HVAC, Plumbing, & Electrical Blog Hillside, IL

Pipe Lining Can Solve Your Commercial Plumbing Worries

December 12th, 2022

Plumbing problems for a commercial facility can be standard annoyances, such as clogged drains or problems with low water pressure (often a problem in high-rises). You’ll need professional commercial plumbers to handle these repairs, but they’re straightforward and you won’t have to worry about disruption or damage to your property.

But what about dealing with issues like leaking pipes within the concrete structure of your facility, or having to replace worn-down older underground pipes? The repairs can require extensive excavation and the breaking up of concrete slabs. This kind of work is extremely disruptive to a commercial operation, not to mention expensive and messy.

There is a way to solve this dilemma, which is pipe and drain lining. Not all commercial plumbers can offer this more efficient and cost-effective approach, but Althoff is proud to offer pipe and drain lining in Chicago, IL and throughout Chicagoland. We help you solve problems, not create new ones!

The Different Levels of EV Charging Stations and What They Mean

November 28th, 2022

The SAE International, the automotive engineering organization, identifies three levels of EV charging. Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3. Many factors will influence your decisions regarding what type of EV charging solution is best for you or your business.

If you are installing for your business or retail location, you should consider several factors in deciding which Level of Chargers or Combinations work best for you:

How far do your average employees commute?
How far does a typical customer commute?
What is typical time spent in your establishment or location?
How many customers/employees will use the stations.

The Challenges of Commercial Kitchen Ventilation

November 14th, 2022

Any commercial building or space requires the right type of ventilation. For some spaces, this can be as simple as ensuring fresh air can enter and stale air escape so the interior retains the proper air pressure. But when it comes to commercial kitchens, ventilation becomes more complicated as well as more vital.

Althoff Industries works with commercial kitchen exhaust systems in Elk Grove Village, IL and throughout Chicagoland, and we understand all about the special challenges that come with proper ventilation for this space. It takes much more than a conventional HVAC system. There are several specific challenges involved in proper kitchen ventilation:

We Accept Challenges—Like Heating a High-Rise

October 17th, 2022

We have offered commercial heating repair in Chicago, IL and other commercial heating services since 1961. We have taken on numerous challenges during our time in business and found innovative ways to provide effective and energy efficient solutions to a wide range of commercial facilities.

One of the biggest challenges when it comes to providing commercial heating (and cooling) is for high-rise buildings—and Chicago has quite a few of those! Not every commercial HVAC contractor serving the Chicagoland area can handle the obstacles of high-rise HVAC, but we can.

High-rises pose a specific series of challenges for heating and cooling. In this post, we’re going to talk about the obstacles we overcome when we install a heating system for a high-rise. (The definition of a high-rise is any building which has an occupied floor more than 75 feet above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access.)

It’s Fall: Time to Schedule Maintenance for Your HVAC Systems

October 3rd, 2022

When October arrives, you know it’s truly fall. The temperatures will start to drop, and although this may at first come as a relief after a hot summer, it also warns of the extreme cold that is around the corner when winter starts.

Ask yourself if your commercial facility in Chicago is ready for the approaching winter. What important steps do you need to take to ensure your operations continue as normal when the outdoor temperature drops below freezing?

You might already have a list of what you need to get done. We want to make sure that you have commercial HVAC maintenance in Chicago, IL on that list. Few services are more important for a business to handle the effects of winter than ensuring the heating systems can operate properly, at the highest efficiency, and with little chance of an abrupt breakdown.

Is It Time to Replace Your Rooftop AC Units?

September 19th, 2022

The standard air conditioning systems for commercial facilities in Chicagoland are packaged rooftop units, many of which are heat pumps that also provide heating during the winter. As we move into the fall, we recommend business owners assess the performance, condition, and age of their rooftop units so they can make decisions about whether it’s time to have them replaced. If commercial air conditioning repair in Chicago, IL becomes too expensive, it’s better to arrange early to have new rooftop units installed.

Critical Restaurant Plumbing Services You May Need

September 5th, 2022

When it comes to commercial plumbing in Chicago, IL, Althoff Industries is one of the most trusted names. We’ve served businesses in the area since 1962—we’ve literally seen it all and we’ve handled it all.

Among our most important commercial plumbing clients are restaurants. Any food service company requires the best in licensed plumbing work to keep it up to local codes. Mistakes from inexperienced or unlicensed contractors can end up shuttering a business. It’s our job to help your food service establishment not only stay up to code, but have a plumbing system—freshwater and wastewater—that works smoothly and creates few troubles for you.

Below are some of the vital services we can provide to help your restaurant with its plumbing.

The Importance of Professional Sizing for Commercial AC Installations

August 22nd, 2022

When it comes to the installation of commercial air conditioning for your facility, you don’t want anyone but the best professionals to handle the job. Our team has decades of experience installing air conditioning systems for a wide range of companies and buildings, and we never take shortcuts—we know there are no shortcuts when it comes to quality work.

One of the most important steps for proper commercial air conditioning installation is sizing the new unit. We’ll explain what this process is and why ensuring it’s done correctly is critical for a commercial HVAC system to operate effectively and efficiently.

The Importance of Backflow Prevention and Certification

August 8th, 2022

A critical part of the plumbing for commercial properties is the prevention of backflow. Many people are unfamiliar with backflow prevention and backflow preventers because they are uncommon for homes. For commercial businesses and facilities, however, they are critical for preventing potential freshwater contamination that can affect not only the business, but the general water supply.

Althoff Industries offers essential backflow prevention and certification in Chicago, IL and throughout Chicagoland. We are licensed to test and certify backflow prevention devices to allow businesses to keep up to code, and we can also handle backflow prevention repairs and replacements.

High Humidity and Your Business

July 25th, 2022

We offer humidification and air cleaning systems in Chicago, IL to help our customers combat the air quality troubles that can harm their businesses. Humidity is a major problem that often gets overlooked in commercial environments. Humidity is more than just something that makes people feel hotter on warm days. It can have extreme effects on a commercial facility that can lead to expensive repairs and refurbishing, and harm to the health of people indoors.