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

How Commercial HVAC Systems Differ from Residential Systems

Friday, May 16th, 2014

Summers can get very hot and humid here in Illinois, and every occupied building needs to have reliable air conditioning to function. Commercial HVAC systems in Evanston, IL pay as large a role as residential systems, since people tend to occupy office space and retail space during the heat of the day. The systems used in commercial buildings apply the same principles as those used in homes, but they differ in several significant ways. (That’s why you should usually rely on a service with experience in commercial systems if your own breaks down.) Here’s how commercial HVAC systems differ from residential systems.

The main factor involved is size. Commercial buildings tend to be much larger than most homes, and need to support a much night number of people to boot. Their HVAC systems thus need to generate a lot more power than home systems do, in order to handle the load. But at the same time, they need to be far more flexible than household air conditioners are. The occupants of commercial space are apt to move in and out much more quickly than the average homeowner, often with wildly fluctuating needs in air conditioning to boot. For example, an office with numerous powerful computers may need a lot of AC power to keep their systems cool. But what if they move out and a new company specializing in paper storage moves in? Suddenly, the space needs a lot less cooling power.

Commercial HVAC systems thus need to be stronger and more reliable than home systems, but also flexible and easily altered. The solution is usually to adopt a series of modular units – usually placed on the building’s roof – that can be added and subtracted from the system quite easily. In order to do that, as well as to facilitate repairs when problems arise, you need a company that really understands how commercial HVAC systems differ from residential systems. And when it comes to air conditioning and heating systems in Evanston, IL, commercial properties have a trump card in Shavitz Heating & Air Conditioning. We have the expertise you need to solve all manner of installation and repair issues. Give us a call today to make an appointment!

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How Radiant Heat Installation Can Save You Money

Friday, March 21st, 2014

Services that offer heating repair in Evanston, IL often provide services beyond traditional forced-air furnaces. For example, many companies can provide radiant heat installation and repair services, allowing local homeowners to consider alternate options for their heating needs. Radiant heating systems are an efficient and attractive form of heating that can provide a great deal of savings for those so interested. The system involves a series of tubes and reflective panels placed beneath the floorboards of your home. Hot water is piped through the tubes, warming the home directly through your feet and furnishings in the room. Initial installation can cost quite a bit, but here’s a few reasons explaining how radiant heat installation can save you money.

In the first case, radiant heating in and of itself is more efficient than forced air systems. With a forced-air furnace, the heat needs to travel through the air, requiring additional energy to move and a comparatively haphazard way of warming the temperatures. Radiant heaters send their energy directly into your feet or furnishings, which takes a lot less energy to attain the same results. You need only a pump to circulate the hot water, leading to lowered monthly costs without skimping on the quality heating you expect.

Furthermore, because there are very few moving parts in a radiant system, breakdowns are less frequent and repairs tend to cost less. That puts further money back in your pocket, as well as giving you increased peace of mind on the operation of your system.

Finally, the existence of a radiant heating system in your home will increase the resale value considerably, allowing you to recoup some of the initial investment of the system when the time comes to sell your house.

For more on how radiant heat installation can save you money, the experts at Shavitz Heating & Air Conditioning are standing by to help. We’re experts at heating repair in Evanston, IL and we have the expertise not only to install a radiant heating system, but to keep it maintained and repaired so that it functions at its best. If you’re interested in seeing if radiant heating is for you, pick up the phone and give us a call today. You’ll be glad you did!

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Alternate Heating Options for Residents of Evanston, IL

Wednesday, February 5th, 2014

Heating systems used to entail very traditional methods, such as boilers or forced-air furnaces. But that’s no longer the case. New technology has made all kinds of alternate options available, many of them less expensive to run month to month than more established forms of heating. Every home is unique and every family’s circumstances are one-of-a-kind, but that doesn’t mean you can’t explore every option available when it comes to a heating system. Here are some alternate heating options for residents of Evanston, IL.

  • Radiant Heating
    Radiant heating systems entails tubes filled with warm water (or in some cases electric coils) planted beneath the floorboards in your house along with reflecting tiles to help conduct the heat. That passes the warmth directly into your feet and the furnishings in the room, rather than leaving it to be pushed through in the air. It eliminates drafts and cold spots, making it very efficient.
  • Geothermal Heating
    Geothermal systems run tubes of liquid through the ground in your property; temperatures below the earth remain constant, no matter what the weather is like outside. A geothermal system uses that fact to facilitate a heat exchange, pulling heat into your home or releasing it safely into the ground through the liquid in the tubes. Geothermal systems usually require a fair amount of space, but like radiant systems they are very cost-effective.
  • Heat Pumps and Hybrid Systems
    Heat pumps use the same basic system as an air conditioner — circulating refrigerant to cool the air – but they also tap into the system’s heating potential to warm the house in the winter. Because they don’t function as well in extremely cold weather, they’re often paired with a smaller gas or electric furnace, forming a hybrid system.

Alternative heating options for residents of Evanston, IL means sifting through systems like these and determining which one works the best for your needs and budget. For questions regarding heating system services in Evanston, IL, you can count on the experts at Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning. We’ve proudly served the Chicagoland community for over 100 years, and we have the skills to install the right heating system for you. Give us a call to set up a consultation today!

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How Do Geothermal Systems Work?

Sunday, November 3rd, 2013

Geothermal systems are one of the most exciting home comfort options available today. Using the natural power of the earth, they provide clean, efficient energy that creates zero greenhouse gases or ozone-depleting product. They also run with a minimum of noise pollution and offer year-round dependability because they rely on the steady temperature of the earth. And even though they can have high installation costs, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that with their energy-efficient performance, they pay for themselves in only 5 to 10 years.

Our customers frequently ask us how geothermal systems operate. “How can I get both heating and cooling from the ground?” Yes, it does sound a bit strange—but geothermal heat pumps aren’t as complicated as you might imagine. We’ll try to give you a succinct answer to the common queries about the operation of geothermal heat pumps.

If you are interested in getting a geothermal system in Evanston, IL, contact Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning.

We’ve been around since 1904, so we were already hard at work heating and cooling homes when geothermal systems were first developed.

Geothermal Heat Pumps 101

A geothermal heat pump works similarly to a standard heat pump: it moves heat from one place and puts it in another; i.e. “heat exchange.” However, a geothermal heat pump uses the earth as its heat exchange medium instead of the outside air. It takes heat from the earth and moves it indoors during the winter, and reverses the process in the summer. Because the temperature of the earth remains at a steady 55°F only 10 feet below the surface, no matter the season, a geothermal heat pump always has the right temperature from which to work.

To move the heat, a geothermal system uses loops of plastic tubes or copper pipes buried in trenches beneath your property. An antifreeze solution or refrigerant passes through these loops to transfer the heat from the ground up into your home. Changing the direction of the flow of the heat exchange solution also reverses the process and moves heat from your home and puts in into the ground, giving you a cooler indoor temperature. Because geothermal systems require extensive trench-digging and intricate connections, installing them isn’t something you should entrust to amateurs. If you want to receive the superior benefits of a geothermal system, you need to have it installed professionally.

Call Shavitz Heating and Air Conditioning for heating service in Evanston, IL: we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and also a Lifetime Workmanship Warranty.

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