Posts Tagged ‘Newcastle’

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Newcastle, ON Furnace Tip: How to Tell If You Need To Replace Your Furnace

Monday, February 11th, 2013

While sometimes you may just need furnace repairs, it could also be time for you to replace the furnace in your Newcastle, ON home. At Advantage Airtech, we wanted to help our customers know the difference with a short list of some of the signs of furnace replacement.

Cracked Heat Exchanger

If your furnace has a cracked heat exchanger it could be a potentially dangerous situation. Your heat exchanger’s job is to heat the air in your home and also to exhaust the combustion fumes that result from burning gas. If your heat exchanger has a crack those gases, which include carbon monoxide, could be leaking into your home.

Identifying a cracked heat exchanger is very difficult. If your furnace is making a rattling sound it could indicate that your heat exchanger is cracked. Also, if the flames on your burner are yellow or if they are wiggling it could also mean that you have this problem. If your heat exchanger is cracked, it almost certainly means you need furnace replacement. Call us immediately if you think you are having this problem.

Age of Your Furnace

If you’ve started to need furnace repairs more often, it might make more financial sense to just replace your furnace. There are huge benefits to replacing your old furnace with a new one. Not only will you likely start to enjoy more comfortable heat but you’ll also potentially reduce the amount of energy that you use to heat your home.

If you need furnace repairs in Newcastle, ON or if you need to replace you furnace, call Advantage Airtech.

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Newcastle, ON Water Heater FAQ: Should I Install a Tank or Tankless Water Heater?

Monday, December 10th, 2012

Deciding which new water heater to install is something most Newcastle, ON area homeowners consider to be very important.  Not only is this an investment you want to last for many years, but the type of water heater you choose will also determine how efficiently you can heat the water in your home.

Many of our customers here at Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning ask about the advantages of replacing their standard tank water heaters with new tankless models. If you are considering a tankless water heater for your home, here are factors to keep in mind as you make your decision.

First, you should consider the type of fuel used to heat your home. If your water heater or heating system runs on natural gas, you’ll need to think about how this will apply to a new water heater. If you have a tank water heater, then the installation will be easy because of the existing gas line. However, some tankless models will need to be installed in another area depending on the layout of your home or utility room.

On the other hand, if your home is heated with electricity, you will have more installation options with an electric tankless water heater because there’s no need for access to the gas line or ventilation. Next, you’ll need to think about what capacity you’ll need.

Most tank water heaters range from around 30 to 80 gallon capacities. For smaller homes, 30 to 40 gallons should provide plenty of hot water, but larger homes may need 50 or over. Tankless models are not always ideal for larger homes, especially if you tend to use more than one application at once. However, there are solutions to this issue, and one of the water heater specialists at Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning will help you find the right solution for all your Newcastle, ON water heating needs!

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Newcastle Heating Tip: Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Monday, October 15th, 2012

Every home in the Newcastle area should have at least one carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide gas is odorless, tasteless, invisible – and can be dangerous.  All carbon-based heating fuels – oil, natural gas, propane, butane – release carbon monoxide when they burn. The gas is usually vented outside the house, but appliance breakdowns or malfunctions can redirect it into the house.

How is carbon monoxide dangerous to your health? Your lungs continuously extract oxygen from the air. The oxygen combines with a substance in your lungs called hemoglobin, which carries it through your blood to oxygenate your body. Carbon monoxide combines with hemoglobin the same way oxygen does, but binds to it much more tightly. The bound up hemoglobin can’t oxygenate your body and can’t release the carbon monoxide.

All home heating systems and hot water tanks are designed to expel exhaust gases, including carbon monoxide, outside the house. Most older homes in the Newcastle area passively vent the hot exhaust gas outside the house. The hot gas rises above the surrounding air, and is pulled up the flue or chimney by the pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the house. Some systems have blowers that help push the gas out.

A change in pressure inside or outside the house can reverse the flow of exhaust gas. A blocked or damaged flue can also cause the gas to back up. A poorly designed venting system, can affect the pressure gradient inside the house, pulling carbon monoxide away from the furnace before it’s exhausted. Portable gas or oil heaters meant for outdoor use are a common source of carbon monoxide-related deaths when used inappropriately. Checking for carbon monoxide is one of the many things that your heating technician will do during your annual maintenance visit.

You can place detectors in the basement near the furnace or in other rooms in the house. But make sure you have at least one detector in or near your bedroom so it will wake you if a carbon monoxide leak occurs at night.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for installation. Carbon monoxide mixes with room air, so there is no need to place the detector up high or near the floor. The best option is to place it where it can be easily serviced and tested.

To learn more about heating safety or to schedule your annual heating maintenance checkup. give Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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Pickering Heating Guide: High Efficiency Furnaces and Chimney Concerns

Monday, September 17th, 2012

When upgrading to a high efficiency gas furnace in Pickering, you may need to make some upgrades to your chimney. Older chimneys built for standard furnaces with normal exhaust needs are not built to the specifications needed by today’s high efficiency models. Not only is it unsafe to leave it as is, but the cost of repairs if you don’t have it upgraded can be substantial.

 Down-Sizing

A common concern when upgrading to a high efficiency gas furnace is the issue of condensation and draft. Because the amount of exhaust being vented is reduced by a high efficiency furnace, your current setup is not sufficient for the new model. So, it needs to be reduced in size by a professional to avoid backup of exhaust. Proper chimney sizing is a complex process that requires professional guidelines and careful measurements of all appliances in your home.

Because the chimney often isn’t used at all for a high efficiency furnace (often PVC pipe used instead), the extra airflow in the chimney can become a major issue.

 Chimney Condensation

The biggest concern for the chimney when changing the furnace efficiency is condensation. Specifically, acidic condensation droplets can build up in the chimney if not properly stopped. A new chimney liner must be placed in the chimney to avoid excessive corrosion due to the acid droplets. Keep in mind that the efficiency of your new furnace will determine whether you will use the traditional chimney for exhaust or if a new line will be installed to vent your furnace.

 When to Take Action

If you have your Pickering furnace replaced, your technician will likely discuss the chimney situation in your home with you. Keep in mind that this might be necessary and that there might be an added cost involved because of it. Modern furnaces are not designed to accommodate aging chimneys and your safety and the integrity of your house are at risk if you don’t retrofit the chimney if necessary. For more information about installing a new furnace in your home, give Advantage Airtech a call!

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Your Newcastle HVAC System and Electricity

Monday, August 20th, 2012

While not every HVAC system in your Newcastle home requires electricity, many of them do. Your air conditioner, furnace or water heater and ventilation system all need access to the central power line. So what does that mean for your system and what problems should be you beware of?

How Your HVAC System Uses Electricity

How your HVAC system works depends largely on which components need electricity to operate. Here is a quick summary of how each system uses electricity:

  • Air Conditioning – Most air conditioners are electric and therefore use electricity based on the number of BTUs produced. For example, if your air conditioner produces 25,000 BTUs and has a SEER of 16, it can produce 16 BTUs for every watt of electricity consumed per hour. As a result, it consumes 1,562.5 watts per hour when the system is running at maximum capacity. If it runs at full capacity for 8 hours per day, 30 days a month in the summer, that’s 375 kilowatt hours – which is the measurement unit you’ll see on your electric bill.
  • Ventilation – Your ventilation system is almost always going to use electricity to circulate and filter air. While mechanical filters rely on the movement of air to remove certain particles, ventilation systems have a variety of components including fans and possibly even condenser coils to conserve energy as air is exchanged between the inside and outside.

Electricity plays an important role in your Newcastle HVAC system no matter how your system works. To ensure yours continues to operate as intended, have your power system checked on a regular basis when the rest of your HVAC system is serviced. To schedule your annual tune-up today, give Advantage Airtech a call!

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Newcastle Air Conditioning Guide: The Ins and Outs of Ductless Splits Air Conditioning

Monday, July 30th, 2012

So, it’s time to install a new air conditioner and you’re pretty sure there just isn’t enough room in the walls or ceilings to place the necessary ductwork. No problem. There is a rapidly evolving technology that allows you to have air conditioning without ductwork. It’s called mini-split ductless air conditioning and it relies on individual units placed in key locations around your Newcastle house. Here’s how they work.

Multi-Zone Cooling

The first step is to install a central unit. This is your compressor and condenser and is usually placed outside like the core of a central AC system. These units range between 15,000 and 40,000 BTUs depending on how much cooling your home needs and will support up to 4 zones within your house.

Once the central unit is installed, smaller room-sized units are placed throughout your house. These units are designed for between 9,000 and 18,000 BTU spaces and are usually placed high on the wall of your room to distribute cooled air. The smaller units are connected to the main unit by refrigerant lines that are run up the side of your house (or inside if you want them out of the elements).

Because each indoor unit is individual and has its own thermostat, you save electricity by having direct control over each part of your home. In fact, the average ductless split system uses something like 30% less electricity than a standard air conditioning system.

Is it Right for You?

This is the most common question we hear and to be honest, it really depends on your needs. If you have a large house – we’re talking 3,000 square feet or bigger, a multi-zone ductless system may not provide enough cooling on its own. Most systems only support up to 4 individual units and therefore cannot cool massive spaces. However, if you have a smaller home, or more importantly have no space for ductwork, these systems are much more efficient than installing multiple window units.

If you have any questions about installing ductless air conditioning in Newcastle, give Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning a call today!

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Durham Region Heat Pump Tip: Signs You Should Replace Your Heat Pump

Monday, July 23rd, 2012

The decision to replace major equipment can be a difficult one. How do you know when to call it quits on a part of your Durham Region heating and cooling system that is as important as the heat pump?

Here are some signs that you should replace your Durham Region heat pump:

  • If your heat pumps is making significantly more noise than it used to, it can be sign of major mechanical distress. Many times, replacement is the best solution.
  • Some components of a heat pump cost as much or more to repair as the whole unit does to replace. These components may include the compressor, the outdoor coil, the accumulator and the reversing valve. Once one of these goes, you are often better off replacing the heat pump than the broken component. Additionally, when repairs become so frequent as to no longer be cost effective, it’s a good time to replace the equipment.
  • A malfunctioning heat pump can cause problems with the humidity in your home. This is not a definitive indicator, but if you notice the humidity level rising in your home, you may need a heat pump replacement.
  • Any time your energy bill rises without a significant increase in usage, faulty or failing equipment is one of the top suspects. Your heat pump could very well be the culprit.
  • If you notice a cooling imbalance, such as rooms being too warm while others are too cool, your heat pump may be close to breaking.
  • Finally, if your heat pump is ten or more years old, replacing it is a good idea, even if it seems to be working fine. A new model will be much more efficient and chances are that the old one is headed for a major breakdown soon.

Keep in mind that these are not always definitive signs that your heat pump is done for good. Also, some of these may occur in combination. For example, you may have an old heat pump that is making a lot of noise and causing humidity problems.

Consult with a Durham Region heat pump professional like Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning for full diagnostics before making the decision to replace any major household equipment.

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Newcastle HVAC Question: Do Heat Pumps Work for Air Conditioning?

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

It’s possible that in the course of your search for a new air conditioning system in Newcastle, you read or were told about heat pumps. Doesn’t sound right, does it – heat pumps providing cooling for your home? Regardless of the seeming misnomer, heat pumps are actually much older and more reliable cooling technology than you know. And once you understand how these units work, the name makes much more sense.

What Is a Heat Pump?

Technically every refrigerant containing air conditioner is some form of heat pump. A heat pump is a device that removes heat from one area and transfers it to another. So, in the case of your air conditioner, warm air cycles into the condenser, the heat is removed, and the cooled air is circulated back through your home. The actual science behind this is slightly more complicated, but the gist is simple – cold air isn’t produced and then pumped into your home; warm air is removed.

Your refrigerator and freezer operate under the same principle. It works so well that it’s been a standard technology for nearly 100 years, albeit with quite a few upgrades and enhancements. So, if an air conditioner already is a heat pump, why are these devices called something different? Because heat pumps can do so much more.

Heat Producing Heat Pumps

A true heat pump can work in two directions. It can extract heat from your home or it can extract heat from outside and pump it into your home. A true heat pump offers year round climate control because it both heats and cools – not too shabby if you think about the cost of a furnace and central AC system. And with modern green technology, heat pumps can even be connected to geothermal systems that draw their energy from the earth – saving a tremendous amount of money.

So, back to the main question – should you purchase a heat pump for your Newcastle air conditioning needs? The short answer is “it depends”. For the most part, a heat pump is comparable to the same air conditioning model in terms of energy efficiency and capacity. The major difference is its ability to heat your home. If you have any questions about installing a heat pump in your home, give Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning a call!

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Pickering Air Conditioning Tip: Why Select a Two Stage AC vs. Single Stage Air Conditioner

Monday, June 18th, 2012

When you are in the market for a new air conditioner in Pickering, one of the decisions you will have to make is whether you want a two stage system or one that only functions in a single stage. Of course, before you can make a decision about this, you need to know what all of this means.

A single stage air conditioning system is probably what you are most familiar with. They have been around for longer and can be found in a wide variety of locations. Single stage air conditioners come on at full capacity when the temperature in your home rises above the preset level on the thermostat. Once they have effectively cooled the house, these types of air conditioners shut off until the temperature works its way back up again.

Two stage air conditioners, on the other hand, can function at either 67% or 100% of capacity depending on exactly how warm it is in your home. What that really means is that if the temperature in your home is only a little above the thermostat’s preset limit, the air conditioning system will come on at 67% and gradually cool the house to keep it right in a comfortable range.

However, if you have not been home for a while and your home has gotten very warm inside, your Pickering air conditioner will come on at full power to get the temperature down quickly. What this really means is that your air conditioner will be running more than a single stage air conditioner because it will sometimes not be using all of its power to cool.

The end result of using a two stage air conditioner is that you will receive a relatively continuous flow of cool air throughout your home. A two stage air conditioner will send in a steady but smaller stream of cooled air as opposed to the large blast of cold air you would get from a single stage system.

This results in a more consistent and comfortable environment overall, and it also makes it possible for the air conditioning system to dehumidify your house more effectively. When the air is cooled too quickly, the dehumidification system does not always have time to do its job. But with the longer cooling cycles of the two stage system, there is plenty of time to make sure the right amount of humidity is removed from the air. For more information about Pickering air conditioning installation, give Advantage Airtech a call today!

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Newcastle HVAC Question: What Does an Air Handler Do?

Monday, April 30th, 2012

Your Newcastle HVAC system is a complex system filled with vital components tasked with keeping you comfortable. One of the most important of those component is the air handler – the device responsible for circulating the heated or cooled air produced by your system through the vents in your home and into each of your rooms.

The air handler is a metal box, usually consisting of a blower and the heating or cooling elements. It might also include dampers and sound attenuators along with an air filtration and humidity control system. The simplest air handlers are designed only to transfer the heated or cooled air to the various parts of your home, while the most advanced devices are designed to perfectly condition and clean that air as it is circulated.

 Types of Air Handler

There are a few different types of air handler as well, depending on the size of your Newcastle HVAC system and the nature of the heating and/or cooling used. Most homes, for example, use terminal units which consist of just an air filter, blower and coil. This very simple system is all you really need to heat and transmit air through your ductwork.

However, for larger systems, there are also makeup air units which use outdoor air instead of recirculated indoor air. There are also packaged and rooftop units which are designed to be placed outside. These devices are most commonly used for commercial applications when space is limited.

How the Air Handler Works

An air handler’s most basic component is a blower fan. This device is run by an AC electric motor and can be either single speed or variable speed depending on the size and scope of your air handler. The dampers on the fan will control the flow rate of the air going through the blower fan. Most residential blowers are part of the air conditioning or furnace system, while commercial systems often have multiple blowers to maintain steady airflow for a larger space.

Because an air handler passes all of the air that will go through your vents, it is the best place to install high quality MERV or HEPA filters to remove pathogens and contaminants. It is also a good place to install humidity control devices .

Your air handler is an incredibly important component in your home heating and cooling system. Without it, all that heated and cooled air you pay for each year wouldn’t reach you. So, make sure to keep your system in tip top condition. To schedule an annual maintenance visit, call Advantage Airtech Heating & Air Conditioning today!

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