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Annual Maintenance for you Furnace & Boiler Systems
Another cost of home ownership, having your system inspected annually. In the long run having your furnace or boiler inspected annually can save you money. Your system typically won’t breakdown during mild weather, it normally happens when the temperatures have dropped and the demand for heat is higher. This can result in costly emergency repairs.
It is also a good peace of mind to have your system inspected. Inside of your furnace or your boiler is a heat exchanger. Your heat exchanger should be inspected for stress points or failures. A failed heat exchanger can lead to a carbon monoxide leak inside your home. Carbon Monoxide is odourless, colourless and tasteless; it can lead to serious carbon monoxide poisoning.
Regular maintenance minimizes the risk of breakdown and helps lengthen the lifespan of your furnace or boiler system. They are mechanical systems that have a lot of parts and pieces. Having them inspected, cleaned and tuned-up helps them continue to run at optimum efficiency.
Why do contractors ask for a deposit up front and when should you pay it?
Most contractors start off as a small business, it might just be one or two people in the company. As a contractor it is exciting and scary to receive an approved quote for a larger job. They get to showcase their work but there is also the fear that payment might not be received right away. Job materials are purchased ahead of the project starting and can be costly. To cover the upfront cost of a project a contractor might ask for a deposit from the customer. This deposit helps cover the cost of the job materials and secures the contractor that the customer is prepared to pay for the agreed upon work.
From the customers point of view this can be a scary thought, to make a payment before any work has even begun. There is one thing you can do as a customer to protect yourself, ask to see your contractors Alberta Prepaid Contracting Licence. A contractor must obtain this licence from the government to be approved to collect deposits on work.
To obtain a prepaid contracting licence a company must submit to the Alberta Government proof of trade certificates, proof of insurance and a surety bond. A bonded company ensures that if for whatever reason something happens to the contracting company that you’ve hired the work will be completed or your money will be refunded.
Do your homework when you are hiring contractors, just because it is a good price doesn’t mean there is insurance in place if something goes wrong.
How to protect your drainage and limit the chances of having a blocked drain.
Slow draining and blocked sinks can be very frustrating and if left too long can also become costly if the drain backups and overflows in your sink. It is very important that in your kitchen sink you limit the amount of food scraps, fats and oils from cooking and coffee grinds. Yes, coffee grinds become very sticky in pipes and can quickly build-up on the sides of the pipes making them narrower and allowing other materials to attach and stick. Scrape your plates, bowls and pans into your compost and whip your pans and baking sheets that have cooking grease on them with paper towel (which can also go into your compost!).
In your bathroom limit the amount of hair that is being washed down the drains and watch out for dental floss!
Using a strainer basket for your drains will collect materials like food scraps, hair, floss, ect and prevent them from being washed into the pipes!
Why you should stop flushing “Flushable” Wipes
So what should you flush down your toilet?
The long and short of it, you should only flush bodily waste and toilet paper. Anything outside of that can clog the pipes and create sewer back-ups. This can end up being very costly to yourself and for The City as well (which becomes more costly with increased taxes).
What about “flushable” wipes? No, they are not flushable!! Toilet paper once flushed immediately disintegrates and breaks into smaller pieces. A “flushable” wipe will retain its shape and strength, which means it stays larger and can get caught up inside of the pipe. If the wipe gets caught up inside of the pipe it can start collecting more solids to get caught up. Overtime this will become a blockage inside of the pipe. Facial tissue and paper towel also should not be flushed because they are also a sturdier paper product that does not immediately break down.
The City of Calgary requires all items that are being used as toilet paper alternatives (wipes, paper towel, facial tissues, ect.) to be bagged and disposed of in your back garbage cart. This also includes all personal hygiene items. For more information please visit The City of Calgary Wastewater Systems Website.
Time to Replace Your Hot Water Tank
Most hot water tanks have a life expectancy of 10 years. The biggest sign that it is time for a tank replacement is leaks. If you have pooling water around the base of your tank this is a good indicator that your tank has reached the end of its life cycle. Small drips and leaks can escalate quickly causing major flooding and damage.