If you live in and around the Lake View area of Chicago and you are in need of a reputable air conditioning repair contractor look no further then Around the Town Heating and Cooling. We offer fast and affordable pricing and friendly and respectable services.

We offer upfront pricing so that you will not be shell shocked! Big Ed and crew know the value of a buck and we perform our services with your best interest in mind. Of course cost of doing business is what it is however ours is less than most, we are a mom and pop type business and our fees are very reasonable for service.

We currently service about 50 or so customers for all their air conditioning and heating needs in the Lake view area of Chicago and we welcome you as a new customer.

We have specials for air conditioning repairs and with the changing of refrigerants from R-22 to 410A there are many variables and hidden cost you may not be aware of. We will inform you of all your options for air conditioning repair in Lake View Chicago.

Now is the time to start planning your spring projects including your air conditioning maintenance checks. Call today 312-243-9896 to schedule an appointment.

Season after season we see furnace and air conditioning system break downs due to dirty furnace air filters. The furnace air filter was originally designed to keep the dirt from being trapped in the blower motors and on limit controls pre nineteen sixties, when air conditioning systems for home became popular and affordable in the late fifties and early sixties, the need for furnace air filters increased expediential.

Due to the large volume of central air conditioning systems installed in the residential sector, the furnace air filter became a crucial component in furnace and air conditioning operations. How’s that you may ask? We’ll let me explain; with central air conditioning systems you have a component called the evaporator coil, the evaporator in most cases are installed up stream of the blower motor and without a furnace air filter the dust and dirt that accumulates in your structure gets circulated by the blower motor and gets sucked back to the furnace through the return system of your ductwork, and when the dust and dirt goes back to the furnace without the furnace air filter the dust and dirt would travel through the blower squirrel cage and lodge into the evaporator coil.

Pre air conditioning, if a filter was not present the dust or dirt would be continuously circulated through your home or structure and eventually build up on the blower squirrel cage, causing air flow problems and the furnace would breakdown due to overheating caused by low air flow. We call this limiting, the limit control which acts as a safety would shut down the burners when a set point high temperature was reached. The blower motor would keep running until the limit control came back to normal operational temperature and then allow the burners to relight and the cycle would perpetuate itself until the limit control would fail and you would have to call a heating repair service company to come out and fix your furnace.

With the realized need of cleaner air filtration in your home, furnace air filters has become an importance’s of epic proportions. Checking your furnace air filter monthly is highly recommended. And if you purchase a pleated three month filter make sure you read the labeling on the package. A three month filter only means that it may be used up to three months. Checking your filter monthly should be as important as paying your mortgage. If you have any questions feel free to call Ed at 312-243-9896 concerning any questions you may have about your furnace air filter.

Let’s use some examples; its 98 degrees outside and humid of course, you call your big time heating and air conditioning guys to tell them your air conditioning system has stopped working, what response do you receive from them! 1 We will be right over, 2 we will put you on the list. Or maybe a voice message? Keep in mind that these big heating and cooling companies have to earn new money on a continuous hourly basis in order keep their doors open, what about warranties? Forget about it, there is no new money there; so make them wait” (I mean you).

Take reputation management, who has more to lose over unfavorable reviews, the big heating and air conditioning companies or the small heating and air conditioning contractor? The answer to that would probably be the small heating and air conditioning companies, and let me explain why; the majority of big heating and air conditioning companies have in house lawyers and have specialist that take care of the reputation management, who do you think pays for that? If you guessed I do.. You’re correct.
Take your mom and pop heating and air conditioning Company; I would hope the majority of us take care of our existing customers first before we move to the new customer and new money (I know we do)

Appearances can spark debate, take for example the big deal about Hilary Clinton and her ‘Au Naturale’ looks. Now you would not think that Hilary’s natural look would be such a big deal, Hilary wasn’t wearing make-up and didn’t style here hair; the media plays a big role in sparking stories that have no merit except gossip. Now reverse the role and start gossiping about the media and boy will there be hell to pay.

The same applies to the big heating and air conditioning companies, slam them a few times and watch the legal papers, emails and phone calls that follow.
My point to this blog is; don’t give the small heating and air conditioning contractors a once over, give them an opportunity to service or install your heating and air conditioning systems, you may be surprised at the price as well as the quality of service you receive.

For heating and air conditioning services call 312-243-9896.
Thanks Big Ed

Our guys are trained fora/c repair Chicago high rise tenant buildings in Buck Town, Wicker Park, and South Loop. We also have techs servicing River West, and the Fulton Market area. We really service all of Chicago however repairing a/c’s in high rise building is where it’s at.

Our pricing for a/c repairs are reasonable and we except all major credit cards. If you need a new a/c then we’re the guys for you. If you’re in need of a top notch professional a/c repair contractor in Chicago look no further than Around the Town Heating and Cooling today. Call 312-243-9896

Answer; There are few solutions to alleviate some of the noises your central air conditioner makes during operation.

Before calling us out to figure out your solution for your loud and noisy central air conditioner, try these few suggestions first; try installing 4 small pieces of rubber underneath each corner of your central air conditioning unit. There should be enough clearance to lift each corner 1 side at a time to install the rubber. Old bicycle tires cut up works well. Next thing is to clean the condenser coil (outdoor unit) completely with a small power washer or strong garden hose to get all the cottonwoods and crap out of the coils. If your central air conditioner is not level by all means level it with shims.

If these simple tricks don’t work then give us a call for a solution. It is possible that simply the age of the air conditioning unit and the make and model of the a/c unit says it’s time to replace the old and noisy unit with a new high efficient Trane air conditioning system.

Call us today to schedule your annual central air conditioning system maintenance check at 312-243-9896.

1. Efficiency.  A clean air conditioner operates more efficiently.  This will allow you to save money on your utility bills.
2. Extends The Life Of Your HVAC Equipment.  A clean air conditioner will extend the life of your equipment.  Your air conditioning unit will not have to work as hard as long as it is working efficiently.
3. A clean filter will also protect your home’s air.  A clean filter will insure that your air conditioner is working at its optimum efficiency.
4. If you are regularly checking your air conditioner, problems can be spotted right away before it is 90 degrees out.  Not having emergency repairs will always save you money!  By noticing that a repair needs to be done right away, you save money.  When a small repair does not get repaired, it can lead into a much bigger repair due to the strain on other working parts.
5. If you have a warranty on your air conditioner, you can void it out by not following a regular maintenance schedule.

There are many reasons to property maintain your air conditioning system.  If you don’t think you can properly maintain your air conditioning unit, you can always invest in a maintenance contract where Around The Town comes to your home and checks your furnace and air conditioning systems for you!  With something as expensive as a new air conditioner, you want to take the best care of it as possible!

Air conditioning filters often tend to be an afterthought.  However, they are very important especially if you have pets, asthma, or allergies.  There are several things you need to think about before you pick what air filter you are going to use.  

The first thing you must look at is what size filter you need.  If you are using an air conditioning filter that is too big or too small, it won’t work correctly.

Next, what is the MERV rating?  The MERV (Minimum Efficiency Rating Value) is a rating system that allows you to compare filters made by different manufacturers. The rating scale values range from 1 (lowest efficiency) to 20 (highest efficiency).  It represents how well the air filter collects and holds particles of a specified size range (like large pieces of dust and pollen).

Lastly, what are your needs?  Do you want a disposable filter or a permanent filter?  Does anyone in your home have special needs like allergies?  Disposable air filters need to be changed on a regular basis (anywhere from 1 month to 3 months).  An electronic air filter  is a permanent filter in your HVAC system.  They are very effective at removing particles from the air.  They polarize air particles and collect them on a media pad.

There are many filters types out there.  You have to decide which ones will work best for your family.  If you aren’t sure, please give Around The Town a call and we can direct you to the best air conditioning filters on the market.

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1. Does your air conditioning contractor give you choices?  That means, do they just deal with one brand or do they work with several?  Are they offering you different options for efficiency, refrigerant type, filtration, and controls?  Sometimes more items to choose from can make things confusing.  However, like most consumers, I personally like having all my options laid out in front of me.  It helps to make a informed decision on what is best for my home.
2. Does your air conditioning contractor offer financing?  Most air conditioning contractors know that this is a huge expense to take on.  It shows that the air conditioning contractor can meet the qualifications to even offer you financing.  It also makes it a lot more affordable to you, so you get the correct air conditioning equipment for your home instead of just the cheapest.
3. Did your air conditioning contractor do a load calculation?  You cannot just buy a new air conditioner based off of what your old one was.  What changes have been made to your home since the original installation of your air conditioner?  If an air conditioning contractor is not willing to come to your home to let you know what you need and do a load calculation, you definitely should be looking for a new air conditioning contractor!
4. Does the equipment that your air conditioning contractor is installing come with a warranty?  Your air conditioning contractor should be notifying you if exactly how long the warranty is on your equipment and what exactly it covers.
5. How long has your air conditioning contractor been in business under that name?  Did you know that over 85% of the mechanical contracting companies fail in the first five years?  If the contractor’s company goes under, you may not have a warranty anymore!
6. Is your air conditioning contractor licensed?  Most states, villages, cities, etc all require that your air conditioning contractor is licensed.  Plus, you want somebody who knows what they are doing working on anything on your home!
7. Does your air conditioning contractor carry insurance?  If your air conditioning contractor or any of his workers get hurt, you want to make sure that you are not liable.
8. Are the companies’ vehicles well maintained?  I know that I don’t want somebody to drive to up to do work at my home in an old junky car.  If your air conditioning contractor is working from the trunk of his old car, you may have some things to worry about.
9. Does your air conditioning contractor talk to you or over you?  Does your air conditioning contractor explain things, so you can understand what he/she is talking about?  Will they answer your questions?  You don’t want an air conditioning contractor who talks to down to you or refuses to answer your questions.
10. What is the timeline for the work?  A good air conditioning contractor should be able to tell you when and how long it will take to install your new air conditioning unit.

It is very important that you feel comfortable with the air conditioning contractor that you choose.  At Around The Town, we are licensed and always willing to answer any of your questions.  Keep us in mind the next time you need an air conditioning contractor!

Related articles

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Every season I turn on my air conditioner and the freon has leaked out. How do I get this problem fixed? 

Freon leaks is a common problem we see every spring when homeowners turn on their air conditioning system.  The air conditioner either freezes up causing water damage or the air conditioning system doesn’t cool down your home.

However, since R-22 refrigerant is now being phased out (this is freon), there are fewer and fewer options for homeowners to do.  First, you can retrofit your air conditioning system with the new 410 A refrigerant system.  Next, you need to find the leak and fix it. This is both time consuming and expensive. The other option is to install a freon stop leak chemical that has a success rate of 80%.  The rule of thumb is if you lose only a couple of pounds of Freon a year, the success rate increases greatly. If your air conditioning system is bone dry every season, the odds are that the stop leak will not work.  We have been using stop leak for a number of years now and our success rate is over 90%.  We have a one year guarantee that if the stop leak chemical we install in your air conditioning system doesn’t stop the leak in your air conditioning  system, we will redo it again for free (you pay the service charge only).

If you are interested in the cheaper alternative than replacing your air conditioning system due to freon leaks give us a call at Around The Town.  We would rather save you money than install a new air conditioning unit that you don’t need!