New Home Owner Suggestions

If you are in a new property and not familiar with the equipment in your home have us come out. We will check over the equipment, review it with you and explain a few things. Our people will be able to show you things you should be doing that you may not know about.

As a new home owner there is a list if the things you need to be familiar with and need to do to get the best performance from your home comfort equipment.

Replacing the filter in your furnace regularly is important. If the filters are dirty the furnace will not run efficiently and your air conditioner may not run at all. We can show you how to check and change your filters. This is an easy job that most home owners can do themselves.

Thermostats come in a wide range of vintages and styles. You need to know how your thermostat works, its features and limitations. In an older home it may even be beneficial to replace your thermostat. We find many people do not understand that with most thermostats, you need to switch between the heating program and the cooling program.

To maximize your comfort levels, you want to ensure that your humidifier is working properly and that you know how to use it. Optimal settings differ depending on the time of year. Your humidity levels within the home have a major impact on how you feel in the home.

You need to know how to shut down your air conditioner for the winter. While not difficult it is important to ensure this is done correctly to protect the unit and make sure it is functional in the spring.
Prior to temperatures getting cold you need to start up the furnace to ensure that it is running properly. The first chilly day is not a fun time to find out that your furnace needs service.

Optimal air conditioning and heating is dependent in part, on how your vents are set up. Most people do not understand the science behind airflow, and the experts at Salmons can review this with you.

Check the condition of your water heater. The age of the unit is one indicator of potential issues. The colour and temperature of the water that comes out of your tap can also indicate the status of your heater.

Make sure you know where the various shutoff valves are for the water lines inside and outside the house. If you should spring a leak every minute counts to minimize damage.

People sometimes will notice that something is a little different but, will ignore it, hoping it will correct itself. Quite often equipment will put off different warnings before it fails. Addressing warning signs early is the best practice. If you are not sure, give us a call.

Scheduling a Service Call

Salmon Plumbing & Heating has built its' reputation on providing timely and quality service to our customers. A large part of our business is repairs. We don't have this work at the start of the day. Customers call in and we try our best to get them serviced on the same day.

We all have an experience where we've sat at home for an entire day waiting for a serviceman to arrive. We don't run our business this way. Scheduling in our business can be a bit of a juggling act, because we don't know for certain how long our men will be at each call.

The only service appointment we can make with certainty is the first one in the morning. After that, we give people a time range to expect our arrival. We do the best we can to meet our schedule. If we are running late, we'll call you with a new E.T.A.

We understand that customers have to work during the day. If you plan on coming home to meet our serviceman, we'll call you at your work and let you know he's on his way.

Everyday Londoners have a choice who they will call for their plumbing and heating needs. We want to make sure we do quality work and meet time commitments so customers will choose us again the next time the need arises.

We offer 24-hour emergency service outside of our regular office hours. We have our own staff answering the phones after hours. Emergency service is more expensive, so if possible we'll try to give you a short term solution on the phone so we can come when we are charging our standard rates. If it's an emergency, we have licensed servicemen ready to go out at any time.

Listen to our answers to many common plumbing questions.

Improving Home Comfort with a New Furnace

Many of our customers that buy a new furnace do it to take advantage of energy savings and government rebates.

People are often surprised to discover that their home is more comfortable in both summer and winter.

Some high efficiency furnaces from Daikin and Ruud are multi-stage furnaces with variable speed fans. The fans on new furnaces can move much more air than older furnaces.

During the winter months, the furnace fires at different levels, automatically adjusting to outdoor conditions. On extremely cold nights like we see here in London Ontario, the furnace will fire at a higher level and your fan will run at a higher speed to keep your house warm on frigid nights.

Most of the time in London, during the winter months, the temperature is running between -5C and +5C. During these milder periods, the furnace and the fan will run at a lower setting to maintain your home’s temperature at a constant and comfortable level.

Modern furnaces keep the temperature very close to the thermostat setting, normally not varying more than half of a degree, plus or minus.

During the summer months your furnace fan will allow your air conditioner to do a better job, especially in multi-level homes. Warm air rises and on a hot summer day our homes can become uncomfortably warm on the second floor.

The new high efficiency furnaces will move much more air than older furnaces. That means that your system can deliver more cool air to your upper level in the summer months.

We’ve had customers tell us that "had they known how much better their air conditioner would work, they would have not waited so long to replace their furnace".

Upgrading your furnace is probably a lot less trouble than you think. Just give us a call and we can take a look at your current equipment and give you a pretty good idea what energy savings you could start enjoying immediately. This is all a free service that we offer, with no obligation or pressure tactics.

Many customers are pleased to discover that a new furnace can actually pay for itself. The increased comfort and peace of mind with warranties extending up to twelve years are icing on the cake.

Salmon Plumbing & Heating will assist you with the paperwork for government rebates. We can also help you with financing your new equipment.

Listen to our answers to many common heating questions.

What to Think About When Buying a New Furnace

There are several reasons you may be in the market for a new furnace:

• A large estimate to repair your current furnace.
• Your existing furnace is not energy efficient and a new furnace will actually save you money.
• Your existing furnace has had a critical failure, like a cracked heat exchanger.
• To improve your home’s comfort.

Daikin Furnace + Air

Whatever the reason, a new furnace is a large investment in a piece of equipment that you will have for 15 to 20 years.

Home owners are likely to look at the price, manufacturer and warranty when making their decision. An equally important consideration is the contractor that will be installing your equipment. Here are a few considerations:

• Will they stand behind the product after it is installed?
• Do they service the product themselves, or do they contract service to somebody else?
• Is there somebody local you can talk to if you have a problem?
• Do they employ licensed tradesmen? A proper installation requires electrical work, a gas fitter and custom sheet metal work.

Modern furnaces are complex pieces of equipment. A furnace needs to sized, for your home. Once it is installed, it needs to be set up properly to ensure your safety and comfort. Finally, a good contractor will show you how to operate your new furnace to give you the best performance.

Home owners can do many things themselves to keep their system running smoothly including:

• Changing furnace filters
• Adjusting your humidifier for summer and winter
• Keeping fresh batteries in your thermostat
• Making sure that heating vents and cold air returns are not obstructed
• Keeping air intakes and exhaust vents clear of snow and debris

Changing Furnace Filters

A good contractor will show you how to do all of this after installation. All new furnaces require an annual maintenance check-up. Annual maintenance is important to:

• Keep your manufacturer’s warranty in place.
• Extend the life of your equipment
• Keep your equipment operating safely and efficiently

It only makes sense to have an installation contractor that’s familiar with your equipment and can help you resolve any warranty issues. A good contractor will call to remind you to get your equipment maintained every year.

There are many ways to make sure you are dealing with a reputable contractor, including:

• The Better Business Bureau
• The manufacturer’s website
• The HRAI (Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada) website

If you are thinking of a new furnace, Salmon Plumbing & Heating provides a free no-obligation visit to your home. We’ll take a look at your old furnace and recommend a brand and model that will best meet your needs. If you would like to finance your furnace, we can also help you set up an affordable payment plan.

Just call (519) 451-8910.

Rebates from the government on new energy efficient equipment are designed to help homeowners move into new equipment. We’ll explain all the programs that are currently available and help you with the paperwork.

Change Your Thermostat Batteries

You should change the batteries on your programmable thermostat once a year. Most smart thermostats take alkaline batteries (AA or AAA) or 3 volt lithium batteries, all of which are commonly available.

Your thermostat has batteries to keep your programming saved when the power goes out. Even though your thermostat is wired directly to the furnace, a thermostat with a dead battery can lead to no heat.

Some thermostats have a low battery indicator, that will give you a warning a few weeks ahead. It’s good practice to change the batteries once a year, just like you would with your smoke detectors.

You don’t want to pay for an emergency no heat service call, just to find out your thermostat battery is dead.

Air Conditioner Covers

We recommend that you do not cover your outside air conditioner unit in the winter. Moisture can build up underneath the cover, which can be harmful to the electrical components inside.

Clear the area and unit of twigs, leaves and debris. If you are concerned about leaves and debris falling in the unit, we recommend that you put a board on top of the unit, weighed down with a brick. We would also recommend that you turn off the power to the air conditioner at the panel. This will ensure that the unit is not inadvertently turned on in cold weather. Be sure to remember to take the cover back off in the spring.

If you buy a cover, select one that does not go all the way to the ground. This allows air circulation and prevents moisture damage.

Simply use a board weighed down by some bricks

At the Salmon Plumbing shop we have 3 air conditioning units. We do not cover any of them during the winter.

Air conditioners should be serviced annually to extend their life, maintain warranties and improve performance and energy efficiency.

Call (519)451-8910 to schedule your air conditioner service call.

Shutting Off Heating Vents in Summer

In a 2 storey home with an older furnace a common issue is the difference in temperate between the main and upper levels during the summer. A common but incorrect solution is closing vents. People think that if they close vents on the main floor, the system will push more cool air to the upper floor.

Heating Vent

This strategy will often give you poorer cooling performance. When you are getting your furnace maintenance done our technician can assess your equipment. The repairman will take into account the age and size of motor, how it cycles, the duct-work, number of air returns and vents.

If you have a minimal number of vents you should not close any. If you have more vents than you need then perhaps you can shut some. In general, it is normally OK to close vents in a basement. It is on the main floor that you probably do not want to close any vents.

Your furnace fan is moving cool air in the summer months. If you reduce the number of exit points for the cool air, your furnace fan can no longer move as much air.

We think that by closing vents, we are able to force the air to go where we want, which is up. When we close vents we are actually restricting air flow. That means less cool air circulating through your home.

A better solution to keeping your second floor cooler is to run your furnace fan continuously. Without a fan running, the air in your home stratifies, with warm air moving to the highest levels of the house. With the fan running, the air is constantly mixing.

Set Your Furnace Fan to 'On'

Many people are surprised to find out that when they replace their furnace, the air conditioning works better. That’s because new furnaces have more efficient fans that move more air.

A ductless split is another solution for cooling higher floors. With a ductless split, cool air can be delivered from high on a wall on your upper floor. Cool air naturally drops, so this makes more sense than your furnace trying to deliver cool air from the basement.

Your annual maintenance call is a great time to ask your technician the best way to operate your home comfort equipment. If you have questions, you can call us anytime at (519)451-8910.

Listen to our answers to many common heating questions.

Air Conditioner Sizing

When we recommend the size of air conditioner your home will need, we run through a series of calculations. Factors that we consider are the size of your home, number of windows and the direction that windows are facing.

Code requires a unit that will provide anywhere from 80% to 125% of the calculated load on a design day. In London, we design with an outside temperature of 86°F (30°C), and an indoor temperature of 75°F (24°C).

If It is determined that your home requires a 2½ ton unit to meet design, you can choose anything between 2 ton and 3 ton and still meet code.

The 2 ton unit will work fine on mild days, but will not keep up on design or over design days. If we have a stretch of weather over 86°F (30°C), or if you want to maintain an indoor temperature of 72°F (22°C), you should consider a 3 ton unit.

There is a price difference when you move up to a higher capacity unit. The price differences are not that great when you consider that you will likely own your unit for 15 years plus.

If you find your current equipment does not keep your home cool enough on very hot days, we have some recommendations. Keep your windows closed with your blinds drawn on sunny windows. Keep your unit running all the time. Do not shut it down and do not open windows on milder days. Your air conditioner is drying the air, which helps make you feel cooler. Opening windows allows humid air back into your home, which will make you feel warmer quicker when the temperature starts to rise again. It also makes more work for your air conditioner when you turn it on again, to have to remove the humidity from the air.

Regular maintenance is required to ensure that your unit operates at maximum efficiency. A poorly maintained unit will not operate at its’ designed capacity, or run as efficiently.

We have had customers that report their air conditioning worked better after they replaced their furnace.Your furnace fan also impacts your system performance. New furnaces have more efficient fans that move more air.

Have us out to maintain your furnace and air conditioner annually. Our technicians can tell you if it looks like you should consider replacing your equipment. If it’s time to look at new equipment, we will visit your house for a no-cost, no-obligation assessment of your home comfort needs.

A new furnace and air conditioner will keep you more comfortable and are more energy efficient than older equipment. New equipment also carries worry-free warranties of up to 12 years. In addition, there are energy rebates to help cover the cost of new equipment.

Listen to our answers to many common air conditioning questions.

Reasons for an AC Service Call

If your air conditioner is no longer cooling, you are probably going to need a service call. When we visit your home, we'll look at a number of factors that could contribute to poor performance.

A common problem is small leaks in the system that result in the loss of refrigerant. Refrigerant levels only need to be off by a little bit to reduce the efficiency and capacity of the air conditioner. When the system charge is low the AC will run longer in an effort to maintain the demands on it and on warm days it may not be able to maintain the set temperature.

In the past it was common practice to simply "top up" the refrigerant charge but present environmental regulations require us to find the leak and repair it before adding refrigerant to the system.

Damaged or loose wiring can also be an issue. Often over the winter months, mice and other small rodents will build nests within the AC unit that's outside. Some older AC models have little heaters in the compressors that run during the winter. The warm environment inside the unit is very attractive to small rodents. They can disturb the wiring, or chew on the wires, causing a short.

As the unit gets older there is a greater probability that there will be a failure of the contactor, capacitor, condensing fan motor or even the compressor.

A dirty condenser coil (the outside unit) can negatively affect your air conditioner's performance. Dirt, dust, weed and tree pollen, and leaves can all build up on the coil reducing the transfer of heat from the refrigerant to the outside air. Since the unit is outside in the elements it is necessary to clean it periodically. Don't allow nearby bushes to grow around your air conditioner. The unit needs space for good air flow to operate correctly.

Don't forget to change your furnace filter before the cooling season and check it regularly. The blower in your furnace is required to circulate the cool air produced by your air conditioner throughout your home and maintain a sufficient flow of air over the coil installed in the ductwork (evaporator coil). A plugged furnace filter can result in reduced performance of your AC and lead to coil icing.

Don't forget to change your furnace filter.

There are other causes and remedies for icing that you can read about on our blog about icing.

If your unit is older than 15 years, depending on its' condition and the cost of repair, purchasing a new unit may make more sense, although our first priority is to repair your equipment, if this is your best option. Like any piece of equipment, it's not going to last forever.

Today's air conditioners are quite a bit more efficient than an older unit, so the savings in energy costs will help take the sting out of the cost of a new unit. The government also has attractive rebates on air conditioners. Rebates on new units currently vary from $250 to $400, depending on how efficient the new equipment is.

New units are more efficient and carry attractive warranties.

Warranties on new equipment are also very attractive. Daikin offers a limited full replacement warranty for up to six years and a limited parts warranty up to twelve years. You can learn more about new equipment on our website.

Listen to our answers to many common AC questions.

What Causes Air Conditioner Icing?

Icing is a condition where the evaporator coil for the air conditioner ices over and your unit no longer can cool the home properly. The evaporator coil is located in the ductwork, usually just above your furnace. Your furnace fan moves air over the coil and distributes the cool air throughout your home.

Often if an air conditioner is icing, it can be traced to improper use. This is a common problem for new home owners and it is easy to fix.

If you set the thermostat too low, it can cause the unit to ice. Many people think that by setting a lower temperature it will help to cool down the home faster. That is not how your air conditioner works. If you set the temperature too low, your air conditioner will run continuously trying to get your house to the temperature you set.

Do Not Set Thermostat Too Low

The volume and temperature of the air flowing through the coil affects the surface temperature of the coil. As the temperature in the home drops the lower temperature of the air flowing over the coil is not sufficient to keep the surface temperature of the coil, which is being cooled by the refrigerant, above freezing. As a result, the water on the coil (condensate) freezes and air can no longer flow through the coil. Evaporator coil freezing can also occur if the outside temperature drops quickly and the air conditioner is left running to cool down the home. We often see this if the thermostat is set too low or the AC was left off all day and turned on in the evening to cool the house down. If there is a change in the weather and the outside temperature drops quickly the refrigerant temperature at the evaporator coil is so low, it can cause the moisture on the coil to freeze.

Your air conditioner coil will ice if there is not proper air flow over the coil. Some people close too many vents in an effort to drive cool air to the second floor of their home. Closing vents restricts air flow, which can cause your unit to ice.

A dirty furnace filter can also cause your unit to ice. Dirty filters are another cause of restricted air flow.

Change Furnace Filters Regularly

What To Do When Your AC Ices:

1. Turn off the air conditioner. It has to thaw out and cannot do this while it is running.
2. Make sure all your vents are open.
3. Make sure you have a clean furnace filter installed.
4. Change your furnace fan setting from ‘auto’ to ‘on’. This will thaw the coil faster.
5. Wait a few hours for the ice to thaw from the coil. Set the temperature at a reasonable level (72-75° F) (22-24°C) and start up your air conditioner again.

If these steps don't solve the problem, it's time for a service call.

A low refrigerant charge can also cause icing or frosting but it will require a mechanic to check the system pressures to confirm this.

Listen to our answers to many common air conditioning questions.

Government Rebates on New Furnaces and Air Conditioners in Ontario

The Ontario Government is currently running a program called ‘saveONenergy’. The program is run by a department called IESO (Independent Electricity System Operator). This provincial department ensures that there is enough power to meet the province's energy needs both today and in the future.

The saveONenergy Heating & Cooling Incentive offers rebates to Ontario residents looking to replace their old central air conditioning or heating systems with ENERGY STAR® qualified models. With 60% of your yearly electricity bill going toward heating and cooling your home, it makes good sense to look for ways to reduce your usage and your bills.

The program offers consumers very attractive rebates. If you purchase a qualifying furnace, there is a rebate of $250.00. For a qualifying air conditioner there is a rebate of $400.00.

When you are buying a complete system that adds up to $650, which is a pretty attractive incentive to purchase new equipment. You also see the benefit of lower utility bills and improved home comfort. New equipment carries worry free warranties of up to 12 years, providing peace of mind for our customers.

Why is the Government Doing This?

To meet the increased demands for electricity the provincial government has two choices. Build more power plants and infrastructure or encourage consumers to use less energy.

It is cheaper for the government to offer these rebates and encourage consumers to move into more energy efficient equipment that it is to build new power plants.

Is it Complicated to get the Money?

We will make sure that you are choosing equipment from Ruud or Daikin that qualifies for the rebates.

We strive to make the process simple, we do this all the time. We’ll help you with all the paperwork and ensure that you get your rebate after your new equipment is installed.

Bill Salmon talks about Government Programs: