Chicago HVAC Blog
Straight answers about heating and cooling Chicago homes, from steam radiators in a greystone to heat pumps in a new townhome.
Why Is My Furnace Running but Not Blowing Hot Air?
Usually it’s one of three things: the thermostat fan is set to On, the burners aren’t lighting or staying lit, or the furnace has overheated and shut its burners off. Here’s how to tell which.
Read the guide →Furnace Not Turning On: What to Check Before You Call
Before you call, check six things: the thermostat, the furnace power switch, the breaker, the filter, the front door panel and, on high-efficiency models, the condensate drain.
Read the guide →Signs Your Furnace Needs Replacing Before Winter
The clearest signs are age (around 15 to 20 years), repairs every winter, rising gas bills, uneven heat and a cracked heat exchanger. Replacing in fall beats replacing in a January emergency.
Read the guide →How to Get Your Furnace Ready for a Chicago Winter
Replace the filter, test the thermostat and carbon monoxide alarms, clear the vents and returns, check the humidifier and schedule a tune-up before the first cold snap.
Read the guide →Why Is My Boiler Not Heating My Radiators?
On hot-water systems it’s usually trapped air, low pressure, a failed circulator pump or a stuck zone valve. On steam systems, look at clogged radiator vents, closed valves or low water.
Read the guide →How to Bleed a Radiator in a Chicago Home
Turn the heat off, open the bleed valve a quarter turn with a radiator key until water appears, close it, then check the boiler pressure. This applies to hot-water radiators, not steam.
Read the guide →Steam vs Hot Water Boilers in Older Chicago Homes
Steam boilers have a glass sight tube and run at very low pressure; hot-water boilers have a pressure gauge around 12 to 25 psi, an expansion tank and a circulator pump.
Read the guide →Heat Pumps in Chicago: Do They Work Below Zero?
Cold-climate heat pumps keep producing heat well below freezing and into single digits. On the coldest days, many Chicago homes rely on backup heat: electric strips or a gas furnace in a dual-fuel setup.
Read the guide →Why Does My Heat Pump Run Continuously in Winter?
Long run times are normal in cold weather, especially for variable-speed heat pumps designed to run steadily. It’s a problem when the house stays cold, the unit ices over, or backup heat runs all the time.
Read the guide →Adding Central Air to a Chicago Bungalow With Radiators
Without ducts, the two main options are a high-velocity system with small flexible ducts run through the attic and closets, or ductless mini splits. Both avoid tearing open plaster walls.
Read the guide →Ductless Mini Splits vs Central Air for Chicago Two-Flats
For radiator-heated two-flats, ductless mini splits are usually the simplest way to give each unit its own cooling. Central air makes sense when the flats already have ducts or owners want no wall units.
Read the guide →Why Is My AC Running but Not Cooling?
The usual causes are a dirty filter or outdoor coil, a failed capacitor that stops the compressor or fan, low refrigerant from a leak, or a frozen indoor coil.
Read the guide →Why Is My AC Making Strange Noises?
Buzzing often points to electrical parts like a capacitor or contactor, banging to a loose or broken part, squealing to a motor or belt, and hissing to a refrigerant leak.
Read the guide →No Hot Water: Common Water Heater Problems and Fixes
On gas heaters, no hot water usually means the pilot, thermocouple or gas valve; on electric heaters, a tripped breaker, a heating element or a thermostat.
Read the guide →How Often Should You Clean Your Air Ducts in Chicago?
There’s no fixed schedule. Clean ducts when there’s a reason: mold, pests, heavy debris or renovation dust. Dryer vents are different and should be cleaned about once a year.
Read the guide →Why Does My Furnace Keep Turning On and Off?
Short cycling is usually caused by overheating from a clogged filter, a dirty flame sensor, a poorly placed thermostat or an oversized furnace.
Read the guide →Carbon Monoxide and Your Furnace: Warning Signs Every Chicago Home Should Know
Carbon monoxide is invisible and odorless. Working CO alarms on every floor are the only reliable warning. If one sounds, get everyone outside and call 911.
Read the guide →How to Keep Pipes From Freezing When the Heat Goes Out
Keep doors to the rest of the house open, open cabinets under sinks on outside walls, let faucets drip and keep any working heat on. If a pipe freezes, open the faucet and warm the pipe gently.
Read the guide →Why Are Some Rooms Colder Than Others in My Chicago Home?
Usually it’s the distribution, not the furnace: long or leaky ducts, blocked vents and returns, unbalanced radiators, or a room with poor insulation and drafty windows.
Read the guide →What Does an HVAC Tune-Up Include?
A furnace tune-up cleans and tests burners, igniter, flame sensor, motors and safety switches and checks combustion; an AC tune-up cleans the coil and checks refrigerant and electrical parts.
Read the guide →Rather Have Someone Look at It?
Call (312) 924-7223 and describe the problem. You get a free estimate before any work starts.
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