FAQs: Maintenance Agreements,
Ideas to Reduce Home Heating And Air
Conditioning Costs, Troubleshooting
Your Furnace and Air Conditioner
Does Unique offer maintenance agreements for heating and
air conditioning equipment?
Is it better to replace my furnace and air conditioner at the same time?
How can I lower my utility bills?
What is carbon monoxide? How do I know if I have it in my home?
Do I need to clean my furnace and air conditioner every year?
What can I check if my air conditioner is not working?
What can I check if my heat is not working?
Do I need to line my chimney?
How do I know I'm using a reputable company?
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Does Unique offer Maintenance Agreements for
heating and air conditioning systems?
Yes, Unique offers Maintenance Agreements to cover heating and air conditioning
systems throughout the Chicago area. Our agreements cover annual cleanings
on heating and air conditioning equipment. Customers with maintenance
agreements receive priority service all year round, including holidays!
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Is it better to replace my furnace and
air conditioner at the same time?
If you replace your furnace and air conditioner at the same time, you will save on
installation and efficiency costs. The evaporator coil (tubing that contains the
Freon to cool the air) is located above the furnace in the duct system. The duct
system has to be opened to replace the furnace, and the evaporator coil is easily
accessible when the furnace is replaced. In order to replace the evaporator coil,
the Freon has to be removed from the air conditioner. By replacing all components
at the same time, the equipment meets current efficiency standards, thereby
reducing future operational costs and installation.
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How can I reduce home heating and air conditioning costs?
There are many ways to lower your utility bills. Setting your thermostat to a lower
temperature in the winter, or a higher temperature in the summer is a start. Fixing
or replacing old windows that let the wind blow through is another big energy saver.
Replacing an old air conditioner or furnace with a new, more efficient model can also
save you money on your utility bills. Having a maintenance agreement will also save
on the cost of maintenance and repair.
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What is carbon monoxide? How do I know if I
have carbon monoxide in my home?
Carbon Monoxide is an invisible and odorless gas produced by incomplete burning
of natural gas, propane, gasoline, charcoal or wood. Carbon monoxide may result
from your heating unit, stove or water heater working improperly.
When your furnace is running, the fuel that is burned produces carbon dioxide.
But if the resulting carbon dioxide is burned a second time, carbon monoxide is then
produced. A crack in your heat exchanger creates a greater chance for the carbon
dioxide to mix with the air, burn, and produces carbon monoxide.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include drowsiness, dizziness, headaches,
blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, and in extreme cases, loss of consciousness.
Infants, young children and the elderly will be affected first.
Homeowners should have their heating equipment and water heaters checked
annually by a qualified technician. Blocked vent pipes and malfunctioning equipment
are common sources of carbon monoxide.
Homeowners should have a carbon monoxide detector on each floor of the home.
(Avoid putting a detector in the basement or kitchen, to prevent false readings.)
Make sure the detector has a digital readout and a self-cleaning sensor to
reduce the chance of false alarms. If the alarm sounds, open the windows
and call us to have your home checked. If individuals in the household are
feeling ill, leave the house and call the fire department.
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Do I need to clean my furnace and air conditioner every year?
By having your furnace and air conditioner cleaned annually, systems will operate
more efficiently and the chance of breakdowns will decrease. It is important to have
your heating system checked annually to make sure safety controls are operating.
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What can I check if my air conditioner is not working?
Check to see if the outdoor unit is running.
A. If the unit is not running, turn the thermostat to the off position.
Go to your circuit panel and turn the breaker for the air conditioner
off, then back on. Go to the thermostat and turn the system back to
cool. If the system does not come on, you need a service call.
B. If the unit is running, check to see if you have the thermostat turned
to the desired temperature. Check to make sure the air filter and the
outdoor coil is free of debris. If all of these are clean, then you will
probably need a service call.
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What can I check if my heat is not working?
Verify if the blower fan in the furnace is running.
A. If the fan is not running, turn the thermostat fan to the 'on' position.
If the fan turns on you will require a service call. This can indicate a
problem with the thermostat or fan center.
B. If the fan does not turn on, check if the blower door on the furnace
is properly closed. Door must be tightly sealed in order to make contact
with the blower switch.
If the door is not ajar, you will find a safety switch (toggle switch) on the side of
the furnace. Turn the switch off, then back on. If the fan comes on, the heat
should work. If the fan does not come on then you will require a service call.
Check and see if the pilot is lit. If the pilot is not lit, contact Unique for a service call.
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Do I need to line my chimney?
If your chimney is adjacent to an exterior wall when replacing your old furnace,
you will need to line your chimney. Due to the new efficiencies of furnaces, the
flue temperature is lower than the older systems. When the new furnaces shut
off, the excess heat no longer leaves through the chimney, therefore, the chimney
becomes cold. When the furnace starts again, the flue gases condense in the
cold chimney and deteriorate mortar and the clay tile liner. This eventually causes
the brick to flake and the mortar to erode. In severe cases of decay, the chimney
may collapse.
If your chimney runs up the center of the house, you are not required to line the
chimney unless the clay tile liner is oversized or deteriorated. But, by lining your
chimney you can protect it against further deterioration.
If you install a 90% furnace, you still need to line the chimney for the water heater.
Water heaters do not produce enough heat to maintain the temperature in the
chimney, therefore it is necessary to prevent the condensation of the flue gases
with the chimney liner. For more on furnace efficiencies read our furnaces page.
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How do I know I'm using a reputable company?
There are several factors that you should evaluate.
First, verify the company is established and has a facility, not working out of a
home. This will help to ensure they will be there when you need future services.
Second, make sure the company is licensed, carries liability and workman's
compensation, and obtains the required permits. They must be able to cover any
damages or accidents that can occur.
Third, request references and call those references.
Fourth, receive a written proposal with full details of installation, equipment
information, and the agreed price. With a written contract, you know exactly
what services the company will perform, and at what cost.
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