How to Safely Use Supplemental Heating in Your Home

Portable electric heaters are convenient, affordable supplemental heaters that warm stubborn cold areas in your home when you need to. Unfortunately, these heaters can be risky, so you need to pay close attention to how you use them. Here are five safety tips for running your supplemental electrical heater. Stay Away from Combustibles That spot next to the curtains or...

Plumbing repairs are challenging and can be expensive. Doing some of the work yourself can be a great way to save money but it can also create problems. Unless you’re a plumber, there’s a chance you could be making mistakes that you aren’t even aware of, mistakes you’ll discover when it’s too late and the damage is already done. If...

Winter humidity in Illinois brings unique indoor comfort challenges. While most homeowners focus on temperature control, maintaining proper indoor humidity levels is equally important for your health and home. What Should Inside Humidity Be in Winter? Indoor humidity should stay between 30 to 50 percent during winter months. This range prevents problems like dry skin and static electricity while avoiding...

Renovating and remodeling can be stressful and expensive but what’s more stressful is discovering that all your hard work has caused more problems. For your HVAC system, this means that something like adding a window can affect its performance. Here are four ways your HVAC system is affected by modifications to your home. Heat gain and loss As mentioned above,...

“Life hacks” are popular these days because most people are busy, overwhelmed and need shortcuts. Between work, taking care of kids, managing the house, getting enough sleep, exercise and healthy food, you need some relief. Fortunately, your HVAC system doesn’t need daily attention. It does, however, require maintenance and skipping or postponing these core items will cause more trouble than...

A cold shower can sometimes be a treat in the heat of summer. But other times of the year, not so much. If you live with other people, you may find yourself juggling bath times with chores that need hot water because it runs out too soon. If this is an ongoing problem, here are five reasons why and how...

When was the last time you changed the oil in your car? Probably when the manufacturer recommended, based on the mileage & time since the previous oil change. Your heating & air conditioning equipment should be no different.  No matter your system’s age, regular maintenance is a must. Here are 4 reasons why you should schedule an AC tune-up this...

Most homeowners understand the value of a properly functioning and efficient HVAC unit, however, the importance of ventilation is often ignored. You have probably heard that ventilation is critical for the health of your family and home, but exactly how important is it? And in what ways? Here are four ways proper ventilation benefits your health and your home. Minimizes...

When you think about HVAC system performance, the first thing that usually comes to mind is your furnace. While that is a critical feature of your home’s heating, it is not the only part. A perfect furnace is useless without proper air distribution. Here are five ways air distribution issues affect your home. Hot and cold spots The most obvious...

Having a home that is not properly heated can do more than cause misery during cooler weather. Your family’s health can be affected by the conditions in your house, including temperature. The first step in figuring out why your home is so cold is to identify the root cause. Here are 5 ways to assess the cause of your home’s...