Tag: furnace

COVID-19 and the Air Quality in Your Home

The second wave of COVID-19 has arrived. With daily case counts on the rise, the provincial government has begun tightening restrictions on social gatherings to help control the spread. While it was relatively easy to maintain social distances from one another this summer when we could spend the majority of our time outdoors, with the cold weather we will all be spending more time in our homes. Our home is our oasis and we need to ensure that it stays that way.

We receive a lot of questions every day from our customers about how they can improve the air quality in their homes. The best practice would be to find the source of the air contaminant and eliminate it. Unfortunately, you can’t do anything about the reality of the coronavirus. However, you can improve your homes’ ventilation and filtration to reduce your chances of your family becoming ill. Adequate ventilation is standard in the building codes for new homes, but few older homes have been adapted to meet these recommendations. Adequate ventilation acts just like the lungs of your home. A steady supply of fresh, filtered, outdoor air is good not only for keeping ahead of the coronavirus but also for controlling the levels of humidity, chemicals in the air, and carbon dioxide in your home. Ensuring your home has adequate ventilation is the single best thing you can do in your home.

The next thing you can do is improve the filtration system. Firstly, you may consider upgrading furnace filters. We minimally recommend a deep pleated filter to maximize the surface area and trap the most particles. The filtering efficiency or MERV rating is important. Too low and not much gets filtered out. Too high and the airflow can become restricted. Our technicians will advise you on the best furnace filter for your home. If you have underlying health conditions, a large family, or you simply want the best in air purification, a HEPA filter with a germicidal UV lamp can take it to the next level. This is a hospital grade system that can remove very small particles compared to a basic furnace filter. When used in conjunction with a germicidal ultraviolet light attached to your main ventilation line, this indoor air quality package will offer you ultimate protection against airborne contaminants. While research on their efficacy with the coronavirus is yet to be established, these systems are known to kill many other viruses.

We recommend a complete system that works in conjunction with your home’s ventilation. This includes a polarized media air cleaner, a UVC/UVV germicidal lamp, and a HEPA system, which is professionally installed on your ventilation, cleaning the air as it circulates through your furnace and back out to the rest of your home.  While it may be tempting to buy into the latest craze of room air purifiers on Amazon or other big box stores, you will only get optimal protection with a retrofitted system that works to purify the air in your entire home, 24 hours a day. You can only achieve this with a professionally installed system that is attached to your main ventilation as the air circulates through your furnace and ductwork. Read more about the whole-home indoor air quality equipment that we carry.

We recently mentioned that supply chain issues were starting to rear their ugly head with the supply for furnaces and garage heaters. The same is occurring with furnace UV lights and HEPA filters. Schools and office buildings have been buying them up in mass quantities, and we are now looking at 4-6 weeks to get this specialized equipment. If you are thinking of getting one for your home this winter, be proactive and order one with us now. To find out more about indoor air quality packages, or to book a consultation with one of our expert home comfort technicians, contact us online or call us at 780-489-8118 today!

And stay healthy everyone.

Is A Furnace Tune Up Really Necessary As An Edmonton Homeowner? What’s Included In A Furnace Tune Up?

Here in Edmonton, homeowners are experts in surviving severe weather conditions. While we prepare for harsh winters by stocking up on food and electric blankets, we can do more by prepping our home’s plumbing and heating. Few things are worse than pipes freezing or your heating having a breakdown. You may have heard plumbing services telling you to get annual furnace inspections and why it is important to do so. Is it important to schedule a furnace tune-up every year, though? Is it worth spending the money each year to have someone inspect the wear and tear when you can do it yourself? We say, “Yes, it’s really necessary!” and we have a few good reasons why it is important to have a professional HVAC technician perform your annual furnace tune-up.

Can you do furnace maintenance and furnace tune-ups yourself?

There have been a few “do-it-yourself” articles popping up on how to clean out and inspect your own furnace. While we are all for fixing things yourself to help lower the cost of home projects, inspecting a heating system on your own without the knowledge of what to look for could put you in a bind in the future. There are a few things you can check to see if it is running perfectly but, ultimately, you will need a licensed HVAC technician to come out and inspect your furnace when you do come across problems. If you delay with getting your furnace service, you could miss some major problems and end up paying more money to get it fixed. Need a comprehensive furnace inspection to help identify potential issues? Schedule a heating inspection today and ensure your home or business is functioning properly at peak performance! Give us a call!

Furnace Tune Up Checklist

If you wanted to do a quick check on your furnace on the months in-between your next inspection, you could do these regular maintenance tasks to make sure there are no issues and potentially extend the life of your heating system:

  • Check your furnace and make sure it is clear of black soot or combustion residue.
  • Turn up the thermostat so your furnace will come on and check the flames in the burner. Look for blue steady flames. Yellow or orange flickering flames, along with soot build-up, could be signs of poor combustion.
  • Turn the thermostat down and turn off your circuit breaker so you can vacuum inside of the furnace without catching on fire. Use the long nozzle on your vacuum to suck up any dust and a damp rag to clean the blades of the blower fan.
  • Change your furnace filter at least once a month during heating season.

What is included in a furnace tune-up to ensure your furnace operates efficiently with maximum energy efficiency? How much does a furnace inspection cover?

There is so much more that goes on during a furnace tune-up than what you might think. These tune-ups are done carefully to ensure that your furnace does not need to undergo unnecessary maintenance in the future. If your furnace is brand new, it is suggested you only need a tune-up every other year. However, if your furnace is 7-10 years old, it will require one every year. Always call and ask specifically what the technician will do during a tune-up. A reliable technician will be able to list what they will be checking. In the list below are just a few of what a qualified heating technician checks for when inspecting a furnace annually:

  • The vent system needs to be checked for blockage and/or leakage. This includes the outside termination and the connections at and internal to the furnace.
  • Combustion gases must be analyzed and compared to the unit specifications.
  • The blower access door needs to be checked to make sure it makes a tight seal at the furnace.
  • The fresh air intake grills and louvers need to be checked for blockage.
  • The heat exchanger needs to be inspected for rust and corrosion.
  • The burners need to be checked for proper ignition, burner flame, and flame sense.
  • The drainage system needs to be checked for blockage and/or leakage. This includes the hoses internal to the furnace.  The condensate drain and trap needs to be cleaned, and the water replaced in the trap.
  • The blower wheel needs to be checked for debris and cleaned if necessary – this requires complete removal of the blower wheel.
  • An amp-draw test should be conducted on the blower motor and compared with what is listed.
  • The wiring needs to be checked for corrosion and damage.
  • The filters need to be checked (but this needs to be done much more frequently than annually).

(List courtesy of Reuben Saltzman)

Need A Furnace Inspection Or Looking To Do Heating System Preventative Maintenance? Schedule A Heating Inspection In Edmonton Today! 

There is time and effort that goes into a good tune-up. Having your furnace inspected every year is very beneficial – especially if a checklist like what is listed above needs to be done. The investment will be worth it because it will keep your furnace clean, prevent major repairs or replacements down the road, and ensure your furnace operates efficiently. These routine tune-ups will save you money in the long run, keep your furnace running proficiently, and keep your air quality pristine.

If you are interested in getting a furnace tune-up or any other home services, call us at 780-489-8118 and schedule an appointment!

Always Plumbing & Heating provides great service 24/7 and our qualified technicians have been nationally certified to wear the Technician Seal of Safety.

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