AL's Cooling & Heating

03/06/2025

Paying our employees is top of mind and we believe in honoring our hard working team members.

08/19/2022

With the new energy rebates from the Inflation act might be a good time to upgrade your system.

All the areas in darkest red will experience more than 30 days a year of 100+ temps. The sharpest incense will be felt in Miami-Dade County, where the ... 45 comments on LinkedIn

08/18/2022

Please reach out if you are interested in taking advantage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provides energy rebates to replace your out of date HVAC equipment with new higher energy efficient equipment. Win-Win!!!

The legislation provides for $9 billion in total energy rebates, including the $4.28 billion High-Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program, which returns a rebate of up to $8,000 to install heat pumps that can both heat and cool homes, and a rebate up to $1,750 for a heat-pump water heater. Homeowners might also qualify for up to $840 to offset the cost of a heat-pump clothes dryer or an electric stove, such as a high-efficiency induction range.

MarketWatch Here's how the Inflation Reduction Act's rebates and tax credits for heat pumps and solar can lower your energy bill Provided by Dow Jones Aug 16, 2022 2:35 AM UTC By Rachel Koning Beals The Inflation Reduction Act, which also has incentives for electric vehicles, has passed the House an...

09/13/2021

09/13/2021

New Rheem AC Install

09/13/2021

New Rheem Furnace and AC Install - Chicago

09/08/2021

Apply now:

https://www.alsairandheating.com/financing/

09/08/2021

UV Germicidal Lights

Stop Viruses, Mold and Bacteria with UV-C light and Improve System Efficiency

Would you like to improve the air quality in your home? According to the EPA, the air we breathe in our homes is often 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside, and an EPA study has determined that poor indoor air quality is one of the top 5 risks to public health. When you consider how long many of us in Chicagoland keep our doors and windows closed during the frigid winters and hot summers, it is easy to see how recirculated air gets contaminated.

Additionally, newer insulation building standards, are resulting in tighter homes that breathe less than drafty older homes. While air filters can prevent larger particles from recirculating in a home, only UV-C germicidal light can kill micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria, mold and more. Additionally, air purifiers, such as the APCO-X, neutralize odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Let one of Al’s service professionals discuss the benefits of installing an APCO-X air treatment system.

-Underwriters Laboratories “UL” validated ZERO Ozone emissions
-Chemical free
-Works in as little as 24 hours

Benefits of APCO-X Germicidal UV Lights
Safe Operation
UV-C light will not add contaminants to the air as it cleans. Many air purifiers create ozone, which is a known lung irritant. The same chemical properties that allow ozone to react with organic material outside the body give it the ability to react with organic material in the body. UV-C light is ozone free and chemical free making it safe for your home. The APCO-X is validated Ozone free by Underwriters Laboratories.

Air Quality & Odor Control
APCO-X utilizes their proprietary EverCarbon cells in conjunction with UV-C light to safely reduce odor-causing VOCs and to sterilize biological contaminants and eliminate mold growth on the evaporator coil.

Energy Efficient
The UV-C light inhibits the growth of mold and other contaminants on the evaporator coil resulting in unobstructed airflow and more efficient transfer of btus across the evaporator coil.

Limited Maintenance
The APCO-X features a 3 year UV-C lamp and requires no additional regular maintenance after install.

Contact Al’s today to learn more about humidifiers and home air quality solutions.

09/08/2021

HCFC-22 (also called R-22, or the brand-name Freon) has been the most widely utilized refrigerant in HVAC equipment since the adoption of the Montreal Protocol in 1987. Because of R-22s expansive adoption throughout the HVAC industry, the EPA outlined a 10-year phase out period, starting January 1, 2010. As of January 1st, 2020 the servicing of systems with R-22 will rely on recycled or stockpiled quantities. This will allow for limited amounts of R-22 to still be available, but since the supply is slowly running out, the cost of this refrigerant will continue to rise. If your home air conditioner is more than 10 years old, it is very likely that it utilizes R-22 refrigerant. Below are some frequently asked questions relating to the R22 phase

R22 – Frequently Asked Questions
I have a R-22 air-conditioning system, do I need to replace it?
No. While the production and importation of R-22 ceased in 2020, recycled R-22 remains available for servicing systems manufactured before 2010.

Will the cost of servicing my R-22 system increase?
If your system has active R-22 refrigerant leak(s) that require annual, or more frequent refrigerant charging/topping off, the cost of adding R-22 to your air-conditioner could increase if the supply of recycled or stockpiled R-22 quantities contracts.

Is a new air-conditioner more efficient than my older R-22 system?
Most new 410A systems are more efficient than their older R-22 counterparts. One way to check is to compare your existing system’s SEER rating to replacement options. SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The lowest SEER systems on the market today are 13 SEER, and the highest rated systems are 27 SEER.

When should I replace my R-22 air-conditioner?
The EPAs lengthy phase out period for R-22 allows you to replace your air-conditioning equipment, with ozone-friendly refrigerants, when you normally would. The standard useful life for HVAC systems is typically 20 years, and the EPA banned production of R-22 systems in 2010. Given this, most homeowners will need to consider upgrading from their exiting R-22 air-conditioning system by 2030.

More about R-22 and the Ozone layer
Residential Air Conditioning, R-22 Freon, and the Ozone Layer
In 1987 the Montreal Protocol on “Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer” was adopted globally. The Protocol’s primary objective was to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances (ODS). As part of the Montreal Protocol, the United States committed to a collaborative effort to phase out ozone-depleting chemical compounds, including CFCs and HCFCs. Many of the most popular refrigerants in 1987, were CFCs; however, by the mid-90s, CFCs had been completely phased out and the US EPA focused on the reduction and eventual phase out of HCFCs.

HCFC-22 (also called R-22, or the brand-name Freon) has been the most widely utilized refrigerant in HVAC equipment since the adoption of the Montreal Protocol. If your home air conditioner is more than 10 years old, it is very likely that it has R-22 refrigerant. Because of R-22s expansive adoption throughout the HVAC industry, the EPA outlined a 10-year phase out period, starting January 1, 2010. As of January 1st, 2020 the servicing of systems with R-22 will rely on recycled or stockpiled quantities. This will allow for limited amounts of R-22 to still be available, but since the supply is slowly running out, the cost of this refrigerant will continue to rise. As a homeowner, you will need to consider several factors in your decision to purchase a new unit, including efficiency, condition (refrigerant leaks, etc.), reliability, and the refrigerant used. In the meantime, R22 remains available for servicing equipment manufactured before 2010.

09/08/2021

According to the EPA, the air we breathe in our homes is often 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside, and an EPA study has determined that poor indoor air quality is one of the top 5 risks to public health. But poor indoor air quality shouldn’t have a negative impact on your health. Below are several quick tips for improving the air quality in your home.

Change your Air Filters

While it is often overlooked by homeowners, changing the air filter in your HVAC system on a regulator basis is the easiest way to improve the overall air quality of your home. The frequency at which you should change your air filter often depends on many factors, such as how often your unit runs, pets, the type of air filter, and the location of the HVAC returns in your house. A good rule of thumb is to change your air filter at least every 3 months and inspect its condition every month. It is also important to use a high-quality pleated filter with an appropriate MERV rating. While glass fiber filters are cheaper, they are not as effective at trapping small particles. The filter MERV rating tells you how effectively your filter traps particles; however, higher MERV ratings aren’t always better, as they can reduce the airflow in your unit. Selecting an air filter in the middle of the MERV range (8-13) is recommended.

Run the blower in your furnace/air-conditioner more frequently

If the blower in your HVAC system isn’t running, than the air filter in your unit cannot effectively clean the air in your home. Often, homeowners have their system set to only run the blower when the unit is in heating or cooling mode. New HVAC systems have more efficient DC (direct current) motors that make them less expensive to run than the AC (alternative current) counterparts that are in older HVAC systems. Additionally, smart thermostats, such as the Ecobee, have minimum hourly fan run settings so that you can circulate air in your home (allowing the filter to work) even when there isn’t demand for cooling or heating.

Install an air-purifier in your HVAC system

While air filters can prevent larger particles from recirculating in a home, only UV-C germicidal light can kill micro-organisms such as viruses, bacteria mold and more. Products, such as the APCO-X, utilize proprietary EverCarbon cells in conjunction with UV-C light to safely reduce odor-causing VOCs and to sterilize biological contaminants and eliminate mold growth on the air-conditioning coil. Many air purifier technologies create ozone, which is a known lung irritant. Selecting an air purifier that utilizes UV-C light to sterilize, means the product is ozone and chemical free, and is safe for your home.

Monitor Humidity Levels in the Winter

In the winter months, humidity levels in the air drop, and in turn, so do the humidity levels in your home. When humidity in homes falls below 30%, we begin to feel the effects. Lower humidity levels in the air make your home feel cooler and can lead to dry skin, dry sinuses, or a dry throat. Using a humidifier will help increase the level of humidity in your home and make you feel more comfortable. In addition to the health benefits, higher humidity can prevent damage and stress to hardwood floors, ceilings, walls, furniture and art.

Advances in thermostat technology, have made it easier than ever to precisely control the humidity level in your house. Old humidistats have static humidity settings, and as outside air temperatures fluctuated, you could be left with damaging condensation inside your home. Now, with Smart Thermostats like the Ecobee, the thermostat will automatically adjust humidity levels in your house, relative to changes in outside air temperature, so that you can stay comfortable and prevent damaging condensation in your home.