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...

HVAC has always been a cutting-edge industry . Thanks to continued advancements, heating and cooling systems are more efficient, easier to control, and more environmentally friendly than ever before. Many HVAC systems are even connected to the internet, allowing computers the ability to handle tasks like temperature control and air quality.  This last point might cause some aspiring technicians to pause. Will HVAC systems still require technicians in the future?  What Are The Job Prospects For New HVAC Technicians? While we can’t speak for the country as a whole, the Government of Canada says that the outlook for HVAC jobs in Ontario is rated “Good” through 2020. There are three reasons for this:  Employment growth will create new positions. Retirements will make more positions available. The number of unemployed workers with recent experience in this occupation is small. The outlook is also strengthened by trends in the United States. According to the Bureau o...

HVAC systems are complicated, and thus, so is the range of equipment we need to fix it! Our technicians won’t always use the wide array of tools for every job, but having them on hand lets them quickly find a solution to the issue with your heating or cooling. Every tool helps the Premier team do each job efficiently and safely!   The Smaller Essential Tools HVAC technicians use a lot of specialized equipment, but many of the essential tools are quite common. Screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, crescent wrenches, and flashlights help the team gain access to the inner parts of your HVAC system and work on the many different wires, bolts, and screws. Metal and tubing cutters are useful for cutting through and replacing any pipes and wires. A cordless, battery-powered drill gives increased access to parts of the HVAC system that are harder to reach.   Some tools are needed to install new HVAC systems. A reciprocating saw blade is necessary to cut through most materials in...

A home is dependent on the water heater. Think about cold showers, washing the floors with freezing water, and there being no hot water for the dishes. These unpleasant scenarios are why you need to keep your hot water tank in working order ! A water heater that is properly installed and maintained should last up to 12 years; a tankless heating system should last up to 20. They don’t usually work longer than that lifespan because of the natural sediment that flows in through the municipal system. While both tank and tankless water heaters have ways of dealing with this sediment, these protective measures will eventually break down. What Causes Hot Water Heater Breakdowns? Like every other appliance, water heater tank wears down through constant use. As natural particles in water move through the system, they break the glass that lines the inside to protect the metal. The glass is very thin, so to keep the tank from corroding sooner than it has to, a device known as an anode rod a...

The tankless water heater is becoming a standard piece of equipment in homes. Many models are much more efficient than your average tank models, and this also translates to less costly maintenance and more peace of mind. One question might remain, however: how do these heaters deal with water impurities? Many require a special water filter, installed on the incoming water line, to handle the stuff you don’t want. Why Add Filters To Your Tankless Water Heater? The water filter needs to be installed as water comes into the home to allow the filter to remove impurities before they reach the tankless water heater. Tank heaters usually deal directly with all the impurities you might find in your water, so keeping your tankless model in good order requires some extra protection. A good filter will take out sediment and minerals before they ever reach the heater, preventing the system from clogging up. Most of the problems are caused by hard water. This is water with an excess of dissol...

The weather is becoming warmer, and you’ll be getting ready to use the AC part of your HVAC system very soon. The parts that make the system pump out cold air haven’t been used in quite a while, though, which means they could use a professional tune-up. Even if your air conditioning unit is relatively new and in great… well, condition, you should still book an annual inspection! What Does Air Conditioning Service Look For? There are so many small components to your A/C unit: the filters, evaporator coils, coil fins, and drains for condensation are some of the more prominent ones, but there are many smaller wires, belts, and important components you probably overlook or don’t have the tools to access. If you want to get it up and running and keep it that way, even a quick look at the smallest parts can make a world of difference. Thinking about and accessing these parts is important, because after months of unused, things are going to be a bit dusty. Dirt, dust, and all sorts of deb...

Many problems with HVAC systems start with the thermostat. When this important piece of equipment fails to control the temperature properly, it can trick you into thinking you have a worse problem then what’s actually wrong. If you’re struggling with the following problems, don’t tear apart your furnace to find the issue – the fix could be a whole lot simpler! Your HVAC System Won’t Turn On  The biggest tell of a faulty thermostat is that your home’s heating and cooling system won’t turn on at all. Believe us, you’ll know when this becomes the problem. Before you get worried about a major HVAC repair, just have a look at the thermostat first; something could be preventing it from sending signals to your furnace and air conditioner. The HVAC System Doesn’t Respond To Settings Changes If your heating and cooling isn’t responding to a change in the temperature or setting almost immediately, it’s very likely that something is wrong with your thermostat’s ability to communicate wit...

Your furnace should last at least fifteen years before it needs a major overhaul or replacement. But how do you get it to that fifteen-year mark and beyond? The manufacturers tell you that the warranty is the way to go. Warranties are supposed to cover your HVAC in case of a breakdown, but that coverage only goes so far. What are you supposed to do when you can’t afford to extend the warranty and you’re out of your coverage? There are alternatives to purchasing an extended warranty on your HVAC system . You should know what coverage the manufacturer will automatically include, and how regular upkeep can save you money in the long run! Warranties For Furnaces Most furnaces, like other appliances, will come with a Manufacturer’s warranty . These can vary in length, and can even cover different components of the HVAC system. The part that most consistently comes with its own warranty is the heat exchanger. This large section actually does the heating, so it is the most expensive to ...

Changing the furnace filter in summer strikes a lot of people as pretty weird. It only takes one good heatwave to make people forget that they even have a furnace, let alone one that needs preventative maintenance in the summertime. Tell them to change the filter in July and, seeing as the furnace is the last thing they want to use right now, they’ll just forget about it. The thing is, the way your (HVAC system) operates makes changing your furnace filter in summer a necessary bit of preventative maintenance ! Here’s why you shouldn’t neglect it, even as the heat pushes to 40 degrees. Air Conditioning and the Furnace: Closely Connected The Importance of the Furnace Filter Most HVAC systems have a lot of ductwork, through which both the cool air from your central air conditioning and the heated air coming from your furnace. The ducts also allow your system to exchange air from outside and within your home. Your system is doing a lot of work using the same pathways, which means tha...

A super-high hydro bill is almost as seasonal as swimsuits and winter sweaters. You’ve almost come to expect it, so when the temperature soars outside, you make sure it plunges inside and take the hit when the money’s due. It really doesn’t have to be this way, though, and the small changes you make this summer will guarantee air conditioner savings! Check The Thermostat Location While you might not think twice about where your thermostat is set, it can really make a huge difference in how it reads the temperature of the air in your home. This is because the thermostat registers the temperature around the wall on which it’s placed, not the air in the middle of the room you’re currently sitting in! Rather inconvenient, but here we are. You’ll want the thermostat on a central wall in your home. Keep it away from drafts, doorways that lead to the outdoors, direct sunlight, skylights, and furniture, all of which can influence the temperature around the thermostat These can all activat...