When we talk about fireplaces, the first thing that comes to mind is wood burning in one corner of the house creating a cozy environment. People generally tend to think that using fireplaces saves energy and reduces the electricity bill. But it is quite untrue as fireplaces are not only non-environment friendly, but also take the heat from insides of your home and transfer it outside through the chimney. It is advisable to use fireplaces as just another design and decoration element in your house and not as a heating system.

But if you still want to use a fireplace, then the heat loss through fireplaces can be remedied by making use of glass doors. In addition, you should check that the chimney damper is tightly fitted in its position by shining a flashlight up your fireplace. From time to time, you should also ensure proper maintenance of your fireplace by getting the chimney and ducts cleaned by professionals. As usual, it is always advisable to hire the services of a licensed duct cleaning company to make sure that the job is done well.

Though using the above mentioned techniques can reduce the heat loss through fireplace and keep it in good working condition, it will be a good idea to switch from wood to natural gas as the fuel for your fireplace. This will be cleaner, more environment-friendly and will save you money. You can also opt for electronic ignition and direct venting, which make the fireplace more energy efficient. You should also consider controlling the temperature of the room by getting a thermostat installed in the fireplace.

One other thing that you should keep in mind is that the fireplace heat can make the glass very hot. You should keep the kids and pets away and at safe distance from the fireplace. A good way to do this would be to install a pet or a child safety gate around the fireplace. You should also ensure that no inflammable objects are placed in vicinity of the fireplace. The standing pilot light should be turned off when the fireplace is no longer in regular use. To get it reignited, you can use your furnace maintenance professional when he comes for his periodical visit.

Rising electricity bills have forced people to resort to various techniques of energy conservation. A common cause of heat loss that often goes unnoticed in most houses is poor insulation. Simple improvements in insulation can have a major impact on your electricity bills without having to resort to expensive techniques. In fact, a properly insulated house can save you hundreds of dollars every year. According to estimates, more than three fourths of old houses are poorly insulated.

The most common insulators used in an average house include blankets, insulation panels and loose fill. However, these insulators not just lack in efficiency, they also harm the environment. An effective solution to this problem has been provided by cellulose based alternatives, which are renewable and environment friendly.

If you have a good idea of how insulation is installed, you can start off by sealing larger gaps in your house, including areas near the furnace, pipes, light fixtures, ducts, and chimneys. Then you can add insulation on the attic floor joist and hatch. Last but not the least, insulate the ceilings of the basement if it is not being heated, and if the basement is covered by the heating system, then seal leaks in the walls. You also need to take care of the unvented crawl spaces to trap as much heat as possible.

Remember that you should not try to change or repair the insulation on your own if you don’t know what you are doing, as it will not only be inconvenient, it would also lead to poor insulation. Always seek professional advice in that case.

Preventing Heat Loss through Furnaces

Natural gas furnaces are one of the most common means of heating homes. Ensuring proper functioning of a furnace or any other gas appliance is important for many reasons. You would not only want to cut down your electricity bills but also want to prevent any mishaps and fire hazards that can occur due to improper functioning of the furnace.

It is necessary to keep your furnace in a good condition and ensure that it is properly maintained by hiring services of licensed professional. However, there are a few things that you can do on your own to ensure longer life as well as higher efficiency of your heating system.

You should conduct basic checks of the furnace periodically to see if the filter needs to be changed or cleaned. Inspect the fan belt too to look for wear and tear. You can also shut off the pilot light of the furnace in warm weather to save energy. A gas contractor can help in relighting it when the need arises again.

While using a furnace, preventive measures are the best way to avoid mishaps and to save electricity. You should always keep the area near the furnace clear of other objects, especially inflammable ones. It is also advisable to adjust the thermostat according to your needs, either manually or by using automated thermostats that can adjust themselves according to your settings.

You also need to be careful when you are replacing your heating system. There are many factors like efficiency, filters, warrantees, fan options etc. that need to be taken into consideration while replacing an old furnace. It is always advisable to go for Energy Star qualified furnaces that are proven to be more efficient than other standard models. Products like the Bryant Evolution Series 90i Model Furnace have proved to be quite effective in reducing electricity bills.

If you notice any serious problem with the furnace, you should hire a professional to carry out detailed examination and maintenance. There are many companies that offer expert services for specific problems as well as overall servicing of the furnace.

Save Money by Minimizing Heat Loss through Doors and Windows

The desire to cut on electricity bills and to live in an eco friendly way has motivated many of us to take steps towards conserving energy. But there are a number of simple ways of energy conservation that people tend to overlook. One of the most common reasons for heat loss from homes is through doors and windows. Here are a few steps to ensure that this heat loss is minimized.

You should use weather-proof stripping for your doors. The space of even 1/8 inch between an average door and its threshold can cause significant loss of insulation, and closing these small spaces can help you save up to 15% of costs incurred in heating or cooling your house. Rubber is the most commonly used sealing material and rightly so. Foam and felt are cheaper alternatives but they have lesser life and effectiveness. Don’t forget to regularly replace the worn out stripping. And if you are thinking of replacing your doors, you should go for insulated doors that minimize heat loss.

A lot of heat loss from homes can be prevented by ensuring that the windows do not have cracks and ill-fitted frames or panes. This problem can be addressed by substituting the standard windows with high performance (double glazed or even triple glazed) windows. You can also go for windows covered with low emissive coatings. Low emissive glass costs slightly more than high performance windows but it can significantly cut your heating costs.

While planning any repairs or restructuring of your windows and doors, you should keep your finances in mind. If you don’t want to spend a lot in one go, then you should target the major problem areas first. Focus on north facing windows for reducing heat loss. And if you want to keep the house cool, then target south facing windows that trap additional heat in summers. You can also invest in shades and blinds that can perform both of these functions by improving the insulation of the windows. While you are at it, check out our Top 10 Water Heater Tips that can save you money.

What You Need to Know About Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps

Air conditioners and heat pumps keep your home cool in summers, but there are a lot o important facts about these appliances that most people are unaware of. Here is some information about these products that might influence your purchase decision.

R22 Freon Phaseout from Air Conditioners

When buying a new air conditioner, you can now only go for those which use Puron as a refrigerant instead of R22 Freon, which was commonly used before 2010. R22 Freon is harmful to the ozone layer and it has been banned from use in new air conditioners from 2010.

If you already own an air conditioner that uses R22 Freon then you will still be able to get the refrigerant from the market for service or repair purposes. But you should know that as more and more companies will shut down production of R22 Freon, its prices could shoot up. So if your air conditioning system is old and in need of repair then it might be a good idea to replace it with a Puron based system, instead of prolonging your use of R22 Freon.

Heat Pumps – Go for a Hybrid Product

Heat pumps are special appliances that have the dual benefit of providing heat in winters and cooling in summers. The system is able to do it through reversal of flow of refrigerants. In heating mode, the heat pump transfers heat from outside air to inside air and in cooling mode it takes heat from inside to outside.

The problem is that electricity based heat pumps work only till temperatures of -5°C. If the temperature goes further down, then you need to switch to a furnace. With Hybrid Heat systems, this problem is solved by automatically switching to the furnace mode when temperature falls below -5°C.

Such a hybrid heating system is not dependant on one type of fuel – either electricity or gas. They ensure that you can deal with a sudden increase in price of one type of fuel. There are many highly efficient and affordable Hybrid Heat products in the market that you can choose from. One of the best options that you have is the Bryant 18 SEER Evolution Heat Pump.

Another advantage with using Hybrid Heat systems is that some utility companies provide financial incentives for using them. You can avail loans and rebates on purchase of high efficiency heat pumps.

Proper maintenance, tune-ups and repair of your furnace are of the highest significance in preparation for the long and harsh Calgary winters. Clearview technicians and the several regular maintenance options we offer will save you time, work and lower your heating costs. Poor maintenance and delayed or amateur home furnace repair may make for less efficient heating, higher energy bills, unexpected repairs and, most importantly, an unhealthy environment in your home or office caused by dangerous carbon monoxide that can leak into the air you breathe through the smallest, invisible cracks on your furnace.

Our staff and representatives will make sure that you are provided with the proper furnace repair and annual tune-ups to ensure that your home is comfortable, warm and healthy during the cold Calgary winter months. Our tune-ups and other programs offer regular maintenance and low costs, a minimum of one to two years warranty on all parts and labour, regular check ups and even up to 20% discount on services.

Most homes in Calgary have furnaces that are over 7 years of age and work with an average energy efficiency of 45%. Many Calgarians may not even realize that by using these old furnaces they are spending some 30% more on heating bills than they could be with a new High Efficiency furnace. Some may realize this or are perhaps concerned with the health and environmental issues that could occur with an old furnace, yet might be convinced that they simply can’t afford a new furnace.

Clearview Plumbing and Heating offers several heating and furnace rebate solutions. Our representatives will be with you through the heating and furnace rebate from beginning to end, including paperwork, and installation. Clearview is the service that does it all, leaving you with a brand new furnace, smaller heating costs and a warm, clean home environment to enjoy when all the hassle of paperwork, rebates and installation are over and done with.

So far you’ve learnt about how insulating, minimizing wastage, and improving the efficiency of your heating system can help you save on your heating bills. In this last part of the series, we’ll discuss how tapping into the sun’s heat and using some unconventional methods can help reduce your heating needs.

Allow Sunlight to Come in

One of the best ways of keeping your house warm is to allow sunshine into your house. Maximum sunlight will come from the south facing windows. Keep these windows clean so that they do not obstruct the sun. Trim the evergreens on the south side of your house to remove these natural obstructions to sunlight. However, you should make it a routine to close the curtains at night so that the windows do not let the heat, which was captured during the day, escape in the night.

Staying Fit and Active

An effective way of maintaining your internal body heat even in cold weather is by staying fit and active. It is believed that your body can create its own warmth more efficiently than by any other means. Take to healthy habits like going for a walk or a jog. Go out and participate in winter sports that will not only give you some great moments but will also reduce your need to keep the house warm all the time.

You can start regular workouts at the gym to stay fit. You should also increase your protein intake through food items like fish, meat, nuts etc. as these help you create more body heat.

Heat from the Kitchen

Kitchen itself can be a major source of heat. When you bake or roast food items like rolls, cakes, chicken etc, your cooking appliances generate heat that keeps you warm. So the winter season is a great time to cook all those things that you avoided in the summers at the thought of the heat in the kitchen.

Warmth from Your Family and Friends

Last but not the least, you could use cold winter evenings as family get-togethers and share some warmth with your family, watching movies in a cozy space with coffee and snacks.

It is a scientifically proven fact that humans give out around 500 Btu’s of energy every hour. So by inviting people over and having some fun time with friends, you will also reduce your artificial heating needs.

Follow these tips, and you will be pleasantly surprised at how much you would end up saving on your heating costs.

In the last post, we discussed how insulation techniques and regular maintenance of your furnace can help you cut your heating costs. Here are some other measures that you can adopt to save on your heating bills without having to compromise the comfort of a warm and cozy environment inside your home.

Minimize Wastage

By conserving heat and minimizing wastage, you can ensure that you only use as much heat as is necessary. There are a lot of things that you can do in this respect.

Ensure that you adjust the settings of the thermostat according to your need. Always lower the thermostat when you are not at home or when you are sleeping in a blanket or a quilt. Increase the thermostat level only when you are in the house and are awake. When increasing the thermostat level, do it 2 degrees at a time, because if you take the thermostat too high and then reduce it to adjust it to the right level, you are wasting a lot of heat.

It also helps to make minor changes in your habits like opening the doors less often and passing through them quickly so that heat does not escape through them. Similarly, avoid keeping the cupboard doors open, as it unnecessarily increases the area that needs to be heated.

Improve Heating System Efficiency

Another thing that you can do so that the heat spreads in the house efficiently is to avoid any blockages in front of the baseboards. Any piece of furniture, curtains, or rugs, should be removed from the way to increase heating efficiency. Clean the vanes in the baseboards and the heating pipes by using a vacuum cleaner so that they can transfer heat more efficiently. You should also close the damper once the fireplace has cooled down, as this would stop the heat from escaping.

Use Warm Clothes

You should not completely depend on the furnace to keep you warm. Keep yourself warm by wearing a sweater so that you do not have to turn the thermostat too high. Use rugs and carpets on the floor, as this would not only keep your feet warm but also act as insulation for the floors.

Following these tips will significantly reduce the amount of resources that your heating system consumes. In the final part of this series, we’ll discuss a few other measures to cut down on your heating needs.

These winters are one of the coldest in recent times and most people are finding it difficult to deal with the harsh weather. The rising heating costs have worsened the problem, as you now have to balance your heating needs with your budget. Here are some ways of maximizing the efficiency of heating in your home so that you can save on those heating costs.

One of the most effective ways of reducing your heating costs is by conserving energy. A little bit of care and you can save a lot of money when it comes to heating.

The first thing to do is to find a local heating expert, who can carry out an annual maintenance of your furnace. Fine tuning the heating system not only keeps it in good working condition but also ensures that you are able to reduce your costs by almost one fourth. This is because a well-maintained heating system is more efficient and consumes lesser resources.

Improve Insulation to Stop Leaks

A significant amount of heat generated by your new furnace is wasted because of poor insulation. It is very important to stop this heat from escaping in order to reduce your heating costs.

Check your windows for heat loss problems, and if they do not stop heat from escaping then you need to replace them with insulating windows that keep the heat in. The gaps in the window panes can be covered using plastic sheeting, or you can use thick window quilts that create an additional layer of insulation for the windows.

Close all the open areas, like a gap in the floor leading to the basement, with an insulating material like plastic. You can also use techniques like sealing outlets and other opening in walls with foam insulation or making use of foam rubber pipe to seal piping near the outer walls of the house. These foam products will be easily available in you local hardware store.

To keep out cold winds, you can use a weather proof storm door, which also provides excellent insulation. These doors are usually fitted with rubberized or plastic sheets so that not gap remains from which the wind could come in or the heat could escape.

Apart from these insulation techniques, several other measures can be adopted to reduce your heating costs. We’ll discuss these in the next two parts of this series.