Here you will find pictures of our friendly & professional technicians. We hire based on honesty & integrity. All of our employees have been drug tested and security screened for you’re family’s safety. Our plumbers are card carrying licensed plumbers, licensed by the state of Illinois after 4-5 years as an apprentice and then passing a difficult state exam. You’re HVAC technicians have the proper certifications & experience needed to ensure your utmost satisfaction. In house training is an ongoing process along with factory training and weekly safety meetings. We welcome all inquiries about our staff and their credentials. Our staff has signed a “weather emergency” commitment. What does that mean to you? It means we will be here during extreme weather conditions to answer your call for emergency assistance 7 days a week.
Award Winning Service Team.
Our peers in the Downers Grove Chamber of Commerce awarded Robert Bair Services the Business Excellence Award in the Service category. We have been saying for a long time that Our People Make the Difference – now we have the award to prove it!
Call Bair & We’re There!
The New Economic Stimulus Package – Federal Tax Credits for:
Geothermal Heating & AC, High Efficiency Forced Air Furnace & AC’s, Heat Pumps. Boilers and Tankless & Solar Thermal Hot Water
The new tax credit is in alignment with industry research showing that remodeling and retrofitting the nation’s older homes will have a far more significant impact on reducing residential energy consumption than meeting even the most aggressive efficiency goals for new homes.
A 2008 California study showed that homes built before 1983 were responsible for 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions related to single-family envelope energy consumption.
The study also found that spending $10,000 to retrofit a 1960s home could save 8.5 tons of carbon at a cost of $588 to $1,176 per ton, depending on existing tax credits and incentives. By comparison, increasing the energy efficiency of a new home 35% over current state requirements would cost about $5,000 and would reduce emissions by 1.1 tons at a cost of $4,545 per ton.
The bottom line is that retrofitting existing homes with energy-efficient features is four to eight times more carbon- and cost-efficient than adding further energy-efficiency requirements to new housing, the study showed.
Tax Credit How-to
You do not need the product sales receipts to verify the claim. A certification statement such as Energy Star qualification — part of the manufacturer’s product information — will suffice.
Homeowners should submit the appropriate schedule forms with their tax returns and should retain records that include:
• Name and address of the manufacturer
• Identification of the component
• Make, model or other appropriate identifiers
• Statement that the component meets the 25C standards
• Climate zones for which the criteria are satisfied
• Additional information for storm windows, if applicable
• A declaration that the certification statement is true
We install and repair Tankless Water Heaters, Geothermal Heat Pump, Furnace or Central Air Conditioner, Heat Pump, Boiler, Solar Water Heater for your potable water and home heating.
We can install & repair all brands.
630-964-1700/877-337-BAIR(2247)
Serving the Western Suburbs for over 35 years.
October 13, 2009
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Chicago and Northern Illinois has introduced a new and more reliable rating system. Using a proprietary algorithm, it assigns a letter grade (from A+ to F) to every company in its database. The new system takes into account many factors such as a company’s complaint history, number of years in business and advertising ethics. The Council of Better Business Bureaus tested the system for over two years before making it the standard for all BBB’s across the country to follow.
The previous system ratings were purely based on how a company resolved its complaints and they simply assigned either a “Satisfactory” or “Unsatisfactory” rating to each company. It didn’t take into consideration a businesses’ volume, advertising, etc. As a result, larger and more established companies were often put at a disadvantage.
“We were very pleased the BBB has moved to a new & better rating system,” said Robert Bair. “Today consumers are turning to the Web to make more informed decisions. An A+ rating from a trusted name like the BBB in our competitive marketplace is an asset.”
Serving the Western Suburbs of Chicago Robert Bair Services is a full-service Plumbing, Heating & AC Company serving both residential & commercial customers for the past 35 years. Known for fast & reliable service many have come to depend on them during weather emergencies.
Other accolades and awards include: the 2009 Downers Grove Area Chamber of Commerce ‘Best in Service’ Award as well as the Business Ledgers ‘Small Business Excellence’ Award. Angies List customers have also given us some great ratings varying between an A’s & B’s.
For Fast Reliable Service call 630-964-1700 If you call by noon we can be there the same day in most cases.
Voted Best In Service by our peers.
Robert Bair Services –Plumbing, Heating & Air is the winner of the 2009 Business Ledger Small Business Excellence Award & 2009 Downers Grove Chamber Choice Awards for Service.
Serving the Western Suburbs for 35 years Robert Bair’s business has really grown over the years. It starting with Bob working out of his garage; he sold his motorcycle to buy his first piece of equipment and as his reputation grew so did his business. Fast forward to today he now has 20 trucks and about 30 employees. Fundamentally, Bob’s values and work ethic is to ensure his team of employees, all his customers and suppliers are treated fairly. He does this by celebrating the success of all employees on jobs well done and by rewarding his team. During the holidays and summer he brings his team together with their families to thank and appreciate their dedication. He works closely with his suppliers to cultivate good relationships and to ensure they deliver the highest quality products.
The customer service team provides the customer a timely service call with courtesy and professionalism. The entire team (office & field personnel) have pledged to come in and work during weather emergencies because this is when they are most needed by the community. The company does regular maintenance, repairs, emergencies and installations. Whether is Plumbing or Heating or Air Conditioning the technician will assess the problem once onsite and provide the customer with a written proposal upfront. They get the customer’s approval in writing, before starting any work. They maintain an extensive warehouse full of equipment and the fleet of vehicles are all fully equipped to handle large and small service jobs. Each serviceman is uniformed and wears shoe covers to keep their customers home and business clean. Additionally they lay down the proper canvas to keep the work area clean and always take extra steps to clean up after each job. Bob has spent many hours finding and training his team. He hires team members based on honesty & integrity – he feels he can train for the other skills needed.
One of Bob’s favorite sayings is adjust to field conditions. After 35 years in business the playing field has changed many times and Bob has survived and grown despite many changes. Bob insists he does not want to retire because this business is his family and he loves his work.
Several years ago Robert Bair discovered that it was becoming more and more difficult to hire licensed residential service plumbers. The plumbing industry nationwide is struggling because the ageing plumbing population and there is not enough young people entering the industry to fulfill the needs of our communities. Bob decided he would open a plumbing school here in the building at 447 Rogers Street in Downers Grove which is lead by a state accredited teacher. Young apprentices now entering the field are trained for free one night a week while working alongside a licensed plumber as a helper/apprentice 5 days week. This is the only school of its kind in the area. All apprentice plumbers are registered with the state of Illinois and after 4 years must pass a stringent exam which covers building codes and other technical skills to ensure the health and safety of the residents in our community. It is a long journey from being an apprentice to becoming a licensed plumber but it is well worth the hard work. Many plumbers have received their license by apprenticing under Robert Bair; many are still employed here but some have gone of to start their own businesses. All are serving the local community with much needed services. Robert Bair has weekly safety and training meetings to keep the team apprised of any safety issues and this is the time when outside trainers come in to train on new equipment and procedures.
Bob’s professional relationships with his team members, fellow plumbing contractors and his large customer base serve the community in many ways. When the weather is bad he is at the office – sometimes its seven days a week. For instance last fall when you could not find a sump in any local store or supply house because of the severe storms Bob knew he had to find some more pumps somewhere for his customers in need and tomorrow was Sunday. He made many calls to local plumbing contractors and vendors with no success. Then one of his fellow contractors out of St Charles called to say had gone out of state to get pumps and wanted to know if Bob would like to buy some of them? Harmonious relationships are what serves and drives this company. Bob works to stay on friendly terms with everyone.
Bob was very humbled and surprised when he found out he had won these two awards. In the first picture Bob is excepting the DG award and the team picture is of Bob celebrating with the technicians. The day Bob won the DG award he went out and bought every employee a carnation and thanked them each personally for the award. He knows his people are what makes this company stand above the rest and he wanted to share the victory with them.
These systems are used to prevent flooding during power outages; keeping your family & home dry.
Sumpro is a two battery back-up system which is sold separately from the sump pump.
•powers your existing sump pump during a power outage
•Works with any 115 V sump pump up to ½ HP
•Made in USA & has fully automated charging system
•Microprocessor based system AquaNot is a pedestal style pump
•Heavy duty 12 volt motor and positive contact float switch
•Stainless steel column & shaft
•Electronic 25 amp charger to maintain & recharge battery
•Pump alarm
•12 month warranty or warranty extended to 36 months with the purchase of Aquanot battery by Zoeller Self contained submersible back up pump
•pressure activated diaphragm switch for immediate activation
•24 volt operating system
•50 gallon per minute at 5 ft. head
•will cycle as normal pump at 40 cycles per hour for approximately 50 hours
•3 year limited warranty
There are many options and also reasons to choose a certain type of back-up system. For instance professionals take into account the size of the sump pit, the average amount of water needing to be pumped up & out, the diameter of the drainage pie & more. For these reasons we suggest our customers get the opinion of a professional licensed plumber who actually takes a look at your unique circumstances.
With over 35 years serving the Western Suburbs we are the areas experts on sump pumps & battery back-up systems.
For cleaner drinking water take back the tap! If you are concerned about the quality of your water at home call your plumber to install a water filtration device in your home so your family can have safe & healthy drinking water 24/7. Whole house or point of use (at faucet) filtration is available at an affordable price.
If you want to save money, drink cleaner water and do the right thing for the environment please read the following information:
Many Americans drink their water out of plastic bottles—a convenience that stuffs landfills, clogs waterways and guzzles valuable fossil fuels. Americans spent nearly $11 billion on over 8 billion gallons of bottled water, and then tossed over 22 billion empty plastic bottles in the trash. More than 70 million bottles are consumed each day in the U.S. drain 1.5 million barrels of oil over a one year span.
Bottled costs us a thousand times more than water from our faucet at home, and it is no safer or cleaner. The bottled water industry spends millions a year trying to convince you that their product is somehow healthier than tap water, when in fact that’s just not true. Take Back the Tap is a non for profit organizatio who campaign to get consumers to ditch bottled water. they say “As much as 40 percent of bottled water started out as the same tap water that we get at home.” A Natural Resources Defense Council study found that, with required quarterly testing, tap water may even be of a higher quality than bottled, which is only tested annually.
The plastic used in both single-use and reusable bottles can pose more of a contamination threat than the water. A safe plastic if used only once, #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE) is the most common resin used in disposable bottles. Also as #1 bottles are reused – which they commonly are – they can leach chemicals such as DEHA, a known carcinogen, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), a potential hormone disrupter ( both in men and women). According to the Journal of Environmental Monitoring some PET bottled-water containers were found to leach antimony an elemental metal that is an eye, skin, and lung irritant. And ….because the plastic is porous you’ll likely get a swill of harmful bacteria with each gulp if you reuse #1 plastic bottle.
Do not keep bottled water in the car. When the bottle is heated or frozen the chemicals leach into the water.
Avoid plastic bottles altogether with a metal water bottle that can handle a variety of liquids, including fruit juices and that won’t leach chemicals into your beverage. Klean Kanteen’s stainless steel bottle is lightweight, durable, and entirely chemical free. Avoid detergents that contain chlorine when cleaning Klean Kanteens; chlorine can corrode stainless steel. Another attractive alternative to plastic is the aluminum Sigg bottle with a taste-inert, water-based epoxy lining. Independent lab tests commissioned by the company found that the resin leached no detectable quantities of BPA, while other unlined aluminum and polycarbonate bottles subjected to the same conditions did.
Tips:
- If you are concerned about the quality of the water from your home tap – have it tested!
- Call a reputable plumber for an easy to maintain home water filtration system. There are many types of filtration systems available – let your plumber know what your specific concerns are and he will let you know which system will best suit your needs.
- Clean drinking water -not only is it good for you and your family but homes that have engery efficient equipment and water filtration systems sell faster in this tough home market.
- If you have concerns about the plastic bottles leaching chemicals into the water your drinking there are better bottles on the market for about $20 – several sizes are available – some are made especially for a child’s small hands – see below for bottle information. There some very cool looking designs – choose a different pattern or color for every day of the week!
Visit www.foodandwaterwatch.org and take the pledge to take back the tap, promising to choose tap water over bottled whenever possible and to support policies that promote clean public tap water for everybody. And meanwhile, invest in a safe, reusable bottle.
Better Bottles
Kleen Kanteen stainless steel water bottle w/ cap, 27 fluid ounces ($17.95; www.kleankanteen.com)
MLS Stainless Steel Thermos Bottle, 1 liter ($22.16; www.mls-group.com)
Sigg resin coated aluminum sport bottle, 25 ounces ($19.99; www.mysigg.com)
Nalgene HDPE Loop-Top Bottle, 16 ounces ($4.53; www.nalgene-outdoor.com)
Check out this video on bottled water at youtube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEyo7X0u_fA
and for more info … http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/water/bottled
We would love too!
The most rewarding part of our profession is knowing that we fixed the problem and it will stay fixed for years to come.
We not only fix the problem ~ we take care of all the details like the Village permit/inspection process and we call Julie to help assure that we don’t damage any cable or power lines while digging.
Tight Spot? No Problem! We will come prepared to get the job done right with the proper sized equipment and knowledge to get your home’s comfort system up and running as quickly and painlessly as possible.
For your piece of mind…We are Licensed, Bonded and Insured. Your technicians were hired based on their background and integrity. All of our employees have had a background check and drug test.
Save 40 to 50% on the cost of Heating and 25% on the cost of Cooling.
The amount of tonage needed for the system will determine the depth of the well(s). Geothermal uses narrow Verticle Wells or Horizontal Wells(trenches).
Which type is right for you? It depends on your yard/site.
At this site in Burr Ridge – drilling took several days – two verticle wells were drilled. Each well was 400 feet deep.
Please call and speak to Bob (aka Robert Bair) for more information.
630-964-1700
Geothermal Heating & Coooling system is polution free. This system uses the earths constant 55 degree tempurature to make both heating & cooling from one peice of equipment called a heap pump. This unit is an electrically powered device that uses the natural heat stored in the earth to heat and cool your home.
To use that stored energy, heat/cool is extracted from the earth through a liquid medium (water or antifreeze) and is pumped to the heat pump exchanger. The heat pump is a self contained sytem which is comprised of a blower, compressor, water heat exchanger and an air coil. In summer the process is reversed and indoor heat is extracted from your home and transferred back to the earth through the same liquid.
Geothermal heat pumps do not emit carbon monoxide or other pollutents. The systems is environmentally friendly as well as an energy saver.
The Federal Governement is now giving homeowners a 30% tax credit if they install this energy efficient system. That means you can save almost 1/3 on the cost of this system. That is the most generous tax credit we have seen yet and it’s because the government is trying to get us to switch to more efficient heating & cooling systems.
30% Tax Credit Availble in 2009. You could receive about $12,000 from the Federal Government.
Geothermal is the most energy efficient heating & AC system availble today!
This is the cable that is inserted into the wells.
The grout above is an important component and is added to wells after the pipe loop is inserted into the well. This grout is used so that the lquid within the pipes makes good contact with the earth.
Here is a link to a great article called “Geothermal HVAC gains the spotlight”. Basically the article is geared to Manufacturers and HVAC companies. I hope that you will feel a little more confident in this technology knowing that it has credibility. The science and historical data behind Geothermal is there. And yet only a small few reap the energy cost savings which is HUGE – 50 -70% on the cost of heating & cooling.
Here at Robert Bair Services we are aiming to get more customers using Geothermal because it works, saves money, is less polluting and you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank when your neighbors are crying about the high cost of energy. Today only 1% of the market are using Geothermal to heat & cool their homes & business’.
Check out the article in the Sept 2009 issue of Supply House Times by copying the link below into your browser.
Geothermal HVAC Gains the Spotlight – Feature Article – Supply… Geothermal HVAC Gains the Spotlight by Jim Olsztynski September 1, 2009 …
http://www.supplyht.com/Articles/Feature_Article/BNP_GUID_9-5-2006_A_10000000000000658447
Tramco Sump Pump
Stop worrying about your basement flooding; this Tramco Sump Pump is the best available pump on the market today. This pump is not new to the marketplace; it has a long history with a great track record with of years of service in the Chicago area. It is built right here in Chicago and is used in commercial & residential applications. Some commercial applications are bank vaults, schools, churches and other areas where there would be extreme hardship if water damage would occur. Recently we have also done many residential installations where the homeowner has incurred hardship due to last year’s heavy rains. Many of our customers not only had to replace the basement carpet, drywall & furniture but also some had recently installed furnaces & water heaters. Many homes in the area had well over $10,000 in damages. An average sump pump last 3-5 years but this pump is built to last 40 years with a 10 year manufactures warranty. We are so confident in this pump that Robert Bair Services is personally extending the warranty another 10 years.
THIS PUMP PURCHASED & INSTALLED BY ROBERT BAIR SERVICES NOW CARRIES A 20 YEAR WARRANTY!
Tramco also has a very reliable lift station. Many villages (including Downers Grove) are offering financial assistance to put in a lift station.
Call Today to set up an appointment to have a Tramco Pump or lift station installed at your convenience.
We also offer other types Battery Back-up systems for power outages that sometimes occur during rain storms.
