As the New Year unfolds in Carol Stream, many of us are setting resolutions to embrace a healthier lifestyle. While diet and exercise often top the list, one crucial aspect that deserves equal attention is water quality. Clean water is not just a basic necessity; it’s a cornerstone of good health and well-being.

The Importance of Water Quality for Health

Water is essential for life, making up about 60% of the human body. It plays a vital role in maintaining bodily functions, from regulating temperature to flushing out toxins. However, the quality of the water we consume can significantly impact our health. Poor water quality can lead to a host of health issues, including gastrointestinal diseases, reproductive problems, and neurological disorders.

In Carol Stream, ensuring access to clean water is paramount. Contaminants such as lead, chlorine, and bacteria can infiltrate our water supply, posing serious health risks. This is where the importance of water filtration systems comes into play.

Potential Risks of Poor Water Quality

Contaminated water can harbor a variety of harmful substances. Lead, for instance, is a toxic metal that can cause severe health problems, particularly in children. Chlorine, while used to disinfect water, can react with organic matter to form harmful byproducts. Bacteria and viruses can also thrive in untreated water, leading to infections and illnesses.

These risks highlight the need for vigilance and proactive measures to ensure the water we drink is safe. Regular testing and maintenance of water systems are crucial steps in safeguarding our health.

The Benefits of Water Filtration Systems

Investing in a water filtration system is a practical solution to enhance water quality. These systems are designed to remove impurities, providing clean and safe water for your household. The benefits of water filtration extend beyond health; they also improve the taste and odor of water, making it more enjoyable to drink.

At AWE, we understand the importance of clean water for a healthy lifestyle. Our WaterMax filtration systems are tailored to meet the specific needs of Carol Stream residents, ensuring you have access to the highest quality water.

Taking Action for a Healthier Future

As we embark on a new year, let’s prioritize water quality as a key component of our health goals. By investing in a reliable water filtration system, you can protect your family from the risks of contaminated water and enjoy the benefits of clean, refreshing water every day.

At AWE, we are committed to helping you achieve a healthier lifestyle. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in selecting and installing the right water filtration system for your home. With our 100% Money-Back Guarantee, you can trust that your investment in water quality is risk-free.

Conclusion

Water quality is a fundamental aspect of a healthy lifestyle. By taking steps to ensure the water you consume is clean and safe, you are investing in your health and well-being. This New Year, make water quality a priority and experience the difference it can make in your life.

Contact AWE today to learn more about our water filtration solutions and how we can help you achieve a healthier home environment. Let’s make 2023 the year of clean water and better health!

A.W.E. – Air Water Energy is thrilled to be awarded the 2023 Best of Carol Stream award for Air Conditioning Service and Repair! Each year, the Carol Stream Award Program recognizes companies that have achieved exceptional marketing and/or service success for their designated business categories. We are proud to have received this award for our exceptional Air Conditioning services!

We at A.W.E. pride ourselves on offering the best air conditioners on the market, affordable prices to fit any budget, expedient service with 24/7 availability, and a highly skilled installation and maintenance team. Summers in Illinois can be sweltering – we are proud to be the go-to resource for customers throughout Carol Stream and beyond for air conditioning during the warm months!

Remember – A.W.E. provides more than just air conditioner installation and repair. We proudly offer a full range of complimentary services including furnace and heat pump maintenance & installation, indoor air quality humidification, and electrical installs and maintenance. You can expect the same award winning installation and maintenance for every service offered by A.W.E.!

About the Carol Stream Award Program

The Carol Stream Award Program is compiled annually honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses. Recognition is given to companies that utilize their best practices and implement programs in order to generate competitive, long-term value.

The Carol Steam Award Program was established to recognize the best of the best in our community working exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, and business advertising/marketing groups. The program’s overall mission is to recognize the economic contributions that small businesses, on both the local and national level, offer.

Winter weather in the upper midwest can be cold, unrelenting, and highly unpredictable. With high chances of snow and ice throughout the winter in our neck of the woods, now is the opportune time for us to share tips and information about how the winter season can impact your home’s HVAC system.

Snow, Ice, and Outdoor HVAC Equipment

If your HVAC system employs an outdoor heat pump, paying extra attention to snow and ice buildup around the unit is critical. Heat pumps operate during both cooling and heating operations requiring year-round observation. Any melting or accumulating snow/ice will adversely effect a heat pump’s operation and efficiently to keep your home warm and comfortable.

While the winter demands focus on furnaces and heating systems, don’t forget about your hibernating outdoor air conditioning unit. Accumulating snow and ice during winter weather events can be harmful to an air conditioning unit. Air conditioner units benefit from having snow and ice accumulation cleared ensuring proper airflow to help prevent rust and corrosion from forming on vital components.

Winter Weather and Furnace Performance

During snowfalls and blizzards, keeping an eye on outdoor HVAC equipment is important. It is doubly important to be mindful of your furnace’s exterior exhaust vent during this type of weather. Blockages of the furnace exhaust port can result in detrimental issues including reduced efficiency, leaking pipes/hoses, or a potential full system breakdown.

How To Keep Your HVAC System Happy During Winter Weather

Monitor Outdoor Equipment and Exhaust Pipes

As discussed above, remove snow and ice from outdoor HVAC equipment to ensure it is not blocked or covered. Checking and clearing gutter blockages that can result in water dripping on HVAC equipment is also an excellent practice. Not only should HVAC equipment be monitored during the snow event itself, you should also be mindful of when temperatures rise which can result in melting snow and pooling water. Clearing exterior exhaust pipes/vents for HVAC equipment not only ensures optimal heating performance, but also helps extend the life of the unit. A blocked exhaust pipe can also lead to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide in the home. Keep those exhaust pipes and vents unobstructed!

Keep an Eye on Furnace Filters

If you did not change your furnace filter at the start of the winter season, now is the time to do so. A clean filter ensures proper airflow and enhances the productivity of the furnace. With consistent furnace operation, it is recommended that the air filter be monitored (and changed if needed) on a regular basis. A dirty or clogged filter can result in a costly furnace breakdown.

Do Not Cover Your Air Conditioner

While it may seem like a good practice to cover your outdoor air conditioning unit, this may actually cause more harm than good. A/C covers can trap moisture inside the unit which will freeze condenser coils and cause damage over time. For this reason, we do NOT recommend using an air conditioner cover of any kind. Keeping the unit free from snow and ice accumulation is the best practice.

Know When to Call A.W.E.

If you notice a strange sound, uncommon smell, or temperature fluctuations coming from your furnace or heating system, don’t hesitate to call the reliable team at A.W.E. Our reliable technicians will make an accurate diagnosis and help prevent a complete furnace breakdown. We want to ensure all of our customers are warm and comfortable during the cold Illinois winters. A.W.E. is on call for all your heating and HVAC needs!

As wildfire smoke intermittently plagues swaths of the U.S., a whole-house air filtration system makes sense for more Americans. Poor air quality isn’t just a problem for people with lung issues such as asthma, emphysema or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, it affects many healthy individuals.

Dr. Juanita Mora, an allergist and immunologist and spokesperson for the AmericanLung Association, treated normally healthy people with swollen and inflamed airways—conditions seen in asthma patients—at her Chicago practice during the worst of the Canadian wildfire smoke. It reinforced her thoughts that indoor air quality matters for all.

“Everyone should have a good filtration system in the house,” she says. If you have a central heating/cooling system, adding a whole-house air filtration system is the most efficient and cost-effective way to treat the air for many pollutants throughout the home. Ray Grimm, CEO of Air.Water.Energy, in suburban Chicago, who has installed HVAC systems for nearly 40 years, says whole-house air filtration systems will clean air better and more effectively than traditional one-inch furnace filters used on HVAC systems. Grimm says there needs to be at least six inches between the furnace and the air return ductwork to install a system, so homeowners may need space around the HVAC unit to add additional ductwork.

There are different types of filtration systems. The first uses thicker, pleated furnace filters, five inches deep or more. Called media filters, they trap more pollutants and last at least a year without needing to be changed. Depending on where the homeowner lives, these units start around $500 installed, Grimm says. Costs for high efficiency media filters start around $50.

The second system uses an electronic filter, which is also incorporated into the ductwork, Grimm says. These aluminum filters treat the air by using an electric charge to grab pollutants. However, some may produce small amounts of ozone, which can be a lung irritant. These can cost about $1,500 or more installed. Those filters don’t need to be changed, but must be cleaned periodically.

Homeowners who don’t have the space for the additional ductwork on their HVAC units should use high efficiency air filters in their traditional air filter slots. Change these between 60 and 90 days or sooner, and check after poor air quality days to see if they are dirty. Look for the highest MERV rating your system can handle, the most common rating system for HVAC filters.

MERV stands for minimum efficiency reporting values, a rating developed by American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers that measures a filter’s ability to capture larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns. A MERV rating of 13 is a high efficiency filter, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. These cost around $15.

While higher-rated MERV filter traps more pollutants, don’t buy filters that exceed the furnace manufacturer’s recommendation, Grimm says. Doing so can damage your HVAC unit by causing the blower to work too hard to force air through a tightly woven filter.

Consider an air purifier

If you don’t have an HVAC system, consider a portable room air purifier. Until recently,
these were considered unnecessary for most healthy individuals, but Mora says climate
change has changed the dynamics of air quality. “It’s changing the way we’re seeing
things, and the clinical effects of it,” she says.

Tanya Christian, home and appliances writer for Consumer Reports, says the tests the organization runs in its labs show they decrease air pollutants. If you’re considering
one of these, look for a unit with a large internal fan which will draw out pollutants more quickly, Christian says. Purifiers come in different sizes, so buy one that is sized for the room’s square footage. Many air purifiers have a CADR rating, the clean air delivery rate, which measures how fast a machine cleans the air. Pay attention to a purifier’s smoke rating, too, she adds.

Portable purifiers work best when they are constantly on, and newer machines will have an auto mode which will normally run at low speed until it detects more pollutants, she says. Prices for Consumer Reports’ top-rated models start around $150 and go to about $750. The high-efficiency and HEPA filters for portable units can cost about $60 or more and need to be changed about twice annually. Christian says during the worst of the wildfire pollution on the East Coast she used an air purifier to rid her home of smoke after a window was accidentally left open. “It’s very
obvious they work,” she says.

The US Department of Energy sets energy efficiency requirements for homes and HVAC systems, and in January of 2023, they’re coming out with new standards that will affect the heating and air conditioning systems in homes all over the United States. Its important for HVAC contractors to understand the new standards, but it’s also important for homeowners.

In Illinois, A.W.E. Air Water Energy, is the trusted contractor for HVAC systems, and we want our customers to understand what they’re facing in 2023 when it comes to energy standards in the HVAC industry.

New Energy Efficiency Standards for 2023

The DOE’s new standards for residential HVAC systems have called for a approximately 7% increase in the energy efficiency for every new air conditioning unit and heating unit. This means that new HVAC systems installed on residential homes need to be made more efficient by the manufacturer, and the professionals who install and service them need to only carry and use these more efficient parts. The test procedures that determine the efficiency rate of a central air conditioner or heater will also be measured by new metrics.

In short, trusted local HVAC contractors like A.W.E. Air Water Energy will install new, more energy efficient central air conditioning units and heaters and use more efficient parts when repairing HVAC units.

Advantages of Higher Efficiency HVAC Systems

Though it may sound like these new standards will cause delays or problems with HVAC upgrades, the new efficiency of heating and air conditioning units will benefit homeowners. The benefits of higher energy efficient units include increased comfort inside the home at a lowered cost, leading to savings on utilities. Many of these new, more efficient units will also come with high end features to put you in control of the comfort of your home.

Trust Air.Water.Energy to keep your HVAC system up to national energy efficiency standards.

At AWE, heating and air conditioning is our business, so we understand all the ins and out of these changing national standards for energy efficiency. We’ll make sure to communicate effectively with our valued clients so that they understand the benefits and features of all the HVAC products they install.

If you need help from knowledgeable HVAC experts who care about their customers, call A.W.E. Air Water Energy right away!

Have you heard? A.W.E. was selected as Best of Carol Stream! This program was created to honor the achievements and positive contributions of businesses in and around Carol Stream. We couldn’t be more grateful and honored to have been selected. A big thank you to our clients, who are our greatest asset!

If face masks protect the air that humans breathe, air filters are certainly the face masks of the HVAC realm — clearing particles from the airstream that a building “breathes” and transmits to those within. While there may not be a run on air filters the way there is on face masks, contractors and manufacturers alike report increased interest from their clients in IAQ since the outbreak of COVID-19.

“The historic event in which we now find ourselves with the COVID-19 pandemic has caused renewed awareness of just how important healthy air is inside our homes and elsewhere,” said Paige Freeland, marketing manager at General Filters. “In light of this, we anticipate sales of all indoor air products to increase.”