Hot Water Tanks vs. Tankless: Which is Right For You?

When it comes to hot water systems, homeowners often find themselves debating between traditional hot water tanks and tankless water heaters. Both options have their pros and cons, and choosing the right one depends on various factors such as household size, hot water usage patterns, energy efficiency goals, and budget considerations. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll compare hot water tanks and tankless water heaters to help you make an informed decision.

Understanding Hot Water Tanks

Traditional Hot Water Tanks: Hot water tanks, also known as storage water heaters, are the most common type of water heating system found in homes. They consist of an insulated tank that stores a predetermined amount of hot water, typically ranging from 20 to 80 gallons. The water is heated and maintained at a set temperature until it’s needed for use.

Pros of Hot Water Tanks:

Lower Initial Cost: Hot water tanks generally have… read more...
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Frequently Asked Questions About Boilers

Boilers are a critical component of many home heating systems, and with their complex operation comes a host of questions from homeowners and facility managers alike. Below are some of the most popular questions related to boilers, covering topics from troubleshooting and maintenance to efficiency and replacement.

1. How Often Should a Boiler Be Serviced?

Regular maintenance is crucial for the efficient operation and longevity of a boiler. It is generally recommended that boilers be serviced once a year by a qualified professional to ensure they are operating safely and efficiently.

2. What Are the Signs My Boiler Needs Repair or Replacement?

Key indicators that your boiler may need attention include:

Strange noises like banging, whistling, or gurgling Frequent loss of pressure Leaks or drips The pilot light keeps going out Inconsistent heating or hot water supply 3. Why Is My Boiler Losing Pressure?

Boiler pressure can drop due … read more...

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How to Extend the Useful Life of Your Furnace

Your furnace is like a faithful servant, always reliable and withstands the test of time. It toils tirelessly through winter, providing warmth and comfort year after year. Although your furnace may not require maintenance as often as other items around the house, neglecting it can cause significant damage in the long run, resulting in expensive repairs or even complete replacement.

If you want to keep your furnace running at its peak performance level and extend its useful life for years to come, there are some key steps you need to follow. This blog post covers everything from routine maintenance protocols to mindful energy efficiency practices that will help maintain your unit for many winters ahead!

Change Your Air Filters Regularly 

The best way to ensure that your furnace runs at peak efficiency is by changing your air filters regularly. It should be done every three months or more often … read more...

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How to Reduce Humidity in Home During Winter

If you’re wondering how to reduce humidity in the house during winter, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll cover Heat recovery ventilators, Humidifiers, Houseplants, and Air conditioning. But if you want to make the most effective changes, here are some tips for keeping your home comfortable. Try them out today! You’ll be happy you did. Also, don’t forget to turn down the thermostat!

Heat recovery ventilators

If you want to avoid mould in your house in winter, you can install an energy recovery ventilation system in your home. It helps eliminate humidity levels and reduces the work of air conditioners and dehumidifiers by removing stale air. Its other benefits include removing contaminants and smoke from cooking that would otherwise accumulate in your home. These systems are highly efficient, so you can expect to save a bundle on your energy bills by using them.

Although ERVs are better for homes … read more...

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Types of Garage Heaters in Edmonton

Garages can be cold places, so you should consider installing energy-efficient garage heaters to keep the space warm. If you’re not familiar with the different types of garage heaters, consider these: electric, propane, Kerosene/propane, and forced air. Each type of heater offers its own set of benefits. Read on if you want to know more about garage heaters.

Infrared garage heaters

Infrared garage heaters are a great way to heat your garage while saving on energy costs. These units heat up quickly and work with different fuel sources, so you can choose one that’s right for your home. Wall-mounted units usually use gas as their fuel source because it’s cheaper to operate than a portable unit. Portable units, however, have a smaller tank and require extra ventilation to prevent carbon dioxide build-up.

Forced air garage heaters

The most common heating system for garages is the forced air garage heater. Typical … read more...

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Cost of Air Conditioner in Edmonton, Alberta

How do you calculate the cost of an air conditioner in Edmonton? To determine the price of an AC unit, multiply your square footage by 20 and divide by 12,000 (one ton equals 12,000 BTU). Then, you must decide what features you want in your new unit. Energy efficiency is a top priority in Edmonton, as this can cut utility costs. Once you have determined the square footage, you can compare brands, sizes, and energy efficiency prices.

Installation costs

When you want to install an air conditioner in Edmonton, you will probably need to pay around $6,000 for the job. The high price is likely not surprising since location dramatically contributes to the average air conditioning installation cost. You may live in a modest town or a large city, but installation costs will be lower in some rural areas. Depending on the unit you need, the labour and parts … read more...

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What’s the Difference Between ERV and HRV?

What’s the difference between ERVs and HRVs? Both circulate and eliminate stuffy air, but ERVs cost more and are better for climates with cold winters and hot summers. Here are a few factors to consider when deciding between these two types of HVAC systems. Here are some common misconceptions about each. These myths may be holding you back from choosing one for your home.

ERVs are more expensive

Energy recovery ventilation is an HVAC technology that transfers 99% of the heat energy from stale air to fresh air. It is more energy-efficient than opening windows. Not only does this save you money on energy bills, but it also ensures that the HVAC system stays cleaner longer, resulting in a longer lifespan. It also helps you reduce health risks associated with indoor air pollution, such as allergies, asthma, and bronchitis.

Although ERVs are more expensive than standard HVAC systems, their benefits … read more...

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What You Need to Know About Furnace Prices in Calgary

Trane furnace in Calgary

If you’re looking for a new furnace, you’ve probably wondering about furnace prices in Calgary. There are several different types of furnaces to choose from, so read on to find out more. The most common types of furnaces include Oil, Modulating, and Natural gas. While each has its benefits and drawbacks, these three companies offer a wide variety of products. In addition to their efficiency rates, both brands offer different features, such as high-efficiency ratings.

Electric furnaces

If you want to heat your home efficiently without burning gas or oil, consider installing an electric furnace in Calgary. These furnaces are safer than conventional fuels, require no oil or gas storage, and offer the lowest upfront cost. They also don’t need as much upkeep or cleaning as their gas and oil counterparts. So, why should you buy an electric furnace in Calgary? Read on to learn more about the pros and … read more...

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What’s The Best Way To Cool Your Space In North America?

How to cool your homeWith the summer months being upon us and knowing your home is likely to heat up soon, you might be looking at getting a new ar conditioner for your residence. However, simply looking through the seemingly endless number of options might cause you to break out in a sweat. After all, how do you figure out which air conditioner you should be purchasing and how it can impact your cooling bills? If you live in an apartment, you might even have to worry about whether or not your building allows window units. No need to worry: we have done all of the research you need to make a good decision.

The crucial component of getting the right system to provide a balance of comfort and savings is to find the optimal unit for your space. Getting an air conditioning system that doesn’t have sufficient power is likely to cause you … read more...

The Best Heating System for Your Home

The Best Heating System for Your Hamilton Home

For many homeowners, winter is not their favourite month of the year.  Why?  Well, despite the snow and hot chocolate in front of a fire, the cold winds will often enter a person’s home through window and door cracks making a residence uncomfortable and chilly.  How can one combat this?  Is it possible?  Of course, it is!

There are numerous methods of heating a home and beating the winter blues.  Electric heating is an option, but it can be very expensive.  Wood fires are another option and cheaper than electricity; however, this can be difficult to manage and is not very effective.  Solar heating is energy-efficient but only efficient during daylight hours.  So, what is a positive choice?  Nothing seems to be working.  Don’t worry, the best heating system for a home is typically an energy efficient furnace, and this article will list reasons to argue its case.

Efficiency

In … read more...

HVAC Basics

HVAC basics for Toronto homeownersWe get a lot of questions about HVAC systems from Toronto homeowners that have become our sales and service customers over the years. Many of these questions are asked over and over. Because of that we thought we would share a few that might help you out with a similar HVAC question you might have on your mind.

Question: My HVAC is maintenance free right?

A: Absolutely not. Although HVAC systems very rarely break down and they are one of the most durable products you can buy they still require routine care. It is recommended that your local HVAC service tech come out to your home and inspect the system and clean it at least once a year. During this service call they will replace filters as necessary, clean and adjust the burner unit (what you save in gas and oil in a year alone after doing this will most … read more...

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How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Home and make it Safer

How to Improve the Air Quality in Your Oshawa Home and make it SaferMany people assume that the quality of air in their home is good just because their home is enclosed on all sides and overhead but this would be a big misconception.

In a study done for the American Lung Association it was found that some of the homes that were looked at were up to 5 times more polluted than outside air. Almost every home studied also had at least one serious health concern too. So as you can see most homes can stand for some improvement when it comes to inside air. Here are some great ways to improve the quality of air in your home and make it safer too.

Start on the Outside

In order to make the inside of your home better you need to start on the outside of it.

Keep water away from your foundation

It’s no secret that some of the biggest pollutants … read more...

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5 Traits of Honest Plumbing Companies

dishonest plumberThe plumbing in your home is a weird animal. On one side there are a number of do-it-yourself projects you can perform to not only save money on bringing in the plumbing professionals but also to have the most convenient quality of living at the same time. Simple things like changing out faucet handles or taking apart and fixing the garbage disposal are both rewarding and handy. On the flip side of that though, there are times when major problems arise in the pipes that just can’t be fixed without professional intervention. In those times when you need to call plumbing companies, make sure they display as many of these 5 traits as possible.

Knowledgeable Plumbing Contractor

By far the most important quality that plumbing companies Edmonton possess is the knowledge to diagnose and fix your piping problems. It doesn’t matter if the company is extremely inexpensive, customer-friendly, and on … read more...

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The Pros And Cons Of Skylights: Are They Worth The Investment?

skylightAny person that has ever owned a home with a skylight, or for those that have taken a vacation in a hotel room or cabin that had a skylight will know how they can enhance a room or home. It is amazing to watch the rain or snow falling from above or to watch the stars from your bed.

This is probably the driving reason why many homeowners would like one in their homes, despite the fact that they are costly and susceptible to potential issues. See the following list of pros along with the cons associated with skylights, to help you make a more informed decision before having one installed.

Skylight Pros:

If you have decided you would like to have a skylight in your home, it is important to find out what is involved.

1. Add Light To A Dark Room

Skylights are often one of the best … read more...

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Top Appliance Repair Tips For Your Service Visit

Fast Appliance Repair VancouverIs it time for you to schedule an appliance service visit? Will you be required to pay a service fee and will paperwork be required? If you want to be as prepared as possible, then you need to check out these tips.

When it comes to repairing appliances, it can be helpful to know how to deal with contractors. With that said, if you have scheduled an appointment with an HVAC contractor to come to your property, then check out the below tips. They should help ensure that your visit goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Your Schedule Should Be Cleared It’s a good idea to clear your schedule. Everyone wants to know the exact time the contractor will be coming, but nobody can predict how long a visit will take. When you book an appointment, you’ll be provided with a time window for when you can expect the contractor … read more...

Winter Plumbing Tips for Homeowners

Plumbing Tips for Homeowners During Winter:

Avoid frozen pipes. During winter, it is advisable that you keep an eye on water pressure; and the first sign that your water pipes are frozen is restricted water flow. When you notice this, it is important that you act fast. During the evening when temperatures are coldest, let the water trickle from the faucets at a width that’s slightly smaller than a pencil’s. This will help prevent freezing since moving water doesn’t freeze. During winter, drain outdoor pipes and disconnect garden hoses to protect them from getting damaged. Garden hoses that are left connected can have ice forming in/on them during cold snaps, leading to pressure building up in water lines inside your home. When this occurs, a water line break or leak could occur and could cause severely damage your home plumbing After you have disconnected your garden hoses, consider installing an… read more...
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Allergies Triggered by Lack of HVAC Maintenance

Indoor comfort brought about by indoor air that suits you is often related to the air’s temperature. While the temperature of the air goes along way to improve your comfort in your home, the quality of indoor air is just as important to achieve the perfect comfort level.

Breathing is an unconscious activity, so it’s easy to overlook the potential hazards. Breathing in too much dust and smelling unpleasant smells and malfunctioning ventilation compromises your indoor comfort. However, the trouble of having to install these equipment if we just know how to take care of the HVAC systems that are already installed in our homes.

To save money and energy, it is essential to install the right air filter for your HVAC system. In addition, it will reduce the potential of expensive and inconvenient breakdowns. It may also extend the life of your equipment.

Most air filters are actually disposable … read more...

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How HVAC Can Help Ease Discomfort

If it’s unusually hot outside, you shouldn’t be too stressed that your HVAC system is running constantly throughout the day. However, you may need to find consistent ways to deal with air conditioning your home and help your air circulation and cooling framework out.

Having your ventilation framework  running for the duration of the day, despite when it’s principal, will drive up your administration bills. When it isn’t that hot outside, or you see it running for a significantly long time in progression, it might be a perfect chance to get your HVAC specialist to take a look at things.

Messy air channels, refrigerant releases, cracked ventilation work, and a broken fan could all trap your aeration and cooling system into running always. At the point when your ventilation system has a broken part, at that point, it works consistently to attempt to cool your home while some piece of … read more...

Heat Pumps

Temperatures rise and fall, they differ and change after some time. It’s never steady, thus heat pumps were made to adjust to these adjustments in the environment. They were made to change and do the best condition to a specific circumstance in the earth inside and furthermore outside. The motivation behind this is to keep up the adjust that the human body needs in various and evolving temperatures. Also, it is vitality proficient and could be considered as a vitality sparing option.

Numerous won’t have known, but rather residential heat pumps – as they are regularly known for – are not just restricted in warming inside, it likewise courses warm. Heat pumps could show whether warm is available or not, regardless of whether it is important to be available in the indoor environment or not. It moves warm around; it takes warm from where it is available and stores this … read more...

Choosing the Right High Efficiency Furnace for Your Home

high efficiency lennox furnace

You can enjoy a wide range of benefits if you choose to install a high efficiency furnace in your home. It will keep your home warm and not burden you with frequent breakdowns, costly repairs, and high energy costs

At this time and age, investing in a high-efficiency furnace is probably one of the best decisions and home investment you’ll ever make.  Here are a few things to consider before rushing out to purchase a high efficiency furnace:

HVAC Contractor – choose to work with a contractor who is knowledgeable when it comes to high-efficiency furnaces. Hire one who is licensed, certified, reliable, and has an office or shop nearby for easy access. Efficiency – you can determine if it is a high-efficiency furnace by checking its Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. It measures how much energy a furnace consumes in heating your home in percentage form. The higher… read more...