furnace maintenance Archives - Always Plumbing & Heating

Furnace Fresh Air Intake: What You Should Know

Wondering why your indoor air feels stuffy? It may be time to re-assess your furnace combustion system. Request a free quote for a fresh air intake installation from an HVAC technician.

Furnaces need to refurbish the indoor air with outside air to maintain a fresh, healthy, and clean atmosphere inside your house. When fresh air vents are installed in your home they ensure that the furnace combustion system doesn’t malfunction which might push inside impure air, causing a number of illnesses and damage to your property.

Let’s take a deeper look into why installing fresh air intakes and vents is important and what types of intake systems are available for your furnace.

Importance of Fresh Air Intakes

A fresh air intake sends air to your furnace and water heater through a duct. Newer homes today use a direct air combustion pipe connected to the appliance.

For a furnace, gas appliance, and water heater, having a dedicated air intake can make all the difference for air combustion purposes. You need the air in all your rooms to stay clean at all times since the lack of combustion can cause your appliance to break down and respiratory illnesses for family members.

Additionally, they keep air pollutants at bay that infiltrate from cracks, crawl spaces, and exposed areas of your home.

Where Intakes Live in Your Home

Gas Appliances

Having a dedicated air intake hooked up to your gas pipeline will ensure there’s no unnecessary heat buildup and that air is regularly ventilated in your kitchen. This air is usually passed out through the chimney.

Furnace

Your home furnace is legally mandated to have a fresh air intake system in keeping with health standards administered by the City of Edmonton. If your air intake is clogged, it can lead to carbon monoxide forming in your atmosphere which can be lethal. A fresh air intake provides your furnace with clean air instead of your furnace burning indoor oxygen to reproduce fresh air. Hence, if your furnace air intake goes without periodic maintenance, you will notice the quality of indoor air deteriorates.

Water Heater

The higher the consumption, the larger the presence of air in the room where water heaters are used. Air intakes of gas-powered water heaters are typically hooked up to the furnace where the air passes through a vertical and upward vent.

If you find that your water heater is in a room where air combustion is inadequate or tight, consider installing a direct vent where the exhaust gases are vented outside via the direct ducted air intake.

Types of Fresh Air Intake Systems for Furnaces

The furnace is your main HVAC system to keep the air clean within your house. A gas furnace is known to use 30 to 40 feet of air for every unit of gas utilized across the house. Since the furnace ensures the air inside your rooms stays clear of dust and air-borne bacteria, it needs a dedicated and robust ducted air intake for direct venting.

Here are the two most popular types of furnace air intakes installed.

Conventional Furnaces

Standard or conventional furnaces extract air from the room they’re located in and exchange it with a direct ducted intake for venting. However, this type of venting system leads to air being sucked from crawlspaces and corners laced with contaminants of the room building negative air pressure. The interior surfaces and furniture will decay quickly if you continue using this type of air intake system for a long time.

High-Efficiency Furnaces

High-efficiency furnaces have a dedicated pipeline that runs directly from the exterior vent into the furnace’s combustion chamber. A lot of homeowners shy away from installing exterior vents during winter as they feel they will freeze. However, this isn’t true as the vents are critical to keeping your furnace functioning properly.

Since these furnaces draw air from outside, they can also bring excess moisture into your house. However, with a sound winter-proof installation, you can prevent your furnace from breaking down.

Does Furnace Bring Fresh Air from Outside?

Fresh air could also be called ‘replacement air’ as that is exactly what it is all about. Houses have to maintain a slightly positive pressure in them. This is so that whenever you run a bathroom fan, dryer, or range vent, the air you are exhausting gets replaced with ‘fresh air’.

Fresh air is usually tied directly into your ducts and is drawn into the home by the furnace fan or just due to the negative pressure that exhausting systems create. If a house doesn’t have a fresh air then exhausting systems in your house will create a negative pressure that will start to draw in air from outside through the weakest points in the home’s Vapor barrier. This creates moisture problems.

HRVs are fresh air devices that use exhausting air to help heat incoming air and keep some of that heated air from being wasted, as well as maintain that interior pressure.

All said and done, fresh air is air for breathing and combustion air is air for burning.

Contact Always Plumbing and Heating for a consultation on the best fresh air intake system for your residence.

Have Questions About Fresh Air Intakes?

How often should combustion air and HRV systems (heat recover ventilation fresh air intake) run?

Combustion air should run whenever a gas appliance is operating. This should be set up on installation as it will be an automatic process. On the other hand, fresh air intakes, such as HRV, should be run more often in the winter to control humidity and prevent attic rain.

How can I get combustion air and HRV systems without losing heat?

Most combustion airs are equipped with a combustion air pot. This created an air pocket that prevents the continuous flow of air into your house. Most new gas-fired appliances have their own combustion air supply. On the other hand, in order to prevent heat loss when operating your HRV system, you should have a timer installed that senses humidity levels so the system only kicks in when it is necessary. Also, you should ensure your attic is insulated up to the building code. You will need to contact a roofing or general contractor for this part.

How do you know if your combustion air is clogged? What about your HRV?

If there is a clog in the system, your gas appliances will not operate properly. Contact a plumbing contractor with a professional gasfitter to complete the job safely. Alternatively, if your HRV system is clogged, the system may start making noises and you may notice poor air quality in your home. When the filters are clogged or dirty, the air coming back into the home is polluted. Change your HRV filters twice per year, and clean them every 2 months for optimal performance. Also, check your HRV intake and outtakes and ensure they are not blocked with leaves or snow. Remove any obstructions.

How much does it cost to install a combustion air intake?

This depends on what the combustion air is feeding and the size that is required. You will run into this situation in the event you are building a new home or are adding gas appliances in place of electric. Just the air intake costs roughly $350-$1000, which doesn’t include the costs of gas lines and permits.

How much combustion air and fresh air does your house need in the winter?

The amount of combustion air is determined by your use of gas appliances (including your furnace). You will use more combustion air in colder weather. The amount of fresh air will depend on the operation and cycling of your HRV system. You can adjust this when you have a humidity detector installed, which you can set to kick in when the attic reaches a certain humidity level.

Importance of Well-Maintained Air Intakes for Your Home

The Ultimate Home Maintenance Checklist for the Winter

Your home is the place that you look for when you want comfort, and this means that you want to be able to ensure that it is winter-proof by the time that relentless cold weather hits your location.

It’s important to take the time to create a home maintenance checklist for the winter. The following tips are going to help you keep your home in top condition all year long, regardless of the freezing temperatures.

Get maintenance done on your pipes to avoid freezing

There are many issues that come with the winter, but one of the most common and annoying is when you deal with frozen pipes. Giving proper maintenance and performing certain modifications on your water lines is going to help you avoid this problem.

There are many issues to look into that include ensuring frost-free hose bibs, drained exterior water lines, small leak inspections for your entire plumbing system, and properly insulated plumbing lines near the exterior walls.

Keep your furnace in top shape

When your furnace is not working properly, you are going to be spending more money due to decreased performance. The longer it takes you to give maintenance to your furnace, the more likely it is that you will have to spend more money on repairs. The good news is that you can avoid all of those hassles by hiring a good furnace maintenance provider. Just make sure that you are able to do this before the winter starts.

Get maintenance done on your boiler

Not everyone has a boiler system, but many commercial buildings do, as do homes that have in-floor heating. Boilers can be affected by the winter cold and their performance can be severely damaged while also cutting their lifespan. Getting maintenance done in order to keep everything working properly is going to save you a lot of time and hassles with expensive repairs or replacements. The sooner you do this, the more likely it is that your boiler will be working properly for years to come.

Perform a general check up on your property

Getting everything checked on your property is going to be extremely important before the winter. This is the season when most property damage occurs and it usually happens due to lack of maintenance.

At Always Plumbing and Heating LTD, we can handle the maintenance for your furnace, boiler, and pipes as well as any other issues that may need to be checked before or after winter hits your area.

If you need this done as soon as possible, you can give us a call at 780-489-8118 and we will make sure that your home is ready to face the cold winter weather!

Furnace Tune-Ups Reduce the Risk of Sudden Breakdowns

Another winter is on the horizon, which means it’s time to think about scheduling maintenance on your furnace. While you may not think of it most of the year, you certainly expect your furnace to be there for you when the cool weather arrives, working efficiently to keep you warm and comfortable in your home. Neglecting this essential piece of home comfort equipment is a mistake made by many. Just as your vehicle requires routine maintenance and oil changes to keep it operational and efficient, so does your home’s furnace. When failing to have your heating equipment professionally maintained each year, you are placing yourself at risk of a breakdown when the cold weather arrives and your system cannot keep up. Once you are left with a furnace that isn’t doing its job when the temperatures dip below freezing, you will never make the mistake of skipping out on an annual fall furnace tune-up again. But, don’t wait for this to happen to you!

What Does an 18-Point Furnace Tune-up Include?

A comprehensive furnace tune-up should include essential tests and procedures to keep your equipment running efficiently and to keep your family safe. When you book a furnace tuneup with Always Plumbing & Heating, you can be sure we will conduct the following steps:

Testing your systems for dangerous gas leaks and carbon monoxide
Inspecting and testing your ignition and control circuits, fan, and condensate drain
Performing a safety inspection on your heat exchanger
Testing the electrical components, venting, and airflow
Cleaning and lubricating the blower assembly
Calibrating your thermostats
Inspecting your humidifier and indoor air quality products
And much, much more!

Risks of Neglecting Furnace Maintenance

At Always Plumbing & Heating, we strongly believe in the importance of annual furnace tune-ups as preventative maintenance. Properly maintained equipment will reduce the need for emergency repairs, breakdowns, or premature replacement of your entire system. Not to mention, an improperly maintained system is certain to be working overcapacity, resulting in higher gas bills that are avoidable with a routine annual furnace tune-up. It also should also be mentioned, as many homeowners fail to realize, that most furnace manufacturer warranties are null and void if you fail to provide them with records of annual furnace maintenance (by a certified professional) in the event that your equipment fails while still under the warranty period. It is very important to not only read the print on the manufacturer warranty of your equipment but also ensure that you are following their recommendations for this reason alone. The small investment for a furnace tune-up will be worth it to keep your furnace clean and ensure it is performing optimally, preventing major repairs or replacements down the road.

What Sets Our Techs Apart?

At Always Plumbing & Heating, our expert HVAC technicians believe in going above and beyond in completing a thorough tune-up of your equipment and providing you with a record of every single step that was complete. Our technicians in Edmonton and the greater area will make sure that you are completely satisfied before they leave your home and you sign off on the job. Always Plumbing & Heating wants you to stay warm all winter and not worry about being stuck with a broken unit. Schedule your annual furnace tune-up with us today for peace-of-mind home comfort that you can count on!

Call us at 780-489-8118 or book online today.

Essential Gas Furnace Safety Tips To Stay Safe For Mid-Winter

As we find ourselves in the midst of the coldest winter months, many of us rely on our natural gas furnaces to help keep our families safe, warm and cozy. While this heating system is a dependable way to heat our homes, there are some simple precautions you can follow to keep every furnace operating safely and correctly with maximum efficiency. Precautions that can also help to avoid potential future issues in your home that can be dangerous and expensive to repair. Check out our easy furnace safety tips below:

Furnace Safety Tip #1 – Inspect Or Change Your Air Filter

It’s important to regularly change out your furnace air filter. A clean furnace air filter helps your furnace work with greater airflow efficiency and prevents the circulation of dust in your home. Dirty furnace filters cause all kinds of problems that are totally preventable, including efficiency, safety and performance issues that can ultimately end in furnace failure. Change your filter every 1-3 months during the winter when your furnace is getting the most use.

Tip #2 – Keep The Surrounding Area Clear Around The Gas Furnace

To minimize the chance of a fire and make sure your furnace is safe for use, keep the areas around your furnace free of clutter. Flammable items like paper, rags, wood scraps, and other flammable liquids should always be kept at a distance and never placed near the furnace.

Tip #3 – Have Your Annual Furnace Maintenance

Have your furnace inspected every year by one of our professional HVAC technicians at Always Plumbing & Heating. An annual check-up to your furnace is vital to ensure your system is working correctly, efficiently and safely. During an annual inspection, our professional and licensed technicians will check for other potential issues like carbon monoxide leaks or issues that could lead to a safety hazard.

Tip #4 – Check Carbon Monoxide Detectors For Gas Leaks

One of the biggest threats to your home and furnace is a carbon monoxide leak. A colorless, odorless gas, you cannot detect high levels on its own. Carbon monoxide can cause flu-like symptoms, confusion and in high-levels even death. Your annual inspection will ensure you don’t have dangerous carbon monoxide levels in your home.

Call us today at Always Plumbing & Heating for all your furnace needs. Our technicians are always available to perform your annual furnace inspection, and also help with any furnace repairs you need right away. We provide 24/7 outstanding service all 52 weeks of the year. If you are having an issue with your furnace, call us today and we will immediately dispatch a technician to your home – even on holidays! All of our repairs are backed by 100% Customer Satisfaction Guarantee, but you can rest assured our furnace installations and repairs will be done right the first time. Call us today at 780-489-8118.

25 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Winter Energy Bill

We are deep into winter here in Edmonton and chances are your energy bill has started to see the effects. Colder temperatures, longer nights, and the holiday season are keeping people inside more, cooking at home, and turning up the heat. The good news is that it’s never too late to reduce your winter energy bill! While expensive home upgrades may be the first thing that comes to mind, even in the middle of winter you can still reduce your energy bill with these cheap and easy tips.Use the sun for free heat. When the sun is beaming in, open the drapes. At night, or when it is not sunny, close them to keep the heat in.

Use the sun for free heat. When the sun is beaming in, open the drapes. At night, or when it is not sunny, close them to keep the heat in.
Use space heaters in areas that tend to be cooler.
Use a programmable thermostat.
Turn down the thermostat at night and when no one is home during the day. Did you know that you can save up to 5% on heating costs for every degree you drop your thermostat in the 60-70 degree range!
Keep your furnace cleaned and unblocked.
Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use ceiling fans to your advantage by using the reverse setting to keep heat from rising and hovering near the ceiling.
Bundle up! Keep your heat at low setting and add cozy layers and blankets while indoors.
Upgrade older appliances.
Add additional insulation.
Add weatherstripping to windows and doors to seal out drafts.
Regularly change furnace filters.
Turn off unused electronics and small appliances.
Only heat the rooms you use.
Replace conventional lightbulbs with LEDs.
Install window film on the outside of windows to reduce heat loss. This will also help to more efficiently cool your home in the warm summer months too!
Close the damper when you are not using your fireplace.
When using your fireplace, turn your thermostat down to 60 degrees F or cooler.
Insulate your hot water heater by wrapping it in an insulating jacket. This helps to keep heat from escaping, making it easier for it to efficiently heat water.
Insulate the basement. Did you know that up to 30% of a home’s heat loss can be due to an uninsulated basement!
Seal and insulate around electrical outlets.
Insulate the attic access door.
Clean registers and make sure they are not being blocked by furniture, rugs or drapery.
Lock doors and windows. When doors and windows are locked, it creates an added seal preventing warm air from escaping.
Minimize the use of kitchen and bathroom fans. When overused, they also suck out the heated air from your home.

After the holidays, it is always nice to be able to save a little money. These simple tips will make your home more efficient, and decrease your home’s energy bills in winters to come. Keeping your appliances maintained and working properly is the key to making sure they stay as energy efficient as possible. If you are noticing a spike in your energy bills this winter, contact Always Plumbing & Heating for an inspection. Call 780-489-8118 (Edmonton) or 587-601-1253 (Fort McMurray) to schedule an appointment today!

Reasons to Schedule Heater Maintenance in Your Edmonton Home

Another Edmonton winter is on the horizon, which means that it’s time for maintenance on your heating unit. The NRC (Natural Resources Canada) reports that 63% of the energy used in the average Canadian home is from space heating. This staggering number suggests that many home heating systems are not running at maximum efficiency. If you have a heating unit in your home and use multiple space heaters to keep every room comfortable, you should reassess your heating system.

While there could be several different reasons for inefficiency, including old age or an improperly sized unit, the most common reason is poor maintenance. Do you have an annual maintenance plan for your HVAC system? If you haven’t had a tune-up on your heating unit in over a year and need space heaters to keep your family comfortable then you are wasting both energy and money. Every year we remind our Edmonton neighbors about the benefits of annual heater maintenance. Here are the three main reasons why every home owner needs to schedule a yearly fall tune-up:

Improved Energy Efficiency

This reason should be even more compelling to Canadians as the space heater usage in homes is staggering. Annual maintenance on your furnace or boiler will ensure that it runs at maximum efficiency. When the system is dirty or has a part (or parts) that need to be fixed or replaced, the unit has to work harder to produce the amount of heat required for comfort. This means that it is using more energy to do its job effectively. But some units get past the point of even properly heating a home – which often means the homeowner buys space heaters to help boost the warmth. This starts a vicious cycle, which can become very expensive and very wasteful. If your heating unit is properly sized and functioning properly there should not be a need for multiple space heaters.

Lower Utility Bills

When your heating unit is working as well at it can, it won’t be a drain on your utility bills. You might not be aware of the amount of energy that your home consumes during a harsh Edmonton winter, but when a spike directly impacts your wallet it is hard to overlook. Are you one of the many Canadian homes with multiple space heaters? Have you considered why? The fee for annual heating maintenance is small compared to the cost of using an inefficient unit and additional heaters.

Avoiding Repairs

No one in Edmonton wants their heating unit to break down in the middle of winter. Regular maintenance can help prevent a breakdown – and time spent without heat. A fall tune-up can help catch minor problems before they are exacerbated by the continuous use in the winter. Repairing or replacing a furnace or boiler can cost thousands of dollars, which is even worse news during the extended holiday season. Avoid repairs altogether with annual scheduled maintenance from a licensed technician. Get your system running at peak condition and free yourself from energy-draining space heaters.

The licensed technicians at Always Plumbing & Heating are experts at heating maintenance. Let them help you keep your system running smoothly so you don’t have to resort to additional heating solutions. Save energy, money and keep expensive repairs to a minimum with a comprehensive tune-up for your heating unit. Be proactive and ensure your family’s health and comfort this winter with professional heating maintenance from Always Plumbing & Heating.

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