Category: HVAC

Just like cars (think Mazda and Maseratti), not all heating and cooling specialists in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville are created equal. Choosing the right one can be a science in itself, although thankfully not as hard as learning to fix your heating and cooling units yourself.

To help you through this complicated process we’ve put together a handy list of 5 tip when hiring a heating and cooling specialist in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville…

1. Ask for Referrals

The best way to find a responsible contractor is to ask your friends and family who has taken good care of their units before. Ask them how the experience was from start to finish, including any additional costs, the contractor’s professionalism and service timeline.

2.Ask for References

Once you’ve created a shortlist of possible contractors, ask for a list of references, recommendations and/or verifiable reviews. Also, check online with reputable review companies, including the Better Business Bureau, to see if they have a good track record and/or have many complaints launched against them.

3. Ask for Certifications

HVAC service and repair can be a science and an art form, and not all HVAC ‘artists’ are created—and trained—equal. Be sure to ask for their professional certificates, trainings, license(s) and designations. Then cross your T’s and dot your I’s by ensuring they are in fact professionally registered. Ensure this by asking for copies of their certificates.

4. Find Out if they are Insured

Errors and injuries in HVAC can be extremely costly, so look for a contractor with worker’s compensation and/or other forms of insurance. This can ensure that you are covered in worst-case-scenario situations. This should cover cases of worker accidents and home damage.

5. Get an Estimate—In Writing

You will want to get an in-writing estimate before any contractor begins work. This will help ensure they stay on budget. When giving you an estimate the contractor should inspect the unit before they quote you a repair/service/maintenance cost; if they don’t be wary (very wary). You will likely want to get at least 2 or 3 estimates to ensure you are getting a good price, but don’t select your contractor based on price alone as a solid reputation will likely save you more money than a cheap estimate.

If you follow the above 5 steps/tips when selecting a heating and cooling specialist in Mississauga, Brampton and Oakville you should survive the process relatively unscathed.

One of the best things that you can do to protect the investment you’ve made in your home is learn about seasonal maintenance and how that applies to the different appliances and equipment around the house.

Because the quality of the indoor air is so important, it’s critical to know how to prepare the ventilation system for spring. Remember this essential component brings in fresh air and helps to control moisture levels.

Start with the one of the foundations of the entire system by making sure furnace filters have been properly replaced according to manufacturer’s instructions or replaced as needed. Make sure the access panels are tightly closed and properly latched afterwards.

Remember that you’ll need to check over any exhaust fans like the one in the kitchen or bathroom as well. Most of the grills that you’ll need to remove are held in place by spring clips and keep in mind that you should never use water to clean fans.

Just before spring arrives is a good time to be sure the floor vents in your home are free and unobstructed. A drape or sofa blocking the air flow from one of these can decrease the ability of your furnace fan or air conditioner to do its job and cost you extra money.

The quality of the air we breathe in our homes has become one of the biggest priorities for the average Canadian family and that’s one of the biggest reasons why installing an HVAC system in your home is a beneficial investment.

As the warmer weather approaches, it’s important to know that not only have there been major innovations across the board when it comes to the right HVAC system over the last twenty years, but air conditioner advances have been at the forefront. The scroll compressor used in some of the more modern models is environmentally friendly using a chlorine free refrigerant to replace Freon.

Installing an HVAC system in your home is a beneficial investment for health conscious people as well. When a family adds whole home dehumidification as one of the features they pick, they are reducing the kind of moisture buildup that breeds mold and mildew.

Of course, the mainstay of all the appliances in the home is the furnace and any discussion of why installing an HVAC system in your home is a beneficial investment needs to look at the advances that have been made there.

For example, the modern benchmark for efficiency is the AFUE rating and many modern furnaces have a 95% or higher ranking. That means the home can be more efficient with less combustion and lower energy costs.