Heating
In today’s HVAC industry, there are a variety of methods with which to heat your home or business. Our experienced technicians have seen it all and can maintain or repair any make or model of heating system you have! Looking for a new heat source? We can evaluate your home or business to find the most economical system that meets your needs.
What kind of system should I be looking for?
Natural Gas Furnaces
The most cost-effective way to heat your home is with a highly efficient natural gas furnace. All of our modern natural gas furnaces are at least 95% efficient meaning 5% or less of the heat created by burning the natural gas leaves your home in the exhaust. Because natural gas furnaces directly create carbon dioxide emissions, they are considered to be the least environmentally friendly of all options.
If a person is highly concerned with the environmental impact of their heating system, an electric air handler with a heat pump would be their best option.
Heat Pumps
The next most cost-effective and most “green” heating source is with a heat pump (either ductless or central). It uses electricity to move heat energy, not directly create it. Even when temperatures are cold, heat pumps can extract heat from the air outside and deliver it inside to heat your home. Be aware, in the Okanagan, a secondary heat source is usually required during those cold freezing nights where there is no heat to move.
Electric Heat
The least cost-efficient way to heat your home is with an electric air handler or electric baseboards. One thing that is confusing, is that while electric air handlers and electric baseboards are nearly 100% energy efficient, creating heat from electricity is the most expensive. Almost all of the energy consumed, goes into creating heat for the home. That is the definition of efficiency. To reduce the cost of heating your home, a heat pump can be added to your electric air handler, or ductless heat pumps installed to supplement your baseboard heaters.
Specialty Heating
We have experience installing heaters in hotels and condominiums, shop floors, and mobile homes. Read more on the variety of units here. We can recommend the proper unit that will meet your needs at a budget that you can afford!
Scheduled maintenance is cost effective and can save the headache of a sudden breakdown.
Contact us for an appointment!
Replace the air filter in your furnace. Ensure the power switch for the furnace is turned on before the heating season. (We get a few calls each year where this is the reason their furnace isn’t working) Ensure the thermostat mode is set to heat and batteries are replaced if necessary. Remove any vent covers and vacuum the dust from the air vents and ducts. If you have a high efficient furnace with an exhaust flue that exits to the outside through the wall, make sure it’s free of debris to ensure proper operation. Depending on the type of furnace you own; you may need to light the pilot light. Refer to your manual or look for instructions on the appliance on how to light the pilot light. Please remember to keep flammable objects away from your furnace and remove clutter blocking airflow from the vents.
If the do-it-yourself list seems a little daunting, call A1 Heating and Air Conditioning in Kelowna to prepare for the coming season, perform an assessment and maintain your existing system or to replace an out of date malfunctioning unit. Hiring a certified heating contractor ensures your heating system continues running at maximum efficiency.
