New Year’s Resolutions for Your HVAC System

The team at Advantage Air Tech ClimateCare wishes you a very Happy New Year. We certainly hope 2018 is off to a great start.

Like many people, you may have established some New Year’s Resolutions you’d like to keep.

You also may have some home reno plans too.

When it comes to being comfortable at home, nothing is more important than home heating, home cooling, indoor air quality or hot water systems.

Here are some easy-to-keep New Year’s Resolutions your HVAC system (and you) will no love.

Home heating resolution: Install a smart thermostat

Here are two questions for you to answer:

1. Do you have a programmable thermostat?
2. Do you actually program it properly on a consistent basis?

According to a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (US), 89% of homeowners do not program their thermostats.

And a big reason why is because it’s just too complicated.

Smart thermostats take the time and frustration out of programming because the thermostat itself does it for you.

It learns when your home is empty (thus cooling the temperature down) and when it isn’t (thus raising the temperature up).

It also “senses” which rooms in your home are occupied the most and ensures warm air is delivered there on a consistent basis.

Additionally, smart thermostats can help you save money (important with the deep freeze Ajax and surrounding areas are currently experiencing) by providing regular reports on your furnace usage.

Home cooling resolution: Replace that old air conditioner

Although it’s hard to think about summer in the middle of winter, the Farmer’s Almanac June-to-August forecast for cities like Oshawa is:

“Summer will be hotter than normal, with rainfall below normal in Southwest Ontario and above normal elsewhere. The hottest periods will be in early and late June, early July, and mid- to late August.”

In other words, your air conditioner is in for quite a workout.

And if you’ve been putting off replacing your old AC with a newer model, there’s no better time than 2018 to actually do it.

Here are some telltale signs it’s time to install and maintain a brand new air conditioner for your home (try to remember when you used it last year):

• Temperature was never consistent as you wanted it to be
• Excessive leaking
• It froze up from time-to-time
• There was a bad smell coming from it
• Your energy bills were higher than normal

Your air conditioner should “kind of” keep you cool and it shouldn’t “kind of” work properly. It should do both whenever you need it to.

Indoor air quality resolution: Change your furnace filters on a regular basis

Between work, school, family commitments and other day-to-day activities, remembering to change your furnace filters can get lost in the shuffle.

Here’s why it shouldn’t:

• Dirty or clogged furnace filters don’t run as efficiently as clean ones
• Excess dust circulates through your air filtration system and ends up on your clothes, on your furniture or in your lungs
• You’ll spend more time cleaning your house than you will enjoying it

This resolution is actually quite easy to keep: Contact us to set up a maintenance protection plan.

We’ll come to you on a regular basis (no matter where you live in Pickering or neighbouring communities) to inspect your furnace (and that includes changing the air filter for you).

Hot water resolution: Go tankless

What’s the difference between a tanked and tankless water heater (besides the obvious)?

Simply put, one hot water solution heats water 24/7 (whether you’re home or not) and one provides hot water on demand whenever you need it.

In 2018, do you want to stop…

• Not having hot water at certain times (such as after someone else takes a shower)?
• Paying high water-heating bills on a monthly basis?

…If so, here’s why you should go tankless this year:

• Energy-efficiency: When you turn on the hot water tap, a tankless water heater springs into action. When the tap’s off, it shuts down. According to the US Department of Energy, a tankless model can reduce energy usage by approximately 30%.
• Consistent hot water: A conventional water heater relies on a standing supply which eventually runs out and needs to be replenished. A tankless product only heats water when you want it to, eliminating the chance of running out when you need it most.
• Long lifespan: On average, a tanked water heater lasts around 15 years (due to the constant stress of holding and heating water 24/7). Tankless water heaters last more than 20 years (and are much easier to repair and maintain too).

Home comfort resolution: Contact Advantage Airtech ClimateCare

If you’re looking to get more from your HVAC system while keeping more money where it belongs – in your pocket – Advantage Airtech ClimateCare can help you with those resolutions.

Starting is incredibly easy:

• CONTACT US with your questions or comments
• LEARN MORE about WeCare Maintenance and Protection Plans
• DOWNLOAD A FREE COPY of What Can Go Wrong with Your HVAC System