In Orland Park, IL, the average year round temperature fluctuates from the low teens to the mid eighties, but it’s not unrespected for temperature to drop well into the negatives or soar into the triple digits, and along with long, frigid winters and lots of snow, my nice friend and I get humid summers and frequent thunderstorms.
It’s windy all year round.
I grew up in Orland Park and still live there. While the weather is a challenge, I care about the four distinct seasons, then there is constantly something up-to-date to look forward to. The hot and muggy summers are followed by cool fall conditions with the gorgeous color of the changing leaves. I get gleeful to option plums, grapes, zucchinis and tomato. The winter season offers the option to go skiing, sledding, snowmobiling and snowboarding. While the frigid weather sometimes seems endless, eventually the daffodils, tulips and robins show up in the Springtime! Because of the weather extremes, it’s necessary to both heat and cool my home. I have a forced air boiler and central air conditioner that circulate heated and cooled air to the odd rooms by way of a duct system, however since the device works just about non stop, energy costs are constantly a concern. It’s important to tightly seal the property to prevent waste and minimize costs. I’ve caulked, weatherstripped and insulated. I’ve replaced windows and exterior doors. I’ve managed to create a very efficient thermal envelope, however, my efforts have also eliminated essential ventilation… For the health of the air quality, it’s necessary to introduce fresh air into the home. I’ve now installed a heat recovery ventilator that works to pull out the stale air and replace it with fresh.