- formidable power bills: this is always the first selling point that most heating, ventalation, and air conditioning contractors will propose, and it really is something that should be considered. older furnaces are often around 65% or less efficient with the gas that they consume. that translates into formidable utility bills every month, and the problem will only get worse with time. a new formidable efficiency unit will greatly reduce those bills, and pay itself off in savings in a matter of a few years.
- age of the heater: if your heater is in the 15 to 25 years old range, replacement should be considered. the typical forced air gas powered heater lasts for about 25 years with correct maintenance. even if the unit is working fine right now, the older it gets, the higher the chances are that you will experience failure of some of the major components in the unit.
- cracked heat exchanger: if your old heater has been diagnosed with a cracked heat exchanger, now is the time to replace the unit. cracks or cracks in the heat exchanger can lead to carbon monoxide cracks into the breathing air of the house, and heat exchangers are very costly to replace. you would be higher quality off just replacing the entire system because there is a preferred chance that the rest of the unit is in just as bad of shape as the heat exchanger.
- formidable rebuild costs: if your old heater has been diagnosed with several problems that add up to expensive repairs, you should replace the unit. it doesn’t make much sense to put hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars into a heater that is on its last leg.
- going green: the “green movement” has captivated much of the country, and maybe you have already begun implementing certain green improvements in your house. if so, one of the best ways to reduce your home’s carbon footprint is to setup formidable efficiency heating equipment. these systems use much less gas to generate the same amount of heat as your old system and the less gas your house uses, the less of a negative impact you will have on the environment.
- erratic heating: ice cold rooms and chronic system failure are just a couple of the problems caused by unpredictable heating systems. your family deserves comfort this cold seasons, so now may be the time to setup a heating system that actually meets your heating needs.
- flooded basement: this past warm seasons, thousands of heating and cooling systems were destroyed by floodwater. if you have been putting off replacing the heater, do not wait any longer. water damaged furnaces have an increased risk of failure, carbon monoxide cracks, and electrical fires. the devastation caused by any one of these problems is not worth the risk.
- tax credits: through the end of 2010, the government is offering up to $1,500 in tax credits on new formidable efficiency heating and cooling systems. don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get big bucks back come tax time.
Archive for the ‘heat exchanger’ Category
repair or replace?: 8 tips to consider
Friday, February 10th, 2012Understanding Your Heat Exchanger
Friday, January 27th, 2012The heat exchanger is the core of a home heating system. Whether it is a furnace or boiler, the heat exchanger is one part of the unit that cannot be ignored in regards to maintenance and efficiency. To do so may be deadly. So whether your unit has recently been diagnosed with a bad heat exchanger, or if you are just curious as to what your heat exchanger does, hopefully this will clarify your understanding of this vital component to your heating system.
a crack that will cost you in more ways than one
Thursday, July 28th, 2011many people do not realize that every day there is a machine in your house that is generating tons and tons of poisonous gases. what machine are we talking about? your heater, boiler, and hot water tank! each of these units must create combustion in order to create heat. combustion produces harmful gases that if released into the breathing air of your house can make you sick or kill you. if all is installed and is working correctly then combustion gases should be vented to the outdoors where they can disburse. but, what is something goes wrong?
does my heater need a heat exchanger inspection?
Sunday, July 3rd, 2011most people may not be aware of the crucial function the heat exchanger play in the operation of the heater. the primary function of the heat exchanger is to move warm air through the channel system while also venting the toxic gases outside the house. over time the heat exchanger may become cracked or even fail. when this happens the ability of the heat exchanger to vent gases is decreased and can even result in the gases being circulated into the channel application and throughout your house.
Carbon Monoxide in Your Home
Monday, May 30th, 2011Carbon monoxide could be leaking in your home right now, and unless you have a detector installed, you wouldn’t even know that it was happening until you were poisoned. Yet, every day your run your furnace, boiler, or hot water tank you are risking a carbon monoxide leak. To prevent something like this from happening to your family, you need to be aware of what causes this type of leak, and what you can do to protect yourself.
Furnace and Boiler Heat Exchangers
Gas fired furnaces and boilers use a heat exchanger to heat the air or water that they use to heat your home. In a furnace or boiler, combustion is created when the gas mixes with air and ignites the burners inside the unit. The burners then transfer the heat to the heat exchanger. Every heat exchanger has two sides. One side is in contact with the harmful combustion gases, and the other side is in contact with the air or water that is going to be circulated through the home. This way the combustion gases like carbon monoxide and never in contact with the air that we breathe. We are protected by the barrier created by the heat exchanger. In a furnace, there will be a draft inducer motor that will filter the toxic gases outdoors.
If there is a problem with the heat exchanger or the venting system, you could have carbon monoxide building up in the air inside your home. If a heat exchanger becomes old or rusted, it is common to find cracks in it. If the heat exchanger has a crack, the combustion gases will be allowed to seep through the barrier and into the air in the home.
The venting system in your home could also be the source of your carbon monoxide problem. Your home will either use the chimney or a direct vent to filter the bad gases outdoors. One of the biggest problems found is inadequate drafting. This is caused by the vent being too large or too small for the size of your furnace or boiler. If this happens, carbon monoxide could begin to build up inside the unit and will eventually leak out into the home.
What You Should Do
The first thing you need to do is install carbon monoxide detectors. Combustion produces many gases but carbon monoxide is the most dangerous, but is easy to detect if your home has carbon monoxide detectors. These should be placed near the furnace or boiler. You should also consider installing them near the bedrooms in your home. Most carbon monoxide poisonings happen during the night while everyone is asleep, so it is best to protect your family members where they sleep.
You should have your furnace or boiler cleaned and checked yearly, and the heat exchanger examined for leaks. You will need a certified technician for this job. Only a well trained serviceman will know how to properly clean your furnace or boiler and how to inspect a heat exchanger effectively for flaws.
Finally, you need to have the ventilation system checked. Chimneys are known to crumble or become clogged with debris over time, and this needs to be cleaned out and repaired as soon as possible. The sooner you catch a problem with the ventilation, the sooner your family will be safe to breathe the air in your home once more.
If the Alarm Goes Off
If the carbon monoxide alarm goes off there are a few things you need to do:
- Evacuate the home
- Call the fire department
- Open any windows or doors that are easily accessible
- If anyone is experiencing nausea, vomiting, fatigue, or headaches they should be looked at by a doctor as soon as possible
- Do not reenter the home until you are given the permission to do so by the fire-fighter
Even if the responder doesn’t detect CO in your home, you need to still proceed with caution. Shut down any appliances that run on gas and have them serviced as soon as possible.
blizzard causes co cracks in chicago homes
Tuesday, April 19th, 2011since the blizzard of 2011 hit chicago, many property owners have reported problems with their heating equipment that resulted in carbon monoxide build-up in the house. four seasons house services knows just how dangerous these types of heating problems can be, and we are taking this as an opportunity to remind chicagoans to have their carbon monoxide detectors checked or replaced. you should also be doing everything that you possibly can to prevent these types of cracks in the first place. there are three main ways that carbon monoxide could be cracking into your house instead of being vented outside. these include:
- blocked exhaust pipe: the majority of carbon monoxide cracks that were reported after the blizzard were the result of a blocked exhaust pipe. newer formidable efficiency furnaces will vent through plastic piping out the side of the house instead of through the roof like the older less efficient models do. this plastic piping is usually only a few feet off the ground, and when the snow fell, many pipes became blocked. many furnaces will shut down when this happens, but if yours doesn’t, carbon monoxide will back up into the house. keep these pipes understood of garbage and snow at all times!
- cracked piping for venting system: no matter where your heater vents to, there is the potential for that venting system to crack into the house. every year you should have the vent checked by a expert, so that any potential cracks can be identified early on.
- heat exchanger crack: old rusted out furnaces will often develop cracks in the heat exchanger. this crack will allow co into the homes breathing air, and having your heat exchanger checked annually for this problem is the only way to really prevent these cracks in your house.
detection is your best protection
having functional carbon monoxide detectors in the house is a requirement by law in illinois. yet, thousands of families do not have these devices. four seasons house services can change all of that with the installation of either a battery powered or hard wired carbon monoxide detection system. we can also test your existing detectors to make sure that they are still functioning correctly. by having new detectors strategically placed in your house by four seasons, you can rest assured that your family is going to be safe in the event of a carbon monoxide crack. put your mind at ease and call four seasons today!
furnace rebuild fraud! | vernon hills, tinley park, south holland
Tuesday, April 5th, 2011nearly every industry has their fair share of scam artists, and the heater rebuild business is no different. we hear horror stories on a daily basis of customers who called the wrong buisness first, and end up losing their hard earned money on unnecessary application. this cold seasons, there are many fraudsters who are going to use the frigid cold temperatures to their advantage. no one wants to be without heat for very long, and for some people going without heat for any period of time could cause major health issues. scam artists know this fact and manipulate it for their gain.
a standard heater rebuild scam
probably one of the most standard heater rebuild scams involves heat exchanger inspections. a cracked heat exchanger can cause carbon monoxide to crack into the homes air supply, and it can cause several health problems including the possibility of death. but, it can only do these things if it is actually cracked! a cracked heat exchanger usually results in the purchase of an entire new system, because when a customer hears that there is a problem with the unit that could harm their family, they are quick to fork over large amounts of money to rebuild the problem. however, if this ever happens to you, stop, take a breath, and remember to think logically.
- did the craftsperson show me the crack?
- how old is my unit?
- is there a manufacturer’s warranty on my heat exchanger?
- how much time did the serviceman invest in the inspection?
- do the co detectors in the house detect the presence of carbon monoxide?
these questions will help you think more clearly about the assessment that your craftsperson is giving you. if you have had dealings with this heating, ventalation, and air conditioning craftsperson in the past and have not had any problems, there is a preferred chance that they are being honest. but, it doesn’t hurt to get a second opinion! here at four seasons, we encourage you to give us a call if your heat exchanger is diagnosed as cracked. each of our servicemen is a trained expert in diagnosing heat exchangers, and has the tools to correctly examine the exchanger.
many times the heat exchanger is hidden deep within your unit, and a correct inspection may be difficult with traditional mirrors and cameras. the heat exchanger may even have to be removed completely, but in the end, you will know for sure whether or not your unit should be replaced. four seasons understands how dangerous a unit with this type of crack can be, and we take these inspections very seriously. our a+ rating with the higher quality business bureau and our 100% satisfaction guarantee on all services should be enough to convince you that we are in the heating, ventalation, and air conditioning business for all the right reasons, but if you need a little more convincing, see what some of our satisfied customers have to say about four seasons, and give us a call today to learn more!
heater rebuild fraud! | vernon hills, tinley park, south holland is a post from: heating and cooling heater rebuild
HVAC PRECISION TUNE-UPS CAN SAVE LIVES
Thursday, March 17th, 2011The EPA, which is usually very slow and reluctant to recommend any services, except the ones which have been proven to be viable and beneficial, recommends inspecting and servicing fuel-burning furnaces before each heating season (www.epa.gov) to be sure that you are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning. (more…)
4 symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger| richton park, flossmoor
Tuesday, March 8th, 2011four seasons has worked very hard to inform our customers of the dangers associated with having a heater or boiler with a cracked heat exchanger operating in the house. property owners who have their heating system maintained around the clock by four seasons receive a heat exchanger inspection along with their annual preparation, but what if there is a crack between visits from your craftsperson? as a proactive property owner, you need to be able to recognize the symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger in order to protect your family. there are 4 main symptoms that any property owner can review for periodically during the heating season:
- abnormal flame: as the heater gets older, it becomes more and more likely that it will suffer a crack at the heat exchanger. from time to time, you may want to review the flame on the heater or boiler. a correct flame should burn understood, steady, and blue. if the flame in your heater “dances” or” jumps,” you may have a problem. also if the flame is yellow or orange in color, cracks in the heat exchanger are also suspected.
- soot buildup: soot buildup results from improper combustion, and this could be the result of a cracked heat exchanger. if this problem is suspected, you will notice black buildup on the internal components of the heater or boiler or on or near the crack in the heat exchanger.
- formidable carbon monoxide levels: it is critical that every house has a functional carbon monoxide detector installed close to the ground on every level of the house. if this detector goes off, call the fire department immediately to find the source of your carbon monoxide crack. the heater or boiler is often the source because carbon monoxide is a byproduct of the combustion of natural gas. if the heater or boiler is cracking carbon monoxide, it is usually due to a crack in the heat exchanger.
- cracks/ rust on metal: if the heater or boiler has been exposed to water or has developed rust or cracks in any of the metal components, you may want to have a expert inspection of the heat exchanger performed by one of the servicemen at four seasons. we train our technicians to correctly search for a detect cracks, cracks, or rust on the heat exchanger, and if a major problem is suspected, they will be able to explain the correct mode of rebuild. sometimes the problem can be repaired, but when the heat exchanger cracks, it is often best to replace the unit all together.
if you find any of these symptoms present on your unit, call four seasons as soon as possible! we will help you determine whether or not there is a major problem. if you act fast, the symptom may be repaired before a crack ever appears. keep your family safe, and keep your heater running. call four seasons today!
4 symptoms of a cracked heat exchanger| richton park, flossmoor is a post from: heating and cooling heater rebuild
soot solutions| homewood, cicero, burr ridge
Saturday, March 5th, 2011black dust coating various surfaces in your house, formidable levels of carbon monoxide, and a heater that just doesn’t seem to be providing enough heat are all symptoms of a heating system that is in serious need of maintenance. however, if your unit is in this bad of shape, you may have waited too long already. soot buildup on your heater filter and on the internal components of the system will choke the flames that are trying to generate heat for your house and in many cases, destroy the heater beyond rebuild.
where does the soot come from?
if your heating system has been diagnosed as “clogged with soot,” you may be wondering where all of that destructive black power came from. well there are several different conditions that can cause this problem, but when large amounts of soot are present in a heater or boiler, it is usually the result of a combustion problem. when combustion occurs, carbon dioxide is created, but when the combustion process is interrupted or not fully completed, carbon deposits, or soot, begin to build up inside the heater. when the problem goes unchecked, soot build up can begin to deposit on surfaces in the house and the heater will eventually stop working all together.
this problem is usually due to lack of correct maintenance, and a preferred relationship with a certified heating, ventalation, and air conditioning craftsperson can ensure that your unit never goes without necessary care. some of the basics of heating system maintenance include:
- monthly filter clearing or replacement
- cyclical maintenance checks- fall heater check-up and spring a/c clearing
- channel clearing- if you house has experiences flooding or cracks of any kind, the channel application is a preferred place for mould to hide
four seasons heating and air conditioning can help you manage your heater or boiler’s maintenance around your schedule. we are available 24 hours a day to take your calls and handle your emergencies, and we also offer flexible scheduling for our around the clock clearing services on both the heater and the cooling system. you may worry that these are services that you simply cannot afford, but four seasons has made each of these services budget friendly, and we even offer discount coupons that are available both online and in many local papers. caring for your heating system is easy when you trust four seasons.
what if it is too late?
soot accumulation is just one of the main issues that result from lack of maintenance, and it can cause other major problems to the heater that may require replacement of the heating system. cracks in the heat exchanger as well as rust buildup often couple the soot problem. these issues regularly result in another combustion device entering the air in the house. that combustion device is carbon monoxide. carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly, and when you consider that prevention of this problem is so affordable, you would be crazy not to take the necessary steps to protect your family from these dangers. cracks in the heat exchanger are a death sentence for your heater or boiler, and replacement is your only option when you receive this diagnosis.
if your unit has already been deemed unfit for use, replacing it with a new formidable efficiency unit is your chance to start fresh and take care of your new system correctly. when you purchase your unit from four seasons, we will get you on a maintenance program that will make remembering to care for the heater easier than ever before. so whether you just need a clearing or if you are looking to replace, four seasons is waiting for your call today!
soot solutions| homewood, cicero, burr ridge is a post from: heating and cooling heater rebuild