Posts Tagged ‘Richmond’

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Richmond Heating Replacement Checklist: What You Should Consider Before Upgrading

Wednesday, January 18th, 2012

How do you decide if it is time to replace your old furnace or upgrade your heating system? In our line of work, we’ve come across many homeowners faced with this dilemma. We recommend that homeowners use the following checklist to decide if the benefit of buying a new heater is worth the purchasing cost.

1. Are your heating bills high? We all know that the price of gas or electricity, depending on your system, is high. However, what many homeowners don’t know is that their furnace starts becoming less efficient after 15 to 20 years in operation. This means that the furnace requires more power to operate, thereby forcing you to pay more for your heating bills. If it’s possible, we recommend comparing your heating bills from the same month over a span of three to five years. If you see a steady increase, then it’s likely your furnace is affecting your heating bills. Consider upgrading to an energy efficient model.

2. Have you repaired the furnace recently? Every homeowner knows that repair costs are expensive. Ask yourself how many times the repairman has been out to check your furnace during the past two years. Excessive repairs are a sign that a furnace is reaching its end, leaving the household without heat. Not only is a complete break down uncomfortable, it’s also downright dangerous in the winter. It’s better to prepare a budget plan that allows for purchasing a new heater than face the high costs of emergency heating repair.

3. Is the heat level the same all over your house? One of the signs of a malfunctioning furnace is that it stops heating rooms as effectively as it once did. For example, if you notice that there is a severe temperature difference between two bedrooms, then this is likely due to your furnace not being able to heat them evenly. Upgrading your heating system can fix this problem.

4. Do you think your furnace is safe? There’s more to worry about with an old furnace than just excessive repair costs. A furnace’s age determines how likely it is to potentially start a fire or even begin to leak carbon monoxide. These are serious threats that can affect the safety of your entire family. Furnaces that are older than 20 years present the greatest safety hazards. They need to be replaced by safer, more energy efficient models.

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How a Ceiling Fan Can Help Heat Your Richmond Home

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

Most people in Richmond who have ceiling fans never turn them on in the winter. They assume that the fan is designed solely to cool the house – after all, blowing air feels pretty nice doesn’t it? But, a ceiling fan can actually help to move heat around your home and lower your heating bill if used properly. Here are some tips to do just that.

Rotating Warm Air

Warm air naturally rises. So, when you turn on your furnace and the blower fan pushes warm air through your ductwork into the various rooms of your home, the warm air immediately rises to the ceiling. So, for the room to feel as comfortable as you want it, you must wait for enough heat to circulate into the room to displace the cold air that was already there.

However, instead of waiting for warm air to fill the room, you can circulate the warm air as it arrives with a ceiling fan. By turning on your ceiling fan and changing the direction so it blows down (which most people already have it set to), the warm air will be pushed toward the floor, mixing it smoothly into the room and keeping you more comfortable without having the furnace on constantly.

This does two things. First, it keeps the room comfortable regardless of when the furnace cycles on or off. Second, it keeps the thermostat reading stable so the furnace doesn’t cycle on and off so quickly. If the warm air regularly rises up and the lower levels begin to cool, your furnace will frequently turn on and off as it tries to maintain the same temperature.

A Low Cost Addition to Your Home

Ceiling fans are inexpensive and aesthetically pleasing. They move air throughout the room, keep warmth low where you need it and can help reduce your energy bill in multiple ways. If you’re not sure whether a ceiling fan is right for you, talk to a Richmond technician about just how much money one of these simple devices can save you. I bet you’ll be convinced.

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A Question from Richmond: What Are High-Efficiency Toilets?

Monday, December 26th, 2011

Everyone has a toilet in their Richmond home. In fact, you probably have more than one. And you probably do not give much thought to the type of toilet you have. After all, a toilet is a toilet, right? Well, there are actually several different types of toilets, and while they all get the basic job done, there are reasons to favor one type over another.

One such distinction falls on what are known as high-efficiency toilets. These toilets use significantly less water than standard toilets on each flush, thereby saving you money on your water bill every time you use them. No toilet on the market today is permitted by law to use more than 3.5 gallons of water per flush. High-efficiency toilets, by contrast, generally use between 1.6 gallons and 1.1 gallons.

That might not seem like a huge difference, but just think about how many times in a day someone flushes the toilets in your home. That will add up fast. Installing a high-efficiency toilet can save you as much as 12,000 gallons of water a year. And depending on the size of your household and the number of toilets you have, that figure could be even higher.

Of course, a lot of people shy away from high-efficiency toilets because they are concerned about performance. It seems unlikely to them that a toilet that uses so much less water could work effectively all of the time. The truth is, though, that many high efficiency toilets work even better than conventional ones at clearing the bowl in one flush. And high efficiency toilets do not clog any more than regular toilets. In fact, they often do better in that area as well.

Another thing to bear in mind is that toilets last for a long time. This means that the toilet in your home could be quite old. Toilets made before 1980 use much more than modern toilets are allowed to use per flush. Some of them actually go through five gallons or more of water each time you use them. By replacing an older toilet with a new, high-efficiency model, you will be setting yourself up for some significant savings on your water bill each month.

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Surrey Plumbing Tip: Bathtub Faucets and Fittings

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Buying new bathtub faucets and fittings for your Surrey house can be a lot of fun. But it can also be a bit overwhelming simply because there are so many options out there. And the types of faucets and fittings you choose will have a big impact on the overall cost of the project. That is why it is a good idea to learn a little bit about your options ahead of time so that you know more or less what you are looking for when you actually get into the store.

To begin with, you will have to decide whether you want brass or plastic fittings. Plastic fittings are generally cheaper, but they also do not last as long and are more prone to chipping and cracking. Brass, on the other hand, might cost you a bit more up front, but it will last you longer and serve you better.

Brass faucets and fittings are available in a wide range of styles and finishes, so you can comb through the options to find the one that best fits with the theme you are going for in your bathroom. However, you should keep in mind that some of the available finishes for brass fixtures and faucets require specific care so that they do not tarnish. Make sure that whatever brass fittings and faucets you buy are a kind that you will be willing to care for properly.

You should also keep in mind that the majority of the functional part of your bathtub faucet will be located behind the wall of the tub. That can make repairs and replacement of faulty parts a bit more difficult than on a regular sink faucet, so you want to make sure you do not have to get in there to fix something very often.

And the best way to ensure that is to opt for a slightly higher quality fitting and faucet. It may cost you a bit more up front, but it will be well worth it to you in the long run. Even with these restrictions, there are still plenty of options out there so you should have no trouble finding one that suits your sense of style while still offering high quality performance for a reasonable price. And if you have any questions, talk to your local Surrey plumber.

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Burnaby Plumbing Tip: What Is a Flapper Valve?

Friday, December 16th, 2011

The toilet in your Burnaby home is not an overly complicated piece of equipment. But in order to work properly, it does require that all of its parts are in the right place and in good shape. Even if something small on your toilet is out of place, it can cause problems like constant dripping or running, improper flushing force or a sudden refilling of the bowl when no one has flushed the toilet.

These problems can sound serious, but many of them are quite easy to address if you know where to look. With most toilets, that place is the flapper valve. The flapper valve is a relatively small rubber plug that fits over an opening at the bottom of your toilet tank. When you press the handle to flush your toilet, the flapper valve lifts up and allows all of the water from the tank to go rushing into the bowl.

The force of this water pushes everything out of the bowl through the drain at the bottom, clearing the bowl and refilling it with fresh water all at once. As long as the flapper valve is able to maintain a tight seal, this process will go along smoothly without a hitch. But sometimes these valves become dirty or simply wear out.

When that happens, water can begin to leak down from the tank into the bowl on an almost constant basis. Depending on the severity of the leak, this may just cause the toilet to run constantly. Or it can even cause periodic “phantom flushes” were the toilet clears the bowl without anyone pressing the handle.

Phantom flushes occur because too much water has seeped down from the tank into the bowl. When the volume in the toilet bowl reaches a certain level, the water in the bowl is forced out, resulting in a flush. This wastes water and can also be pretty startling if you are not expecting it. Fortunately, though, you can usually fix this problem easily enough.

To do this, check your flapper valve to make sure it is keeping a tight seal with the bottom of the tank when not in use. If it is not, you may only need to clean it off to restore the integrity of the seal. In more serious situations, however, you may need to replace the flapper valve entirely. This is not difficult or expensive and can save you a lot of water in the long run. If you need any help, talk to your North Vancouver plumber.

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Why Do I Need a Maintenance Agreement? A Question from Richmond

Monday, November 28th, 2011

While every new furnace sold comes with a limited 10 year warranty for the unit and parts, it is a good idea to supplement your warranty with a more complete maintenance agreement with your Richmond HVAC provider. Why pay for a secondary maintenance plan when you already have a warranty?

For the most part, the limited warranty provided by the manufacturer is meant to cover things like faulty parts, abnormal breakdowns or recalls. If your system simply needs to get a checkup because you use it a lot or there is a clog that isn’t caused by the actual furnace or air conditioner, you will likely end up paying the maintenance cost. So, by paying for an upgraded service plan, you cover all potential breakdowns and you’ll never again need to worry about your system. It’s like getting the upgraded warranty for a new car that covers everything from a busted crankshaft to old windshield wipers.

Help Your System Last Longer

Another benefit of a maintenance agreement for your HVAC system is that the system lasts longer when it is regularly maintained. So, if you think your system is running poorly, call in your professional in to check it out. The ability to do this will ensure your HVAC system lasts significantly longer than if you were forced to wait until you could afford an extra visit from your repair man.

So, not only do you ensure your system keeps working, you add a lot of valuable years to its lifespan. Imagine how much money you’ll save if your furnace or air conditioner lasts for twice as long. Any breakdowns after the warranty has expired are going to require hefty repairs or replacement and be expensive. So, it’s in your best interest to keep your system running smoothly throughout its lifespan.

Ultimately, an HVAC system is only as good as what you put into it. If you’re careful about your investments and are willing to spend a little extra now, you’ll stand to benefit far more in the future from a smoothly operating, efficient heating system.

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Benefits of Replacing Your Furnace: A Tip from Langley

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

You are about to make one of the largest purchases in your life – a new furnace. Maybe your old furnace is on life support and needs immediate replacement or you are looking for a better, more efficient furnace that will raise the comfort level of your Langley home while reducing utility bills and carbon emissions.

If the furnace in your basement, crawl space, or attic is 15-20 years old, it may be a single-stage 80% percent efficient model, which doesn’t meet the higher efficiency standards of today’s models. It uses more energy, i.e. gas, oil, or electricity, to operate. And a single-stage furnace does not always provide even heating to all rooms in the home, based on the varying winter weather conditions. There may be large temperature variations from room to room.

Your new furnace will likely be more efficient and environmentally friendly than the one it is replacing – which are the two biggest benefits to replacing an old furnace. So, let’s take a closer look at these benefits, which link energy efficiency to the latest technology – namely two-stage furnaces and variable speed motors.

Two-stage furnaces start out by running in a first stage, which uses less than 70% of its capacity. This stage works well on moderate winter days. On colder days, the furnace will meet your extra heating demand by adjusting to the second stage in the heating cycle. Since the furnace spends most of its time operating in its lower capacity (first or single stage), it burns less fuel than a traditional furnace that always runs at full capacity and then shuts off when heating demand is met. You will see lower utility bills and a shorter payback period on your new furnace investment.

Variable-speed motors can actually save you money on your energy bill as they consume less electricity than standard motors. Variable speed furnaces save you money by having a higher SEER rating. SEER is the abbreviation for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The higher the SEER, the more energy efficient the unit. The low operating costs of a variable speed furnace can allow you to run your furnace blower. With the low operating costs of the variable-speed furnace you can constantly run your blower without the worry of driving up your utility bill, allowing for continuously filtered air.

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How a Furnace Works: A Tip from Langley

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Do you know how your furnace works? Believe it or not, lots of Langley homeowners probably can’t explain the operation of furnace. It probably isn’t at the top of your “to do” list. It’s only important to know that once you set your thermostat to a desired temperature, the furnace comes on and warms the house.

The most common furnace is fueled by natural gas but there are other examples of heating equipment such as boilers, electric baseboard, or geothermal. But let’s look at how a gas furnace works since natural gas is found in most households. Gas furnaces use natural gas or propane to provide energy used for generating heat.

When the temperature in your home falls below the level set on the thermostat, an electric pilot light automatically ignites to heat a burner inside the furnace. This burner uses gas to generate heat within a combustion chamber inside the furnace. After the furnace senses that the thermostat has triggered the flame and that it is properly lit, the actual spark (or ignitor) is turned off.

Simultaneously, a motor in the furnace pulls in air from an exchange or return, which could be a grill in the floor, ceiling, or wall of a house. That air flows through ducts into the plenum of the furnace. The plenum is on the opposite side of the heat exchanger from the burner.

Gas will typically burn for at least two minutes before the blower starts to disperse heat throughout your home. This extra time gives the air an adequate period of time to warm up and also so that cold air won’t be pushed through the vents into the rooms in your house at the start. After either the preset time (roughly two minutes) or pre-established temperature is reached, the blower’s motor is turned on and it blows air over the heat exchanger, which usually consists of a series of copper tubes or pipes. When a fan blows air onto the heat exchanger, the air is heated. This heated air is then blown through a series of ducts to heat your home via vents in the floor, walls or ceiling. Exhaust fumes from the combustion process exit the furnace through a gas flue or chimney.

Just as the heat in your home turns on when a certain temperature is reached, it also turns off after the rooms are warm enough, thanks to your thermostat. The thermostat again senses the temperature in the room. When the room warms up to the temperature set by you at the thermostat, the gas valve is switched off, stopping the flow of gas. After the gas is turned off, the blower motor will still run for a few minutes, allowing the heat exchanger to cool off a bit. In some furnaces, the blower motor never shuts off, but operates at low speed to keep air circulating throughout your home.

In a nutshell, your thermostat is the brain in your heating system and your furnace is the brawn, doing most of the work.

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Possible Causes of Poor Heating Performance from Your Boiler: Some Pointers from Langley

Friday, October 21st, 2011

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or a mechanical engineer to troubleshoot – and possibly diagnose – the problems with your boiler when its heating performance is erratic or non-existent in your Langley home.

The good thing about boilers is that they are typically reliable and long-lasting. There aren’t a lot of working parts that can break down and cause problems, compared to other home heating equipment. When problems do arise, they are usually related to the expansion tank or circulating pumps. But a problem can be much simpler – like a tripped circuit breaker.

The most common problems can be noise, no heat, or poor/erratic heating. Before calling a qualified heating and cooling professional, take a moment to see if you can figure out the what’s wrong.

If you have a noisy boiler it might be because of two things – a faulty circulating pump or water trapped in the return lines. If the pump breaks it will make a loud noise when its motor runs. Water can be trapped in the return lines, which may require “re-pitching” the lines to allow for a flow back to the boiler. You may be able to adjust the flow by positioning hangers on the piping but replacing a pump is better left to a professional.

If your boiler is producing no heat, it could be because of something as simple as a circuit breaker being tripped or a fuse being blown. Check your circuit breakers and fuse and reset or replace if necessary. Is your boiler thermostat in the heat mode? It should be but if it isn’t, make the switch. If your boiler has a standing pilot you should check to see if it is lit and if not, re-light it.

Other problems would take a professional to fix. For example, no heat can be traced to low water levels in the boiler. The boiler should always be half-full of water and if it isn’t, it is likely because of leaks or a faulty pressure reducing valve. Don’t try and fix the problem by yourself.

Low water levels may not cause the boiler to lose its heating capabilities, but may cause fluctuations in its heating capacity. Again, it is advisable to call a professional to diagnose and fix the problem. Poor heating can also be traced to mineral deposits in the boiler. Consult your owner’s manual on instructions how to flush out the boiler.

As always, read the owner guide or operating manual for your boiler. You should get some good tips on proper maintenance and troubleshooting. And have the phone number of a qualified professional taped to your boiler – just in case.

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How to Fix a Slow Drain: A Tip From Delta

Monday, September 19th, 2011

A slow drain can be frustrating, especially when there is no apparent cause to the clog. Slow drains can also cause unnecessary cleaning because the clog can allow substances to stay in the sink or tub that will stain the surface. There are several ways to clear the pipes so proper drainage can occur.

Hairballs are a common cause of most slow drains. A wire hanger is one of the easiest ways to remove the clog. Using wire-cutters, fashion the hanger into a long straight instrument with a slight hook on one end. After removing any drain covers, stick the homemade instrument into the drainage hole. Use gentle, slow movements to feel if the hanger is coming into contact with an obstruction. If the obstruction is a hairball, the hook on the end of the wire will be able to grab and pull the hairball out of the drain. Repeat this process until the hook stops grabbing pieces of the hairball.

If the wire hanger method does not fix the slow drain, a plunger can be used. First, fill a bucket with hot water and add a bit of regular dish soap. After positioning the plunger over the clogged drain, pour the water and soap solution into the sink or tub until the plunger is completely covered. Proceed to plunge, adding more water as necessary.

If this process does not work after a few repetitions, pour half a cup of baking soda into the drain. Add half a cup of white vinegar. These two substances will react to form a mixture that will go to work on the clog. Let this mixture sit for a few hours before rinsing the drain with boiling water.

If these two methods do not completely unclog the drain, it might be necessary to call for a professional plumber’s help. Slow drains present a growing problem if not taken care of right away because the clog can grow over time. Severely clogged drains can lead to permanent damage if the clog causes an overflow situation. Do not take your chances and fix the clog as soon as the problem occurs.

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