No Heat During a Heavy Snow?

When we get a heavy deep snow it can potentially cause a problem for your furnace.

In many houses with newer high efficiency furnaces, the vent goes out the side of the building. If those vents become buried in deep snow they can not provide the furnace with the fresh air it needs to operate and most will automatically shut off.

In the event of a heavy snow... you can always call us and we will be glad to come and clear the intake pipe for you. If you would like to avoid a service call and try and take care of it yourself try the following these steps:

1) Go to your furnace and look for a white pipe going from the furnace to the outside wall. (not the metal heating ducts). Make a note of where it goes through the wall.

2) Go outside and to where you think it should be coming out of the wall. In most homes it will stick out a few inches from the basement wall or the side of the home.  Some pipes are even extended up the side of the home and will often have a curve near the end. The intake pipe is unlike the dryer vent which is usually flush with the wall.

3) Once you have found the vent pipe, remove the snow from the area. Make sure that no snow or ice or foreign objects are stuck in the pipe. If you can, clear an area about three feet around the pipe to make sure it stays clear.

4) Once the intake pipe has been cleared the furnace it will often start automatically. If not, furnace starting instructions are usually on the sticker on the side of the unit or inside the access panel. If your furnace still does not start, then give us a call and we will be happy to come out and get it working for you.

Hearthstone Heating and Air Conditioning, Ltd. is here for you 24/7. Please call us for any of your indoor air needs.

"Hearthstone- For the Heart of your Home".
 24/7 call 630-435-9800

2012 Carrier Presidents Award

http://www.residential.carrier.com/dealers/p-awarddealers.shtml

We are very proud to announce that Hearthstone Heating and Air Conditioning has been awarded the Carrier 2012 Presidents Award.

Call the Professional

Call the Professional

When it’s freezing outside, one of the nicest things is being able to go into your home and have it be comfortably warm. When it is hot out and you have worked up a sweat, it is so nice to know you can go into your house and it will be cool. No matter what time of year the peace of mind in knowing your home is temperature controlled is invaluable.  But when either one of these units break down or do not work correctly then it is best to call a professional heating and air conditioning technician in to work on it.

Sometimes a homeowner may think that they are pretty handy and can handle a repair themselves.  Sometimes this works out. Most times you would save yourself aggravation and be money ahead to call us right from the start. This type of work calls for a skilled professional and you should not take chances especially when your family’s health and safety is at stake. Attempting a repair yourself you could end up doing more damage to the unit(s). Heating and air professionals are trained for this specific area and are knowledgeable about gas and electric and they will have the right tools for the job.  

Today with the Internet, it is tempting to just “google” the equipment’s symptoms and hope you can figure out how to make the repair yourself.  Reading about a repair and actually making it yourself are two entirely different animals. You will also be able to find parts for your furnace or air conditioner online, but again, once they arrive at your house the installation will be up to you and none of that can be guaranteed or warrantied.

Being resourceful is a good trait and should be commended. But calling the professionals out to do the service or installation they are trained for, is the wise decision. Peace of mind is invaluable. Don’t waste your time and money; call Hearthstone Heating and Air Conditioning, when you need heating or air conditioning work done!

Communicating Your Heating or Cooling Problem

Oh no.... your air conditioner or furnace has quit and you need help. Before calling it is helpful if you have the following information handy:
*the brand or model of unit
*the age
*when it was last serviced
*when you first noticed anything unusual, such as any noises or odors coming from the unit
*any unusual fluids or leaking around the unit
The more detailed the initial information you give us could actually help speed up the diagnosis and service of your equipment, and thus returning your home to a comfortable level faster.
We are here to help with all of your heating and cooling needs, 24*7. We are Comfort 24*7 provider which means we only offer the highest quality service available. Your satisfaction is guaranteed 100%.

Hearthstone Heating is Celebrating the 109th Anniversary of the Modern Air Conditioner

This month Hearthstone Heating and Air Conditioning, Ltd. joins Carrier Corp. in celebrating the 109th anniversary of Dr. Willis H. Carrier's invention of modern air conditioning, an innovation that forever changed the way people live, work and play by making the world a much cooler place. Hearthstone has been a proud Carrier Dealer for more than fifteen years and our goal is helping people be as comfortable as they can be in their homes.

On July 17, 1902 Carrier developed, and later patented, the first system to provide man-made control over temperature, humidity , ventilation and indoor air quality for a Brooklyn, NY printing plant. Carrier's invention revolutionized nearly every aspect of our daily lives, helping entire regions of the world that once were uninhabitable due to the heat and humidity to grow and prosper.

The weathermen are predicting that the upcoming week will be a very hot one here in the Midwest. Take precautions to stay hydrated and cool to avoid heat exhaustion. And should you need your air conditioning tuned up or repaired, please call us and we will be happy to help!

Thunderstorms and Air Conditioners

On the evening of June 21st, 2011 the Chicago suburbs got hit with damaging high wind thunderstorms and tornado activity. During the storm many people lost their electricity.

The power surges experienced just before the electricity finally goes out can wreak havoc on electronics and air conditioners. The National Disaster Education Coalition suggests that you turn off your air conditioner during a thunderstorm.

When a running air conditioner is hit with a surge of electricity it can damage the internal components including the compressor, capacitor, circuit board etc. To protect the system it is best to have it to the off position until the storm completely passes. If a storm rolls in, and catches you off guard, then turn your air conditioner to the "off" position at the thermostat as soon as possible.

This has been a stormy spring and summer so far. Everyone be safe for the rest of the season.

Hearthstone Heating and Air Conditioning is here for you 24*7, if you have any heating and cooling needs. We are proud to announce we are now part of the www.Comfort24*7.com network of dealers in the Chicago area.

Have a great rest of the summer!!

Spring Allergy Season is Here!

It's May in the Midwest and we have had a colder and wetter than average year so far. The trees are starting to bloom out in full now, and with all the growth, spring allergies are ramping up.
Did you know that your indoor air can be up to five times more polluted than the air outside your home? Because of the new tightly constructed homes with better insulation, the energy efficiency improves, but the home can be starved of fresh air. This allows stale, polluted air to recirculate through your heating and cooling system and it could spread potentially harmful airborne contaminants thoughout your home.  A single germ can multiply eight million times in just one day!
Common asthma and allergy triggers that may cause attacks include dust, strong fumes, smoke and other inhaled irritants. Eliminating the the triggers can help sufferers control their symptoms.
If you have allergies and you do not have an air purifier or a ultraviolet germicidal light as part of your heating and cooling system you might want to consider adding them.
Happy Spring to Everyone! And Happy Mother's Day too!