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What Are Your Furnace Filters Made From?

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Furnace filters protect the intricate mechanisms of your HVAC system from getting dirty while also removing particles from indoor air. Manufacturers will use different materials to make them, including spun fibreglass, polyester, and cotton. The material often determines the rating of the filter, telling you how effective it will be! How Furnace Filter Ratings Work Every furnace filter has a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Values (MERV) rating. This is a scale from 1 to 20, and the higher the number, the better the furnace filter will be at removing particles from the air.Manufacturers will include the MERV rating on the packaging, and the homeowner has to make sure to check it before purchasing the filter. Avoid options that rate higher than your HVAC system’s recommended MERV rating. They will force your furnace to work much harder than it should!  Now that you know what the MERV rating is, let’s examine the different materials used to make filters.  Fibreglass Fibreglass filter
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Five HVAC Trends To Watch For In 2020

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Five HVAC Trends To Watch For In 2020 Heating and cooling systems have made huge advancements in the last decade, but where will they be in 2020 and further into the future? It’s good for both contractors and homeowners to be aware of where the industry is heading because they can adapt their services and homes to the changes.   Even Smarter Thermostats A growing number of household goods are enabled with WiFi, making them “smart appliances”: televisions, refrigerators, blenders… and thermostats. It’s called the Internet of Things, and it helps these appliances provide more services and adapt efficiently to changing patterns. Smart thermostats are great for saving energy, and while the addition of WiFi happened some time ago, they are going to be able to connect to the rest of the appliances in the home. T his is because many people are moving their homes towards smart integration, meaning a system that connects everything. Alexa and Google Home run everything with a simple comman
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How To Inspect A Furnace Before Buying A Home In 2020

Canadians are very mobile people. Every year, more than 4 million people move to new homes across the country, and 2020 won’t be any different. Right now, many are likely looking at new homes and thinking about making a move later in the year. Many people look at the living space, the state of the roofing, and other parts they consider important; rarely do they think about the HVAC system. You don’t need to be a professional to think about and look at the heating and cooling system of a home – you need to remember to make it a priority! Start With The Bills If you’re looking at a home, ask if you can see any energy bills. Roughly half of the annual energy expenses will go toward heating and cooling your home. Looking at the bills and comparing them to the average for the area will help you ensure that the home’s HVAC system is efficient and in working order. Do A Visual Check And Ask Questions When taking a tour of a house, a lot of people skip past the HVAC system as they examine
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Why HVAC Service Contracts Are So Worth It During The Winter

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Every homeowner should take proactive steps towards their comfort before winter begins. One of the best ways to secure your warmth during the coldest time of the year is investing in long-term HVAC maintenance. A service contract ensures that professional technicians check and maintain your HVAC system all winter long.  Our team can come up with a plan for you, especially if you want to catch an issue before it starts or make your system more efficient!   The Perks Of Service Contracts In The Winter: Energy Efficiency The last thing you want is your heating to break down on the coldest day of the year, but you also don’t want to pay more for fuel than you have to. A service contract could also lower your utility bills because the technician uses preventative maintenance to spot inefficiencies in the system. This way, you won’t have to learn about problems through a high bill. We can schedule the maintenance for when the seasons change. A well-maintained HVAC system can run more
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Is A Two-Stage Furnace Worth The Money?

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Consumers sometimes ask about whether two-stage furnaces are worth the extra expense. It depends on your situation as one heating solution doesn’t fit every home. It helps to know what separates a two-stage system from the more common one-stage furnaces!   What Is A Two-Stage Furnace? The terms one-stage and two-stage furnace refer to the burner section inside the furnace and the valve that releases propane or natural gas to it. Average one-stage furnaces have a valve that only opens and closes, whereas two-stage heating has one more valve setting. It’s commonly called low fire, and the furnace starts in this first stage and runs at 70 or 80% of the full rated capacity.  The furnace will then enter the second stage, also known as high fire, only when needed. It determines whether to enter the second stage based on the time the furnace has been operating or if the thermostat indicates that it has to raise the temperature more than two degrees. So if you have a two-stage furna
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How Can I Lower My Heating Bills This Winter?

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Winter weather means HVAC systems across London run longer hours to provide warm relief on the coldest days. This means that higher heating bills are inevitable. Don’t let paying more money be the reason for the season – follow these tips to slash your costs and save money this winter!   Program Your Thermostat Keep your thermostat on a tight schedule that revolves around when you’re in and out of the home. Set the temperature to 20°C (68°F) when you’re at home and 17°C (63°F) when out or asleep. If your family can’t handle the shock, gradually reduce the temperature over the winter to see how much you can lower it while staying comfortable. This is easy when you have a smart or programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat lets homeowners schedule their heating to run only when it’s necessary. A smart thermostat hooks up to your wifi and gives homeowners even more energy-saving options. They can control the HVAC system from anywhere with a smartphone. If you’re still opera
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What Size Of Water Heater Does A Family Of Five Need?

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The water heater is an important investment for your home. The tank you have installed should be large enough so that no one in the family has to start their day with a cold shower. However, if it’s too large, you’ll pay for the energy needed to heat all that water you’re not using. To determine what size is best for your family, start with the number of people living in your home.   What Size Of Tank Does My Family Need? Most water heater tanks are 40 to 60 gallons in size; this is between 180 and 270 litres, though in Canada we mostly measure tank size in gallons. Depending on your needs, the size can go as low as 20 gallons and as high as 100 gallons. Four factors determine which size is appropriate for your home: the energy source, size of the space for the tank, home size, and the number of people in the home.  Energy Source: Electricity, natural gas, and propane are the three most common energy sources for a water heater. It can also be hooked up to a boiler if your home
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