In Elgin, Illinois, we experience four different seasons, huge temperature swings and every imaginable type of weather.
Winter is definitely our longest season, bringing excessive snow and freezing cold conditions.
The spring and fall seasons tend to be windy, chilly and wet while summers are hot and humid. The heating system is a necessity and often operates for eight months of the year. While it’s possible to get by without air conditioning, it’s far more enjoyable to have a perfectly cool living space. The cost of heating and cooling is significant, amounting to around half of the household energy consumption. When my husband and I first moved into our home, there was a furnace already in place. The former owners managed with window air conditioners that looked horrible. We decided to replace the furnace and add central air conditioning at the same time. Industry professionals recommend having heating and cooling equipment of the same age, and we were able to take advantage of a manufacturer’s rebate. The new furnace is far more energy efficient than the original model, helping to pay for itself with lower monthly utility bills. It also provides cleaner indoor air quality, quieter sound levels and fewer concerns with insufficient humidity. We chose a top-of-the-line air conditioner featuring 26 SEER, Energy Star rating and a variable-speed compressor. The cooling unit easily handles the hottest summer days and does a decent job of combating excess humidity. Hoping to maximize service life, I make sure to replace air filters every month and have enrolled into a maintenance plan with a local Elgin HVAC contractor.