Did you know that you have the option to upgrade your hot water heater and improve your home’s water supply? Yes, it’s true. While having a tank water heater is a classic means of dispersing hot water throughout your entire home, it is by no means your only option if and when the heater gets too old to maintain any longer. Tankless water heaters are becoming more and more popular as the years go on.

Is there a reason to upgrade to tankless right away? It turns out that yes, there is! Here are five key benefits to owning a tankless hot water heater as opposed to sticking with the classic tank one.

Hot Water on Demand

This is the main perk of any tankless water heater. Not only does it allow you to have hot water whenever you need it, but also a tankless heater doesn’t need to store tons of gallons of water in order to function. This means you use less water and save more of that resource and energy in the process (depending on how much your household uses it per month).

The supply of water from a tankless is also continuous, as opposed to limited. This is what makes these heaters so ideal if you own a hot tub. Simply put, a tankless will never run out of the water you need.

Less Energy Usage

Water loses its heat as soon as it sits for a while, every time. This is why it takes so much more energy usage for traditional tank hot water heaters to work, because it will continually turn on and off in order to provide hot water at the ready.

A tankless hot water heater, as we mentioned, heats the water faster and only when you really need it, which is a much more energy efficient way to use it. A properly sized unit can deliver a constant supply of water at preset temperatures—up to 5-7 gallons per minute. This can actually reduce your heating costs of hot water and save money over time.

Flexibility

Tankless water heaters can actually be fixed anywhere in the house, as opposed to the one specific place such as the basement (a classic choice for most water heaters). Their compact sizes, which take less space than conventional tanks, adds to their sense of versatility and flexibility. The materials they’re made of further contributes to their low operating costs compared to those of traditional tank heaters.

A Long Lifespan

If you own a tank water heater, you’re looking at about a decade of usage before it needs replacing. With tankless, however, they can last twice as long (provided they are well cared for and maintained, of course).

It helps that tankless heaters need less gas or electricity to run compared to tanks. Plus, they’re more repairable with replaceable parts by your HVAC technician, unlike the traditional tanks which often needs to be replaced completely.

Safety

Another good reason more and more homeowners are opting in to have tankless heaters installed is because of the latest developments in HVAC technology. The newest heaters on the market come with several innovative features, which further boost their safety benefit.

For example, some recent models come with monitoring systems that provide details about your heater’s water pressure and flow—something you have to second guess at with traditional tanks. And in case there is a system failure, the machine would instantly turn the heater off. Plus, because the latest models have more replaceable parts than traditional tanks, it means less impact in the long-term on the environment.

The tankless’s ability to function only when hot water is needed also adds to its safety perk. This is really unlike the other storage type units, because the latter are almost permanently on…even when it may not be best if they are.

So, now you know more about tankless hot water heaters! If you’re convinced it’s time to update your old heater to a tankless one, you’re going to need professional help. This is by no means a DIY project, and we offer water heater service as well as several others. Give us a call! 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

It’s almost time for teens to go back to school. Some of them are probably trying to figure out where they’ll go or what they’ll do after graduating. Others may already have a plan in mind, but no idea where to start.

Could HVAC be a part of their future plan? Whether you’re a teen who wants to learn more about this trade already, or you’re a concerned parent or teacher or guardian figure looking to help teens out, maybe we can help you out too. Here are some ways to get teens interested in learning about HVAC.

1: Apply real-life situations

Every teen at some point in their lives will want to move out of their parents’ home. It doesn’t matter if they want to rent or buy their home in the future; whatever they decide, they will have to take on extra responsibilities, and this includes—you guessed it—maintaining the HVAC inside and out.

It matters that teens learn about it because a lot of the worst-case scenarios we’ve outlined in our blog affects everyone. A lot of the time we’ve seen people wait until there is an emergency shutdown of your HVAC system to finally try to learn about HVAC, how it works, and how you need to go about maintaining it. This is a bad practice for a lot of reasons! It shows a clear disinterest in learning about something that you will actually have to live with and take care for quite a long time—all the way through adulthood.

Teens who move out into their own apartment may get too used to having their landlord (if they’re renting) look after their HVAC needs, which can also be a problem if an emergency happens and they don’t know what to do. That being said, there are some who are actually very invested in learning about technology and machinery as well as understanding how it works. Even more are interested about homeownership and how to take care of themselves at an early enough age. Teens are also a lot smarter than we give them credit for; they do want to know about how best to take care of themselves, and that can and does include learning about HVAC.

A lot of options to understand how HVAC functions and what it needs to run properly exist not only for teenage to young adult homeowners but also renters. A few examples include portable or window A/C, ventilation, and even fridge maintenance while they’re at work.

These are just a few real-life situations that teens will eventually have to come face to face with that you, as their parent or teacher or guardian or employer, can potentially build them up to. Share with them some articles and videos you find online (yes, online—that’s where the majority of teens go nowadays) about the latest models on the market or tips. Try to encourage them to stand by and watch how you maintain the HVAC when it’s time. You can also ask your technician next time they come in for scheduled maintenance if the teen can spot them as they work, to see how it’s done in real time.

2: Get them to interview an actual technician

Naturally learning about things like HVAC comes with its own slew of questions that you may not have the answer to. The Internet helps, but only to a certain degree—it’s one thing to read about HVAC online. It’s quite another to practice things like maintenance and understanding the signs of a problem in real life.

With all that in mind, it may help teens to interview actual technicians. We’re always happy to talk HVAC! While we may be busy during the high seasons of maintenance (i.e. summer and winter), usually as the season is winding down into fall or spring is a good time for teens to ask us any questions they may have. Informational interviews are also great practice for teens who may be job hunting or simply testing the waters to see what kinds of career options might be available to them in the future.

3: Examine trade schools

If your teen was really thrilled to learn more about HVAC after the interview, or maybe they love being able to fix and repair machines in general, then you could always suggest they apply to a trade school after graduation. Several programs for learning more about HVAC beyond high school are available to graduating teens throughout Canada, and some of them are less costly than others depending on where the school is located. Even if they apply and don’t get in yet, you can suggest to them that they volunteer or become an apprentice while they wait.

4: Encourage their newfound interest

It’s important that if you know a teenager who does show newfound interest in HVAC that you encourage those interests! Nothing can dissuade teens like an adult telling them that their passions are a waste of time, or that they’ll never build a career out of it. Be positive and encouraging to those teens who show interest. It may not always turn out that they go to school to learn more. However, there are plenty of opportunities where they can learn more about HVAC if they want to. This blog would be a good start!

If you know any teens who want to learn more about what we do and why we do it, we’re always happy to talk! Give us a call if you’d like—maybe you need some actual maintenance done in the meantime? 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

It goes without saying that if you run a business that sells food or meals, you need a commercial fridge or fridges to keep your business up and running. Fridges are used daily in these businesses; naturally though the constant usage can take a toll on the system’s health and make it more prone to mechanical snags and frequent shutdowns. This means that when a commercial fridge is maintained properly and regularly, it can lead to several benefits along the way. Maybe there are a few you didn’t even consider until you started reading this post!

It’s true, though. Imagine having the fridge at your grocery store stop working when it’s the holiday season! That can really make a difference to your business! With this kind of scenario in mind, there are lots of advantages to maintaining your commercial fridge on a regular basis.

1. Emergencies are prevented

The worst time for a sudden breakdown of your commercial fridge is literally any time. Going back to the holiday example, not only will that drive away customers at the busiest time of the year, but also the stress levels would rise beyond belief for everyone! Not to mention that any emergency breakdown can cost you big time. Not only does it cost more money to repair the damages done, but also there’s the loss of income you could have been making had you prevented the breakdown in the first place.

By maintaining the commercial fridge regularly, including checking on the electric components so there are no short circuits, you’ll spare your business and your customers from the trials and tribulations one can expect from a sudden breakdown. Regular maintenance will also ensure that no valuable income that your business makes is lost in the event of an emergency either.

2. Safe temperatures

Food and drinks must always be kept at their proper temperatures daily. That is how you prevent diseases and other nasty conditions such as food poisoning from harming others in addition to your business’s reputation.

Maintaining a commercial fridge will not only keep the temperatures at their proper levels, but also prevent fluctuations from harming your valuable inventory in the event of a breakdown. Regulating the temperature also goes hand in hand with the following benefit:

3. A clean bill of health, according to your inspector

Nothing sends panic up the spine quite like hearing the words ‘health inspector’—that is, if you know you’re not running things the way your business should be! But if you already run your business smoothly including its upkeep, then there’s nothing for you to worry about.

By keeping up your commercial fridge’s maintenance on a regular schedule, you’ll be given a clean bill of health each time and this too can add a boon to your business’s reputation. After all, no one wants to find out they’ve been eating and drinking food in an unclean environment from an unclean refrigeration system.

4. Fresh food—always

Every business owner knows that the fresher and high-quality the food you serve is, the more likely your customers will be pleased enough to want to return to your business time and again. Maintaining your commercial fridge will not only keep the food and drinks inventory at safe temperatures, it will also ensure that it stays fresh and/or frozen until you need it at all times of the day. So long as you follow basic safety tips and even apply some cooling solutions to your business’s kitchen (you can find a few ideas here), the food you serve will not spoil or get mouldy.

5. Clean ice and no mould

Speaking of mould, here’s another benefit to maintaining commercial fridges regularly. An unclean fridge can also be the cause of illnesses brought upon your customers, such as E.coli, salmonella, and listeria to name just a few. This can and will result in your business down sliding to the point of bankruptcy. So, for your business’s sake as well as the sake of your customers, keep mould at bay with that regular and proper maintenance!

Mould can also cause ice in commercial refrigeration to become easily contaminated. It’ll look blurry and spotty in the event a fridge has gone too long uncleaned. With proper cleaning and care of your refrigerator, it’s guaranteed that your ice keeps coming out fresh and appetizing. After all, as we mentioned in a previous blog post, no one wants to be served dirty ice.

6. More energy saved = more money for your business

The more energy you spend on cooling down certain things, the costlier it becomes. That is a fact of HVAC.  However, you can minimize energy costs of any kind by ensuring the systems being used aren’t relying too heavily on themselves in order to function properly.

What causes energy loss? Simple: dirty and dusty components that trick the system into thinking it needs to work harder to cool the room down, or that the room’s already cooled off and so there’s no need. Therefore, by maintaining your commercial fridge, you not only save energy and spare the system from overworking or underworking itself, but also the cost it would take for your business to cool the food down.

As you can see, you never go wrong with taking care of your commercial refrigeration! If this is a service you need today or you’d like to sign up for a regular maintenance schedule, give our technicians a call. 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: 1-844-218-3362 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 is a high season for a lot of people and businesses. It’s great for tourism, restaurants, travel agencies, and so on. It’s also a high season for us technicians…which can be a problem for commercial businesses who need help with their cooling.

Did you know there are a few ways you can cut down on cooling costs at your company? Depending on what kind of business you run, cooling solutions are a necessary part of keeping your business running, but you do have to strategize how these solutions are applied in order to keep costs low despite the high season. If you need to cut down on cooling costs, here are some tips on how to do so for your commercial business.

Tip 1: Get an energy audit conducted

While this tip may not sound like a good idea at all, it actually really is when it comes to figuring out your business’s energy costs and usage. An audit can properly measure how much money and energy you are using currently, and they are usually offered for free to business owners from most utility companies. They can help you find out how to better increase your energy efficiency, where your money is going every month, and how and where you can make adjustments to lower those energy bills.

Tip 2: Ask yourself some hard questions

While you’re waiting for your energy audit to be fully completed, you need to really take a look at how you’re currently using your cooling efforts for your business. Asking yourself these tough questions can perhaps illuminate just how badly you need to make changes around the company:

• Is the air conditioning switched on all day, every day during the summer?
• Are you or have you been doing anything already to minimize or eliminate the need for an A/C unit?
• What type of atmosphere are your employees most comfortable in?
• Are there any cooling alternatives you can provide your staff when moving forward?
• Do your current cooling solutions feel like they’re enough, or not?

All of these questions and more are essential ones you should be asking when looking to change the way you cool down your building and the way you spend energy to get that result. If you weren’t aware of these questions to start with, then you really need to re-examine exactly how you’ve lost track of keeping track. Not only could you be adding unnecessary costs to your budget to cooling, but also you could be unwittingly causing a serious negative impact on the environment in and out of your business’s building.

Once you’ve analyzed these questions and examined your audit, you can determine how best to approach cooling solutions for your business.

Tip 3: Keep your commercial HVAC tuned up and clean

This tip is an obvious one, but since we’ve seen some ugly mistakes made with it in the past (there are a few examples we mean here), it bears repeating. You really will save money, time, and energy by performing regular maintenance and cleaning your commercial HVAC, whether it’s a fridge or an air conditioner.

Change the filters as often as recommended, and keep all furniture and obstacles such as paper away from the vents. Hiring a technician and coming up with a regular schedule for HVAC tasks helps too; they can perform more in-depth maintenance that neither you nor your staff have time to tend to as often as recommended.

Tip 4: Keep the heat out

Perhaps your commercial HVAC is working fine, but you’re still losing money. Have you checked the windows? You may not think the sunlight coming into your conference room window is a big deal, but really that’s money and energy flying out of your building right there, because it’s adding to your air conditioner’s efforts to cool a room down.

Another thing to be wary of in terms of windows are drafts. Yes, these are more noticeable when it’s cold out and the heat is escaping, but those same weaknesses in the windows are also letting cold air escape when you need it!

These are very easy fixes that you can’t ignore. All you have to do is add or replace awnings, solar screen window shades, and high-reflectivity window films to reduce the amount of heat. For those pesky drafts, replace or add to your windows caulk, weather-stripping, or foam. We’re sure you’ll start to feel a difference in temperature once you apply these fixes!

Tip 5: Consider smart programming

Smart thermostats and similar programming aren’t just useful for homeowners and their HVAC. This tech can benefit anyone at the office or in the commercial building where cooling solutions are needed. With a smart thermostat, you will have the power to adjust the temperature of the workplace when no one is around (for example holidays, weekends, and most nights).

You can set it to turn the A/C on before people arrive and off before they leave for the day. Just turning your A/C up by 1 degree in the summer can actually reduce the power you use (remember, the higher the temperature your cooling needs to be, the harder the system will work to achieve it).

Tip 6: Trees can be your friends

If there’s enough property outside to help with this, then trees can be a real benefit to your business. Plant some outside the office and provide your building with some shaded landscaping. The trees and their leaves will filter some of the harshness of the sun’s rays and less cooling via HVAC will be needed. If your building already has proper energy efficient systems and insulation, though, the effect of the trees will be a lot smaller.

These are only a few suggestions as to how to keep your commercial business’s cooling costs to a minimum in the warmer weather months. If your company needs assistance applying these solutions at any time, or your commercial air conditioner needs replacing or repairing, give us a call. 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

Inside the air conditioning market there are a lot of cool new models and systems to keep everyone at a comfortable level of temperature. While this season is the busiest time for all of us, that shouldn’t stop you from investigating the market (in fact, you may find a system you want to receive when the low season arrives—it happens!). One trend you may notice among the newest models is the label ‘smart’. What exactly does that mean? Simple: it means the system relies on newer technology as opposed to outdated components.

While we all wait for the temperature and cost of air conditioning to go down, we thought it would be worth examining smart air conditioning. Here are four benefits of investing in this cooling solution for your home.

1. Extra convenience

The biggest difference between a smart A/C and a regular air conditioner is that rather than having to be present to manually adjust the thermostat, you can control the temperature with your smartphone or a mobile device. If you’re away from home or the office, you can adjust the temperature to the correct level it needs to be in while you’re gone, and then when you do get home you can readjust accordingly. What this does is it decreases the wear and tear on your air conditioning unit and extends its lifespan a little more, because it won’t be on at full blast when no one is home.

2. Improved energy efficiency

One of the biggest drawbacks of having non-smart HVAC is you absolutely have to be present in order to change the thermostat to a temperature that won’t make your expenses skyrocket. If you’ve left your home only to realize you forgot to change the thermostat beforehand, you’ll end up late to other pressing matters such as work or travel. Unless you can get a neighbour, a family member, or in business cases a staff member to change the thermostat for you, expect to find a very high, very unpleasant energy bill in your mailbox.

This is one of smart A/C’s biggest benefits since it enables you to control the system’s temperature remotely as opposed to manually. You can also program the air conditioner to best accommodate your current schedule and lifestyle too. Anytime there’s a change to your schedule or lifestyle and the settings need to be changed, you can simply adjust them on the thermostat or remotely when you’re not present at home or work. What this all boils down to is you are able to cool off your home or the office with utmost efficiency, and you save energy in the process.

3. Auto-restarting

Most smart air conditioners in the market come complete with an auto-restart function. What this feature does is it allows you to restore the settings of the A/C simply by pushing a button. This function is especially handy if, say, the power goes out during a thunderstorm. Being able to auto-restart after this type of fluctuation not only enhances your office or home’s comfort level, but also it protects the unit from being affected too greatly from power surges.

4. Compatibility

Lots of homes nowadays own voice-activated systems such as Google Home, Alexa, and Siri. If you own and run a smart air conditioner, it can communicate and be compatible to communicate with other smart devices such as these. That’s because unlike manual air conditioners, smart ones are connected via Wi-Fi, enabling you to access all of the aforementioned benefits covered such as remote control of the thermostat and pre-programming. You can opt in to receive e-mails from the system so you are notified of any alerts in the event your temperature is failing or rising outside of the normal range. You can be notified of power outages and disconnection from the network, too.

The 1 Downside: Expense

While smart A/C certainly has its benefits, the one downside to these systems is they are still fairly new on the market, so you’ll be paying quite the price for these listed features. For example, a smart 8,000 BTU air conditioner can cost up to $330 or more, whereas a non-smart, 10,000 BTU model may cost $30 less than that.

If you want to remotely control the air conditioner you already own, there are a few smart home devices that can help you keep around your home or office. Some of these come with built-in thermostats and can send commands to your A/C through infrared signals. Most of these smart home devices can cost around $100, and they’re good options if you’re looking for remote control or if you’re buying a smaller air conditioner.

So, now you know more about smart air conditioning. If this option sounds like the perfect match to your lifestyle and schedule, call our professional team of technicians to get one properly installed. Or, if you want to learn more, you can just ask us! 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

Anytime you need to replace your home’s HVAC equipment it will cost you. Even on cool days, the expenses can add up over time if you’re not careful! That’s why it makes sense to maintain your current HVAC and get good repairs only when absolutely needed.

Sometimes though, HVAC ought to be replaced purely because the system is no longer as efficient as it used to be when it first came on the market, or it’s too old and showing signs of aging and failure all too often. Once you get a quote from your HVAC technician, your next thought may be as to how you can get a discount when it’s time to get a new system for your home. Here are a few suggestions as to how to do just that.

Only shop in low seasons for each unit

Just because you can find air conditioners in winter does not necessarily mean you will get the best deal on it. The low seasons for shopping for heating and cooling is ideally the same as you would hire a technician—spring for furnaces, fall for air conditioners. You can always ask for an off-season discount while shopping around these times of the year.

Check out rebate offers

As we mentioned in our previous blog post about saving money, even to this day there are lots of local utility companies that offer rebates and incentives to homeowners in need of new HVAC. Several other resources may be offering good deals or store rebates, even if you aren’t a member. Examples of these resources include:

• BC Hydro
• Energy Star
• Costco
• Angie’s List

Sometimes submitting for multiple utility rebates can actually stack up offers; this is a great way to remove a large chunk of expense from your new HVAC’s cost.

It’s recommended that if you do receive any rebate offers, you go over them and your options with a qualified HVAC technician or company. Some rebates may only be applicable to the most expensive HVAC systems on the market, so you may get a better deal by buying a mid-level unit that’s not eligible for a rebate.

Contests may help (sort of)

This isn’t a 100% reliable way to save on HVAC, but it can be handy if you’re feeling lucky. On occasion, our HVAC company hosts a contest on social media with the prizes being brand new equipment. Past contestants have won portable air conditioners among other prizes! It’s not the best way to get a discount on equipment, but if you’re feeling like luck is on your side, it’s worth a try.

Choose a trustworthy HVAC company

The best HVAC team will actually be licensed and work with you to figure out the best new HVAC system for your home that’s within your budget. While many systems exist on the market, each one is different and not every single one of them is meant for residential purposes. Our HVAC company knows this and we know how important it is for you to stay comfortable while also being able to afford that sense of comfort. That’s why we often suggest SNAP to some of our customers if they’re feeling like they need help with payments and new HVAC (it really can help!).

We hope this is a good start to finding the discounts you need on your new equipment. If you need further assistance, let us know. 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

Congratulations on buying a new home! Becoming a homeowner is a very big and exciting milestone. However, it’s also full of hurdles that require you to be constantly learning. If you were renting beforehand, then do you remember the tasks your landlord usually took care of? Well, they’re your responsibilities now. That includes the heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) in the new home.

Knowing about your new home’s HVAC can ensure that you are keeping your property running efficiently, smoothly, and safely. With this in mind, here are three of the most important things you need to know as a new homeowner with your own HVAC.

1. Age and size matter, a lot

You should take a look at the manufacturing date located on your HVAC equipment before using it. If the system is older than, say, the past 10 or 15 years since you bought the house, then not only is it too old to use but also it’s too dangerous to your home and your wallet. The longest an HVAC system can run for is that timeframe of 10 or 15 years, depending on how well taken care of it was beforehand. Any longer and its efficiency and lifespan are both on the brink of running out entirely.

Check out the size of the system too. If you live in a small home but have discovered the equipment being used is massive, or the system is small and portable but the house isn’t, that’s another problem because the sizing is all off. Each room has its own requirements in terms of finding that most comfortable temperature, so the size of the system needs to match those needs. Too big or too small of a system means you won’t get the cooling or heating in your home that you want.

2. There are several different types

It’s easy to assume that the type of HVAC systems in your home are the only types out there, but this is actually not true. In fact, there are several types of HVAC units homeowners can invest in should they discover their current ones are not performing as well as they should.

• Heat pumps.These don’t burn fuel to create heat. Instead, they transfer heat from one place to another, due to the natural tendency of heat to move from warmer places to cold ones. There are different types of heat pumps as well: absorption, air source, and ground source. These all work differently, so it helps to learn how each type operates.
• These use a variety of fuels in order to run such as natural gas inside of a tank or vessel. The chemical reaction that takes place inside produces the heat, which then travel around the house through pipes into steam radiators. Some homeowners prefer boilers given that the heat distributed feels more natural as opposed to dry and artificial.
• Most furnaces use both natural gas and electricity to heat up your home. Each comes with basic components including the burner, ductwork, heat exchanger, and a vent pipe or flue. With proper and regular maintenance, furnaces can last up to 20-25 years, making them ideal heating systems for homeowners who intend to stay in their new home for a very long time.
• Mini splits.This is one of the newest types of systems on the market. Also known as a ductless split system, mini splits use both an indoor and outdoor unit connected by a conductor or conduit. They operate without needing ducts throughout the home, and some can even be operated by a wireless remote.
• Geothermal is another one of the newest technologies that also uses heat pumps and refrigerant like other HVAC systems. Rather than send it back into the atmosphere, however, the geothermal system instead stores the refrigerant and circulates it along long loops, which are installed under the residence. This makes the system a very economical and energy efficient one.

Knowing the different types of HVAC can help you understand the system better when performing maintenance such as cleaning and maintenance.

3. Regular inspections can prevent underlying problems

It’s easy to assume that a general first inspection of your home’s HVAC automatically covers fixing any problem detected in the unit. However, the reality of it is that if there’s no outright visual problem, then the unit will be marked down as working properly. If you’ve read any of our blog posts however, you know that there is a lot more than meets the eye when it comes to underlying problems in HVAC!

Ideally your HVAC systems need to be checked on twice a year, in the spring and fall (the low seasons). During these visits, your HVAC technicians can inspect and perform a wide variety of services such as replacing and adjusting fan belts, tightening all electrical connections, and inspecting and cleaning the system’s fans and blowers to mention a few.

Do enjoy your new home and the HVAC inside of it! If you’re in need of trustworthy technicians to help you in your time of need, give us a call. 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

We are now at the beginning of the summer season…even before then the temperature has been soaring to sky-high limits! Summer heat has been arriving earlier than ever these past few years, and for some people they’ve already brought out the A/C.

Just because you have it though doesn’t mean you should keep the A/C cranked on high all summer! Believe it or not, doing that can actually waste a lot of energy than you may even realize. If you don’t want to waste energy, but you don’t want to get too hot and uncomfortable, here are some suggestions on how to save energy this summer.

1: Be smart about the thermostat

We’ve written a previous blog post about this before, but this tip bears repeating. Understanding your home’s thermostat will go a long, long way in terms of saving energy without sacrificing your interest in staying cool and comfortable. While it may feel good to blast up the A/C after coming in from a sweltering hot day, it won’t feel as good to see that your energy bills have skyrocketed as a result!

You need to be aware that for every degree you raise your thermostat above its average, you actually can save up to 3% of your cooling expenses. Try setting your thermostat to 25 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) or as high as your comfort allows, and when you’re not home, set the temperature higher or, if it’s not terribly hot, turn it off altogether.

2: Keep electronics usage to a minimum

Your computer is a valuable asset that contains a ton of information. Some people even work from home with their computer. Summer is a harsh time of year for electronics generally because these valuable resources can and do overheat if you’re not careful. If you place heat-generating devices such as TVs or lamps near you’re A/C’s thermostat, they will also trick it into thinking the room is hotter than it actually is.

Wherever your electronics are placed, they can heat up your home if you’re not too careful, so always make sure they’re turned off when not in use. Ensuring that cool airflow and ventilation is present can also prevent over-heating from occurring too much.

3: Keep that cool air flowing and the heat out!

Ceiling fans and portable fans are all easy ways to cut down on your cooling costs this summer. Ceiling fans are built to cool down entire rooms, and even if you don’t have one, portable fans are inexpensive and readily available. Fans can be very effective at increasing airflow, so if you don’t mind a light breeze, you can lower the temperature on your air conditioning by a couple of degrees.

Be smart about how you keep the heat out too. Hot air can leak through windows with improperly done seals (it’s harder to detect compared to drafts in fall and winter), and direct sunlight in the home can make it feel very uncomfortable very early in the day. Keep all of the curtains and blinds closed in your home until the sun is not directly shining through them, and plan to upgrade your windows to prevent hot air from seeping in and cool air from getting out.

4: Time your use of big appliances right

Large appliances in your home such as the dishwasher, washing machine and dryer, and stove and oven can all generate large amounts of heat. Evenings and very early mornings (i.e. before sunrise) are the ideal times of the day when the temperature outside lowers enough to be tolerable. Reserve any time spent using your home’s bigger appliances to these timeframes instead of heating up your home in the late morning or all afternoon when the sunlight and heat are the most extreme. By waiting until dark, you’ll be sparing your air conditioner from working non-stop, 24/7.

5: Consider investing in LED

Lights in the home such as incandescent or fluorescent are fine if it’s winter, but in summer the extra lighting can warm up a home way too fast! Now that LED lights are more affordable than ever, there’s no reason to sit around in the dark. LEDs are cool to the touch and use way less energy and power to generate light (about a fraction of what’s needed compared to fluorescent and incandescent). Consider upgrading all of the lighting in your home for the summer, even if you only purchase a few bulbs per month.

6: Say hello to your new cooking buddies

Summer is the season of the grill! To prevent using the larger heat-generating appliances such as the stove and oven, start using the barbecue, microwave, and toaster oven more frequently. Barbecues will help keep the heat from coming inside, while microwaves and toaster ovens can help cook easy meals without having to turn on the heat in the larger oven. If you absolutely need to bake something, halve the recipe you’re using so it’ll fit in the toaster oven instead.

7: Get a tune-up on your air conditioning

Ideally you should always get an HVAC technician to tune-up your A/C unit once a year in early spring. Your technician will perform routine maintenance and cleaning, ensure there’s proper fluids to use for cooling, and take other steps to both ensure that your energy usage is not wasted this summer and that your unit won’t break down during the season. Make sure the technician you hired is one you can trust.

Stay cool this summer! If you need more help with cooling options, let us know. 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: 1-844-218-3362 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!

Whether you’re opening up your own bar, café, or restaurant, you have lots of decisions to make about the long-term assets and equipment you need. After all, choosing the right equipment for its needs will make the difference between an unsuccessful business versus a successful one. It also means though that you may be feeling under pressure to make the right choices. Some are fortunately obvious, but other you probably haven’t even considered.

This is where commercial ice machines apply. While we do service them at Rep-Air and are more than happy to, you may be wondering if getting one for your business is even worth the trouble. To help you out, here are the pros and cons of owning a commercial ice machine for your new business.

Pro: You’ll always have ice

Everyone knows that ice has its real benefits, no matter what kind of establishment you run. At times it’s a necessary ingredient in mixed drinks and cocktails, as well as smoothies and iced versions of coffee and tea. Icy beverages are definitely a hit in the summer since it’s one of the busiest seasons of the year for most restaurants and bars (we all need to stay cool and hydrated, after all). Ice even has its use if someone gets hurt such as hurting their head by accident, making for good, immediate ice packs to alleviate the pain and headache.

Con: You may always have too much or too large ice

Having large ice can be a pro and a con, because large ice cubes than normal is a sign that something is wrong. Having too much ice, in addition, can also be a hindrance if it’s not ordered often enough by your customers (some people do ask for no ice in their water or other drinks). If your restaurant serves more hot drinks than icy ones, having an ice machine on hand may not be the best choice because then you’re guaranteed to have way too much ice.

Pro: Ice is fresh and appetizing

Ice can add a sense of flair and freshness to the food and beverage products your restaurant serves. It can help people cool off when it’s too uncomfortably hot out and ensure that thirst is quenched. Commercial ice makers can give you and your customers ice that is clear, pure, and always refreshing.

Con: Ice is also a steep expense

Buying a commercial ice machine is an investment. Sure, they may save you money in the long run and make you money if you use it all the time, but the initial cost is also huge. In addition to spending several thousand dollars just to purchase, if you fail to take care of the ice machine then it can cost you big time!

If you want to get the quantity and quality of ice you need day in and day out, it’s worth making such an investment. If you don’t think you’ll use the machine that often, then it’s not worth the expense.

Pro: It’s convenient

If you need ice, you’ll have ice. Convenience really is one of the biggest selling points of a commercial ice machine. Some businesses such as gas stations offer bagged ice for recreational purposes. Other times it can be useful to bag and store extra ice for the busiest times of the day.

Con: All machines requires strict care and cleaning

The last thing you will want your customers to find out is you’ve served them a cocktail containing dirty ice. This slight may seem small, but the consequences are steep. Dirty ice can spread diseases rapidly and in being so it tarnishes even the newest business’s reputation. Commercial ice machines require not only stringent and strict cleaning to be performed, but also it requires that daily.

If you don’t have the time for that…or staff…then don’t bother buying an ice machine. Ice machines require the best care in order to serve clean ice, because no one ever wants the dirty kind.

If a commercial ice machine breaks down, it’s always a bad time too. Specific care and repairs are required to be performed by experts. If you don’t have the funding for even that, then getting a commercial ice machine isn’t worth it.

Like we said, we do service ice machines, so let us know if expert service and maintenance is what you need, or if you need a new commercial ice machine properly 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: 1-844-218-3362 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.comand don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways!

No matter how classy or rustic the restaurant is, the summer season can make things a little too warm for both staff and customers. Commercial kitchens in particular are notorious for being heat traps when it’s summertime. Temperatures in front of the grill alone can rise up to 40 and 45 degrees Celsius (101 to 105 Fahrenheit)!

The only way to combat the sweltering heat in the kitchen is to use a combination of hydration, ventilation, and circulation. Here are some other effective cooling solutions for commercial kitchens.

HVAC

Efficient HVAC can provide the foundation needed for proper cooling methods. The best unit will offer the necessary temperatures to keep the back of the restaurant cool and to control the air quality and dust in the kitchen and customer areas. Having proper HVAC installed can also enable chefs or cooks to hold food at safe food-handling temperatures longer, ensuring that the quality of the food does not lessen any.

Ventilation

There are two types of vents that must be present in a commercial kitchen for cooling purposes: necessary and general. The most necessary vents are exhaust hoods, which capture and filter out heat, smoke, fumes, and undesired particles, allowing air conditioning to perform at its most optimum level. General ventilation is usually a mix of air flow from several sources including a rooftop intake unit or properly screened open doors and windows to ensure insects and other pests don’t invade the food preparation areas.

To keep heat to a minimum via ventilation, you can do the following:

• Get professional advice on whether to get a new exhaust hood installed or retrofitted. These are subject to health department inspections, so an upgrade will pay off.
• Shade or shutter any windows in the kitchen that are fully exposed to sunlight.
• Open the windows in the cool morning or later in the evening to allow fresh, cool air to come in. Make sure these windows are screened to prevent insects from entering (if there are none, leave them closed).

Fans

Using a combination of fans can help you discover the best spots for optimal circulation in the commercial kitchen. Try placing one fan on the floor with another placed on a steady surface overhead—the top of a refrigerator, for example. Always aim your fans away from food pick-up and prep areas as blowing away air can also scatter and blow away lighter foods such as greens and garnishes. For window fans, facing out can clear out hot air; facing in, they can stream in a cool breeze. You must always keep these fans’ blades, guards, and boxes free of dust though, otherwise you’ll have a health problem on your hands.

Other cooling solutions

If your commercial kitchen already has the aforementioned cooling solutions in place and things still get a little too warm, these other cooling solutions may help.

• Thermometers around the kitchen can tell you when things are getting too hot to handle. Monitor them in food preparation and pick-up areas.
• Educate your kitchen staff about heat-related illnesses and the signs to watch out for, including nausea, dizziness, and headaches, plus how to prevent overheating.
• Encourage your staff to drink lots of water while on shift as opposed to dehydrating caffeinated drinks, and to take their breaks in shaded and cool areas.
• Allow your staff to pop in and out of the walk-in cooler for a few minutes; this can refresh even the most exhausted staff member.
• Schedule deliveries to your restaurant in the morning, before the heat of the day soars up.

Having these solutions in place will keep your staff productive and your inventory up to par with health inspector standards. If you need new HVAC solutions installed for your commercial kitchen, or you need assistance with getting your old equipment replaced, give us a call. 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: 1-844-218-3362 or contact@repairheatingandcooling.comand don’t forget to take a look at our website: https://repairheatingandcooling.com. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for free giveaways