To make the process of replacing your home’s HVAC easier, the ModHVAC Calculator offers system recommendations and a quick estimate of your replacement costs to save you the guesswork. To use the tool, just slide the bar in the green box to match your home’s square footage. Then enter your city and state below and click Calculate Cost. Seconds later, you’ll be provided with a set of options for your new HVAC unit.
HVAC Replacement in Illinois
Illinois has a widely varying climate thanks in part to its mid-continental placement and nearly 400 miles in length. Most of Illinois has a humid climate with hot summers and cool to freezing cold winters. In the southernmost part of the state however (Carbondale and south) residents experience humid subtropical climate with more moderate winters. Because of this large variance in temperatures throughout the year, it’s important to have a good Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system that can keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
In addition to keeping your home comfortable, a quality HVAC system can increase your home’s overall energy efficiency and save you significant money on your monthly utility bills. Your HVAC system can account for as much as 30% of your annual energy usage. In addition to saving you money, a more efficient HVAC system can help to reduce your overall carbon footprint.
ComED Provides Incentives to Upgrade Your HVAC System in Illinois
- Rebates: ComEd offers rebates for qualifying, energy-efficient appliances, smart thermostats, high-efficiency central air conditioners and heat pumps, weatherization improvements and more. Upgrading your HVAC system will boost your energy efficiency and you can save up to $500 in rebates. You can also receive rebates for installing a smart thermostat of up to $125.
- AC Cycling Program: You can reduce electricity demand on the hottest days of the summer by joining ComEd’s Smart Ideas Central Air Conditioning Cycling. By enrolling, you help ComEd better manage energy resources, help the environment, and you can earn credits on your summer electric bill. With the AC Cycling program, ComEd sends a wireless signal to a switch which they install on the side of your home or directly on the AC’s compressor panel. The switch allows ComEd to turn your compressor off and on, so it uses less power safely on the hottest days of the summer. Your fan still stays on to circulate already cooled air and to keep your home comfortable. Cycling is only done when needed, and it may occur only on weekdays and for limited periods of time.
- Peak Time Savings: If your home has a smart meter, you’re eligible to enroll in ComEd’s Peak Time Savings program to earn credits on your electric bill when you participate voluntarily on days with Peak Time Savings Hours. There is no cost to enroll and you can remain in the program for as long as you like–unlike many incentive programs that expire or are lottery-based. ComEd will credit your electric bill when you reduce your electricity use during Peak Time Savings Hours–typically between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the summer — when most air conditioners are on, stores are open and factories are running.
When you enroll, ComEd will notify you via phone call, text message, or email on the actual day Peak Time Savings Hours occur–as early as 9 a.m. or at least 30 minutes prior to the start of each Peak Time Savings Hours. ComEd will credit your monthly bill for reducing your electricity use during Peak Time Savings Hours. A credit will appear as actual dollars off the total amount due on your next electric bill or the following bill.
- Free Energy Assessments: ComEd customers have the opportunity to reduce energy usage in their home with a free energy assessment that includes free products for your home.Homeowners can reduce energy use with free installation of the following free products: ENERGY STAR certified CFLs, smart power strips, programmable thermostats, WaterSense certified shower heads, faucet aerators for bathrooms and kitchens, and hot water pipe insulation. Smart thermostats and ENERGY STAR certified LEDs are available for purchase at a discount and include free installation. During your free assessment, you will also receive a personalized report identifying additional ways to save.
Understanding Your HVAC Options in Illinois
Before replacing your HVAC system, consult with an HVAC professional that can help you choose the right sized unit for your home–helping you avoid wasting energy and future maintenance problems. Your HVAC professional will also know about eligible incentive and rebate programs for which a new energy efficient system may qualify.
Illinois’s Thermostat Options that Save You Money
Customers of ComEd and Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, or North Shore Gas who have a natural gas furnace and central air conditioner, in addition to a Wi-Fi connection should consider incorporating a smart thermostat or a programmable thermostat into their home in order to effectively control the temperature of their home.
- Programmable thermostats control your heating and cooling systems to manage the temperature in your home. Program your thermostat to adjust your home’s temperature to best fit your schedule and lifestyle. You can program weekdays separately from weekends to increase your comfort and optimize savings each day of the week.
- While similar to programmable thermostats, smart thermostats can perform more advanced functions and have additional benefits. A smart thermostat allows you to monitor and control the temperature in your home remotely from your smartphone or other web-enabled device. Also, smart thermostats save energy and maximize comfort by automatically adjusting the temperature of your home to meet your preferences and activities.
Heat Pump Replacement in Illinois
Heat pumps are an attractive, energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners for Illinois residents in Carbondale and southward who experience more moderate heating and cooling needs. Heat pumps use electricity to move heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the heating season, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house and during the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your cool house into the warm outdoors. Because they move heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can provide equivalent space conditioning at as little as one quarter of the cost of operating conventional heating or cooling appliances. There are several types of heat pumps:
- An air-source heat pump transfers heat between your house and the outside air. If you heat with electricity, a heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30% – 40%. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months.
- A mini-split heat pump is ideal for a home without ducts.
- Reverse Cycle Chiller heat pumps are ideal for homes with radiant floor heating systems.
- Geothermal heat pumps achieve higher efficiencies by transferring heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source. Although they cost more to install, geothermal heat pumps have low operating costs because they take advantage of relatively constant ground or water temperatures. Whether a geothermal heat pump is appropriate for you will depend on the size of your lot, the subsoil, and the landscape. Ground-source or water-source heat pumps can be used in more extreme climates than air-source heat pumps, and customer satisfaction with the systems is very high.
- An absorption heat pump, also called a gas-fired heat pump, uses heat as its energy source and can be run from a wide variety of heat sources.
Air Conditioner Installation in Illinois
Your air conditioner works similarly to your refrigerator in that a refrigerant runs through a closed system of metal coils. As warm interior air passes over these coils, the liquid refrigerant absorbs the heat and cooling the air, which is then blown back into the house through ducts. Work with your HVAC professional to make sure that you buy the right size air conditioning unit for your home as air conditioners that are too big use more electricity and leave the air in your house with excess humidity, while air conditioners that are too small will not cool your home to a comfortable temperature.
Furnace Installation in Illinois
Many Illinois homes utilize a furnace. A furnace pulls cold air from the house and passes it around a heated metal box call a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger transfers heat from the metal to the air and a blower fan pushes the heated air through ducts which distribute it throughout the house. Furnaces can be single-stage, two-stage, or modulating. Your HVAC professional can advise you on which type of furnace will work best on your home based on your home size, local climate, and quality of insulation.
Boiler Replacement in Illinois
It’s not uncommon to find steam radiators in old Chicago homes and apartments. A boiler is a water containing vessel which transfers heat from a fuel source (oil, gas, coal) into steam which is piped to a point where it can be used to provide either hot water or steam for heating. Steam is distributed through pipes to steam radiators, and hot water can be distributed through baseboard radiators, radiant floor systems, or can heat air via a coil. Steam boilers operate at a higher temperature than hot water boilers, and are less efficient, but high-efficiency versions of all types of furnaces and boilers are currently available. Energy Star certified boilers have AFUE ratings of 87% or greater for oil boilers and 90% or greater for gas boilers.