5 Precautions to Ensure your Air Conditioning System can Run Throughout the Summer

In hot Ontarian summers air-con systems are a blessing—but a curse when they break down from improper maintenance and heavy loading-caused wear-and-tear. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we’ve got a number of time-tested-and-true tips to keep your unit in tip-top shape. We’ve got 5 helpful precautions to ensure your air conditioning system can run through the summer efficiently:

  1. Check/Change your air Filter
    Your air filter is like the wizard-behind-the-curtain of your air-conditioning unit and controls the air flow and air quality. Keeping your air filter clean will keep your unit running smoothly as it will prevent the air flow from bogging down, which happens with a dirty filter will. It will also prevent allergens from circulating in your home.When the weather is extremely hot change your air filter more often. You will use less power and have cleaner air.

  2. Check for Debris
    To ensure your air conditioning system can run throughout the summer efficiently you need to check to see that there is no debris in and around the exterior of the unit that can be sucked into the device (which would cause it to work harder and less efficiently). Create a two-foot perimeter between the air-conditioning unit and all debris.

  3. Check your Ventilation
    Just as the exterior needs to be free from debris you should also check the interior ventilation to ensure it is free of vent-clogging elements like garbage, children’s toys (you would be amazed how many times we have seen this) or anything else that can restrict air flow and cause the unit to work harder than needed. This should be done be a qualified HVAC professional.While we check your vents for debris we’ll also look to see if there is any mold or mildew, which will adversely affect the air quality in your home.

  4. Vent Heat Sources Outdoors
    The more heat-creating appliances that you vent outdoors the cooler your home will be and the less your air-conditioning unit will have to work on overdrive. This means the stove, clothes dryer and bathroom all need to be properly vented to the outdoors.

  5. Check your Ducts
    If your ducts have leaks you will lose valuable cool air, which will force the unit to work harder—so ensure all your ducts are professionally sealed. While you are at it you will want to seal any air leaks around doors and windows.For more tips continue to follow our blog, as your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville—we’ve got you covered for a cool summer and we’ll help your take all necessary  precautions to ensure your air conditioning system can run through the summer efficiently.

How to Optimize your Indoor Air Quality During Allergy Season

It is extremely important for allergy sufferers to optimize their air quality during allergy season. The bacteria, molds, mildew, viruses, animal dander and other allergens in indoor air will irritate, and worsen, your allergies. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we have helped thousands of families work to conquer their allergies through cleaner indoor air. Luckily, it is relatively easy to optimize your indoor air quality for allergy season – simply follow the below tips:

1. Maintain Humidity

Having indoor air that is too dry or too moist strongly affects indoor air irritants. When air is dry small particles can become airborne, and when air is too moist it can breed the bacteria that worsens conditions for allergy sufferers. One of the easiest ways to optimize your indoor air quality for allergy season is to use your indoor air system or humidifier/dehumidifier to maintain 30-50% air humidity.

2. Ensure Adequate Ventilation

Many homes do not have adequate ventilation in the moistest rooms: the kitchen, bathroom and laundry rooms. Have a professional check to see if you have adequate ventilation throughout your home, and that the heat and moisture from showers, dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers is properly escaping your home by ventilating it directly outdoors. If you have an attic you will also want to ensure proper ventilation in attics and crawl spaces, as they are breeding grounds for airborne bacteria.

3. Change your Air Filters Often

The air filters in your home’s heating and air conditioning systems are what eliminates small dust, dander and pollen particles form the air￢ﾀﾔso changing these often during allergy season is critical. While the average Canadian home can go 60-90 days between air-filter changes allergy sufferers should be changing it very 30-45 days. If you have a pet you may need to change it even more frequently (and the more pets you have the more often it will need changing). As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we cannot stress how critical it is to regularly change your air filters.

4. Regular Cleaning

To prevent dust, mold, pollen and allergens from recirculating through the air you will want to clean the house often, and with allergenic cleaners. As an allergy-friendly cleaning agent try using natural products like vinegar and baking soda. Be sure to clean mattress encasements, couch cushions and other items that aren’t necessarily on the weekly wash list￢ﾀﾔand do it in 130ￂﾰ F+ water.

If you suspect that your indoor air quality is less-than-acceptable and could be aggravating your allergies, have us drop by for an indoor air-quality assessment. Call us today – Furnace King, your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville, and we’ll help you to optimize your indoor air quality for allergy season.

6 Tips from HVAC Specialists to Get Heating Systems Ready for Fall

Not that anyone wants to admit it but Canadian summers are short and fall is just around the corner—meaning it is nearly the time to get your heating system ready for fall. As your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we’ve put together 6 great tips to help you through this relatively-painless process of helping get your heating system ready for fall:

1. Check your Insulation
Insulation isn’t permanent. It can shift, settle, crumble and be overall less-than-awesome. To ensure that your heating system is working optimally and your home isn’t losing valuable (economically and environmentally) heat and energy, be sure to check your insulation every fall.

2. Look for Air Leaks
We’d all love to heat the great outdoors during the winter and warm it up a few degrees but the only things air leaks in your home will affect is the size of your energy bill and the overworking of your heating unit. So look for air leaks in your heating unit and around your home.

3. Change the Batteries in your Thermostat
Batteries in the thermostat are rarely high-up on your agenda, but running a heating unit with an improperly functioning thermostat is like trying to row a boat without paddles. Change the batteries to get your heating system ready for fall.

4. Clean your Ducts
Ducts only distribute air properly when they are clean. As an added bonus clean ducts can save you tons on energy costs. Have your ducts cleaned every fall to prep your home for the heating demands of fall and winter.

5. Change your Air Filter
You’ll notice that in almost every piece of HVAC advice, as your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville, we offer we recommend changing your air filters. This is because we cannot stress it enough and we can’t count how many times we have seen dirtier-than-dirt air filters in homes. To be ready for fall debris and particles—change your air filter.

6. Check your Carbon Monoxide Detector
Carbon monoxide detector installation and checks are on the priority list somewhere between changing the batteries in your thermostat and cleaning out your garage. Just kidding—it is rarely on any list at all. But fall and winter brings carbon monoxide emissions thanks to us cranking up out heating systems, furnaces, fireplaces, stoves and other gas-using appliances—so ensure you have a functional carbon monoxide detector.

To help you check for leaks and clean your ducts, call Furnace King, your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville. We’ll ensure you’re prepared AND help you reduce your overall heating bills this fall and winter.

The Value of Changing the Air Filters in your HVAC System

Here at Furnace King, HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville, we are regularly asked by our customers about the importance of changing the air filters in your HVAC system—our simple answer, very. Air quality is important to health, to breathing ability, to allergies and to a good night’s sleep, and there is no more important air quality than that in your home. Especially given that the EPA has stated that indoor air quality is usually 70% more polluted than outdoor—and most of us spend over 80% of our lives indoors. This is why the EPA has ranked indoor air quality in the top five risks for public health.

So, how do you maintain a high quality of indoor air? Simple—by regularly changing your air filters.

How Often Should I Change my Air Filters?

If you’ve ever changed your air filter and said “eww”–then you’ve waited far too long. As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville—we’ve seen ‘eww’ far too many times! Dirty, old air filters not only negatively affect your air quality but they also contribute to poor HVAC system performance and overworking/overloading.

How often you should change your air filters depends on a few factors:

·The type of air filters you use

·The desired air quality of your home

·The overall air quality outside your home

·If you have pets

·If you or your family has allergies

·How many people are living in your home

As a general rule of thumb you want to change it every 60 to 90 days, but the more pets you have, the more allergy sensitivities you have and the air quality can all shorten that period. For example the average suburban home without pets can generally go 90 days, but with pets it must be changed every 60. Homes with more than one pet or with people with allergies will want to change it every 30-45 days.

A Tip from HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville—Remember To Change It

We all lead busy lives and changing our air filter is rarely at the top of our priority lists. These days however it is easy to remember, simply set an alarm/event/notice on your smartphone to remind you.

Why Now is the Ideal Time to Switch from Oil to Gas

As HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville we are regularly asked “why is now the ideal time to switch from oil to gas for my HVAC system?” The answer is simple: savings. The explanation however is a little more difficult, as there are two elements to consider in terms of HVAC costs: the cost of fuel and your furnace’s efficiency.

Fuel Costs

The oil furnace was a popular system in years gone by thanks to the low prices of oil and the, relatively, high prices of natural gas. The tables have turned however now that natural gas prices are at an all-time affordable rate when considered in relative comparison to oil. In fact, for the last 5 years natural gas prices have been below their rates from 20 years ago. Time hasn’t been so kind to oil—making natural gas a cost-efficient fuel choice. To make a historical-price comparison use the calculators below:

1. PECO Residential Oil to Gas Heat Conversion Calculator

2. PSE&G Residential Oil to Gas Spreadsheet Calculator

But of course, fuel cost alone can’t determine whether it is a good financial choice to make the switch from oil to gas, so here is another tip from your HVAC specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville…

Your Furnace’s Efficiency

Very few oil furnaces have been installed in recent years, which means most oil furnaces are rather dated—a solid reason on its own why now is the time to switch from oil to gas. Most are close to—or more than—a decade old, BUT, HVAC has come a long way baby! The gains in energy efficiency have been massive, which means to determine your overall total cost of ownership you will need to compare the cost of each fuel along with the energy efficiency of your current oil unit and your possible natural-gas furnace upgrade.

Generally, new systems are at least 20% more efficient, so add up your bills and multiple them by 20%. You can then take that number (your potential savings) and use it to divide the cost of a new unit and installation. This will give you how long until you break even and begin with monthly savings. If the length of ‘pay me back’ time is too long you may want to consider energy-saving measures that will reduce the overall ‘heat load’ for your house, to offset the costs.

When calculating and deciding that now is the time to switch from oil to gas, be sure to include a local HVAC specialist in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville in your decision, to ensure that you have properly calculated your installation costs, energy efficiency and total cost of ownership numbers.