Air conditioner
Definition to come.
Where it comes up
- Central air conditioning
The parts of a split system, what is normal and the signs of trouble
- Heat pumps
How a heat pump heats and cools, and how it copes with Chicago cold
- Ductless mini-splits
Ductless cooling and heating for homes and rooms without ducts
- Window and wall air conditioners
Window, through-the-wall and PTAC units: sizing, power and care
- Indoor humidity
The right humidity range, humidifiers in winter, dehumidifiers in summer
- Air filters and air cleaners
Furnace filters, MERV ratings, changing filters and what air cleaners can do
- Your home's system as a whole
How heating, cooling, air and controls fit together in one home
- How cooling and heat pumps move heat
The refrigeration cycle, and why your outdoor unit blows warm air
- Airflow and ducts
Supply and return, static pressure, leaky ducts and when duct cleaning helps
- Efficiency ratings
What AFUE, SEER2, EER2 and HSPF2 mean and how to read them
- Sizing heating and cooling
Why size matters, load calculations and short cycling
- Refrigerants and the rules
R-22, R-410A, newer refrigerants, certification and leaks
- Before the heating season
The fall check-up, the filter and humidifier, alarms, vents, boilers and heat pumps
- Before the cooling season
The AC check-up, coils and drains, the outdoor unit, mini-splits and room units
- Care all year round
Filters, humidity, exhaust fans, dryer vents, open registers and regular upkeep
- What you notice and what it can mean
No heat, short cycling, noises, smells, water, ice and high bills, and what they can mean
- Chicago's climate
Degree days, average temperatures and what they ask of your equipment
- Chicago's heat and cooling rules
The Heat Ordinance, cooling rules, reporting and tenants' remedies
- Condos, landlords and renters
Who looks after the shared boiler, the unit's furnace and a renter's heat
- Chicago's older homes
Bungalows and older homes, and the heat they were built with
- Permits and licenses
When work needs a permit and which licenses Chicago contractors hold
- Moisture and mold
Where mold grows, how to keep it dry, and when to call a professional
- Repair or replace
Age, repairs and bills, R-22 systems, efficiency, sizing and what to ask
- Hiring a contractor
Estimates, contracts, licenses and your rights when you hire someone for HVAC work
- What affects the cost
Size, efficiency, ducts, permits and refrigerant: what moves the cost of HVAC work