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As many of us in Winnetka know, the winters can be harsh. If your furnace isn’t up to par, it can not only make it uncomfortable at home, but it can also cause damage to your house if there’s no heat.
To keep that from happening, you need to know when it’s time to replace your heater so you can catch issues before they turn into big problems. Here are 5 signs that it’s time to upgrade your heater.
We all want a silent HVAC system. No matter what system you have, as they operate there are certain noises that just come with the territory. The sound of air being moved around your home, the furnace switching on and off, and air duct fluctuations, are all usual sounds that can be expected.
While some HVAC systems are quieter than others, what noises should you be looking (or listening) out for that is a sign that something is wrong with your furnace?
In this post, we share some insights into what noises you should be taking careful note of.
You might be wondering how exactly installation can help you avoid repairs. Well, simply put, when an HVAC system isn’t adequately installed, damages are a lot more likely. Inefficient operation is also a lot more likely, which exacerbates wear and tear. You could find yourself not only with an increased frequency in repairs, but a furnace that breaks down years before it should have.
That said, it is important that you only trust trained, qualified, and experienced professionals with your heating installation. We have very specific steps that we follow. We’ll outline these steps below, and let you know why it’s important that they get followed correctly. Read on, and then call us when you’re ready for a new heater that will work reliably and efficiently!
There’s no question that Skokie winters are cold. Even the most mild of winter conditions in our area require a fully functional, efficiently operating heating system. So, if your furnace has started showing signs of struggle as we close in on the end of the heating season, it can be very disconcerting.
Of course, if you had maintenance done this past fall, and followed up on any repair needs that we alerted you to, then you probably won’t have any problems with your furnace. But if it’s showing any signs of disrepair, the best thing you can do for your system is give us a call. But what are these signs?
Read on as we uncover some of the most ominous furnace symptoms out there.
If your home is like the majority of homes in our area, it’s very likely that you use a natural gas furnace to keep it warm. This is, after all, the most common type of residential heating system in the country, particularly in locations like ours with very cold winters. They are not only able to produce a large amount of heat, but they do so at less of an expense than electric furnaces, since natural gas costs less than electricity per unit.
But it’s important to note that any natural gas appliance has the ability to develop safety issues. We don’t mean to alarm you, since a well-maintained heating system will very rarely encounter these dangers. Current furnace systems are built with your safety in mind, and have special features to disallow for the escape of dangerous carbon monoxide into your home. There is one need for heating repair in Glenview, IL that is especially important to tackle right away when it comes to carbon monoxide exposure, and that’s fixing a cracked heat exchanger.
Homeowners are usually aware that it is dangerous to tamper with any natural gas-powered appliance in their home. In fact, in most jurisdictions the law forbids anyone except a licensed professional from working on any device connected to a gas main. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and explosions is too high to risk amateur repair attempts.
This means that repairs for a gas furnace are strictly off-limits to non-professionals. But what if your home doesn’t use natural gas and your heat comes from an electric furnace? There are plenty of do-it-yourself guides online for electric furnace repairs, and at first glance the job may seem like something you could troubleshoot on your own.
However, you should not attempt to repair your home’s electric furnace without professional assistance. The risk of injury is not as great as with a gas furnace (although it still exists) but the complexity of modern heating systems makes it unlikely you can fix the problem without training and the right tools. In many cases, you might make the problem worse. Take the easier path toward heating repair in Morton Grove, IL: call Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning and let us handle the malfunctioning furnace. We have more than a century of experience repairing heaters throughout Chicagoland.
One of the major issues you can encounter if you try to DIY your electric furnace is damage to its efficiency. Electric furnaces cost more to run than gas furnaces because electricity is a more expensive fuel source. It is therefore crucial that you maintain your electric furnace’s efficient performance so it will not lose heat from poor ducts, straining blower fans, or bad insulation. Tampering with the system without familiarity with what you are doing could cause your heating bills to skyrocket. Leave the repair work to people with the training to maximize efficiency: what you pay for the repairs you will soon earn back with energy savings.
A badly repaired electric furnace can turn into a problem for your home’s entire electrical system. A furnace draws a large amount of voltage to run, and if it suffers from haphazard attempts to fix its wiring, it can result in a system that causes circuit breakers to trip each time the heater comes on.
One of the most common problems that causes electric furnaces to lose heating power or completely fail are broken heating elements, which are responsible for warming up the air with electrical resistance heating. Only people familiar with furnace repairs can successful replace heating elements.
The next time your electric furnace starts to malfunction, don’t waste time and money tinkering with it. When you call to schedule an appointment with Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning for heating repair in Morton Grove, IL, we will take care of the problems fast and see that your furnace works in top condition and keeps your bills from rising.
A sudden heating system breakdown is never ideal in Illinois. But if you notice a small problem with your furnace, boiler, or heat pump, it may seem as though it’s not so big of a deal. Sure, the amount of heat you feel from your system is reduced. But if you bundle up in some blankets and leave the heater on all night, you still feel enough warmth to get through the cold evening.
Sometimes, homeowners feel as though they can wait a while to schedule heating repair as it may not have much of an effect on their way of living, for now. But here at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning, we’ve seen that the worst-case scenario—a sudden heating breakdown—can really take its toll on a homeowner.
You’ve noticed a small problem with your heating system: unusual noises, reduced heating, strange behavior at start-up. So what’s the big deal? Many homeowners are satisfied with their heating system as long as it is still providing some amount of heat in the home. However, these small problems can develop (slowly or quickly) into something much, much worse. Let’s look at a few examples.
That loud noise you hear in your boiler could be due to what’s known as kettling. Sediment builds up in the boiler tank, reducing the pressure in the tank until water begins to leak out. In some cases, the sediment buildup is so serious, you’ll need replacement. Or, let’s say that your furnace only runs for brief periods of time. This is known as short-cycling and it can cause many of the components to wear down beyond repair.
Besides, when you wait to see a technician, your bills begin to skyrocket. When one part of your heater won’t work as it should, all of the other components must work a lot harder to keep up. This means they’ll use a lot of energy to run, raising your utilities and reducing the lifespan of your system.
At Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning, we don’t think you should have to wait for heating repair in Morton Grove, IL. That’s why we offer 24-hour emergency repair so you can lower your risk of a failed unit and get your system back to normal in no time. Give us a call today to schedule a service appointment.
When it comes to receiving comfortable, even, and clean heating for your home, it’s hard to do better than a radiant heating system. Radiant heating can come in variety of forms, from simple radiators connected to boilers to advanced floor heating systems that run heated water through the floorboards or make use of electrical resistance heating from coils. Radiant heating is energy-saving, gives you an attractive room décor with no visual distractions, runs quietly, and requires few repairs.
However, repairs are always a possibility for any complex system, and radiant heating is no exception. You may occasionally encounter problems with your home’s radiant heater, and when this happens you should call the specialists at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning for heating repair in Chicago, IL and the surrounding areas. We have a long history with heating in Chicagoland and keep up-to-date with all the latest in home comfort technology.
You can put your trust in Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning for whatever heating repair in Chicago, IL you need. We work on a variety of different heating systems, so when you need help with your radiant heating give us a call.
Here in Chicago, heating repair isn’t something you can necessarily consider during the cold months of winter. Unless the heater flat-out fails, you can’t afford to go without a warm home for the time it takes to replace it. This winter, in particular, brought home to us the need to keep your heater running throughout the cold of winter, and hold off on unnecessary repairs until spring. But now, with winter in the last few weeks, the time has come to take a closer look at those issues. With help from a trained service professional, whether you have a furnace or a radiant heating system, you should plan to have a heating repair company service your home soon.
The late winter and early spring are ideal times for this service in part because you’re just coming off of a lengthy period of constant heater use. Small problems may be have grown larger over the past few months, while niggling issues could be reducing your heater’s overall efficiency (costing you money during your monthly bills in the process). As you wind down your heater use, it pays to jump on this issue right away, rather than letting them sit throughout the summer and further deteriorate from the neglect.
Furthermore, scheduling a heating repair or maintenance session at the end of the winter gives you the luxury of time to handle any problems when and where you wish. Warmer weather means you won’t need your heater while repairs are being made, and if it’s more convenient to schedule repairs a few days or weeks later, you can do that without suffering any undue stress. Contrast that with planning for heating repair next fall when the temperatures start to drop. An unexpected storm or sudden cold front could turn a leisurely process into a real scramble, forcing you to act on Mother Nature’s timetable rather than your own.
For all these reasons, you should plan to have a heating repair company service your home soon. In Chicago, heating repair services can be provided by the experts at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning.
We’ve provided heating service to the greater Chicago area for over four generations, and we’re dedicated to keeping your heater running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.
Pick up the phone and give us a call today!
Quality heating repair in Chicago is no laughing matter. As our bad weather has recently reminded us, Mother Nature is still in charge, and your heater can be your first, best line of defense to keeping your home comfortable and your family healthy. Here at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning, we take our duties very seriously, because we know how much of a difference they can make in our clients’ lives. When the time comes to fix your furnace, we know how to perform the operation right. You can keep that wind out and your family warm with our professional heating repairs.
In the first place, Chicagoland heating systems go beyond the traditional boilers and gas furnaces most people think of when they think of heating. Those systems are still very popular, and technological innovation has made them more efficient as well as providing more flexibility, but they’re no longer alone. Now homeowners can choose from radiant heating systems, hybrid heating systems, geothermal systems, and various types of heat pumps and similar ductless systems. A good repair service needs to know how to treat all of them effectively, ensuring that they remain current with the times as well as knowledgeable about older systems in need of repair.
Nor are repair and installation services the only thing a good company should offer. Maintenance sessions – designed to keep a heater tuned up and prevent certain problems before they ever appear – can be a vital part of keeping your heater up and running. An ounce of prevention beats a pound of curse as they say, and reliable heating companies are happy to help save you a little money by nipping smaller problems in the bud.
For four generations, Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning has performed these duties with professionalism and pride. We understand how to address problems with traditional forms of heating, while keeping abreast of the latest developments to help treat the needs of more modern systems. As a result, we can provide comprehensive heating repair in Chicago. Keep that wind out and your family warm with our professional heating repair: give us a call today!
