I appreciate having four different seasons in Alsip.
I look forward to the tulips, daffodils, lilacs and robins in the spring.
I get excited for the sunshine, fresh peaches and the opportunity to spend time outside in the summer. I make the most of the short season by cycling, biking, playing golf, kayaking and swimming. When fall arrives, the crisp air feels wonderful. There’s fresh apples, squash, zucchini, peppers and grapes to eat. The winters are extremely cold, but I love the snow. There aren’t that many places that allow water skiing in the summer and snow skiing in the winter. The temperature in Alsip can swing anywhere from the mid nineties down well into the negative conditions. We need a powerful cooling system as well as effective heating. Although the startup investment was higher, I chose a dual fuel system for my home. The combination of an electric heat pump and a natural gas furnace provides year round comfort and cost savings. The advantage of a heat pump is that it combines both heating and cooling capacity. In the summer, it acts almost exactly like a conventional air conditioner. It pulls heat out of the house and transfers it outdoors by way of refrigerant to create a cooling effect. When the weather cools off, the heat pump reverses the flow of refrigerant to bring ambient outdoor heat into the home. The system doesn’t burn fossil fuels or create fumes or carbon monoxide. The process is exceptionally clean, safe and environmentally friendly. It’s far more energy efficient than the furnace. The drawback of a heat pump is that it can’t keep up when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing. At that point, the furnace automatically takes over and handles comfort for as long as necessary. The partnership of the two utilizes the most efficient and effective fuels source for every weather situation.