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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.

Tips on how to get the most out of your air conditioning system

When the weather gets warm, your air conditioning system uses energy to remove heat and moisture from the air so you can maintain the proper level of indoor comfort throughout your home. When it comes to getting the most out of your air conditioning system this summer, the experts at our heating & air conditioning Mississauga companyhave some sound advice:

· Keeping the thermostat set at 78 degrees will help to reduce your energy consumption and utility costs, while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature. Keep in mind, you’ll be saving about 2 percent on your energy bill for every degree above 75 degrees you raise your thermostat. A programmable thermostat can automatically adjust the thermostat to an even higher setting when you’re away from home or while you sleep, reducing both energy consumption and costs.

· Use oscillating or ceiling fans to keep cool air moving without lowering the thermostat. These alternate cooling devices use approximately the same amount of energy as a light bulb, saving you money on your energy bill while increasing your comfort level.

· Clean or replace filters monthly. A dirty air filter causes your Mississauga air conditioners to work harder.

· For optimum performance, keep the outside condensing unit clear of grass and other debris.

Having your air conditioning system serviced annually by professionals is one of the best ways to maintain maximum energy efficiency and extend the life of your equipment.

Statistics reveal Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors. That means the more time we spend inside and the more airtight our homes become, the more exposed we are to indoor allergens and irritants. That’s why improving the air quality of your home is so important and doing so the natural way makes sense. Here are some tips from the experts at our heating & air conditioning Mississauga firm to help make your indoor environment healthier.

· Think Green. Decorate your home with indoor plants that effectively remove chemicals from the air and improve air quality. Use natural cleaning products which contain no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or toxic chemicals that can be released into the air as gases causing problems for people who suffer from allergies, asthma, or other respiratory ailments.

· Use good judgment. Never smoke inside your home. Control pet dander by brushing pets outdoors and cover your mattress and pillows to protect against dust mites. Dust often and vacuum regularly.

· Improve air ventilation. Mississauga air conditioners can keep humidity down and reduce pollen and pollutants in the air. Make your A/C system even more effective by installing a disposable HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to help purify the air in your home and change filters often.

Even something as simple as removing your shoes at the door can help to prevent dirt, dust and other particles from spreading throughout your home.

Investing in a high-efficiency furnace is a smart energy choice for homeowners. Not only can these furnaces provide superior indoor air quality and significant savings on your energy bill, but these energy efficient systems also avoid unnecessary damage to the environment.

Today’s high-efficiency furnaces have a AFUE rating between 90-97 per cent compared to an AFUE of 60 or lower for many older furnaces. While the efficiency of oil furnaces have improved, gas furnaces are considered the smarter choice. For example, 95% of the energy produced by a new gas furnace with an AFUE rating of 95 is converted into heating your home and only 5% becomes exhaust.

These units operate more quietly than standard furnaces to keep your home at a consistent temperature and help to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. By some estimates, high-efficiency furnaces can cut your average heating bills by about 35 percent. The latest smart heating systems also include programmable thermostats which allow you automatically control the temperature so you can conserve energy and reduce costs while you sleep or when you’re not at home.

Converting your electric or oil furnace to gas is another option to improve the efficiency of your home heating system and save on heating costs. You may even be eligible for a government rebate when you switch from your existing furnace to a high-efficiency model. Look for friendly service from our & air conditioning Mississauga company that deals in EnergyStar qualified products and can help you with the rebate process.

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.

Out with the old and in with the new. Everyone has heard that old saying before but not everyone understands how to save money by switching to a high-efficiency furnace when they’ve got an older model that’s been in the basement for years. If that’s your situation, read these financial advantages in favour of the high efficiency models.

First off, these furnaces have a high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating. In fact these ‘latest innovations’ have a rating of 90% or more and that means most of the natural gas that it burns is converted to heat. Translation? You spend less on that fuel type.

These are what’s called two stage models. With two levels of heating power and two levels of fan blower speeds, these high efficiency furnaces only work as hard as they need to. That means you save on the fuel burned and the electricity to run the unit.

High efficiency furnaces often come with secondary heat exchangers that are highly efficient and cut heating costs further.

Finally, you can save money by switching to a high efficiency furnace by virtue of the fuel used. Natural gas is abundant and found domestically, so it’s considered one of the best choices.

When you consider the average Canadian family spends about 90% of their time inside, it’s no wonder they want that environment to be as healthy as possible. Having a good humidification system is a big part of the overall package and following are three of the more obvious advantages.

Dry air isn’t good for your overall health and having the right home humidification system can provide relief from dry winter air and work against the ill effects of dehydration. Low moisture levels can cause a variety of different ailments, all the way from simple dry skin to an actual decrease in the body’s immune system.

Having the right humidification system is important to protect the investment you have in your home as well. Low humidity can actually cause furniture to warp and split under extreme circumstances and paint can even crack in some cases.

Remember too that having proper humidification in your home lessens the amount of static electricity that can create problems with electronic equipment if left unchecked.

Finally, a humidification system can actually reduce heating bills since dry air causes your skin to lose heat. Looking after the indoor air quality in your home involves several different aspects including getting the right humidification system.

There are two things that should get your attention about carbon monoxide. First, it is a colourless and odourless gas and that means you need to have a functioning detector to be aware when there are dangerous levels in your home. The second is the fact that this common byproduct of the burning of fossil fuels can be deadly if your exposure is long enough and there are at least 13,000 parts per million in the atmosphere.

Beyond the obvious need to choose from the variety of detectors available for the one best suited to your inside living space and understanding the things you can do to lessen your risk by using only the detectors that are Canadian Safety Standards (CSA) approved, you should know symptoms of CO exposure.

You might feel like you’ve got a cold or the flu with mild exposure and only have a runny nose or sore throat with a headache. However, these symptoms in an area around fireplaces might mean you need to look at the chimney or flue for obstructions.

Medium exposure is more dangerous and here the symptoms are confusion and even vomiting. Extreme exposure results in brain damage and even death in some situations.

Remember that if your CO detector is sounding, the best response is to get everyone out of the house.

One of the things you need to consider when you own a home in Canada is the climate and how you’ll heat the space you live in. Replacing or remodeling the heating source means you’ll have some choices to make, and looking at the benefits of converting from oil or electric to gas means you’ll need to look at a few different factors.

Keep in mind, gas is the cheaper option so converting over from electric is a good idea. The conversion will be easier if you’ve got a forced air system, although it’s still possible if you’ve been using baseboard heaters. While there’s an initial cash outlay to change the furnace over, there’s generally short payback period involved.

In a word, the conversion from oil to gas is even easier since there is almost always the proper ductwork and HVAC system in place. With the prices of oil skyrocketing, the average homeowner sees the benefits right away in making the switch and like the changeover from electric to gas, the period to recoup the costs of the conversion is extremely short.

One more point to consider. Natural gas provides a domestic supply with air quality that’s often improved over older heating techniques like oil.