Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Chicagoland’

Why It’s Never Too Late for an AC Tune-up

Monday, September 5th, 2022

Fall is just around the corner – weeks away in fact. Does that mean it’s too late in the season for an AC tune-up? Never! An AC tune-up is always a good idea, no matter the time of year. Prioritizing AC maintenance is a great way to ensure that your unit is running at peak condition year round. 

And in fact, the end of summer is an especially good time to schedule an AC maintenance appointment because your unit has been working hard all summer long. Soon your HVAC will be working equally hard to warm your home in the winter, and you want it to do that job well. So if you think you need an AC tune-up, our team can help.

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Why Is AC Short-Cycling a Problem?

Monday, June 15th, 2020
woman-covering-her-ears-standing-in-front-of-white-background

One of the most common, and unfortunately one of the most damaging, problems an air conditioner can experience is a condition called short-cycling. Short-cycling is both the symptom of a problem and a problem in itself. In some cases, a few simple adjustments from your HVAC pro can fix this issue. But in many cases, the root cause is serious and requires a bit more than just that.

And unless the short-cycling is stopped, it will lead to the premature breakdown of your air conditioner, prompting you to have to replace it much sooner than you planned. Plus, until that point, your air conditioner will have wasted a whole lot of energy and money.

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Should You Install a UV Air Purifier?

Monday, March 23rd, 2020
uv-germicidal-light-bulb

It would be really easy for us to answer this question with a simple, “yes” and leave it at that. But we know you deserve a better explanation! There are a number of factors that can negatively impact your indoor air quality, and there are also a variety of systems that can help improve it.

Indoor air quality is a big concern just about any time of the year—in fact, at any given moment your indoor air quality can be worse than the air quality outside, without the right products in place. And a UV air purifier is one of these products.

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How NOT to Boost Your Furnace Efficiency

Monday, March 9th, 2020
technician-working-on-furnace

You won’t boost your furnace efficiency by neglecting repair needs!

Look, we get it. In other parts of the country, they’d consider our springtime weather “heating system” weather—but for us, that’s almost laughable. It’s 56° degrees out? Time for shorts and t-shirts. And it’s time to shut off our furnaces for the season.

But there is a mistake that many Chicagoland homeowners make when they stop using their heaters for the season. If they skipped maintenance, or noticed—and ignored—signs of furnace repair needs they might just figure it can wait until next year when they need their furnace again. This can be detrimental to the performance and efficiency of your furnace, and perhaps even your air conditioner, depending on the problem.

Curious to learn more? Read on to learn about some of the furnace repair needs you’re likely to run into as the heating season ends.

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Should I Get Radiant Heating Installed for Next Winter?

Monday, January 27th, 2020
radiant-floor-heating-installation

You might be wondering why we’re saying “next” winter instead of “this” winter. Well, because the installation of radiant heating can be complex, and to truly enjoy the comfort it brings, you don’t want this job to be rushed! But if you currently have an inefficient system, are having a new home built this year, or simply want to enjoy the benefits of radiant heat, then you’d do well to consider this installation.

We do want to stress how vital it is you hire a pro for a job of this caliber.

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How to Best Boost Heating Efficiency

Monday, January 13th, 2020
animation-of-house-on-seesaw-with-money-symbol

If there’s anything we know about Chicagoland residents, it’s that you need an effective heater to get you through winter comfortably and even healthfully. If there’s something else we know, it’s that you want this without having to pay an arm and a leg for that comfort.

Even if you’re staying comfortable this winter, if you find yourself paying more than you should in order to warm your home, then you aren’t getting the most from your furnace or heat pump system. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take. Some of these steps don’t take anything but a bit of your time. Curious? Read on!

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How to Choose the Right Heating Technician for the Job

Monday, November 4th, 2019
technician-smiling-on-white-background

Are you in search for a new service provider for your HVAC systems? Perhaps you’re ready to schedule heating maintenance for the season—now is the perfect time! Or maybe you’re looking for a new system to install, or need repairs on an existing system. No matter the job, one thing is for sure—you want a qualified and experienced heating technician to complete it.

But how do you find such an individual? With colder weather creeping up on us fast, it may be tempting for you to just reach out to the first one you know of or saw driving around town. While we do hope you recognize our trucks out on the road, this isn’t always the greatest method to choose a professional heating technician. Read on to learn what you should look for as you explore different companies throughout Chicagoland.

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Is August a Bad Time to Buy an Air Conditioner?

Monday, August 12th, 2019

row-of-homes-in-summertimeMid-late summer is never an ideal time to buy an air conditioner. But if yours calls it quits, or shows signs of major disrepair, then—simply put—you may have no choice.

But that should not mean, however, that you rush into your air conditioner purchase! You should take your time and talk to the experts about the benefits of certain cooling system types. Trust a professional to correctly match your home to the right air conditioner and vice-versa, all while giving you the most efficiency for your budget.

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How Damaged Ductwork Impacts AC Performance

Monday, July 15th, 2019

hvac-technician-hands-sealing-up-damaged-ductworkYou’d be hard pressed to find a homeowner in the Chicagoland area who doesn’t care how efficient their HVAC systems are. Given how much of our heating we use each year, it stands to reason that when the time comes to turn on our air conditioners, we want to do so as affordably as possible.

But what many individuals don’t think about, is the fact that the “V” part of HVAC plays a pivotal role in all of this. Your ventilation—your ductwork—connects your AC and forced-air heating systems to the outdoors, making the distribution of conditioned air possible. Your ducts are usually out of sight, hidden behind walls, beneath floors, or even in your attic or crawlspace. So, what happens if this ductwork was installed by an amateur, or it is aging to a point of degradation?

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