Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Archive for March, 2015

What Are the Benefits of Ductless Mini Split Systems?

Wednesday, March 25th, 2015

Ducts used to be a necessary part of any air conditioning and forced-air heating system. But the invention of the ductless mini split changed that. At first popular in businesses such as restaurants and bars, the ductless mini split eventually entered residential use, and more and more homes are taking advantage of the benefits they offer.

If you are interested in ductless heating and cooling for your home, call up Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning. We have more than a century of helping homes stay comfortable in Skokie, IL, and ductless mini split system installation is one of the many jobs we handle. Our technicians will be glad to answer any questions you may have and schedule whatever services you require.

Some of the advantages of a ductless mini split

  • Heating and cooling: Because ductless mini splits are heat pumps, they offer the same dual-function benefit of working as either a heater or an air conditioner.
  • Better energy efficiency: Ductwork is a source of energy loss in an HVAC system. During hot weather, heat enters the ducts and raises the temperature of the cooled air; during cold weather, heat escapes from the heated air through the ducts. A ductless mini split gets rid of this major source of energy loss by eliminating ducts entirely.
  • Improved indoor air quality: Along with permitting energy loss, ductwork also contributes to a drop in indoor air quality because it is a source of dust and dirt contamination. Without any ducts to collect particles that will get blown into the air, a ductless mini split will help you improve your home’s indoor air quality. This is especially helpful if you have people with allergy and asthma living in your home.
  • Space-saving: Ductless mini splits are great choices for new home construction and remodeling since they remove the need to put in large ductwork into the walls and ceilings. Not only will you have more space, but you’ll also have greater freedom to design the house or room you want.

A ductless mini split isn’t always the right choice for a home, and so you should consult with professional installers before making any firm decision about your home’s heating or cooling. Our team at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning will be glad to assist you with a ductless mini split system in Skokie, IL and the surrounding areas, and we will help you decide if installing one is your best option. Give us a call today.

Continue Reading

Repairs That a Boiler May Need

Friday, March 20th, 2015

Boilers have heated homes in Chicagoland for many decades, and they remain popular even with many other heating options available such as heat pumps and furnaces. One of the advantages of boilers that keeps them competitive in the HVAC market is that they require fewer repairs than most systems. But fewer is much different than none, and you may at some point find your boiler isn’t living up to performance expectations. When that happens, call on heating professionals to provide you with the necessary repairs.

For professional boiler repair service in Glenview, IL or other parts of Chicagoland, call up the company with more than a century of experience with heating and cooling: Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning. We offer 24-hour emergency service for your convenience and peace of mind.

Some common boiler repairs

  • Fixing leaks: Leaking most often occurs because of poor initial installation (one of the many reasons you must always seek experienced professionals for this job), with poor soldering on the connectors causing water to escape. Water may also start to leak due to spikes in pressure. Never allow leaks to continue without immediate repairs, since they not only indicate serious problems with the boiler, but they can lead to water damage.
  • Cleaning the burners: For natural gas boilers—the most popular type—dirt and grime can accumulate across the burners and make it difficult for the burners to ignite. This will lead to a loss of heat. You should never try to make any repairs to a gas boiler yourself: allow the professionals to remove the burner and clean it, or remove any rust flakes that are interfering with its performance.
  • Descaling the tank: If your home has issues with hard water, this can have a negative effect on the water heater. Limescale from the minerals in hard water will start to build-up along the inside of the tank. Because limescale is an insulator, this accumulation can cause a temperature imbalance in the tank that will create a rise in pressure. Repair technicians will flush the tank and descale it to resolve the problem.

Make certain that you watch for signs that your boiler needs to have attention from repair professionals: strange rumbling noises from the tank, an unexplained increase in energy bills, and a loss of heating power in the home. Call Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning right away, and our skilled technicians will come to your house and restore your boiler in no time at all.

Continue Reading

How You Can Receive Better Heating for Your Business

Wednesday, March 11th, 2015

Is the inside of your business not warm enough when the temperature outside drops? Are you hearing complaints from employees or clientele about cold spots or rooms that just aren’t comfortable? Then you should consider calling commercial HVAC specialists to help you improve your company’s heating system, or look into a replacement heater.

There are a number of different solutions for a business that isn’t receiving the proper level of heating necessary to keep it a productive and pleasant space for everyone. When you contact Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning, Chicagoland’s trusted name in heating and AC since 1904, you’ll learn about the many options you have to receive better heating. We provide numerous services for commercial HVAC in Park Ridge, IL, and we would like to make you part of our family of satisfied customers.

Here are some ideas to consider for improving your commercial heating:

  • New thermostats: Yes, sometimes the answer is this simple. If you have outdated thermostats over ten years old, they can result in efficient and uneven heating around a building. New thermostats can not only make heating better, they will also help you save money with their precision performance and programmable features.
  • Adding new rooftop units: If your business uses rooftop packaged heat pumps for comfort, you can always add a new unit. These systems are designed to be modular, and if your business isn’t getting enough heat, it might be time to put in a second (or third, or fourth) rooftop unit.
  • Schedule routine maintenance: The decline in heating power may be due to the system running down because it hasn’t received annual inspections and tune-up from HVAC professionals. Call on a dependable commercial heating and cooling contractor and sign up for the regular maintenance that will keep the system in great shape each year.
  • Replace the heating system: The most drastic step—but one that is sometimes necessary—is to replace the inadequate heater with a new one. This may mean some disruption to your business, but if you hire skilled commercial experts, it should be minimal and your company will have a new heating system working to keep it warm in no time at all.

Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning is glad to help your business receive excellent quality heating. Our many services can take care of repairs, replacements, thermostat installations, or whatever else you may need. For commercial HVAC in Park Ridge, IL, we are the people to call.

Continue Reading

Household Problems Linked to Damaged Ductwork

Wednesday, March 4th, 2015

It’s important to understand the vital job that the ductwork performs in your home. For most houses with an air conditioner and forced-air heater (furnace, heat pump), the ductwork is responsible for distributing conditioned air throughout the rooms, as well and drawing air back into the HVAC system to continue circulating it. Without an effective ductwork system in good repair, you won’t have an effective and energy efficient comfort system.

You can rely on Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning whenever you require duct repair in Evanston, IL or other parts of Chicagoland. We’ve been in the business of ventilation and home comfort since 1902, and our technicians are among the best when it comes to taking care of issues with ductwork.

What can go wrong in a home with damaged ductwork

  • Low indoor air quality: When ductwork sustains damage that creates gaps and air leaks along it, dust and other contamination from places between walls and under floorboard will start to infiltrate the ventilation system. These unhealthy particles will then end up blown into your air and begin circulating through the HVAC system. These airborne contaminants will trigger numerous health and comfort issues, and can be especially harmful for people in the house who suffer from asthma or allergies.
  • A dusty, dirty home: The same particles that will lower your indoor air quality because of damage to the ducts will also lower the cleanliness of your home. If dust seems to always coat furnishings no matter how much cleaning you do, the trouble maybe because of damaged ductwork.
  • Higher heating and cooling bills: You don’t want to spend more money to keep your home air conditioned and heated than you have to. But damaged ducts that place too much resistance against airflow will cause your heating and cooling bills to rise, sometimes precipitously. (However, this jump in costs is a good warning sign of ductwork damage that needs repairs.)
  • Reduced comfort: If broken ducts are allowing air to escape, it will lower the air pressure in the HVAC system, and the airflow out of the vents will drop. This will cause uneven heating/cooling around a home and comfort in general will suffer until the ducts are repaired.

Please do not attempt to fix your ducts on your own: this is a professional job and requires experienced technicians. For professional duct repair in Evanston, IL, look to a company with more than 110 years of experience: Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning. Give us a call today.

Continue Reading