Part of the Chicago North Shore’s charm is the abundance of older homes adding their own bit of character to each neighborhood. What’s a little less charming, however, is that hot summers make it difficult to keep your vintage home cool. This tends to be the case with older homes, since many of them lack the ductwork needed to install a traditional air conditioning system. Luckily, mini-splits and a system called SpacePak are both excellent options to consider—and American Vintage Home specializes in serving exactly this type of solution. Can Ductless Mini-Splits Work in Older Homes? As the ..read more

Testing, Mitigation & Replacement Options Renowned for its historic properties and beautiful architecture, the North Shore area is a beautiful place to call home. However, all that rich history can come with a few disadvantages, namely lead pipes. While lead plumbing was once common, it’s now understood that lead exposure can lead to serious health issues, especially for children and pregnant women. In this guide, the older home experts at American Vintage Home explain some of the risks associated with lead pipes, how to identify them in your home, and methods for testing for lead contami ..read more

High-velocity HVAC systems like SpacePak and Unico are great home cooling options. They are especially popular among those in vintage homes thanks to the fact that they don’t need traditional air ducts to operate. For all their energy efficiency, ability to heat and cool rapidly, and their unobtrusive design, these systems can have or develop issues with noise. While it may not affect their function and is often less irritating than the cycling of traditional HVAC systems, noise from high-velocity heating and cooling can be unpleasant for homeowners. Here’s what you need to know to keep noise ..read more

Throughout its illustrious history, Chicago has had to be innovative when it comes to building materials for a rapidly expanding city. Some of those materials have stood the test of time, but others , like cast-iron plumbing pipes, have not proved to be so permanent. However, many older homes throughout the Chicago and North Shore areas are still operating on cast iron piping systems. In this blog, our plumbing experts at American Vintage Home explain the issues with cast iron pipes and how to address them. Understanding Cast-Iron Pipes Cast iron piping began underground, with use in the sewe ..read more

When it’s time to get a new heating or cooling system, you have more options than you may realize. Many homeowners are finding out about an effective alternative to traditional heating and air conditioning: SpacePak. Here’s what you need to know about this option and how it compares to a traditional HVAC system. What Is SpacePak? The SpacePak AC system is the original small-duct, high-velocity system that provides central heat and cooling via aspiration. Rather than using large air ducts, SpacePak uses flexible tubing threaded through the home’s walls, with circular vents much smaller than tr ..read more

Respecting History While Improving Functionality The Chicago North Shore area is renowned for its vintage architecture and the many older homes that provide this area with its charm. Here in Evanston, where American Vintage Home is located, the median home age is 74 years old, and around 42% of homes were built in 1939 or earlier. That means if you’re a homeowner in the North Shore area and your property’s plumbing hasn’t been updated recently, you’re likely relying on some outdated plumbing equipment. Plumbing in older homes can present many problems, which is why it’s important to invest in ..read more

Is the cold winter weather starts to make room for the warmer days of spring and summer, many homeowners turn their attention to their spring cleaning lists. This typically includes tasks for often-overlooked areas of the home, but does your list include anything about your plumbing system? Taking care of your plumbing system is an essential step of home maintenance, so our plumbing experts at American Vintage Home have put together this guide of plumbing tasks to ensure your system is ready for the warmer months ahead. Clean Your Drains Clogged and backed-up drains are a nuisance for any hom ..read more

Here in Chicagoland, many older homes in the area rely on radiators to provide consistent heating on the coldest days of the year. If you live in an older home and are unfamiliar with radiator systems, you may have some difficulty figuring out how to operate them at first. Radiators are equipped with several knobs, each of which has a different function that can impact your home comfort. In this blog post, the older home HVAC experts at American Vintage Home provide a comprehensive guide to understanding your radiator’s knobs so you can enjoy lasting comfort. Understanding Your Radiator Knobs ..read more

For older homes without ductwork, SpacePak air conditioners are a great way to achieve modern cooling without compromising the home’s vintage charms. SpacePak air conditioners are a form of high-velocity air conditioning that brings cool air to buildings without the bulk and inefficiency of sheet metal ductwork. Their flexible 2-inch supply tubing ensures air moves around consistently so that you don’t experience any uneven cooling, and the lack of corners also means there’s nowhere for mold, dust, and pollen to build up. If you have a SpacePak AC, then you’re likely already familiar with the ..read more

Unico air conditioners are an excellent HVAC option for homeowners who don’t want to tear apart their homes to install central air conditioning and heating ductwork. These high-efficiency systems fit where other systems don’t, and integrate with almost any outdoor unit brand. As great as these systems are, though, they can still run into issues that need repair. At American Vintage Home, our team has extensive experience working with Unico air conditioners, which is why we’ve put together this guide to fixing your Unico AC system. Understanding Unico Air Conditioners To be able to fix your Un ..read more