Althoff Home Services Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Residential Cooling’

5 Air Conditioning Noises and Their Causes

Thursday, June 13th, 2019

Summertime—it’s sunshine, warm breezes, barbecues and the gentle hum of air conditioners keeping houses cool throughout the neighborhood. In a split second, that gentle hum can turn into an unnerving hissing, banging or screeching. While all air conditioners make noise, it’s important to be able to recognize which noises are normal, and which noises require a professional inspection.

1. Hissing

Uh oh! More than likely, you’ve sprung a leak. Usually, a hissing sound indicates that your air conditioner is leaking refrigerant. In some cases, there’s a small opening in one of the refrigerant lines. In others, there may be an internal valve leak.

If the hissing is really loud and accompanied by squealing or screeching from the compressor, you need to turn off your air conditioner immediately. This indicates that there is too much pressure in the compressor, which could lead to a costly repair bill if you don’t act soon.

2. Screeching

One of the most startling noises is generally one of the easiest to diagnose. In newer direct-drive A/C units, you can trace a screeching noise to a shot bearing in the fan motor. Usually, you’ll have to replace the fan motor to get the noise to stop. In older A/C units, the screech could be coming from the belt that connects the motor to the blower. Belts gradually wear down, and you need to replace them from time to time.

3. Banging

A loud banging or rattling can mean that there’s a loose part somewhere in your A/C unit. Before more damage occurs, you’ll want to shut of the air conditioner as soon as you hear the noise. Is the noise louder outside of your house or inside of it? If it’s outside, one of the fan blades could have come loose in the compressor. If the noise is louder inside, your blower fan might be causing the racket.

4. Clicking

Hearing a clicking sound when the air conditioner kicks on is common and completely normal. That click is how your thermostat communicates with the unit. However, when it’s on, your A/C shouldn’t be ticking like a clock.

Like banging noises, clicking often comes from a loose or damaged part that’s hitting against something that it normally wouldn’t. An occasional clicking noise could indicate that there’s something stuck in one of the airways. On the other hand, if the clicking is constantly coming from your thermostat, there could be an issue with the circuit board.

5. Buzzing

A couple of issues could make your air conditioning unit buzz, like a swarm of hornets building a nest in your outside unit. If you can rule out pests, the buzzing could be coming from loose parts rubbing together, or your air conditioner might have frozen up. If you see a buildup of frost and ice on the unit, a professional can help you determine the cause. Finally, listen to hear if the buzzing sound is coming from the unit’s power source. The A/C could be overloading your circuit panel, which will require a professional evaluation.

If your air conditioner is making a noise that it shouldn’t, call Althoff.

Ignoring the problem could cause damage to your unit that then requires more extensive repairs. Have one of our licensed Chicago HVAC technicians check out the sound now and get peace of mind. Contact us at 800-225-2443 to schedule.

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Can I Get a Tax Credit for Switching to Energy-Efficient Appliances?

Monday, March 18th, 2019

As of the 2018 tax year, many of the federal tax credits for upgrading to new, energy-efficient appliances have expired. In the past, you were able to collect federal tax credits for energy-efficient water heaters, air conditioners, boilers, furnaces and other in-home appliances. Now, the IRS provides these types of tax credits only for residential renewable energy products. According to Energy Star, these tax credits should remain available through December 31, 2021.

The tax credits may have expired, but in many cases it’s still a cost-effective solution to update your major in-home appliances. Depending on the age of your water heater, air conditioner or furnace, you could be wasting valuable dollars every month by powering old, inefficient appliances.

For tax year 2018, we’ll explain some of tax credits you can still qualify for if you decide to choose a renewable energy appliance for your home. We’ll also illustrate some of the cost savings you can expect if you choose to replace your old appliances with energy-efficient ones in 2019.

What appliances can I still get a tax credit for?

The U.S. government has restricted the federal tax credit to apply only to equipment that uses alternative energy. You can receive a 30% tax credit through the end of 2019. After 2019, the credit will gradually decrease until it disappears completely for the 2021 tax year. You can view the appliances available to receive the tax credit on IRS Form 5695. Examples that still qualify for the residential energy credit include:

  • Solar water heater. These water heaters convert power from the sun into an energy-efficient heat source for your water. In order to be eligible, the solar water heater must be installed at your primary residence, not a rental property. At least half of the energy generated by the water heater must come from the sun.
  • Small wind turbine. These residential-sized wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity for your home. In order to qualify, the turbine must be installed at your primary residence; the residence can be a new, existing, or second home. The turbine must have a nameplate capacity of no more than 100 kilowatts.

How do I file my tax rebate?

Filing for your tax rebate is simple, as long as you meet the requirements. According to TurboTax, “To claim the credit, you’ll need IRS Form 5695. Work out the credit amount on that form, then enter it on your 1040. You should keep your receipt for the appliance as well as the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement, so you can prove your claim if the IRS ever conducts an audit.”

Will I save money by upgrading to energy-efficient appliances?

If you’re looking for an appliance upgrade, you don’t need a tax credit to see the cost savings. If any of your appliances have been around for more than 10 years, you can expect to see considerable energy savings when you upgrade to a newer model. For example, according to Energy Star, certified gas storage water heaters are, “about eight percent more efficient than a standard model.” Energy Star certified central air conditioners not only have higher seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) and energy efficiency ratio (EER) ratings but also use about 8 percent less energy than conventional new models.

In total, Energy Star reports that, “By choosing Energy Star, a typical household can save about $575 on their energy bills and still enjoy the quality and performance they expect.”

Are you in the market to upgrade a major home appliance?

Althoff Industries specializes in recommending and replacing furnaces, boilers, air conditioners and more. Contact us today at (815) 455-7000, and we’ll help you get the process started.

Disclaimer: Althoff Industries does not provide tax, legal or accounting services. This article has been prepared for informational purposes only.

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Top 4 Reasons Your Air Conditioner Isn’t Working

Tuesday, July 3rd, 2018

Oh, fantastic. You’re sweltering on a hot day and no matter how low you set the thermostat, your air conditioning system just can’t seem to cool the house. Or maybe you feel warm-ish air coming out of the vents instead of nice cold air. What could be going on?

There are many possible reasons why your air conditioner isn’t working, but here are the four most likely ones.

1. Refrigerant leak

When most people think about their air conditioner, they think that cool air is being created. In actuality, the job of the air conditioning system is to collect heat from inside the home, move it outdoors and release it.

Have you ever driven past a construction site and seen a line of dump trucks carrying dirt away as they clear the land? One by one the trucks are loaded, filled and then driven away to be dumped at another location.

In the same way that a dump truck is used to haul dirt from one place to another, refrigerant is used in the air conditioning system as the container to move heat. Each pound of refrigerant is designed to carry a certain amount of heat outside and release it. A system that doesn’t have enough refrigerant will not be able to cool the house properly or at all.

Symptoms of low refrigerant are:

  • Blowing warm air
  • Poor performance (“I have my stat set at 70 and I can’t get the house below 75!”)
  • Icing on the refrigerant line

If you previously had enough refrigerant and now the level has dropped, there is a leak that must be addressed.

2. Failed capacitor

Your air conditioning unit requires more energy to start up than is available through your home’s wiring. A capacitor is added to the circuit to give the unit an electrical jumpstart. Your system contains several capacitors that help start the compressor, outdoor fan motor, and blower motor inside. The most common capacitor to fail is the compressor motor run capacitor.

Capacitor failure is very common but inexpensive and quick to repair. Since it is a very common repair, service technicians stock these on their trucks. Most capacitors fail simply due to age. The life expectancy can vary, but the typical rating is about 5-7 years.

3. Failed contactor

A contactor is a small device that controls the flow of electricity to your air conditioner’s components. Think of a contactor like a drawbridge. When the drawbridge is down, cars can drive freely over the bridge to the other side. When the bridge is up, cars have to wait until it is lowered again.

Contactors work in the same way but instead of controlling traffic, they control the flow of electricity. When your air conditioner is not in a cooling cycle, the contactors are in the “up” position blocking the flow of electricity. When the thermostat wants to start a cooling cycle, a small voltage is sent to the contactors that tells them to lower into the “down” position. Contactors will stay in the down position until the thermostat is satisfied.

Contactors typically fail due to age and normal wear and tear. Like the capacitors, failure on this component is very common but can be repaired quickly.

4. Lack of maintenance

Probably the most common reason for air conditioner failure is lack of maintenance. Like any piece of machinery, your furnace and air conditioning system requires maintenance.

Here are some common consequences of poor maintenance that can leave you without cold air or with a higher-than-normal cooling bill:

Plugged filters

As air from your home blows across the evaporator coil, heat is absorbed by refrigerant and delivered outside. If the filter is plugged and air flow is restricted, it will cause the coil to freeze and leave you without air conditioning.

dirty air filter

Plugged condensate drain lines

In addition to cooling, your air conditioner removes humidity from the air. This water is removed through a small drain pipe and deposited in a floor drain or outside. Left unmaintained, over time this drain can form a clog. The clogged drain can cause the excess water to backup and cause damage to your furnace or property.

Plugged condenser coils

Heat removed from the house is taken outside and released. If the outdoor coils are not maintained and kept clean, your system will be very inefficient. The unit’s inability to release heat will cause the system to run much longer and do a poor job of cooling the home.

Let the pros at Althoff take care of your AC system before there’s a problem.

If it’s been awhile since you’ve had your AC system checked out or maintained, do yourself a favor: Get it done before you’re left without cold air on a hot day. Our licensed Chicago HVAC technicians can take care of your AC tuneup or get you set up on a regular maintenance plan for peace of mind. If you’re experiencing a problem now, give us a call and we’re on it! Contact us at 800-225-2443 to schedule.

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The Difference Between Commercial and Residential HVAC Services for your Chicago Property

Wednesday, June 13th, 2018

Commercialv vs Residential HVAC Services for your Chicago Property

Do you know the differences between residential HVAC and commercial HVAC? Knowing the differences can help you choose the right contractor for your routine maintenance, repairs and HVAC replacements.

Residential HVAC

Residential HVAC contractors repair, replace and maintain central air conditioning and heating units on single-family homes. These units often contain an outdoor condenser that is located near an outside wall and is responsible for dissipating heat and an indoor unit that is responsible for filtering the air and pushing the cool air through the air ducts.

Commercial HVAC

Commercial HVAC units are much larger than residential HVAC units because they are needed to cool much larger spaces, and they must be repaired, maintained and installed by commercial HVAC contractors that are familiar with large systems. These units are typically located on rooftops, and depending on the size of the building, more than one rooftop unit may be installed. Unlike the residential HVAC system, the commercial rooftop unit is an all-in-one unit that contains everything needed to heat and cool the building. The only items located inside the commercial or large multi-story building are the air ducts and the thermostats.

The Primary Differences Between Commercial and Residential HVAC Units

There are three main differences between commercial and residential HVAC units, including the size of the units, the location and the expansion options.

1. Size and Power of the Unit

Commercial HVAC units are often much larger and much more powerful than their residential counterparts. This is because they must be able to heat, cool and dehumidify the occupied spaces of the building, which could range in size from 5,000 square feet to more than 100,000 square feet. By contrast, single-family residential homes average about 2,000 square feet, and their heating and cooling functions are often separate with the cooling functions being controlled by the central air conditioner and the heating functions controlled by a furnace or heat pump.

2. Location of the HVAC Unit

Because commercial HVAC units are so large, they are often located on rooftops to keep the bulky and oftentimes unsightly equipment out of view of the public. Rooftops also offer lots of room, which means multiple rooftop units can be easily connected together to add heating and cooling power. Residential HVAC units are rarely located on roofs. Instead, the inside parts of the unit are typically located inside an HVAC closet, and the outdoor unit is typically located near an exterior wall and connected to the interior unit via copper piping and electrical wiring.

3. Expansion Options

Residential HVAC units are not typically expandable. Instead, the residential HVAC technician chooses the right sized unit by calculated the occupied square feet, number of doors and windows and ceiling heights. Once the area to be cooled is known, the right sized unit can be purchased and installed. If expansions are performed on the house and additional cooling power is needed, the unit has to be replaced with a large HVAC system.

By contrast, commercial HVAC units are designed to be expandable. If the commercial building undergoes a renovation that increases the occupied square footage, additional rooftop units can be connected to the existing units in order to provide more heating and cooling power.

Residential and Commercial HVAC Services with Althoff

We are proud to be able to provide the entire city of Chicago and the surrounding communities with residential HVAC services and commercial HVAC services. Our residential and commercial heating and cooling technicians are experienced in repairing, replacing and maintaining all types of HVAC equipment from complex rooftop units located on multi-unit multi-story buildings to central units located outside single-family homes.

To talk to one of our HVAC technicians about replacing, repairing or maintaining your residential HVAC system, call us at 815-455-7000. To have your commercial HVAC system serviced, replaced or upgraded, call us at 800-225-2443.

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HVAC Installation Day: 6 Steps our Team Takes to Ensure Success

Wednesday, January 31st, 2018

HVAC installation day for your new HVAC system is an exciting time for our team at Althoff Industries. While we try to minimize any negative impact HVAC installation day may have on you and your family, we want you to know what to expect. We also hope that the day brings a certain excitement to you, knowing you will soon have a new, more efficient HVAC system providing a more comfortable indoor environment.

There are six general steps our team takes to help ensure the successful installation of your new equipment.

  1. Loading and preparation at our shop. Installation day starts with making sure we not only have your new HVAC equipment aboard our trucks but all the tools, testing equipment, and components to complete your installation properly, safely, and efficiently. This takes making sure we have everything we need loaded before we head to your NW Chicago suburb area home.
  2. Arrival and meeting of the installation team. Once our technicians arrive, they will introduce themselves and explain a bit about the installation process and what you can expect. They will determine the best place to park vehicles as to offer as little inconvenience to you as possible.
  3. Preparation for installation. Preparation for installation includes determining the easiest and simplest pathway to the installation site(s) and making sure any flooring is covered to prevent any potential damage. Once access is determined, the real work is ready to begin.
  4. Removal and disposal of old equipment. Before we can install your new equipment, we must remove the older equipment it will be replacing. This can sometimes be a relatively simple process but in some instances where very old equipment is involved, it can be a challenge. We will remove all of the old equipment and get it ready for disposal upon our departure.
  5. Installation of new equipment. Once the old equipment is removed, we will bring your new HVAC equipment into place and begin the installation process. Even after installation, our job is not done as the HVAC system must be carefully tested and checked for safe, smooth, and efficient operation. This is done through an initial start-up and thorough monitoring and testing using specific HVAC testing equipment to monitor gasses, combustion, and airflow.
  6. We’ll explain your equipment and its operation. Once our technicians are completely satisfied your new HVAC equipment has been properly and safely installed, they will explain the operation of your equipment to you and the routine maintenance you can perform to keep it running at peak efficiency.

You should begin enjoying the benefits of your new HVAC equipment quickly through better heating and cooling of your home and lower energy bills! Our goal is to leave your home as we found it, only better!

We’ve prepared a brief video of our team preparing for an install. Enjoy the show!

You can help us on HVAC installation day by removing any items that may be in the path while we take out or bring in your equipment. For the safety of any pets as well as our technicians, please keep any animals in a separate area during the installation process. If you have a cat or dog that is sensitive to noise or strangers, you may want to consider having a friend or relative take your pet during the installation period.

Keep in mind, the installation of a new HVAC system is a major project. It is likely the largest mechanical system in your home. There will be noise and technicians will be coming in and going out of your house frequently. While we do everything we can to minimize disruptions, it is an involved process.

Thanks for choosing Althoff Industries. If you ever have any questions about your new HVAC system or would like to know more about keeping your indoor air as clean and comfortable as possible, please contact us.

Heating System Repairs 24 hours NW Chicago Suburbs (1)

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Althoff HVAC Trucks: Fully Stocked to Finish Residential Service Jobs

Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018

Those who live and work in the Crystal Lake, Northwest Chicago area, and its suburbs have likely seen our Althoff Industries service trucks on the area roadways. You may not, however, have given much thought to what all is contained in these vehicles.

It helps to understand that for our technicians, these trucks tend to serve as their offices on wheels. As such, they need to contain the parts and tools that we use most often. This better allows us to complete a repair on the first call properly. It also saves us, and you, time and money.

Of course, with so many brands, types, sizes, and configurations of heating and air conditioning equipment, this leads to quite a collection of parts and tools. Is it always pretty and well-organized in the back of our service trucks? Not very often. But through the years, however, we have become quite adept at making sure our trucks are equipped to handle the most common HVAC and plumbing related problems on an initial call. Let’s take a closer look at what you may typically find in an Althoff HVAC residential repair truck.

Hand and Power Tools

Of course, one of the most critical factors in residential HVAC repair is having the right tool for the right job. This means a variety of both common and specialized hand and power tools that range from hammers and pliers to sheet metal cutting tools and soldering equipment.

Gauges, Diagnostic and Measuring Equipment

At Althoff Industries, our primary concern is that of the safety of your family. This makes it necessary that we have a variety of gauges and measuring equipment to help us properly diagnose any potentially dangerous conditions. These devices include equipment like a combustion analyzer, draft gauge, manometer, and more. Humidity and temperature gauges also help us in determining HVAC related issues.

Various Nuts, Bolts, and Small Parts

The back of one of our residential HVAC repair trucks will have a variety of nuts, bolts, screws, and small parts to help technicians complete their tasks. This will also include a variety of sealers, electrical tapes, duct tape, and PVC and sheet metal parts.

Parts that Commonly Fail

Some HVAC parts are more prone to failure than others. These include relays, transformers, circuit boards, capacitors, thermostats, thermocouples, blower motors, igniters, and more. Our trucks contain a variety of these parts including replacement hoses and valves, wiring, switches, connectors, breakers, and others.

The Most Important Part 

Our trucks contain refrigerant, refrigerant reclaim jugs, flush kits, glycol and glycol pumps, and so much more. But it is what you don’t see in the back of our HVAC contractor truck that is perhaps most important. That is the knowledge, training, and experience of our Althoff Industries technicians.

When you contact us for a service call, you likely want that call completed as efficiently and quickly as possible. A properly equipped and stocked truck can help us better accomplish that.

Keeping our trucks properly stocked and outfitted with the latest tools is part of the cost of doing business. So is properly maintaining our vehicles so they are ready to go when you need us. Whether your furnace decides to give out during the coldest day of the winter or your AC fails in the mid-summer heat, you can count on the team at Althoff Industries to be prepared. When you experience HVAC issues, we invite you to contact us, at Althoff Industries.

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A Clog Free Condensate Line Keeps Your Property Safe from Water Damage

Wednesday, December 13th, 2017

Next to the safety of your family, the highest priority of the team at Althoff Industries is to make sure your property is protected from damage from your HVAC system. To help ensure that, one of the routine maintenance tasks we perform on every clean and check and repair is to make sure the condensate line is clear.

What is the purpose of a condensate line or drain, how does it get clogged, and what can be the result if it does clog?

The Role of a Condensate Line

Many homeowners don’t understand that their air conditioner not only cools the air it treats but it dehumidifies it as well. On a humid day in Chicago, as much as five to 10 gallons of water can be removed from the air. This water is funneled into a drip pan and then removed through the condensate line to the outside of your house or to a drain inside the home.

How Does a Condensate Line Become Clogged?

Even if you are diligent in keeping air filters clean and even if you have a whole house air cleaner, dust and dirt can still collect in and around your HVAC system. The moisture that is removed from the air can serve as a “dust magnet”, attracting dust and dirt particles into the drip pan and eventually the condensate drain. If not cleaned, this can clog the condensate line.

What are the Potential Ramifications of a Clogged Condensate Line?

If the condensate drain is clogged, the water in the drip pan has nowhere to go and will overflow. This can cause damage to your HVAC equipment, flooring, and walls. If not promptly corrected, it can even lead to mold, which can be expensive to remediate. You are far better off having your condensate line cleaned with your annual furnace maintenance and HVAC check.

Cleaning the condensate line is a relatively simple task, yet some HVAC companies won’t perform a condensate drain cleaning unless a clog is apparent. At Althoff Industries, we understand that clogs usually don’t just occur overnight, they develop over time. By cleaning the condensate line on every visit, we are conducting proactive maintenance to prevent a potential problem in the future. We’ve created a brief video explaining condensate drain cleaning if you’d like to learn more.

If you have any questions about your HVAC equipment or would like to schedule an annual furnace maintenance clean and check, we invite you to give us a call. Next to the safety of you and your family, protecting your home is our next highest priority.

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How to Choose the Right Air Filter for Your HVAC Equipment

Wednesday, November 15th, 2017

If you find yourself having to set your thermostat at unusually high or low temperatures just to stay comfortable, your problem may be poor air flow. Poor air flow may be caused by too much friction in your HVAC system or too much turbulence. One of the most significant causes of friction in an HVAC system is the air filter.

How is an Air Filter Related to the Comfort of a Home?

Even a clean HVAC air filter will offer some friction to the air flow in a furnace. If a filter is dirty or too restrictive in its design, it will not allow a sufficient airflow through your system and into the rooms it serves. This can lead to your system overworking and struggling to provide the comfort you desire. It will also increase the inefficiency of your unit. While we find that more and more homeowners understand the importance of changing filters, many still fail to remember to do it or are purchasing filters that are too restrictive for their systems to operate properly.

How Do You Determine the Best Filter for You?

HVAC filters are rated based on a minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV). This is a 1-16 scale but most home filters fall within the 4 to 12 range. The higher the rating, the smaller the particles are that can be trapped by the filter. Higher ratings also make filters more restrictive to air flow and generally are more expensive.

Selecting the right filter for you and your family will depend on the balance you place on comfort, expense, clean indoor air quality, and furnace efficiency. Most homeowners can usually settle in the 6-8 MERV range without negatively impacting air flow. The 6-8 range filters are also still affordable.

Before You Switch to a High-Efficiency Furnace Filter

A high-efficiency HVAC air filter can remove up to 99% of particulate matter in the air. This can be terrific news if you or someone in your family suffers from allergies or are sensitive to dust. A word of caution about high-efficiency filters, however. Before making the switch, contact your HVAC professional. A trained technician can help determine how disruptive the filter will be and perhaps even make adjustments to increase fan speed to make up for the reduced airflow. You’ll also want to make sure you stay on top of changing these more restrictive filters on schedule.

Keep in mind that a dirty HVAC air filter can cause more than just discomfort. They can lead to damage to the blower motor or heat exchanger. You can see the difference between a minimally restrictive fiberglass filter and a pleated filter in the below video.

If you have rooms that just don’t seem to get comfortable, check your air filters. If you are interested in switching to a higher MERV rated filter for cleaner indoor air, contact us at Althoff Industries, We’ll conduct an inexpensive clean and check and help determine the best HVAC air filter for your family. If adjustments need to be made, we can accomplish that on the same call.

Don’t settle for anything less than superior comfort when it comes to your indoor air. Contact Althoff Industries and get the indoor air quality you deserve.

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3 Essential HVAC Tools that Provide Accurate Diagnostics

Wednesday, November 1st, 2017

At Althoff Industries, our priority is not only hiring and training talented technicians but equipping them with the highest quality tools to get the job done accurately. We ensure our technicians are not only well-trained and proficient in HVAC repair and installations but that they have the essential HVAC tools to assist them in the accurate diagnosis of your heating and air conditioning equipment.

While our trucks are filled with many parts, equipment, and tools, there are three HVAC technician tools that we use at every service call. They are the combustion analyzer, draft gauge, and manometer. These tools give us the ability to measure and analyze things happening with the system that cannot be seen by just visually looking at it. Our highly trained technicians understand that the proper diagnosis involves digging deeper to uncover hidden problems that impact safety, performance, and can cause breakdowns.

3 Essential HVAC Tools

1. Combustion Analyzer

A combustion analyzer is a handheld device that looks much like a multi-meter an electrician would use to check circuits. Like blood work being analyzed at the lab, the combustion analyzer gives our technicians all the components of the combustion process at once. The three main components checked are carbon monoxide levels, oxygen levels, and flue temperature. A trained technician knows that having just one of those numbers doesn’t tell you the whole story. It takes putting all the pieces together to accurately understand what’s happening. The purpose of the combustion analysis unit is to measure the percentages of oxygen and carbon dioxide along with the flue temperature. These measurements help our technicians determine whether or not the furnace is operating within the parameters that the manufacturer of the equipment has specified.

A combustion analyzer is important for three different reasons. It can help in determining and achieving optimum fuel efficiency, it is critical for the safe operation of your equipment, and it can ensure your HVAC system is operating within the guidelines of any warranty.

2. Draft Gauge

A draft gauge is a device that verifies that your chimney has proper draft pressure. Improper draft can be caused by lack of combustion air, too much combustion air, outside temperature and wind conditions, or a blocked chimney. A proper draft is critical to make sure the by products of combustion are safely disposed of outside the home. Most companies just assume this is happening correctly, at Althoff our technicians are trained to verify it. HVAC tools like a draft gauge help our technician determine if there are any problems creating these potential draft issues.

3. Manometer

The manometer is a device used to measure differences in pressure. We use this in a couple different ways. First, we use it to measure duct static pressure to make sure that you have proper air flow through the furnace and duct system. Another way is by measuring gas pressure to the equipment. Equipment is rated for certain gas pressures and those outside of those ranges can have very negative effects on performance, safety, longevity of the equipment

Other Trade Tools Used on Daily Basis

The three critical HVAC tools listed above are just part of what technicians need to perform their job on a daily basis. Other such tools may include:

  • A refrigerant recovery machine
  • Hand seamer
  • Swage tools
  • Leak detectors
  • Hand and power tools
  • Tin snips
  • Multimeter
  • Humidity and temperature gauges…and more!

Our technicians in the field often play the role of part technician, mechanic, sheet metal worker, detective, and chemist/scientist. It is why they are so extensively trained and outfitted with the latest equipment. It is not an inexpensive proposition but we take what we do very seriously here at Althoff Industries. After all, it is not just the efficient operation of your HVAC equipment that is at stake. It is also the safety of your family.

When you experience an issue with your furnace, trust the experts at Althoff Industries.

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How Do You Define HVAC Contractor? This Definition Is Pretty Hard To Beat

Wednesday, October 11th, 2017

The Althoff Definition of a Quality HVAC Technician

You probably have seen, read or heard advertisements from HVAC contractor companies in the greater Chicago area that talk about their “quality”. They’ll boast of the quality of their equipment, the quality of their service, and even the quality of the technicians they hire. Quality has become a word that is so overused in the service industry that it often loses its meaning. When it comes to HVAC, through the years, we’ve discovered there is a big difference in what they refer to as “quality”, and what our high standards are at Althoff Industries. Our definition of a quality HVAC technician reaches beyond most HVAC companies in the Crystal Lake IL area.

Treating Problems at the Core Cause

At Althoff Industries, our technicians are trained to find the core cause of a problem. They are not on a mission to “find” problems that may or may not exist. They are not there to sell you something. From the moment an Althoff team member answers your call to the moment we arrive  at your home, we are there to resolve your HVAC problem at its root cause, keep your family safe, and restore comfort to your home. They are there to offer logical options and let you make the final choice. They are often asked, “What would you do?”. In fairness, every family has different budget restraints. Our technicians are there to provide you HVAC options that are safe. The choice is ultimately yours, the way it should be. Don’t let an HVAC contractor sell you on a solution that may be their own best interest.

Why Finding the Core Cause is Important

Our technicians are trained to find the core cause of a problem because without that knowledge, technicians often just treat the symptoms. Our Althoff technicians are there to determine WHY a part failed and WHY your HVAC system isn’t performing properly. When an HVAC contractor tells you you need a new part, they should be able to tell you WHY the part failed. If they say “normal wear and tear” and your furnace is less than ten years old, it should raise red flags. If they can’t offer a logical reason for the part failure and you simply replace it,  you may just soon experience the same failure sometime in the near future.

Technicians, Training, and Tools

Want to hear something you may already know? Some HVAC people are more interested in selling you something than helping resolve your problem. Shocker right? At Althoff, we have a client-centered focus that compels us to determine your problem at its root cause and then offer you the best options to resolve it. No hidden agendas. We do this through good people who embrace our mission. They have families and understand the challenges of dealing with unexpected issues like HVAC maintenance problems. Next, we provide our HVAC technicians with superior training and exposure to the latest available techniques and technology. That technology includes innovative digital tools that can better determine exactly what is going on with your HVAC system. These tools accurately determine the underlying cause of your problem. We are not just guessing. We use precise instrumentation to verify how your system is performing. We know you expect more than an educated guess from a “quality” HVAC company. At Althoff Industries, we deliver.

Discover a Higher Definition of Quality at Althoff Industries

If you have been frustrated with an HVAC technician who “guesses” at your problem, or simply replaces a failed part without being able to tell you why it failed, contact Althoff Industries. Our service technicians are trained and have the latest tools to diagnose your HVAC problem efficiently and effectively. Best of all, they offer honest solutions that can best fit your family’s needs. Expect more and get more.

Althoff Home What Makes HVAC contractors Different

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