Tips to Lower Your Energy Costs – A “Fine Tune” for the Winter Months Ahead

It’s a fact, your heating system will last longer and conserve precious energy with regular system maintenance.  Here’s how and why.

On average, American families spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars every year to heat and cool their homes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that it’s relatively easy to cut those energy costs.

For starters, check your window caulking for cracks. The better your windows and their insulation, the more you’ll save on your fuel bill. Here are other energy-saving steps you’ll want to take:

• Clean or change your heating system filter monthly.
• Seal and insulate your air ducts. Heat loss from leaky, un-insulated ducts reduces the efficiency of your heating system by as much as 30%.
• Vacuum the cobwebs from your registers.
• Vacuum the fins on your baseboard heaters.

What’s more, have your system cleaned and checked before the heating season gets underway. That way, we can spot small problems before they become large repair bills. We can ensure the safe operation of your system and keep it running at maximum efficiency.  Here are a few steps included in our Clean & Check service:

• Start up the system and check all working components.
• Check Filter.
• Check for flue pipe leaks.
• Check safety controls.
• Check for proper air flow.
• Run capacitors.
• Blower wheel inspection.
• Test amperages on motor.
• Test for gas leaks.
• Lubricate all necessary parts.
• And more!

Here are some additional ways to enhance your indoor comfort while reducing energy consumption:

• Whole house humidifier.
• Automatic set-back thermostat
• Whole house air filtration.

Contact Us Now to Get your Furnace Cleaned & Checked Before the Winter Season Sets In!

October is Fire Prevention Month

Are you prepared in case of a fire in your home? More than 4000 people die in house fires each year and approximately 25,000 are injured. October is fire prevention month, which serves as a reminder that taking a few safety precautions can be a matter of life and death.  Here are a few fire safety tips and precautions:

Check your smoke detectors – Every home should have at least one working smoke detector and preferably have one on each floor of your home and next to bedrooms. Check them monthly to ensure that the batteries are working properly.

Plan your escape route—Plan an escape route and do an occasional fire drill. Everyone in your household should know and understand what to do if there’s a fire in your house. Make sure you have more than one exit point should one exit be blocked. Create a safe meeting place outside side where you will all meet up.

Alternate heaters—If you must use portable heaters, ensure that you keep the area around them clear.  Keep combustible items at least three feet away, if not more. Have your chimney cleaned yearly and use fire screens to keep fire in the fireplace.

Have your furnace cleaned and checked every year.

Home fire safety sprinklers—When home fire sprinklers are used along with working smoke alarms, your chances of survival are greatly increased. Sprinklers can extinguish residential fires in less than one minute. In addition to being affordable, home sprinkler systems can increase property value and lower insurance rates.

Oven and stove safety—Never use the oven or stove to heat your home. This is a fire hazard and can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning with a gas stove or oven. Wear tight-fitted clothing while cooking to avoid catching on fire.

For more information on fire safety and prevention visit the Illinois Fire Safety Alliance.

The leaves are starting change, the days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder. It won’t be long before you decide to turn on the furnace for the first time since last spring, if you haven’t already done so. There are a few things you can do beforehand to prevent being left in the cold with a broken furnace.

While you should always hire a professional to do yearly inspection and preventative maintenance on your furnace, here are some additional tips to help your furnace run smoothly and efficiently.

Check to see that nothing flammable is stored near the furnace.

Run your furnace for a few minutes before you need it to check for yourself that it runs properly. This will prevent you from being stuck in the cold without heat.

Check to make sure the thermostat works properly and that the temperature doesn’t get too hot or too cold.

Change the filters on your furnace once a month during the heating season.

Inspect for gas leaks in gas furnaces.

If you find any problems or are unsure, it’s always best to call a professional to further inspect and repair the furnace.

Check out our furnace maintenance coupons and call us at (630) 964-1700 to schedule your furnace maintenance appointment.