Since 2011, over 10 million Smart Thermostat devices have been sold only by Nest and this suggests the magnitude of shift which is taking place from the non-programmable to programmable and now to Smart Thermostats. The right purchase, the right installation and the right use indeed lead to controlled energy bills as well as improved comfort. This surely happens and this is the prime reason why homeowners feel fascinated towards the Wifi-Smart Thermostats. If you are one such recently fascinated homeowner, this blog is for you. Before you miss out on the amazing features of your latest Wifi Smart Thermostat, we want you to explore it to the fullest. Here are the five features you must look for in your Wifi Smart Thermostat.

Algorithm-Based Learning

Your Wifi Smart Thermostat is really Smart. So as you set the temperatures and get into a routine of setting the same temperature, it automatically learns the settings and adjusts the Thermostat at those settings even if you forget to set. Also, with the geofencing feature, the Thermostat locates where you are. As you leave home or as you arrive home, it automatically makes necessary temperature changes so that you enter into a super comfortable home.

Zoning feature for desireable comfort

Almost all the latest Wifi Thermostats support the zoning feature. Which is that different rooms can be adjusted with different temperatures. With precise heating/cooling, savings on energy bills can also be made. So if you haven't yet used this zoning feature and desperately want zoning comfort, go on man!

Remote Access

The prime fascination about Wifi Thermostats is that it can be accessed remotely. So you can forget about making the necessary changes to your Thermostat and still be able to access it from office, from a grocery store or from a far away vacation point.

Also, with the wifi feature, important notifications can be received; as of maintenance reminder, filter change reminder, etc. This allows you to schedule an HVAC tech visit even when you're sitting idle somewhere away from home.

Monthly reports

Your Wifi Thermostat records every single thing. So it records your energy consumption and provides with monthly reports for you to access if you need to make any changes to your energy consumption.

In addition to these, one of the features Wifi Smart Thermostats offer is the voice command feature. You can choose your favorite assistant; Google, Siri or Alexa to help with the voice command features.

Who should not upgrade to Wifi Smart Thermostat?

While Wifi Thmerostats is an ideal technology for people who find it easy to be in the cradle of technology and save time & energy, it is not, however, ideal for elderly homeowners who find these technologies complex or those homes where the temperature and utility bills remain moderate. And this is because Wifi Smart Thermostats are the latest and the most expensive Thermostats in the market. There is no use of upgrading to a technology that you don't look forward to making the most use of.

But yes, if you're tired of hefty energy bills, indoor discomfort and find all the features of Wifi Thermostats worth trying, you must upgrade to enjoy the blessings of technology.

Choosing an HVAC contractor could be challenging, especially when a homeowner is doing it for the first time or has shifted to a place where he doesn't know much about the local contractors. And while it might seem a not so big deal, it is, because it is ending up with the right contractor that your appliance's right installation, its efficiency, and its warranty is dependant on but above all your wallet. All too often, homeowners hook themselves with the wrong kind of contractors resulting in them wasting thousands of dollars on HVAC related things annually. It is, therefore that wise persons are concerned about who they are choosing and research thoroughly before shaking hands with a contractor.
Below we share 5 hacks to ensure that the contractor you end up is a reliable contractor.

1. Don't trust phone quotes

Reliable contractors act reliably. If on the first interaction, a contractor gives a quote only by listening to the problem without first giving a in-house visit, don't trust. Such phone quotes are often given by people who are more interested in money than in getting your issue resolved. Also, certified and professional contractors find it a must to inspect the unit as well as a the situation and prefer to give in house quotes.

2. Your contractor is suggesting the same replacement model? Beware!

HVAC appliances like Furnaces and Air Conditioners expire after a long duration of 10 to 15 years and sometimes even more. During this time, a series of new models are launched which people upgrade according to their needs. If your contractor is suggesting you to replace the existing model with the same model, he is not being honest with you and most probably is trying only to rid himself of the old models which he has at his showroom. If he doesn't begin honestly, what would he do later? Time to look for some other nearby contractor.

3. Ensure the contractor is licensed

You will make a seriously bad deal if you choose an unlicensed contractor. The first thing, in this case, will be the voiding of HVAC warranty. Issues like faulty installation, overcharging, etc may as well arise. Licenced contractors have their licences displayed on their websites, social media pages or mention of them on their business cards.

4. Avoid one-brand contractors

These contractors want to make the most sales of the brand they are a dealer of. For example, a York dealer will not mention the latest Lennox models to you even if they are better, cheaper and more efficient. In this case, contractors intentionally make you choose not the best model. Hence recommended that when choosing a contractor, avoid those who are dealers of one particular brand.

5. Low-bidders are mostly the wrong people

Practically speaking, a company who has to pay salaries to its technicians, has to keep up with routine expenses and run the company, cannot afford to bid very low on the maintenance, tune-up, repair or installation costs. To keep up the quality, they have to charge for it. And here comes another sign; if the contractor is bidding very low and doing so very happily, he is either not licenced or at least not experienced enough. Pay for reliable and licenced services even if they are a little costlier. This will save you the pain later.

Have you ever had a bad experience with a trapper contractor? Were you able to identify him in time? If not, how did you get out of the mess?

On a winter morning, have you ever experienced lots of moisture on the windows? And not on the outside surface which is dew; this moisture is found on the inner side of the window and is called interior window condensation. Since this phenomenon has the potential to cause unease for the homeowners and also often leads to damaging the interior very badly, we have decided to educate you about it and share the possible prevention and solutions. So friends, let's begin.

Why does interior condensation occur? 

So why does interior condensation take place? It happens when the warm indoor air goes to the window panes and condenses there because of the low temperature of the window surface. The warm air has lots of moisture. And this is why this gaseous air molecules turn into liquid as soon as they hit the window.
In many situations, the condensation is so intense that the water drips heavily from the window pane and accumulates on the floor. The presence of too much moisture produces mould and spores near the windows and on the nearest walls. This damage can further spread to the rest of the home if necessary action is not taken.

Now that we know, interior condensation happens as a result of excessive moisture, it is the time to learn where this moisture comes from and how to reduce it?

How to reduce indoor moisture to reduce interior condensation? 

Do something with the Humidifier

Many homeowners use a humidifier in winter to combat the low levels of humidity in winter. But only a few monitor what level of moisture exactly is needed. As a result, the indoor humidity level is often more than required which is one of the causes of interior window condensation.

Be efficient with bathroom and kitchen fans

The kitchen and bathroom both produce plentiful of moisture; the hot water bath, the cooking and boiling in the kitchen. Ideally, this moisture should be expelled from the indoor by immediately turning the exhaust fan. It is better to keep the fan of kitchen and bathroom turned on when you're cooking or bathing. This way the moisture will not spread in the indoor.

Relocate your plants

Other than bathroom and kitchen, there are also some plants that release excessive moisture. If you don't know whether or not your plants are excessive moisture producers, you can google to find out. In any case, relocate your plants and take them a little away from the windows.

Ensure ventilation 

Ventilation is crucial regardless of what the season is. Preferably in the noon when it is not very cold, consider opening the windows so that the warm air can be replaced by fresh outdoor air.

Use ceiling fan

This is one crazy but effective solution. Run the ceiling fan in clockwise direction. This will let the moisture from the windows off on the floor.

Purchase a window insulation kit 

To resolve the issue once and forever, you can consider purchasing a window insulation kit. This when used from the inside prevents the issue of interior window condensation.

Do not take interior window condensation lightly. This can have drastic consequences on your interior and the side effects of excessive indoor moisture on the health should not as well be neglected.

Technology, as the time is passing, is offering us with more and more ease when it comes to routine stuff. Remember the times of creating warmth with woods and then dealing with all that smoke which would emit? Although the crackling sound of wood is such a nostalgia but we indeed feel relieved enough on getting rid of smoke and the mess that the wood or cool had caused. Ours is the time of vent free fireplace. The idea is to burn gases instead of wood or coal. This way the smoke is not produced and the heat caused by the fire remains in the indoor keeping it warm. But it is not as simple as that. While the usual mess and smoke is not produced, the by products of this gas burning produces some other gases which necessitate care and ventilation, after all. And there are clear dangers associated with vent free burning which the homeowners often ignore. Consider the following;

Dangerous by-products

The sulpher dioxide, carbon dioxide and most importantly carbon monoxide are the by-products of gas burning. When there is no venting at all, the only place these places are left with to go is your lungs. Although the manufactures of this technology defend that these vent free units have inbuilt censor to maintain safe levels of these gases, you must still be wise enough to find out that even low levels of these dangerous gases could be lethal. Pregnant women, infants and elderly get more affected. Interestingly, even the vent free product manufacturers themselves suggest homeowners to keep a window open when the unit is in use.

Production of Water Vapors 

Burning as little as 4 hours a day, a vent free product release up to 6 gallons of water in the indoor. Such high level of moisture can damage wood works, walls, other decoration and also promotes the production of mold and mildew.

Distinct odor causing headaches

Burning gases have a distinct odour. Some people find environments of vent free products very challenging since they complain of headache and flu like symptoms.

Stains on walls and soot 

The wood burning fireplaces are often rejected for their disadvantages of leaving black stains on walls. The gas burning appliances are no different. There are many so called vent free units, which cause stains and produce soot.

Not maintenance free either!

Another misinformation common among homeowners regarding vent-free products is that they are almost maintenance free. The truth is, a very careful installation, careful use and very routine maintenance is essential to keep the potential threats of such products minimum. Else, emergency situations and costly repair are the consequence.

Do you still want to use a vent free Fireplace? Okay! Then follow these 

- If you are bent to use a vent free fireplace, do not make it your sole heating source
- Get it installed, maintained by a professional
- Install CO monitors on every floor and regularly change their batteries
- Remember that ceiling fan, candels, drafts and a fully packed house can impact the proper functioning of the vent free products. So yes, keep a window slightly open!

Ever heard that employee performance gets better with air conditioned workplace? You've heard this because a lot of research has been done regarding this subject. While employees and their performances has long been a matter of research interest, little has been done regarding children performance in school and how air conditioned classrooms can impact the course of learning. It is only recently that researches in kids learning patterns have been linked with the level of cooling comfort provided.

Research outcomes on correlation between hot temperature and classroom performance

A recent study conducted by Western Sydney University reveals that there is a correlation between less or difficult learning and hot classrooms. And this raises a serious concern. Around the world, only a handful of schools offer air conditioned classrooms. This suggests that a major compromise on kids learning is being made by not providing them with ample cooling comfort.

The only study conducted in Australia on kids leaning and air conditioning also brought to light the fact that children prefer relatively lower temperature than adults which imply that they are more responsive to thermal discomfort. Australian kids preferred a temperature of 22.5 degree celsius which is less than what adults find comfortable. Since a teacher controls the indoor temperature in classrooms, it will not be surprising to know that most kids would be compromising with what the teacher finds comfortable while they feel discomforted with it.

"High School Students did not perform well during a relatively hot year", Research says

Another study by Harvard Kennedy School Associate Professor Joshua Goodman says that students performed relatively lower on a hot year than on a year with normal temperatures. Millions of American high school students were examined as part of the study and the revelation was as mentioned above; there was a significant difference in performance as the temperature changed. For every one degree increase in temperature, achievement of a pupil fell by around one percent.

What to do? 

Suggestions;

Improvement in cooling facilities at school 

The Harvard study as well as the Western Sydney University study concluded that there is a need to improve cooling facilities at schools be they by employing Air Conditioning or by the use of air coolers. The Harvard School study estimates that providing Air Conditioning to classrooms would cost roughly $25,000 per classroom annually. But also says that the investment will be worth the benefit that will be reaped by offering a comfortable classroom environment to kids thereby improving their learning.

Providing kids with sufficient cooling at home 

As a mother or father, you are certainly not in a position to bring changes to your kid's school infrastructure. However, what you can do is to ensure that your kid is in a sufficiently cool room at home as he is engaged in a learning activity, busy doing his homework or playing some mind games. Ensuring a comfortable temperature at home may not fully compensate for a hot classrooms but can certainly do enough good to your child's learning abilities. Keep kids cool when they are home by;
- Keeping a 22.5 degree temperature in the indoor or whatever your kids find comfortable
- Providing them enough liquids to maintain a stable bodily temperature
- Limit outdoor activity. Let them play games or do learning activities within the indoor.

Bottom Line: 

If you wish your child to grow sharp and smart, this is the time to be careful about everything that can hinder his learning and we have told what one of those things is; insufficient thermal comfort.

The top priority of every homeowner is to keep their family warm during the winter. That is an excellent idea except for one drawback: humidity. The more heated the air, the lesser water vapors it possesses. That’s why homeowners feel much comfortable in a place, which is warmer and falls under the 45-50% the ideal humidity range.

A Furnace strips the moisture out of the air while heating your room or maintaining an ideal temperature. That makes the air drier, and you will be more likely to catch the illness. Humidity is undoubtedly the most crucial factor in determining the health and comfort of your home, and installing a humidifier offers countless advantages in winter. Apart from improving the comfort level, whole house humidifier helps to protect the health of you and your family. 

The summer season has arrived, and so do the grueling heat. We are currently in the height of summer where the sun is beating down, and mercury has soared into the red. We can’t even think to compromise or deal with any problem that can turn into an expensive breakdown of our air conditioner or result in unbearable indoor temperature.

To have uninterrupted and best cooling for your home keep these hacks in mind that increase the efficiency and extend the life span of a heating and cooling system.

AC maintenance and home cooling Tips:

A well-maintained AC unit works way more effectively to cool the place and cost you less money to run. You can perform the following DIY maintenance on AC to avoid any unpleasant experience or emergency breakdown.

Optimize the thermostat setting:

Homeowners should frequently check the thermostat to make sure it is working fine. Increase the temperature for times in a day when there is no one in the home. As it can reduce the energy bill and eventually your hard-earned money.

Tip: Having a mechanical or old thermostat? Consider upgrading to a smart or programmable model.

Clean and Replace Air filters:

The debris in the air filter can reduce the airflow, making AC to work harder than usual. Therefore, cleaning or replacing air filter is regarded as the essential Ac maintenance chores.

In summers, it is advised to clean air filters every month or replace it in case you do not have the reusable filters.

Inspecting wiring and components:

Before turning on an air conditioner, ALWAYS make sure to disconnect the power to the unit. In the next step, ensure the access panels are removed and see if there are any signs of overheating.
The electrical connection needs to be strong and firm that you can check by test meter.

Clean the coils:

Coils should be timely cleaned as dust keeps on accumulating and interfere with the functional operation of the coils.
Clean coils reduce the bill while dirty coils consume more than 37% energy. 

Did you know that one of the factors that affect Air Conditioner efficiency is the installation? A right installation performed is synonymous with optimal efficiency, least repairs and controlled energy bills while a faulty installation can mean all opposites; compromised efficiency, frequent repairs and uncontrolled energy bills. This is why HVAC professionals always endorse professional installation. However, Ductless Air Conditioner installation is relatively less tricky than the duct air conditioner so;
- If you are tight on budget
- A technician is not available 
or
- You have previous experience in the installation
you might consider trying a DIY. To ensure you perform installation like a pro, here are 7 important guidelines.
Note: Please note that performing a DIY installation voids the warranty. So if your system comes with a reliable and long warranty, better not waste it and avoid DIY. 

1. Analyse the strength of the wall

It is important to choose a strong wall for mounting the unit. A wall that is weak or damaged can result in banging your AC down on the floor on some summer afternoon. So the very basic thing is to ensure the wall chosen for mounting the unit has the capacity to hold its weight.

2. Measure the spacing carefully

The spacing around the unit is an important factor. For fair air flow, there has to be a space of almost 15 cm above and around the unit.

3. Consider height from the ground

The proper flow of air using a Split system has a lot to do with its height. Ideally, the unit should be mounted 7-8 feet above the ground.

4. Choose a location away from sunlight 

When choosing the location for the indoor and outdoor unit, it is important to choose a location where the direct sunlight does not hit. Placing either of these units under direct sunlight significantly drop their efficiency

5. Choose a flat placement 

The indoor unit of split ac is mounted, however, the outdoor unit is placed on the ground. But the guideline is not the place is directly on the ground. Choose a flat surface, preferably a slab which is non-metallic and is a good absorber of moisture and heat. This will save the unit from corrosion and premature wear and tear.

6. Don't over distance indoor, outdoor unit

Keeping the right distance between the indoor and outdoor unit is the key to losing the least amount of cooling. As the refrigerant flows between the units, there is always some loss of cooling. To keep this loss minimum, the distance between the indoor and outdoor unit should be no more than 15 meters.

7. Keep the right tilt angle 

Establishing a slight tilt when mounting the aluminium bracket for the indoor unit allows the indoor unit to also be at a slight tilt when mounted. This tilt helps to drain the condensate better and blocks the possibilities of indoor drainage.

Have you ever performed DIY installation of a Split Air Conditioner unit? How was that? And do you think performing a Do It Yourself for Split Air Conditioner can be cost-effective?

If you are buying a home and the home under consideration has ceiling stains, it is obvious that the sight will make you worried since ceiling stains immediately bring the thought of a leaking roof. Similarly, if you are selling or renting a home, a ceiling stain can impact the actual rate and may as well contribute to pulling buyers away. And let's say there's no such scenario of buying and selling, a home that you are living in should be in a good state. The ceiling stains, however, suggest that there is something wrong and this wrong could turn into a hefty expense. This blog is dedicated to helping you inspect and identify ceiling stains
Ceiling stains could be caused by a number of reasons. Here are the most common;

Stains below the bathroom exhaust fan 

The bathroom exhaust takes a whole lot of moisture out. And it does so via the duct attached to it. If the duct is not well insulated and does not have a proper airtight connection with a roof cap, the condensate will drip backwards and cause ceiling stains below the bathroom exhaust vent.
The fix of this issue lies in what causes it. The bathroom exhaust vent should be well insulated and well installed with an airtight connection in order to take the moisture outside, straightaway.

Stain on ceiling corners 

Stains on ceiling corners are what you see near the outside walls. And the most obvious reason for such type of stains is the ice dams. Air leaks in the attic or insufficient insulation in the attic allow the melting water of the ice dams to seep in. From the attic, it drips on the ceiling corners resulting in this type of stains which can start from a small spot and extend to a stain several feet in diameter.
In order to avoid or fix this kind of stains, there's ample need to check the insulation and fix the air leaks in the attic.

Random stains 

Random stains are stains that are basically not the roof stains. The frost that builds up in the attic when becomes unnecessarily more, it causes excessive condensation and as a result, water builds up at several places. This causes stains at random spots.
The fix for this type of stains is once again an insulation refill and fixing of the attic air leaks.

Ceiling leaks could turn out to be a matter of serious concern if immediate action is not taken. They may destroy the ceiling, parch the wallpapers badly and cause direct roof leaking. Since the signs are very easy to observe, it is imperative for you, as a homeowner, to take the signs seriously and call out a professional technician for resolving this issue of ceiling stains.

If you are fighting with ceiling stains issue or are looking for attic insulation, insulation refill, ductwork repair, ductwork inspection or a proper and professional ductwork installation, call us today 1-855-245-4328.

We have become so habitual to look up the prices online and that made developers design hundreds of apps dedicated to assisting us to compare prices and spec online before buying. The Internet is a blessing for people since it offers a wealth of knowledge and high transparency in pricing. Therefore, it is the second nature of homeowners to find the items online so they can get better and cheaper HVAC items. Below we explain why we don't recommend purchasing HVAC equipment and parts online.

The installation will always be smoother when it involves guaranteed parts certified by the distributor and a qualified installer that you can trust on.

It is difficult to find the right part for the job:

You may find the expensive replacements parts that your technician suggests in a fraction of amount on eBay and Amazon. Most of the companies do not prefer customers supplied items since every item which apparently looks similar won’t be compatible with your appliances. Generally, on the internet, the technical equipment will be either mislabeled or miscategorized to win a sale. 

Warranties are not trustable:

A new Furnace or Air Conditioner is a major financial investment for homeowners and in protecting that investment, warranties play a crucial role. Many resellers in the online market are non-certified distributors and do not honour any trustable warranties for HVAC parts and equipment. Besides this, “consumer - sourced parts” that are not covered by the manufacturer's warranty, can void your existing equipment warranty. Therefore, it is good for you to not take any risk.

Little to no resource for defective parts:

Unfortunately, consumers who buy parts over the internet may not have the eye for technical abnormalities. Moreover, if the equipment turns out to be defective, consumers who source parts from resellers have little or no recourse. Even in a best possible scenario (the seller provides a replacement at no cost), the consumer still pays more than twice the normal service cost: once for the initial installation, once again for the removal of the defective equipment and a final appointment for the replacement equipment installation.

You can Save hard-earned money in another way:

It is understandable that homeowners would consider purchasing their own equipment and parts for HVAC and can hire someone to install it. Purchasing online equipment, however, is not the right way to save. Instead, use that internet browser to search for heating and cooling equipment rebates in Ontario and other provinces of Canada  – including the IESO's Save on Energy rebates and manufacturer rebates through trusted names such as Lennox.

Cheaper Equipment Can cost Unexpected failures:

There is probably a reason for our inclination towards online purchasing - an expensive item is suddenly available for cheap, then how we can resist buying!  Although there are several exemptions for HVAC parts and equipment.
The equipment could have been opened previously.
The equipment could be falsified and lack the original manufacturer's minimum quality and safety standards. Such equipment can cause sudden appliance failures.

Have you ever purchase an HVAC spare part online? How was your experience and how durable it was?

Plastic insulation in windows and doors

Roof insulation:

Service the Furnace every year:

Clockwise direction of a ceiling fan:

Warm and cosy floor clothing

5 Quick tips to stay warm:

No matter how much scientists try to prove the ‘winter blue’ a myth, we all know that we have gone through this at times. Staying active is very hard for a majority of people in winter. Not only is it a problem for adults but kids start acting up in this season too.
We always have the holiday breaks to enjoy but don’t you feel bad after you have broken all the new year resolutions? It makes people feel even more discouraged and low.
You just can’t let the start of your new year be ruined. Even if you could not stay very productive and energetic in the beginning, you can still buckle up and be productive and have fun. You can always have light indoors even if the day ends too soon outside in winters.



Spring Cleaning in Winter
While you cannot go out and have fun, you can still end up all your work inside your home. While you will be stuck with all of this later, you can end it now so you can enjoy outdoors freely in the bright sunshine. Not only will it end your work soon, but will also help you stay active in these months. A clean home and closet will help you stay in a good mood and feel more active the whole winter.  Not will it be only good for you but also the kids will feel happier inside.

Homemade Beauty Treatments

Is your schedule too busy the whole year? You never got time to try all the homemade remedies that you keep seeing on the internet? Well, this is your time to shine. While you have plenty of time inside your home, you can now start taking care of your skin and your hair. There is a lot of videos and tutorials available on the internet that you can try and they will keep you busy the entire winter. Productively!

Explore New Music

Snow outside! It's time to listen to something new. It is the right time that you catch up with the latest trends and create some new libraries. You can even keep doing this while doing other home chores to stay in a good mood. We already know that music is the best thing which can fix your mood.

Try New Dishes

You might be a very good cook already but at this time you can try the dishes you couldn’t the whole year. Bake cookies of new styles, try different soups or even cook a whole fancy meal for yourself and your family. It would not only enhance your cooking skills but you would also be able to interact with your family better by breaking the bread together.

Happy Hour

Every person deserves some time off from everything so that he can get to know himself better. Now it is the perfect time that you forget everything and relax. This time will not just help you relax but will also help you brainstorm. New ideas which would help you make your life better.

So this winter, how are you going to make productive progress?