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Cozy Newsletter
Cozy Newsletter
CorcoranHeating.com 24/7 Emergency Service: (847) 397-5888
Monthly Notes:
MAY 2014
Date Your Mate Month
Foster Care Month
National Barbecue Month
National Bike Month
National Blood Pressure Month
National Hamburger Month
National Photograph Month
National Re-commitment Month
National Salad Month
Older Americans Month
By the time you are reading this the weather
may have caught up with a calendar that will
soon read summer. It could be super-warm
already. Im guessing we have a little time
before that is the case, but in this area you
never know.
Afer a brutal winter, outdoor activities are
likely to be especially appealing. How about
getting out for some exercise by hopping up on
the old bike? May is a great time to haul it out,
tune it up, and cruise the neighborhoods.
In honor of National Bicycle Month and being
that biking is a favorite hobby of my dads, I
thought I would delve into the two wheeled
world. Lets take a quick look at maintenance,
the newest gadgets, and the best places to ride.
If youre hesitant on how BEST to perform
maintenance here are some tips. For profes-
sional services local bike shops are good bets;
check with friends and neighbors for their rec-
ommendations. If you have reasonable skills
but need to learn more, REI ofers classes that
will teach you how to get your bike in summer
shape. Heck, even check Google and YouTube.
You will be surprised how much of a bike me-
chanic these sites can turn you into.
Whatever youve decided - this is basically
what you want: a good tune-up. Te essentials
are a chain that is properly lubricated and
tightened and tire inspection to look for any
winter damage and a return to proper infation
afer storage. Check the seat height and ensure
your cables and handles have not become
loose. Be nice to your bike by giving it a quick
bath. No harm in getting last seasons road
carnage and garage grunge of.
Once youre ready to hit the road, check out all
the new gear and gadgets to make you a real
bike pro. A variety of companies are ofering
apps and mounts to help you get the most
out of your biking experience. With the right
mount, smart phone and data packages you
dont even need a map. Here is a list of the Top
Five apps as rated by bicycling.com:
/ BIKENAV: Get to Work Without Breaking
a Sweat
/ MAPMYRIDE: Go for a Ride Anywhere
/ STRAVA: Race Virtually
/ CYCLEMETER 6.0: Get Support
/ ROAD BIKE PRO: Record Your Rides
Tere is plenty of cool gear out there for the
avid cyclist. Te most important revolve
around safety. Helmets and refectors/lights
were adapted long ago and have improved
year afer year in an efort to keep you safe and
more visible on the roads. One of the newer
and cooler is called the ICSDot Crash Sensor.
Simply strap the little gadget onto your helmet,
link your smart phone, and ride with more
peace of mind because this device detects an
impact and immediately notifes your pre-de-
termined emergency contact.
OK. You have your bike set up, got your gear,
and linked your phone. Now what?
Get out and ride, of course. Chicago-land of-
fers a wide variety of cruises and destinations.
Check out local forest preserves and nature
sanctuaries. Great places but make sure the
one youre headed to is bike friendly.
Or consider adding an awesome event. For
both casual and serious riders, try Bike the
Drive on Sunday, May 25th. On this date, 30
miles of scenic Lake Shore Drive in Chicago
are closed to auto use and overtaken by two-
wheeled vehicles. Tere are fve diferent entry
points along the route with plenty of stops for
water and snacks. Even port-a-potties are set
up. To learn more check out BikeTeDrive.
org. Plan for this ahead as it is NOT an all day
event, and pre-registration is required.
Heres something you CAN do on a whim. If
youre in the city and dont have a bike, be sure
to check out the Divvy Bike Share. Read about
it frst if youd like at Divvybikes.com. Tat
website will address not only annual member-
ship, but the day pass option you can purchase
onsite using your credit or debit card.
And Hey, Its Almost Summer. Watch for
Cyclists!
BLACKHAWKS - PLAYOFFS
Up To Date Scheduling & Times:
BLACKHAWKS.NHL.COM
CUBS
2-4 CARDINALS
5-6 WHITE SOX
7-8 @ WHITE SOX
9-11 @ BRAVES
12-15 @ CARDINALS
16-18 BRAVES
20-21 YANKEES
22-25 @ PADRES
26-28 @ GIANTS
30-31 @ BREWERS
WHITE SOX
2-4 @ INDIANS
5-6 @ CUBS
7-8 CUBS
9-11 D - BACKS
12-14 @ ATHLETICS
16-18 @ ASTROS
19-21 @ ROYALS
22-25 YANKEES
26-28 INDIANS
30-31 PADRES
1st - May Day
2nd - Baby Day & Brothers and Sisters
Day
3rd - World Press Freedom Day
5th - Cinco de Mayo & Oyster Day
5th - National Nurses Day &
National Teachers Day
8th - V-E Day
9th - Lost Sock Memorial Day & Military
Spouses Day
11th - Mothers Day
12th - International Nurses Day
14th - National Receptionist Day
16th - National Bike to Work Day
17th - Armed Forces Day
20th - Be a Millionaire Day
24th - National Escargot Day
26th - Memorial Day
28th - Amnesty International Day
31st - World No Tobacco Day
Celebrate National Bicycle Month
24/7 Emergency Service: (847) 397-5888
info@CorcoranHeating.com 2
How to solve:
To solve a Sudoku, you only need logic
and patience. No math is required. Simply
make sure that each 3x3 square region
has a number between 1-9 with only one
occurrence of each number. Each column
and row of the large grid may only have
one instance of 1-9.
This round of contest coupons are already
fying out the door! Everyone who sends us
their raving fan testimonial or refers us to
friends and family are already being entered
into the next drawing. To enter, simply refer
us to a friend/relative/neighbor. Be sure that
anyone you pass along to us communicates
that YOU were involved in the referral. For
further assurance of your entry, send us
a note with the name of the referred. You
can also enter the drawing by submitting a
testimonial of how happy you are with our
work. Either way, it takes only a few minutes
to enter. You can just drop us a line at: info@
corcoranheating.com. One ticket is given for
each testimonial or referral; ten tickets for every
raving fan video. You determine your odds of
winning, as there is no limit to entry tickets -
plus - every referral nets YOU a gift as well!
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S UDOK U BRE AK
Te truth is that the medical profession
has used the simple act of checking a
persons blood pressure to tell an awful
lot about that person. Te results of this
basic test serve as a reliable indicator
upon which the doctor can make his/
her decisions for recommendations and
remedies. People with high blood pres-
sure are instructed in ways to help lower
that pressure in order to allow the heart
to perform better while
working easier.
Luckily, people much
smarter than me have
learned to adapt this
system to the HVAC in-
dustry. If youre think-
ing your system doesnt
have blood, or for that
matter, a heart, just hear
me out. You see, we can
actually take your duct
systems blood pressure.
Tink of it this way.
Your equipment is the
heart of your comfort system, and the
ductwork is its veins and arteries. When
the blower turns on to move the air, it
acts as the heart pumping air through
your systems veins.
Using the correctly calibrated tools
along with the proper formulas, our
technicians can check your ducts blood
pressure performing a test done during
routine maintenance and service or as a
measure implemented when helping to
improve comfort issues or while replac-
ing equipment. Te higher the pressure
in the ductwork, the harder the blower
motor and other components need to
work. Te harder they work, the shorter
theyll last, the worse theyll perform
and the less comfortable you will be. Ad-
ditionally, you will incur hefier utility
charges trying to compensate for poor
performance.
Te pressure in your system should not
be higher or lower than the manufac-
turers specifed parameters. You see,
manufacturers of air moving equipment
have a very specifc static pressure they
want their equipment subjected to. Tey
CONTEST CORNER
l d
know that exceeding this pressure will
afect how well their systems work or
how much shorten the life span of it will
be.
Tis information is not limited to those
of you with a conventional forced air sys-
tem. Using the same principles and the
right sofware, tests have been adapted
to help with hydronic systems. Te same
principles apply, only the testing and
confguration changes. On the hydron-
ics side, boilers use pumps to force water
through a series of piping to deliver heat
or hot water to certain areas. Te more
pressure in these pipes,
the harder the pumps
and boilers have to work.
Again, the harder they
work, the worse they
perform.
Improperly pumped and
piped systems have a con-
tinual uphill battle trying
to deliver hot water where
it is needed. Tis leads to
radiators that never seem
to work right, or areas of
foor heating that never
seem to do what they were
intended to.
With proper diagnostics available, tech-
nicians can make better recommenda-
tions for improved performance. Im-
provements can be something as simple
as adding ductwork to relieve pressure
thus increasing airfow, or reconfguring
pumping and piping confgurations. Te
diagnostics are also essential when deter-
May is National Blood Pressure Month: Reviving a related article
Tey Check Your Blood Pressure Every Time You
Go To the Doctor, Dont Tey?
24/7 Emergency Service: (847) 397-5888
CorcoranHeating.com 3
Ingredients:
4 ripe avocados
3 limes, juiced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Serrano Chiles, sliced thinly
1 big handful fresh cilantro, finely
chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black
pepper
Directions
Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out
the flesh with a tablespoon into a mixing
bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork,
leaving them somewhat chunky. Add the
remaining ingredients, and fold every-
thing together to gently mix. Lay a piece
of plastic wrap right on the surface of
the guacamole so it doesnt brown and
refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
Ingredients:
For the Mango Margarita Mix:
1 1/4 pounds fresh mangoes
1 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Gray salt
For the drink:
3 cups ice
1 1/2 cups Mango Margarita Mix
4 ounces tequila
2 ounces triple sec
Lime wedges
Mint Salt, recipe follows
Directions
For the drink:
Peel and pit the mangoes and cut them
into large chunks. Place the mango in a
blender with the water, sugar, and a pinch
of salt. Blend until smooth. Taste and
add more sugar, if necessary.
Fill the blender with ice and add the
Mango Margarita Mix, tequila, and triple
sec. Blend until smooth. Rub the rim of
a margarita glass with a lime wedge and
dip into Mint Salt to coat rim. Fill glass
and enjoy!
Mint Salt:
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup gray salt or coarse sea salt
Clean and dry mint and roughly chop.
With a mortar and pestle, crush equal
parts fresh mint and salt.
COOKING CORNER:
http://foodnetwork.com
http://blog.bike-park-slovenia.com
A DOGS WORLD
Ahhhh, spring has arrived, well kind of I guess...
thunder, lighting, rain, and in some cases even
HAIL. You really got to watch out for that
last one. We saw some hail the size of golf balls.
Thankfully no physical damage in our immediate
area, however, I know not everyone was so lucky.
We wish everyone affected all the best!
Well as I wrap this up I want to remind everyone
that it will be HOT this summer. Do not forget
to keep us hydrated and leave us plenty of access
to shade. Most of us do not waste the short
amount of time between summer and winter trying
to shed our winter coats. We will need it soon
enough! Talk soon - Murphy
Cinco de Mayo
mining the right replacement equipment
a new system that not only matches the
load on the space but also corresponds to
the right duct or piping delivery system.
So, why am I telling you this and why
should you care?
Simple. We have been performing this
blood pressure test for years along with
the other top contractors in the industry.
By using these tests we have been able to
save clients hundreds if not thousands
of dollars. We have the ability to pro-
vide clients with the right information
so they can make modifcations without
having to change out equipment to get
to the end goal; which is INCREASED
COMFORT, EASIER EQUIPMENT
OPERATION, AND MORE MONEY IN
YOUR POCKET.
In some cases we are able to change
blower speeds or make simple adjust-
ments to ofer these results. In others,
we actually have to make duct modifca-
tions to achieve optimum success. But
an investment in this area will not only
improve comfort and ease pressure,
it will also directly and immediately
impact your monthly utility costs. Every
percent increase in ef cient air move-
ment is a direct decrease in gas, electric
or water expenses. In most cases, fnan-
cial outlay to make improvements, re-
placement or corrections to your forced
air or hydronic system will be ofset by
the money you save month to month.
Te best part is that we perform static
pressure tests during the course of all
maintenance and service calls which
show potential of high static pressure
WITHOUT CHARGING YOU EXTRA
FOR THIS VALUABLE INFORMA-
TION. We use the information to help
our clients make the most informed
decision possible. You are free to live
with the system you have and its current
performance, or take the opportunity to
help relieve the pressure.
For those of you who have not signed
up for maintenance, would like to learn
about the costs or steps involved sim-
ply log on and check it out. We now
ofer monthly payment plans if thats
your preference.
Guacamole
Mango Margaritas
I mean yes, the rain is
here in full force which
makes my trips out less
and less appealing. I much
prefer my nice dry spot
right on
the end
of the
couch away
from the
RANDOM HUMOR:
,, '' .'
Cozy Newsletter
Cozy Newsletter
CorcoranHeating.com 24/7 Emergency Service: (847) 397-5888
Toms Two Cents
PG.1
May is National Bicycle Month!
Sports Corner
Unique Holidays & Monthly Awareness
PG. 2
Checking your systems blood pressure
during National Blood Pressure Month
Sudoku Break
Contest Corner
PG. 3
Cooking Corner: Cinco De Mayo
Random Humor: Shoot me straight Dr.
Dogs World: Quick note from Murphy
Natural gas can be one hell of a dangerous
force when ignited! Like electricity, I have a deep
respect for its power. Te videos and photos from
the recent explosion in a residential area of Long
Grove were incredible. I live about twenty or so
miles south west of the site and went outside to look
around afer hearing the blast.
As a greener and cheaper way to heat
our homes and water, natural gas has proven to be
efective. Accidents like this one and others just
like it prove what a dangerous force it can be. All
it may take is a fuel leak and an electrical charge
or a candle or pilot being lit to level any home or
business in the blink of an eye. Luckily the owner
was out walking the dog. At this point, the source
of the leak (inside or outdoors) has not been
revealed. Was it the indoor gas freplace, a worn
out appliance, a gas connector, or a faulty water
heater or furnace? I dont think this one is going
to get solved unless it was done on purpose and
whoever was responsible confesses. Gas companies
have main-line leaks all the time; plus, we have fuel
burning appliances outside connected to buried
gas lines. During our routine maintenance using
our combustion analyzers we check to make sure
your appliances are working correctly and that the
gas shuts of completely afer the demand has been
met. If your gas valve fails this test, the appliance is
repaired or the unit is shut of and disconnected.
If you ever suspect a gas leak or smell
gas, leave your home and make two calls: to 911,
then the local gas provider. Add their emergency
numbers to your phones contact list. Nicor Gas
is 1 (888) 642-6748, Peoples Gas is 1 (866) 556-
6002 and North Shore Gas is 1 (866) 556-6005.
(NOTE: Peoples and North Shore both answer
as Peoples Gas there are separate numbers as
Peoples focus is Chicago proper and North Shores
is suburban based). Te advice is to call 911 and
the gas company because, in some cases like the
recent one, the utilitys crews may be already in the
area. Specifc to this incident, no information was
broadcast as to what was or was not being fxed
by them. Te police and fre units communicate
directly with the utilities to get to the bottom of the
issue as quickly as possible.
All gas providers add chemicals to
natural gas to make its presence easier to detect by
a distinctive odor. Te amount of gas necessary
to cause the amount of resultant damage had
to have been noticeable to someone inside or
nearby outside of the house. If you suspect gas
in the neighborhood, be sure to notify the proper
authorities immediately and dont assume
someone has already called. Some people are not
as sensitive to the odor or may not realize what
it is. Whether this incident in Long Grove was a
freak accident or the result of foul play, it serves as
a teaching tool and reminder of doing our best to
stay aware of potential dangers in our homes and
those of our neighbors.
On an unrelated note winter was one
hell of a season this year. It took its toll on most of
us, and our heating systems as well; the furnaces
and blower motors in particular. I know my system
was putting in some long days and nights. How
about yours?
If you want to ensure the next HVAC
heavy hitter season (summer) to be relatively worry
free, be sure to have your air conditioning system
checked out early. Spots in our schedule have
already started to fll up. We are doing our best to
call everyone and get them scheduled when it is
their time for a check- up. If you want a specifc day
or time, get locked into that now by giving us a call.
Otherwise, if you already have an agreement or one
is on its way to us, Brenda will be calling you soon.
I hope everyone has a great spring. Let
me know how I can help! - Tom
In This Issue:
2137 Hammond Dr.,
Schaumburg, IL 60173
info@corcoranheating.com
CorcoranHeating.com
(847) 397-5888