Showing posts with label Toronto. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Toronto. Show all posts
2

3 Important Home Insulation Q&A


Living in the harsh climates of North America could be really tough. And using conventional heating appliances does not prove to be sufficient for combating with cold. Homes that are located in very harsh climates be it cold or hot climate, need to be insulated in order to keep them warm in Winters and cool in Summers. While the insulation keeps the inside warmth trapped in the Winters and doesn't let the outer cold blows reach the indoor, it also keeps the indoors cool in Summer by not allowing the outdoor heat to reach the inside of the house. This way, insulation works great wonders to maintain a desirable indoor environment in all seasons while making only a limited use of HVAC appliances. But not all homes are insulated. Homes built before 1940’s are either non-insulated or insulated poorly. If yours is one such home that you think needs to be insulated, consider these tips;


How do I decide that my home needs insulation?
That ain't a rocket science. To discover whether your insulation has worn apart, check the attic for loose fills or batts of coloured fibreglass that are exposed. Check exterior walls for patched holes to know if the blown in wall insulation has been made sometime in the past. Roof in one big way to ensure whether or not the home is well insulated. Heat rises from the top and homes that have poor or worn out insulation can have warmer roofs. So here's how you can decide whether or not your home needs insulation but the biggest sign could be you and your family shivering despite having efficient heating appliances.    

Which and how much insulation do I need?
There are different types of insulation materials available in the market, each with its own specific ''R'' value. The R-value is basically the material's heat flow resistive value. Higher the value, higher the resistivity, lower the values, lower the resistivity. Materials with high R values are recommended for harshly cold climates like Chicago while those with low R-value are recommended for warmer climates like Florida. So, the type of insulation depends on the type of climate you live in. Similarly, how much and in which parts do you need insulation depends on several factors;
- The location of your home
- The architecture of your home
- Your budget
- Your preferences (some people are allergic to certain types of insulation material)

How to combat moisture problem when retrofitting insulation?
When retrofitting insulation, there's a problem that put homeowners at great unease and that is of moisture. The moisture that is formed as a result of cooking, bathing, hydronic heating etc reaches the walls and cavities and condenses in insulation material resulting in mould growth, rotting wood or peeling paints etc. In order to combat this problem, it is suggested to face the insulation materials vapour barrier towards the inside of the house in order to avoid the above-mentioned consequences. This is for colder climates. However, the places that see harsh Summer heat and vaporization occur as a result of moist air that travels from outside towards inside, the point of view differs. Better consult your nearby HVAC professional.
If you are searching a reliable HVAC tech to perform the Insulation job for you,  we can help. Connect today; 1-855-245-4328

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How Attic Insulation affects HVAC efficiency


Ever wondered why HVAC professionals emphasise on the importance of home insulation particularly Attic Insulation? There are wonderful benefits that the Attic Insulation offers but before discovering that, it is important to learn how much energy loss does an uninsulated attic causes you. Roughly, 15% of energy is lost in the attic when it is not insulated.

- Less use of appliances - Energy Saving

An insulated attic home is warmer than usual homes in Winters and cooler than usual homes in Summers. It is because the layer of insulation material keeps the heat and cold outside and bars the outdoor environment to the maximum to affect the indoor environment. As a result, the homes that have their attic, walls or basement insulated require the less use of HVAC appliances since the home easily gets cool in Summers and warm in Winter. Less use of HVAC appliances means saving on energy bills. A one-time insulation that lasts for several years helps save monthly on energy bills.
Attic Insulation

- Less use of HVAC appliances - Extended appliance life

Although a rough estimate of all HVAC appliances is given. For instance, Air Conditioners are supposed to have a lifetime of 10-15 years, Humidifiers a lifetime of 5-10 years, Thermostats a lifetime of 5 or more years etc. However, the fact is; the lifetime of HVAC appliances can be extended. The life expectancy depends on the use and abuse of the appliance. Appliances that are overused break down earlier than the estimated lifespan and those that are used relatively less help comfort for years long. The connection of Attic Insulation with the extended lifespan of HVAC appliances is that insulated homes make less use of heating and cooling appliances. This automatically increases the efficiency as well as the life expectancy.  

- Less use of HVAC appliances - Eco-Friendly

One shouldn't always be thinking only of his own benefits. The times that we are living in are the times of high level of air pollution and the United Nation's Framework Convention on Climate Change has emphasised on the importance of reducing the current level of air pollution else it will adversely deplete the ozone giving way to extremely serious consequences. We know that HVAC appliances including the Air Conditioners, Furnaces, Air Cleaners, Humidifier and others produce residual gases or chemicals that are not safe for the environment. Air Conditioners particularly have been producing the CFCs that are proven to have made serious damage to the environment. Home Insulation and particularly the attic insulation keeps the indoor environment moderate and a limited use of HVAC appliances help save the environment from pollution. Having the home insulated is like thinking for yourself and thinking for the world.

Other Benefits

In addition to the above-mentioned benefits, the other benefits of Attic Insulation include a better indoor air quality since an insulated home does not allow the outside pollution to peek inside. This is helpful in Spring and particularly for the people suffering from COPD. Moreover, an insulated attic reduces the level of outdoor noises.
    

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Does your wife always fight over Thermostat? Do this

Sounds funny? Doesn't it? But if you already have had fights over Thermostat, you can relate to the very statement. It is no gender stereotype, it is in fact, as fact that men and women feel differently when it comes to the outside temperature. So this happens in almost every home that females want the Thermostat to be turned a few degrees up while males of the home prefer it to be turned down to produce more cooling. Today, we'll explore why exactly do men and women have different temperature needs and living in a family, how to fix these differences wisely.

Thermostat Fights

Men feel different than Women because:
There is a genetic difference
We know men are different than women when it comes to genetics. These differences are also present when it comes to body temperature.
Difference#1
Studies show that women have an evenly distributed layer of fat that helps them store heat to their core organs, however, this same layer of fat also contributes in making them feel colder than men because all the major heat goes to the core organs. As a result, as soon as there's a little decrease in the outside temperature, women begin to feel colder and this intensity is more than what men feel because they have heat throughout their body and because of having uneven layers of fat, the heat is spread in most parts to help face the drop in outside temperature.

Difference#2
There's another thing we know about the men-women genetic differences and that is; men have a higher metabolism than women. Since metabolism is responsible for producing bodily heat, bodies of men are warmer than that of women's. This is why women want more outside heat than men.

How to fix Thermostat fights?
It's okay to do nothing if your fights are just little fights that fix up and the difference you and the other member/members feel is just a slight difference but in case it is otherwise; your fights are serious then fix the problem right away with one of the two solutions mentioned below:

- Switch to Programmable Thermostats
There's a wide range of Programmable Thermostats in the market that allow up to 7 days of scheduling. Using a Programmable Thermostat, the temperature of husband's choice can be auto set at his expected time to come home so that he doesn't complain about the temperature. And the wife can enjoy the cooling of her choice through the rest of the day. It's like 50/50.

- Switch to Zoning System
But as said earlier, if your fights and the temperature difference both are serious, you too need to take serious steps. The Programmable Thermostat idea is good but it can still not provide with all time temperature of your choice. A better choice then is Zoning system. By switching to zoning system, it's like everybody having his own Thermostat. Zoning supports up to 7 zones/rooms to be conditioned with different temperatures using one single AC unit. So now you can have a different temperature in the living room and different in the bedroom, different in the kid's room and different in the guest room depending on the requirements of the inmates. And yes, there's no need to fight over the poor Thermostat now. Convert your HVAC system to zoning and the next time it feels like you need more cooling, just go to any room and set the temperature of your choice. Sleep tight!  

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Allergy Season! How to maintain Indoor Air Quality?

The times have gone when you'd come back home to breathe deep and feel fresh even without any home comfort appliance. Due to the increased level of environmental pollution, it is now not possible to have a quality air at home without using relevant home comfort appliances and gadgets. Particularly, as the Spring season begins, pollen allergy and other types of allergen make easy breathing improbable. In order to combat this discomfort and beat the allergens, here are the ways every homeowner should employ particularly those suffering from allergies.
Improving Indoor Air Quality
Moderate humidity matters!
On average, the level of humidity in the indoor air should be somewhere between 30%-40%. Inadequate humidity causes the air to become dry and stale consequently causing breathing unease, irritation and allergies. On the other hand, more humidity than what is required created excessive moisture in the air, consequently giving birth to bacterias that can be harmful. So, maintaining a proper humidity level is crucial especially in the allergy season. For that, using a Humidification/Dehumidification system can help. Such a system assures that a proper Humidity level is maintained by treating both the less humid and overly humid air.
Ventilation, please!
Cross ventilation is the best choice. Although some people prefer shutting the windows and doors in allergy seasons in order to keep the outside allergens outside, what they ignore is that there's a lot that is formed in the indoor environment and can cause serious allergies until expelled out. The only way to expel the indoor allergens is Ventilation. However, natural ventilation is sometimes not possible, particularly in the tightly packed insulated homes. A Heat Recovery Ventilation system can be used as an alternative to natural ventilation to make sure that fresh air is coming in while the stale and dull air is moving out reducing the possibilities of allergies.
Change/Replace Filters
Duct Filters are of great use if cleaned properly. These Filters help trap airborne particles, allergens, pet dander, pollens, dust particle and other air pollutants that may cause allergies. When the Filters a cleaned regularly, they efficiently trap more particles, consequently reducing allergies. However, the efficiency of Filters depends on the type of filter you choose. Fibreglass filters that are commonly used are not much efficient at trapping particles. They do little to none so if you're suffering from serious allergies, it is important to choose a high-quality Filter so that it may efficiently trap as many particles as possible.

Cleaning is crucial
Keeping the home clean is always important but cleaning becomes even more crucial in allergy seasons. In the case of serious allergies, better use Anti-Allergen solutions to clean floor, carpets and clothes etc. Also, use a face mask when dusting and cleaning to come in the least contact with the allergy-causing particles and pollutants. In addition to that, also have Duct Cleaning done by a professional. Cleaner ducts not only help improve efficiency but also reduce allergy risks.
Professional Check Up:
If you're employing the above-mentioned ways but are still tired of allergies, there could be something wrong either with your heating and cooling system, ventilation system or with your ducts. A professional help here needs to be sought to diagnose and fix the problem and improve the indoor air quality.
If you're unable to beat allergens, have used all solutions none worked and are looking for professional assistance, we're here to help you. As a certified and professional HVAC service provider, we've helped several GTA homeowners in improving their home’s Air Quality.  
Connect Now: 1-855-245-4328

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