We’ve talked about HRV systems before; if you need to brush up on your know-how, check out our previous blog post. One thing a lot of people can get confused about, however, is the other similar-sounding system that pops up in conversation: ERV systems.

What’s the difference, you ask? Great question! Though they sound similar, HRV and ERV systems are actually not as interchangeable as you may think. Let’s go over what exactly these systems are, the major differences between the two, and what each can bring to your home or work in terms of benefits and usage.

What is an HRV System?

An HRV system, or a Heat Recovery Ventilation System, takes the heated, stale, contaminated air to warm up fresh air. It does this through its heat exchange core and the two fans typically installed to create the desired effect. HRVs are flexible systems in that you can add them to your current HVAC equipment or install them as independent devices.

What is an ERV System?

An ERV system stands for Energy Recovery Ventilation. The system’s process is similar to an HRV in that it consists of exchanging the energy within stale air in order to treat the incoming outdoor air. However, an ERV goes a little further than the HRV. It takes the humidity from the air in the room and keeps it on the same side as the thermal envelope where the humidity came from.

So, What’s the Difference?

Let’s recap the differences real quick before getting to each system’s benefits:

• HRVs are best suited to homes in colder climates where excess humidity occurs during the hotter seasons; ERVs are best suited to homes in cold climates where that excess is not a problem.
• While both recover heat, the ERV goes further by recuperating what energy is trapped in humidity, thus greatly improving overall recovery efficiency.
• An HRV takes the stale air from inside and exchanges it with fresh cool air from outside.
• An ERV limits the humidity levels coming from inside your home while it’s hot outside and A/C is on, plus it limits the humidity being expelled from your home when it’s cold outside, low humidity levels are present, and a humidifier is being used.

How Can These Systems Help Me?

It’s definitely worth considering getting an HRV or ERV system installed if your daily life applies to the following:

• You have severe allergies, such as pollen and dust
• Your home is too hot, and the air too stale almost daily
• You want to keep the windows closed and the air cool when it’s hot, or the windows closed and the air warm when it’s cold, all without giving up fresh air
• Humidity and excess condensation in your home is an issue—this will depend on how old it is

Talk to a professional if you want to learn more about these systems!

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

Refrigeration is an absolute must in our daily lives. After all, it keeps our perishable and frozen foods chilled and ready for when we need it. Most fridges nowadays come with a built-in filtered water tap so we can enjoy not just a cool glass of water, but a glass of clean water.

However, with great refrigeration comes great responsibility, meaning proper maintenance and cleaning is essential. For some reason though, most people tend to forget about that until it’s too late! It helps to know what the signs of trouble are, as well as the causes creating the problems so that your fridge lasts you a long, long time. Without further ado, let’s go over the signs your refrigerator needs maintenance as well as the potential causes.

Sign 1: Weird Noises

Your fridge should always produce a low, quiet hum during certain times of the day before stopping. This is its cooling process at work where the compressor, fan, and coolant work together to produce the chill you normally feel whenever you open the fridge. Any weird noise that sounds like grinding, mechanical groaning, or knocking should be of concern. The causes?

• A breaking down compressor
• A broken down fan motor
• A faulty condenser
• An overworking cooling system

Sign 2: Hot Air or No Cool Air, Period

Fridges should never, ever feel like the air inside of them is warm or non-existent! A lack of air flow and thawing or spoiled food, or food covered in condensation in the freezer, are some of the most telltale signs something is wrong—very wrong. The cause is likely a fan motor that’s broken down, not enough power to the fridge, a dirty condenser, or a compressor on its last legs.

Sign 3: Too Much Ice

Evaporator coils that are too iced up and gone uncleaned for some time will cause a ton of frost buildup. This in turn causes the temperature in the fridge and freezer to fluctuate. Most fridges come with a self-defrosting system built in, which normally does the trick as it runs 4 times a day per 24 hours. However, if that doesn’t work, it means the coils are failing.

Sign 4: Puddles

Water in front or surrounding your fridge on the floor is always a red flag of something gone wrong. Ditto if it looks like your own fridge is sweating through a current heat wave. This excessive condensation can mean a few things:

• The seal on the fridge door is not sealing up properly
• The drip pan, where condensation from the freezer’s defrost drain goes to evaporate, is overflowing due to a blockage of ice or food debris
• An electrical problem, usually associated with the power lights, ice dispenser (if it’s applicable), or the thermostat

Most, if not almost all of these signs, make it difficult to tell if it’s time for you to buy a new refrigerator or if it’s a fixable solution. If it’s been over 10 or 20 years since the last time you bought a fridge, it’s going to be less expensive to buy a new one than it would be to repair your current, aging one. If you’re not sure at all, or the fridge isn’t that old, it’s best to call in a professional technician for help—and a good idea overall to clean and maintain your fridge regularly.

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

Summer has arrived early this year! The sun is shining, it’s warm out, and the heat is on. That means many people are already dragging out their fans and dusting off their A/C units in order to keep their homes cool and to chill out.

Did you know, however, that there are terrible ways one can use their air conditioning? It’s true! Here are some major no-no’s that are worth knowing about, as well as solutions for how best to stay cool.

1: Placing Obstacles in Front of Vents

Just because you got new carpet for your home’s renovations doesn’t mean it can go anywhere. Likewise, certain obstacles such as furniture place over a vent where cool air from the A/C system is supposed to go will cause problems. Without an opening for air to flow through, this can result in limited air circulation which means your room will not be cooled off properly.

2: Forcing the Unit to Run 24/7

We know how hot summer is, but there’s being smart with your air conditioning by letting it run when it’s necessary and then letting it run every minute of every hour of every day. This is not a smart use of your A/C! Not only will it shorten the unit’s life span, but also it’s going to cost you precious pennies.

3: Lowering the Temperature

Did you know it’s actually a terrible idea to lower the temperature on your A/C? Doing so can cause the unit (if it’s central A/C) to freeze up, especially if it reaches below 20 degrees Celsius, leading to a damaged compressor. It may be tempting to do so if you come home to hot, stuffy air, and want the room to cool faster. But this is not a smart way to use the A/C. Even after it’s reached the ideal temperature, the unit will keep working and thus the life span will be shortened.

4: Having Heat-generating Units on Also

Appliances that generate heat such as stoves, ovens, washers, and dryers all generate heat in order to do their jobs. This can actually prevent the A/C unit from doing its job, as the A/C will work harder to cool a temperature that keeps on escalating. The end result? You guessed it—a shorter life span on the A/C.

What to Do Instead

To ensure your A/C lasts as long as you want it to, try applying these actions to your daily life this summer:

• Keep the temperature above 20 degrees Celsius to prevent icing up the coils.
• Wait a while before turning on the A/C; sometimes it only takes a few minutes for our bodies to adjust to a room’s temperature.
• Remove any obstacles, such as furniture, from the vents.
• Keep your blinds and curtains over the windows during the hottest times of the day and only open the blinds when it’s cooler out.
• Close the vents off before you leave for work, and close the closet doors too so that these spaces don’t suck up the cool air.
• If you simply must let cool air flow to help you sleep at night, the A/C unit should run at a much lower capacity and be timed so that it shuts off when you fall asleep.
• If hot, stuffy rooms are a real problem where you live, consider getting programmable or smart A/C instead. That way, ideal temperature is guaranteed.
• Limit your use of heat-based appliances so that the A/C doesn’t work harder than it ought to.
• Keep your units clean and well-maintained. If you can’t remember the last time either maintenance or cleaning was done, you may want to call in a professional.

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

How does the air feel in your office? Are you surrounding by a lot of computers day in and day out? If your answer to our former question was “stuffy” or “warm” and there are computers nearby, that’s not a good answer. Why? Because without ventilation, a lot of problems could arise.

“But that’s nothing to worry about,” you’re probably wondering. “I switch my computer off every day.” That’s not a smart way to think though! Here are some valid reasons why that computer room of yours does in fact need ventilation.

Reason 1: Heat

What happens when a computer is switched on all of the time is it will generate heat. Many computers now come complete with a built-in fan to keep the inner mechanics cooled off, but extra ventilation can help limit the amount of heat being generated from the machine’s long-term usage.

The bigger your computers, the more heat they will generate. This is why data center companies will absolutely insist on installing ventilation as well. So, if you run a business or rely on your computer at work, cool air flow is a must, not only for your sake but also for the sake of your employees. Those computers contain the most vital information your business and everyday life needs, after all! If you use a lot of electronics as a hobby or to work remotely, you want the electronics to last as long as possible. Having ventilation installed is the answer.

Reason 2: Dust

The downside of owning so many electronics in one area is that dust tends to collect faster than per usual. Those dust bunnies if left alone can spell danger! Dust and dirt buildup left alone for a long period of time can cause all sorts of problems, the worst being overheating.

Reason 3: Humidity

In addition to dust, humidity levels can contribute to overheating within a computer room. When mixed with dust, condensation can occur if you move the computer from an extremely cold environment to a humid indoors one swiftly. The best way to keep humidity levels down is—you guessed it—ventilation.

How to Keep the Computer Room Cool

There are several types of ventilation you can install to ensure your computer room at home or at work stays cool and keeps the air circulation flowing:

• A portable air conditioner (if your home is smaller, such as an apartment)
• Central air conditioning (for larger homes and office buildings)
• Precision cooling and containment (for large server rooms such as at IT companies or data centres)

The size of your computer room itself is also very important. Portable air conditioners are not built to last every hour of every day for the entire year. However, too much A/C can cost you too much (especially if you the computer room is a small one). If size is a concern, a professional can help to inspect your computer room and then advise you on what type of cooling would be best from there.

Ideally, your computer room’s temperature should not fall below 10 degrees Celsius or go above 27 degrees Celsius. Either temperature level exceeding those numbers in either direction can spell bad news for your computer’s inner mechanisms! The most ideal temperature should range between 18-21 degrees Celsius.

As for keeping dust bunnies away from your computer, effort on your part is going to be needed. A can of compressed air should be your best friend, especially when it’s time to clean and vacuum near this room (and if you haven’t already, you really, really should!). The compressed air can get rid of any invisible dust and dirt buildup that may be trying to creep into your computer’s nooks and crannies as well.

Use a vacuum cleaner only after dusting off all of your electronics with the compressed air—notto clean the computer itself! Doing so will create static buildup and send a discharge into the most sensitive parts of your computer. Only vacuum around the computer area and not within the machines themselves.

You should get maintenance help immediately if you notice the following:

• There’s more heat in the computer room despite the A/C being on
• There’s loud noise coming from the HVAC units being used for cooling
• The temperature keeps going above the desired 27 degrees Celsius or below 10 degrees Celsius
• Humidity levels are skyrocketing despite your use of cooling

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

Take a deep, long breath of air in your home. How does it smell? Does it smell like a fresh spring breeze, or does it smell stale and unclean? Or—even worse—did you have to stop inhaling in order to sneeze or cough? Now, look outside your window. Is the sun glaring into your home and causing the heat to rise? Are there a lot of bugs hanging out you don’t want coming inside?

Fresh air, especially in the spring and summer, always add a certain smell to your home, whether it’s letting in the ocean breeze or you’re trying to air out your bedroom. Did you know that there is a ventilation system that can give you fresh air without opening a window and risking flies or unwanted particles to come inside? It’s called an HRV system, and we’re going to talk more about it.

What is an HRV System?

HRV stands for heat recovery ventilation. It is also known as mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR). An HRV system works similarly to a balanced ventilation system, except what it does is use the heat in outgoing, stale air to warm up fresh air. Typically, a unit includes two fans, one to take out the household air and the other to bring in the fresh air.

What makes this a unique HVAC system is its heat-exchange core. This core will transfer heat from an outgoing stream of air to an incoming stream the way your car’s radiator transfers heat from the engine’s coolant to outside air. This is because it’s made of several narrow passages through which the airstreams flow. Heat is shifted from the warm side of each passage to the cold, but the airstreams never mix.

What are the Benefits of an HRV System?

HRVs are flexible systems in that they can either be built into or added to your existing HVAC systems, or you can leave them be as independent devices. They are small and can provide ventilation for a single room. The only requirements you need are an air supply, either directly from or ducted to an exterior wall, and an energy supply for air circulation such as electricity for fans and an electronic control system, or as wind energy.

HRVs are effective in the summer months in that it will take heat from the incoming fresh air and transfer it to stale, air-conditioned exhaust air, so that you can stay cool without giving up good air quality. An HRV is also effective, even  more so, during the winter months as it will keep your air fresh without your opening a window and risking all the rain (and snow!) to come in. Overall, having an HRV active during both seasons will help reduce the need to cool down or heat up the house, thus preventing you from emptying your wallet to pay your energy bills.

An HRV also contains filters that will keep particles, such as pollen and dust, from entering the house, so that your air is kept clean, pure, and allergen-free.

Is My Home Suitable for an HRV System?

It depends. While we recommend installing them if air quality is important (especially if allergies are an issue), it’s also more beneficial to have one installed if your home is prone to moisture. This is because the HRV will replace humid air with dry fresh air. That means the climate inside of your home with stay at a constant level and retain two-thirds of the heat that would normally be lost through ventilation, so not only does it keep the air fresh, it also saves you valuable energy.

Basically, if your home is older and tends to be drafty, or it’s modern and airtight but the air feels stuffy and unventilated, an HRV system is definitely necessary.

So, ready to have your HRV system installed?

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

Here’s a grocery store owner’s nightmare: the customer is minding their own business and wants to grab some frozen fruit for breakfast tomorrow. As they reach into one of your fridges, however, not only do the frozen berries feel softer than they should, the inside of the fridge they’re reaching into feels hot instead of cold!

Owning refrigeration that lasts for years is a must if you run a grocery business, whether it’s small or massive. One of the most commonly used units we see in our stores is in fact self-contained refrigeration. This is the easiest form of refrigeration to service and maintain as it uses a simple “plug and go” setup and installation. However, if maintenance goes unattended to for long enough, the results of such negligence will be disastrous. Self-contained refrigerators are considered to be HVAC equipment as well, so like any asset in your business, it needs proper maintenance to keep running. These are the most important pieces of your self-contained refrigeration where maintenance is crucial.

The Condenser

The condenser in your self-contained refrigeration is one of the most important parts to maintain. It can be located anywhere within the unit, but it absolutely must connect to the evaporator. These two components are connected via tubes, which then carry coolant throughout the cooling system, ensuring that heat is exchanged for a cold temperature which keeps perishable foods chilled and at their proper temperature.

If the condenser is dirty, however, it will work harder than it should to keep the air cool, thus shortening its lifespan. A dirty condenser will also retain its heat rather than dispersing it throughout the unit, and if it gets too hot the entire unit will shut down. By the time the condenser cools, your food will have warmed up. Not only that, it can also lead to a huge spike in your energy bill!

To avoid such a financial predicament, it’s best to make sure to clean the area where the condenser is located. Once a year should suffice as far as how often to clean it, however it may need to be cleaned more frequently if cobwebs or other debris builds up faster.

The Compressor

You want your compressor to last as long as possible. Next to the condenser, this is the most important piece of your self-contained refrigerator’s system that needs regular maintenance since it keeps the fridge interior cool.

If the compressor goes unmaintained, it will not run properly—and you need it to be running, otherwise the same problem of your food warming up will occur! Typically, you should clean any dirt, grease, dust, and more from your compressor every 3 months.

The Evaporator

The evaporator coils in self-contained refrigeration work similarly to A/C units in that they evaporate the coolant connected from the condenser. Unlike the condenser, which can be installed in different areas of the self-contained fridge, the evaporator is always situated on top where the actual cooling process takes place. This is where the coolant coming from the condenser changes from liquid to gas.

Much like the A/C units, evaporator coils in the fridge can get iced up and dirty if they’re not attended to. It’s important to defrost the fridge once a month and ensure it is properly cleaned afterwards. This will help those evaporator coils stay defrosted. You should also double-check the temperature; sometimes setting the temperature too low can cause the evaporator to ice up.

When to Call for Help

It’s important to call a professional for help if you notice the following signs with your self-contained refrigeration:

• An unusually noisy compressor
• Iced-up evaporator coils not being defrosted
• No cool air flowing through the cabinets
• A compressor switching off and on
• A compressor that is constantly running (it shouldn’t be!)

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

Here’s a question for you: when was the last time you checked on your HVAC equipment? We’re talking about your furnace, A/C, walk-in cooler or freezer, and gas burners. If your answer is “I don’t remember,” that’s a bad sign! Maintaining your HVAC equipment is a must no matter where you live or what season of the year it is. Here is why regular HVAC maintenance is so important.

It Keeps You Comfortable

No homeowner wants to wake up hot and sweaty in the summer only to switch on their A/C and have it break! This is why it’s so important to check on your A/C. You should always examine this system before summer rolls around every year.

Check to see if the condenser needs to be cleaned; this is one of the most important parts of your A/C unit because it is what exchanges heat for cool air. If the cooling is reduced, it’s a sign the condenser is failing and it will require your attention.

You will also need to clean the A/C’s evaporator coil. If the evaporator coil is soiled, its efficiency will decrease. Failing to check on your A/C system will guarantee that it will have a shorter lifespan in its usability. By checking on the coil, it will also deter the issue of refrigerant leaks—another thing to look for whenever it’s time to check the A/C.

It Prevents Fire Hazards

The furnace in your home is another one of the most important HVAC units to maintain. If you don’t remember the last time you checked the furnace filter, you may want to do that right now. Not only can an unchanged filter change the air quality in your home, but also an unchanged one could cause the furnace to overwork to the point where it overheats up and even causes a fire!

For best results, you will need to change the filter on your furnace every 3 months. If you or any family members have allergies or sensitivities to dust and pollen, you should change the filter more frequently i.e. every 45 to 60 days.

It Can Lower Utility Costs

Did you know there is a way you can both conserve energy and save money at the same time? You can accomplish this by checking on and cleaning your HVAC equipment. Doing so will help you save money on heating, cooling, and energy costs, all while staying comfortable in your home without worrying about emergency repairs.

It Prevents Food from Going to Waste

Walk-in coolers and freezers count as HVAC equipment too! If these units stop performing at their peak capacity, that can affect your monthly energy bills and the food you’re trying to keep cold or cool. The last thing you want to stumble across is food that is slowly defrosting when it shouldn’t be due to the fan motor not working or no air flow inside—it spells bad news all around! An iced-up evaporator coil is also a bad sign that the equipment has gone unchecked for too long, and should be cleaned ASAP.

You Can Save Money

It costs more to replace your HVAC equipment than it would to repair or clean it! The more the equipment is looked after, the longer the units will last. Considering how much it will cost to install a brand new system in the first place, should anything go wrong, it makes more sense financially to let it run as well as it can for as long as it can.

If any of the equipment we mentioned is not running to its full capacity, get help to service it and soon!

At Rep-Air Heating And Cooling we provide our customers with many options that will best suit your needs from heating and cooling to refrigeration. Contact us today for your complimentary quote: 1-778-728-1476 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.com and don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!