffer from it because they have narrower refrigerant coils to help with heat exchange. Make sure that you have quality air conditioning technicians to help you in Winnetka, IL in case your air conditioner encounters refrigerant leaks.
Malek Heating & Cooling offers 24-hour emergency air conditioning repairs in the Chicagoland area.
Your Air Conditioner Won’t Last Forever: 3 Signs You Should Replace It
Monday, July 20th, 2015It would be wonderful if a home’s air conditioning system never needed to retire. In fact, many people treat their AC as if it will continue to perform its important function until the end of time (or until they move out of their home). But like any mechanical system that does an enormous amount of work, an air conditioner will eventual age to the point where it is too worn to effectively do its job and it must be replaced. Below are three major indications to watch for that will tell you it’s time to call HVAC professionals and arrange to have a new air conditioning system installed.
Don’t Let a Clogged Condensate Drain Get in the Way of Your Summer Air Conditioning
Monday, June 15th, 2015Considering how many possible things can go wrong with a complex system like a modern air conditioner, it’s impressive that malfunctions are rare during most of their service lives. It helps, of course, to have professionals install an AC in the first place and to provide annual maintenance; these services will reduce repair issues to a minimum.
Reasons Your Air Conditioning Bills Are So High
Monday, May 18th, 2015Do you think that you’re paying too much to keep your home cool through the hot season? Perhaps you’ve noticed that utility bills have been rising higher during the last year or so, despite no discernable increase in the amount that you use the AC. If this is the case, there are a number of possible reasons for it. In this post, we’ll look at a few of those reasons for rising cooling costs… and what you can do to reverse the trend.
3 Reasons We Think You Should Look into a Mitsubishi Ductless Mini Split System
Monday, April 20th, 2015Are you in the market for a new cooling or heating system for your home? You have many options in today’s crowded HVAC technology market, and it might seem a bit overwhelming when it comes to making a choice that is not only right for your home but also will save your money.
Which Type of Air Purifier Is Best for My Home?
Friday, March 20th, 2015If you assume that the air in your home is cleaner than the air outside, you may be mistaken. For many homes in the United States, this is not the case. We keep our homes sealed up tight, but contaminants in the home can still thrive. Besides, this often means that circulation in the home is less than ideal, which makes the air stale.
The best way to get rid of contaminants in the air of your home is by scheduling services with an indoor air quality specialist in Winnetka, IL. Call us today at Malek Heating & Cooling for air purifiers and more.
Air Purification Systems
Any of the following air purification systems may be best for your home. We recommend that you consult with a technician before deciding on a system and scheduling professional installation only.
- Mechanical Filter: The filter in your air conditioning and heating system right now may not be of the highest quality. Usually, the MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating of your filter—the way you can tell how effective a filter is—is not as high as it can be. Home filters often have a MERV of about 1-4, while the scale does all the way up to 16. Ask a technician which type of filter will work best for your home.
- Electronic Air Purifier: An electronic air purifier uses ionization to attract particles and keep them out of the air in your home. This includes particles that are much smaller than those which can be filtered with a traditional home filter.
- UV Air Purifier: A UV air purifier contains UV lights which kill small organic matter like bacteria and viruses, which are detrimental to those with immune disorders in the home.
At Malek Heating & Cooling, we offer these systems and more in order to improve the air quality in a home. Not only to we offer filter and purification service, we also carry heat and energy recovery ventilators for better ventilation, dehumidifiers, and professional air duct cleaning. An IAQ specialist will help you to decide which system or service is right for you.
Call us today for our professional air purifier installation or repair in Winnetka, IL, or to learn more about how to keep the contaminants in your home under control.