A Look into The Future of Efficient HVAC

For everyone in Canada, residential energy efficiency is an important concern. As homes lower their dependence on power, the demand for non-renewable energy sources decreases. Less reliance on fossil fuels translates into less pollution, diminished climate change, and a smaller environmental footprint. More importantly, reducing the amount of electricity and gas we use in our homes brings down our utility costs! If you’d like to find out what the future has in store for home heating and cooling, check out the information below.

The Ministry of Energy has issued some encouraging news regarding upcoming technologies that could make a big difference in energy efficiency in Canadian homes. Here are some of the highlights:

Smarter Homes Grow More Efficient

While making the equipment that heats and cools our homes more efficient is important, we can also get a lot of mileage out of making the electronics that control that equipment more intelligent. Smart thermostats exercise an impressive level of control over your home’s HVAC system, keeping temperatures throughout your home comfortable while eliminating wasted energy. Now the government says we can expect to see more sensitive and intelligent sensor systems in the next generation of smart controls, giving our HVAC systems even greater control over their output.

Heat Pumps Save Energy

The popularity of heat pumps is growing in the residential market. Homeowners love how they provide efficient heating with much less power than ordinary electric resistance heaters. This same technology is coming to gas heating in the near future, too, and gas heat pumps equipped with low-emission burners are likely to be both economical and highly efficient.

Windows Minimizing Solar Energy

The home envelope needs to be well insulated at all points, including windows, in order to heat and cool the home efficiently. At Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, researchers are developing new technologies that not only will allow less air to escape, windows of the future will also minimize solar energy into the home with automatic sensors and shades.

More Powerful Insulation

Of course, insulation has always been a key part of an energy-efficient home. The latest forms of foam insulation offer amazing insulation efficiency, packing even more thermal resistance into smaller volumes. The next generation of insulation materials is environmentally friendly, too, reducing the impact of upgrading the home.

Reflective Roofs

Energy efficiency is about more than just the equipment and insulation that goes inside of your home. Roofing materials can actually do a great deal to make a home more efficient by reflecting more of the sun’s energy on warm days.

Take Your Own Steps Towards Greater HVAC Efficiency

While a lot of the technology described above hasn’t filtered its way down to the residential market yet, there is still a lot of great, highly efficient heating and cooling equipment already available. If your own home is ready for a newer, more efficient air conditioner or furnace, speak to a local HVAC professional about upgrading now.

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How to Properly Maintain Your Furnace During the Winter

When the cold chill of winter arrives, your furnace is one of your home's most essential appliances. It
helps keep you warm on even the coldest winter night, which is why it is so important to make sure that
it keeps working all season long. Proper maintenance can go a long way toward ensuring that your
heater not only keeps running but also performs at maximum efficiency, helping save power well at the
same time reducing your carbon footprint. Check out these helpful tips on how to maintain your
furnace.

Be Proactive

Life is busy. It is easy to put off furnace maintenance until the weather starts to change. Unfortunately,
by the time temperatures plummet, it may be too late. The last thing you want is to find out that your
furnace has a problem when it is freezing cold outside. Instead, start your maintenance early before
temperatures start to fall. This will help ensure that your furnace is ready to go the minute it is needed.

Start with A Visual Inspection

A good place to begin is by carefully looking at your furnace. Make sure to check that the pipe that vents
to the outdoors is properly attached to the furnace and positioned correctly. Check out any other tubes
or attachments to make sure that they are safely out of the way. Additionally, if you have a gas furnace,
check for the smell of rotten eggs. This can indicate that gas is leaking from the furnace, which is a
potentially deadly issue that needs to be addressed immediately.

Check The Electrical Connections

Disconnect the power to your furnace. Then, take off the door and check all of the wiring to make sure
that all of the connections are secure.

Clean Your Furnace

Any dust or dirt can interfere with proper furnace operation. Cleaning it before you start it up is the best
way to avoid any problems. Using a soft brush, gently brush away any dirt inside the furnace itself. Use a
vacuum cleaner to pick up any debris that you knock loose.

Inspect The Flame Sensor

If the flame sensor is not working the way that it should, it can keep the furnace from firing up. The
sensor should be cleaned annually. The cleaning process is relatively easy. It just needs to be unscrewed
and wiped down with an emery cloth. When you are done, simply put it back in place and put the door
back on the furnace.

Call in a Professional Repair Company If Necessary

Furnaces can be complex and dangerous. Electric furnaces have a lot of voltage running to them while
gas furnaces are connected to the gas supply. If you have any doubt about your ability to deal with
either of these situations, you should contact a professional to maintain your furnace instead. Annual
maintenance is surprisingly affordable – especially when you consider the peace of mind that comes
along with knowing it was done correctly.

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How to Manage Furnace Repair Emergencies

As soon as the first cold breeze hits you at the onset of winter, you have no choice but to brace yourself for what lies ahead. You end up crossing your fingers that your vehicles will survive another frigid winter while you hope that your legs and back is up to an every other day shoveling of snow outside in the cold. Perhaps, your biggest worry is whether your furnace can endure another long cold winter. <a href=”https://ift.tt/2QQ6BPB furnace repairs</b></a> become complicated for several reasons. The primary reason of all is the hefty price tag that accompanies such repairs or replacements. Furthermore, there are the consequential issues that involve the loss of heat. For instance, freezing pipes, deterioration of your electronics, and lastly, danger to your life. At times, you cannot escape problems from happening, but you can observe the following ways to minimize these bothersome issues.

CONDUCT MAINTENANCE ON A REGULAR BASIS

Here is a good analogy. Do you recall your word processing professor always telling you to save often and early, but you take your chances and risk your 1,500-word paper on hamsters? We are all aware of its unfortunate fate. It is pretty much the same with your furnace when you let it defend itself from the elements during the entire year. The best measure you can take to avoid an emergency furnace repair is by being a responsible homeowner and diligently maintaining your furnace during your free time. After all, your furnace bears the burden of keeping you and your family warm and comfy during the winter season. Is it so troublesome for you to replace its air filters on a regular basis, remove the dust that accumulates on the fans and motors, and inspect the belts if they are tight enough?

ENSURE AN ALTERNATIVE HEATING PLAN

A heating emergency is not only because of your old furnace. You can experience some water damage in your utility room, or perhaps you’ll have an electrical system that suddenly goes berserk and leaves you with zero heat. If this happens in the winter, it can truly spell big trouble for you and your family. By establishing an alternative heating plan, you can stay calm, collected, and cool until your nearby emergency furnace repair contractor gets to your home.

Some of the alternative heating plans you can observe are as follow:

• ELECTRIC FIREPLACE: it is extremely important to have a real heat source to keep you and your loved ones warm in the middle of winter. But why will you stop there? An electric fireplace allows you to turn off your furnace in your living room while providing a beautiful atmosphere as you watch TV or movies or converse with friends. However, a real fireplace is a better heating alternative if the trigger for your emergency furnace repair is a power outage.
• KEROSENE HEAT: this is not an excellent choice for providing heat inside your home since there is a lingering smell, but it is a perfect emergency heat source for your shed or garage.
• WOOD STOVE: it is helpful during heating emergencies, but consumes a lot of space when not needed.
• BACKUP GENERATOR: without a doubt, this one is considered the most efficient alternative of all. During furnace emergencies, having a backup generator is a genuine lifesaver.

You can also consider propane and solar powered fireplaces, but checking in your nearest inn or motel is your best option when your emergency furnace repair will take a long while.

INCREASE YOUR EMERGENCY SLUSH FUND

One of the most annoying thing about your home’s furnace breakdown, aside from the absence of heat, is the outrageous cost related to improving your entire HVAC system. As if seeing your icy breath leaves your wake inside the house is not disturbing enough, you now have to produce an enormous amount of money to bring back some semblance of comfort in your home once more. An excellent life plan is to boost your emergency slush fund not only for emergency furnace repairs but on other home emergencies as well ranging from roof repairs to septic tank issues.

ACT PROMPTLY

One thing you must bear in mind once your furnace collapses is for you to act promptly. The sooner you get in touch with an furnace repair company; you’ll be able to line up for an appointment way sooner too and have the problem fixed ASAP. It is similar to your home’s heater that suddenly breaks down. If you are prompt in attending to the issue, you can establish your alternative heating plan right away and prevent further complications such as a frozen pipe or broken appliances.

HAVE A QUALIFIED FURNACE REPAIR COMPANY YOU HAVE CONFIDENCE IN

The last measure you can take to lighten the blow of an emergency furnace repair is to find a reputable company you can trust. You annoyance only increases when a company or contractor provides you the wrong date of your scheduled repair, charges you more than necessary, or not fix your problem at all. Ask your family and friends for a trustworthy company and get in touch with them before the need arises.

It is unfortunate to have furnace issues at home. You need to remember that heating problems are inevitable as your unit gets older so you need to be ready all the time. You must prepare yourself to call out more frequent service calls and some emergency furnace repairs before the cold winter season kicks off every year. An old saying states that “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” But when it comes to furnace problems, you should never sacrifice the importance of securing a warm home for you and your family.

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11 Signs Your Furnace is Failing

When your furnace starts to malfunction, you need to decide whether to fix it or just buy a new one. Sometimes, you’ll have a hard time figuring this out especially if you consider your finances in the picture. You have the option of putting more money on an earlier investment, or just simply invest in a brand new heating system. Hopefully this time, it is a more efficient one.

In reality, waiting too long before making up your mind compromises your pocket by paying more for your system’s poor performance and pricey repairs. Also, you want the assurance of getting the most out of your heating equipment prior to spending on another substantial investment.

A bad system will not only affect your finances, but it is also risky for your home aside from its added discomforts. In short, a cracked or obstructed system can be a fire hazard and spread toxic gases inside your house. But then, there is no need to worry since you can avoid such circumstances by staying proactive and addressing the issue before it happens.

HVAC contractors assist homeowners in figuring the ideal climate control system that specifically addresses their home requirements. Service providers like them also make suggestions on installations and other alternatives on your chosen heating solution.

When is the ideal time to change your old furnace?

The obvious answer is to change it once your furnace starts to falter. When you are already facing such an issue, you have no choice but to look for an option even though it is just a sign of a failing equipment.

Thus, it is an excellent idea to look out for these surefire signs indicating a failing heating system, or you might need to hire an expert to fix it.

It is an excellent idea to call a furnace professional when:

1. YOUR HEATING EQUIPMENT IS OUT-OF-DATE

If your furnace is over 15 years old, you should seriously consider making a system upgrade. The installation of a modern and more efficient unit prior to the complete breakdown of your existing unit will free you from unnecessary stress and discomforts later on.

Also, even though you own a heating system that is over 15 years old, and you believe it can still work for a couple more years, remember that it won’t be working to its full potential. Your best recourse is to change it with a new ENERGY STAR label unit. This label is significant especially when the unit is installed properly, this kind of system will allow you to save around 20% of your heating and cooling costs.

2. AN UNPLEASANT ODOR IS EXUDING FROM YOUR SYSTEM

Rely on your strong sense of smell in letting you know if something is not right. As soon as you can smell an unpleasant scent coming from your heating system, it can be any of these issues.

The most typical issue is the congestion of toxic gases on the flue. Aside from its unpleasant smell, these gases are deadly to man and animals. Hence, call the attention of a furnace contractor right away as soon as you notice any unpleasant smell lingering inside the house.

3. RISE IN ENERGY BILLS

It is a given that fuel and electricity are both pricey. You surely wouldn’t want to operate an aging equipment that is no longer that efficient as it once was. Hire a contractor to make a comparison of your monthly usage and costs to know if your heating system is becoming more pricey to operate.

Modern furnaces are around 60% more effective than the systems produced a decade ago. Furthermore, its expected wear and tear and not maintaining it regularly decreases your heating system’s efficiency. If you are facing pricey repairs and constant worries on your energy costs, do not hesitate to change your system and save cash later on.

Your savings on lower energy costs is a good return on your first investment. And if you paid for it, ensure that you think of your energy costs savings as you make your purchase.

Whenever you change an appliance, go for an ENERGY STAR item. It is around 15% more energy efficient than a product that does not bear the label.

4. CONSTANT REPAIRS

If your existing heating system had repairs during the past couple of years, it is an obvious sign that you need a replacement equipment looming. You’ll soon enjoy the return on your investment as you start saving a lot of money from lower energy costs and less need for repairs.

5. UNUSUAL SOUNDS COMING FROM INSIDE THE UNIT

You need an expert to inspect your heating equipment once unusual sounds emanate from it. And talking about sounds, you need to be on the lookout for a blower fan that keeps on running. Remember that all sort of equipment has their particular quirky sound. So, be alert for anything out of the ordinary.

6. YOU ARE PLANNING FOR A MAJOR HOME RENOVATION

When you plan on making a major home renovation, like an additional room, don’t forget to make an upgrade of your HVAC equipment. When you build a bigger home, your original system is not up for the cooling or heating requirements of a larger space.

7. YOU ALWAYS HAVE AIR-QUALITY CONCERNS INSIDE YOUR HOUSE

If you can’t manage the dust buildup inside your home, you must replace your A/C and heating filters more regularly. Furthermore, it also signals that your existing unit is not big enough for the exchange of air, or you have an aging system. Find out how to make improvements in the air quality inside your home.

8. DISCOMFORTS INSIDE THE HOME

Do you feel comfortable in each room of your home? An efficient heating and air conditioning system is a source of comfort for you and your family in your entire house. When you start to recognize certain discomforts, think about changing or fixing your system. Be on the lookout for spaces that do not warm up or cool down like before, drafts, and a buildup of dust or mold growth.

9. TOO MUCH HUMIDITY OR A DRY FEELING INSIDE THE HOUSE

Whenever you experience too much humidity or dryness inside the house, you can solve this issue by upgrading your equipment with something that has more advanced characteristics.

10. YOU DECIDE TO “GO GREEN”

Despite a perfectly working furnace, you still want to change it because you decide to go green and purchase a more efficient and state-of-the-art unit. By going green, you get to save cash on heating; hence it is beneficial both to the environment and your finances.

11. LIKELY SAFETY CONCERNS

If you have installed a gas furnace in your home, you’re always at risk of carbon monoxide leaks. A newer furnace lessens this risk because of its more advanced built-in features.

A professional furnace contractor can give you recommendations whether a replacement or a repair will do your heating system some good. Repairing failing components prior to a complete breakdown will save you tons of cash much later.

Hence, do not hesitate to hire an heating expert once you have decided to change your existing system. They’ll handle its installation and maintenance. They will also assess your furnace to ensure you get all your penny’s worth.

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Learn How to Choose the Best Furnace to Have at Home

Many people rely on their furnace to stay sane, warm, and comfortable during the cold winter months. But no matter how much we want our furnaces to remain in excellent shape for all the years to come, that is not just the case. Like any other piece of appliance, furnaces are bound to break down sooner than later. If you want your investment to last, learn how to choose the best furnace to equip your home with and save money on utility bills without putting a strain on the environment.

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