The Best Way To Cool Down Your Home

Summer is almost here, and soon your house will be heating up. Just thinking about having to shop for a new air conditioner makes you start sweating. What to ask your HVAC Contractor and which AC is the best one to buy? How will your energy bills be affected? What if window units are not allowed in your apartment building? Don’ worry, we did all of the research for you.

Finding a unit that correctly fits your space is the key to savings and comfort. If an air conditioner is not powerful enough it will not be able to cool your home effectively and may increase your power bill. A unit that is too powerful can work too quickly and shut off before removing a majority of the humidity. Your place will be cool but will still feel clammy. All of the constant on and off cycling also can reduce … read full article

Does Air Pollution Cause Mental Health Problems?

A recently published study has added evidence to the concern that air pollution might be linked with mental health conditions. However, it is still not clear if or how pollution might affect the human brain.

What has been discovered by the new study?

Researchers analyzed data from 1.4 million individuals in Denmark and 151 million individuals in the US and found a strong correlation between higher rates of major depression, personality disorders, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder with poor air quality. This suggests that there is a link, but does not necessarily prove, that these conditions are caused by pollution.

How strong is this link between those mental health conditions and pollution?

When the researchers examined US health insurance claims they discovered that the strong predictor of a bipolar disorder diagnosis was air quality – after ethnicity. Earlier studies uncovered a correlation in the UK between teenagers who reported psychotic experiences … read full article

Tips for Finding The Best HVAC Specialist

Whether you need to upgrade your existing home furnace or you’re building your own custom home and need to choose an HVAC system, it is essential that you choose the right contractor for the job. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to tell which contractors are the most qualified and which ones you should avoid. How do you go about finding the best HVAC specialist? See following tips by our experts.

Talk to Past Customers

Ask any HVAC companies that you are considering working with for a list of references. Reach out to each of the names on the list to ask them about their experience with the company. Because these customers have worked with the company in the past, they should be able to provide you with insight into the overall quality of their work as well as how easy they are to work with. The best part about … read full article

7 Biggest Mistakes HVAC Companies Make

HVAC ProblemsJust like normal people, contractors, when tuning up or repairing a furnace, make mistakes that lead to hurting their businesses or sometimes their customers.

Here are the most common and biggest mistakes:

1. Lack of combustion safety knowledge.

When your HVAC system releases carbon monoxide, your alarm would go off and you then start calling a contractor. When it comes to problems like this, contractors often go straight to the heat exchanger to determine if there are any cracks or damages that may cause the unit to release the gas. Although, there are times that they won’t find any yet, the carbon monoxide alarm would still go off. Contractors will then go to conclusions that the problem is not with the unit, rather the alarm. So it results to them changing the alarm’s batteries.

Most contractors don’t have enough knowledge about back drafting combustion appliances, resulting to them not … read full article

Why Change Your Roof’s Pitch And What It Entails?

changing roof pitchAccording to Blue Chip Roofing, if you have contemplated changing the ceiling inside your home to a vaulted setup or to change the roofing from a ranch style to a bungalow or cottage look, then you will have one hurdle to overcome – the pitch of your roof.

A roof’s pitch is the steepness, slant, or gradient of its slope. The ridges, walls, and even the roofing rafters influence the pitch. The same thing applies when you are thinking of installing an attic; meaning the space will be a factor to consider.

A lot goes into changing the pitch of your roof; there is more to it than replacing the roofing materials. You, therefore, should avoid viewing this as a standard roof replacement project. Installing a new roof entails ripping apart of the old shingles and any damaged parts, such as the flashing, decking, or gutters, to make room for … read full article

Hiring The Right Appliance Repair Service Providers

Best Appliance Repair

When your washer stops working, or your air conditioner stops cooling the house, calling a professional HVAC company is typically the best option. Whereas when more minor faults develop in your home, such as dripping taps, you can often fix the problems yourself. For problems with major appliances, hiring a professional technician is the quickest way to get the fault repaired. With that in mind, here are three top tips to help you choose the best appliance repair service provider.

1. Research Local Companies/Contractors Thoroughly

Great repair services stem from top-rated companies. Perhaps the best way to find a great contractor in your area is to ask your extended family members, friends and workmates if they know any good companies or independent contractors. Try to find out how much they were charged for appliance repair services by the company and why they recommend them. Did the technician have great skills? … read full article

How Split Air Conditioner Works

Air conditioning is indeed a necessity today in most homes in North America. Home air conditioners regulate both high temperatures and humidity. A split air conditioner is a type of air conditioner that works by blowing cold air from units mounted on your wall.

A residential split air conditioner has two separate parts, which gives it its name. It has an outdoor unit and an indoor unit. The outdoor unit consists of the compressor and the condenser coils, while the indoor unit has the blower and the evaporator coils. The split AC is the most popular central air conditioning unit. One reason why it’s split is that it keeps the cool inside and the hot outside.

Here’s how a split air conditioner works: A refrigerant will be pressurized in the compressor which will also cause the gas’ heat to rise. The pressurized gas will then go through a series of… read full article

Tips & Pointers on Choosing a Qualified Plumber

There are all sorts of fixtures pipes and other forms of plumbing running through your house. Due to the amount of water a household can use these pipes and fixtures get just as much use as any other thing you own. Due this fact alone it should not be surprising that you may have a problem with your plumbing from time to time. When a plumbing problem arises many times we may wonder how to locate a trustworthy and qualified plumber.

Here are a few tips and pointers which will help you find a plumbing company which is respectable in your community, on who will make the trip to your home and fix all your plumbing issues.

1. Word of Mouth

No one is immune to plumbing problems so if you are facing some reach out to trustworthy family and friends and inquire who they went with for their plumbing … read full article

Faulty HVAC Systems

Heating, cooling and air conditioning (HVAC) systems use a number of electronic components and safety measures and procedures to control and manage the flow of current in your system and to ensure that it will not impose any harm to you or your unit. Issues like faulty wirings, loose connections and exposure of broken wires can damage the HVAC system, which may cause your furnace to stop working.  It is important to address these problems directly and professionally as it may determine your fate, health, and expenses.

Different types of electrical wires actually supply current to different components of the HVAC system. As the days pass, these wires may lose its original capacity. They may get dislodged or lose contact with its power source, thus resulting in discrepancies on how your HVAC system works. This will also disrupt the current flow to the component in which it detached from, thus … read full article

Different Types of Air Conditioners on the Market

The latest air conditioners on the market are much more energy-efficient, quieter, and are easier to install in a home compared to the units that were available a couple of years ago.  In this article, we provide a comprehensive overview of the major types of air conditioners on the market and their advantages as well as disadvantages.

Wall Mounted Units – These units are mounted on a wall using a metal sleeve through the wall. Then, the AC unit is slid from the inside. These units are available as cooling-only, or heating and cooling units.

Pros: They are aesthetically appealing while fitting better than window units. It is easy to repair or replace these units, and no storage is required. The best part is, even you have one window in your room, the wall-mounted unit will let the sunlight into your room.

Cons: Installation costs a lot. The homeowner needs … read full article

Healthy HVAC System for A Healthy Home

When you sign the deed after purchasing a house, it does not truly become yours until you customize it and give it a touch of your own taste. This way, it’s like you are putting a piece of yourself to your house, thus it becomes a home where you and your family can make a lot of memories in. Through this, you can match your unique lifestyle and personality with your home and increase your home’s value, functionality, and happiness quotient.

Hard work is one of the many requirements in making the space you live in into a home or environment that’s healthy and something to be proud of. There will always be a need for a project or something that just needs to be done. Alongside the usual housework such as cleaning, gardening, cooking and the likes, there might be some other work to do. The building of storage … read full article

Dirty Air Ducts aren’t the Problem

Although duct cleaning can be beneficial for quality indoor air, it doesn’t always justify the cost of duct cleaning. According to studies, there is not a direct connection between the condition of air ducts and particle levels such as dust and pollen. The studies report that the dirt inside the air ducts does not enter the living space. It only sticks to the duct surface. Thus, the air is not necessarily affected.

Many other ways can be sources of particles that decrease the indoor air quality of our homes aside from dirty air ducts. Pollutants and contaminants can come from both outdoors and indoors. Habits and doings such as cleaning, heating, smoking, cooking, and many more can be more significant exposure to pollutants than dirty air ducts. Additionally, contrary to what most people believe, no evidence has been presented yet that proves fair amounts of household dust or other particles … read full article

Commercial v. Residential HVAC

Commercial HVAC systems have a tendency to be steadier than residential HVAC systems as far as work hours. Crisis benefit calls from private clients can and do come in at painfully inconvenient times, yet a couple of commercial foundations even notice if their HVAC framework goes down after business hours. In any case, that doesn’t imply that occupations are essentially unfaltering—some association folks wind up working for twenty distinct organizations throughout their professions.

In a retreat, when you’re the low man on the command hierarchy, it doesn’t make a difference what your range of abilities is, if that organization is downsizing, you’re going. The span of the commercial likewise influences this dynamic.

Commercial firms specialize more than residential HVAC companies.  Since they usually employ more people, they often are unionized.  Commercial specialists show up, carry out their activity, and go home. Contracts are masterminded and arrangements are taken care of … read full article

Baseboard Heaters

Most homeowners don’t realize this but heating and cooling systems contribute around 70% of the annual energy consumption and electricity bills.  This makes it essential to maintain your heating and cooling system and equipment on an annual basis, regardless of the type of HVAC system you have. Whether it be a forced air furnace, central air, geothermal heat pump or any other HVAC unit, you will keep the repairman away if you maintain your system on a regular basis.

Another way to lower your utility costs is to install an energy efficient system.  However, this alone will not have as great an impact on your electricity bills as using a whole-house approach.

If you properly insulate your home, caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows, manage your thermostat settings, buy the most energy efficient system on the market, and regularly maintain, your can reduce your utility expenses by 30%.  This is … read full article

Taking Care of your Split System Air Conditioner

split system air conditioning oshawa

Global warming is now an issue all over the world. Especially during the summer season where the intense heat of the sun makes us all feel hot and sweaty all day long, add to that the high levels of humidity making us feel sticky throughout the day, having a split system air conditioner is a welcome respite all of us are longing for.

Proper and regular split system air conditioner maintenance can extend the lifespan and boost the efficiency of your cooling unit.

We all want our cooling units to run efficiently and deliver reliable cooling comfort when we need it the most and not run like a slog. The last thing you want to happen is for your air conditioner to break down in the middle of summer where the heat is not only the issue but the long line of other customers waiting for their cooling units to … read full article

Pros and Cons of Major Brands of Air Conditioners

Compared to units made some years back, air conditioners are becoming more energy effective, noiseless, and easier to mount and maintain. Below are the main brands of air conditioners, with their advantages and disadvantages.

1. Window mounted

It is the most common type of air conditioners and has units that shortly glide into openings of double-hung windows. If your house is situated in a place with a moderate temperature, you can purchase a unit for cooling only or a unit for either cooling or heating, for additional heat.

Advantages: the window-mounted air conditioner is inexpensive. Easy to install and a lot of them work with the already installed wiring in your house.

Disadvantages: window mounted are originally designed for windows that are double hung. It is advisable to take away the units come end of the season if you stay in the north.

Prices: To cool a 100 square-foot room … read full article

7 Techniques to Reducing AC Cost

AC Cost

According to HVAC experts, air conditioning and heating will take around 43% of your home’s monthly utility bill. Well, due to this fact, below are few ways you could use to reduce the cost of energy this summer.

1. Shading Your Home

It is a fact that a majority of heat that accumulates inside a home comes directly from the sun through the windows as well as onto the roof. As such, planting leafy trees around your house will break the sun rays from getting in the house. The aim is to shadow your AC. Through this technique, you have the power to improve your air conditioner’s efficiency up to 10%, and this is according to the same research paper.

2. Protecting Your Windows

Did you know that a mesh-like window or solar screen has the power to intercept up to 70% of solar energy before the sun rays reach … read full article

Overview of 3 Major Types of Air Conditioners

Ever since the air conditioner was accidentally invented in the late 1800’s people have been trying to modify and improve upon it. Part of the reason they wanted to do this was to capitalize on the profits to be made from this appliance that has made life so comfortable for millions of people. Although there are several different kinds of air conditioners available in the marketplace only three of those are widely popular for home use. Here is an overview of the three major types of air conditioners.

Window Air conditioner

What can you say about these types of air conditioners except they are an oldie but goodie. They were the type of air conditioner that made it affordable for everyone to own one. Part of the reason they became so popular was not only because they were affordable but they were also easy to install. All you had to … read full article

What Makes Central Heating Systems Ideal to Own?

There are a lot of different ways to heat a home but those that choose central heating systems will have a lot of advantages over the rest. Sure these systems might have a little bit high extra cost initially but most people feel they are well worth it. Here are some of the benefits for those that own central heating systems.

Ease of Control

There really is no easier type of heating system to control than central heating systems. The controls for the heating of the entire house will be located in one convenient central location in a house. With the simple pressing of a few buttons the homeowner can raise and the lower the temperature in their entire home and even program the system to come on and off when people are away or returning to the home.

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency has come a very long way as … read full article

A Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Your Hardwood Floor Warm

Aesthetics are important in today’s real estate market and hardwood flooring is one of the most attractive aesthetic features any home can present. Despite the elegant appearance, hardwood is an unpleasantly cold type of flooring and can be very uncomfortable during winter months. Of course, there is the option of heating the flooring to eliminate this discomfort; however, hardwood is often prone to warping if not heated in the correct manner. To avoid these problems and enjoy attractive wooden flooring, this article will provide some information on how to manage heating and air conditioning systems effectively for your flooring needs.

Comfort or Aesthetic?

Is aesthetic appeal worth discomfort? Do you really want to pull on woolen socks every time you need the bathroom or walk across the room for a glass of water? More often than not the answer is no; but, how do you go merging comfort with hardwood … read full article