Waterloo Furnace Repair: What to Consider When Having a Commercial HVAC System Installed

Choosing a Commercial HVAC System: 4 Factors To Consider

As a Waterloo business owner, the comfort of your employees and customers is probably a priority for you, and having a complete heating, ventilation and cooling system can help you accomplish this. If your building requires an HVAC overhaul or you need an older system replaced, at CJ Brubacher Ltd., we are standing by to help you make a few decisions regarding your choices for HVAC replacement and furnace repair in Waterloo.

1. Building Size Matters

One of the most important factors in choosing a commercial HVAC system is the size of your building. The overall square footage and the number of floors can affect the quality of the heated or cooled air each section receives and how much ductwork each floor might require. If you choose a system that is too small for your building’s needs, you may pay higher energy costs and reduce the life of the system as it struggles to heat and cool an area too large for its output capacity.

Our technicians can advise you about your building’s needs and what type of system you need to keep your employees and customers comfortable and heat and cool spaces without wasting energy. This can help you save money over time, as controlling the efficiency of your HVAC system can prevent unnecessary wear and tear on important components and give you greater control over how you heat and cool your building.

2. The Condition of Your Current System

If you call us for commercial furnace repair and our technicians discover that your current system is no longer working as it should due to age or damage, they can list any current issues they find and help you decide whether repairs or a complete replacement of the system is necessary. Several factors may influence your choice, such as whether your building’s existing system is still safe to operate.

When an HVAC system ages, it’s motor and other moving parts may not work as effectively, causing inadequate heating or cooling in certain far-reaching areas of your building. Most commercial HVAC systems last about 20 years, so if your building’s system has not been replaced in the last few decades, it may be time to consider a replacement rather than a repair.

3. Cost

If you do decide to replace your existing heating and cooling system, then cost will likely play a role in what type you choose. For example, a single-split system is generally more cost-effective than a multi-split system, which has more operating options and gives your the ability to heat and cool specific spaces, such as offices and breakrooms. Multi-split systems can heat and cool large commercial buildings with lower energy costs, which could help you offset the price of installation.

Our service technicians can help you decide which HVAC system suits your current budget. They can inspect your building and inform you about which floors need consistent heating or cooling or whether a split-level system is a better choice for buildings with areas you do not always use consistently, such as storage spaces.

4. Building Location and Geography

Your building’s location can have a definite impact on how its HVAC system works and the type you may need for it to function correctly. Moisture, for instance, can have a significant effect on your current HVAC system’s ducts and cause the formation of mold inside the tubes, which can increase the risk of mold spores affecting other areas of the building.

Your commercial building’s HVAC requirements can affect the comfort and well-being of anyone who works or visits it. Contact us today to schedule an appointment and make your commercial building comfortable for everyone who works or visits.

Kitchener Furnace Repair: How Often Should Commercial HVAC Systems Recieve Tune-Ups?

HVAC systems are responsible for keeping commercial buildings at a comfortable temperature regardless of how the weather feels outside. Keeping your commercial heating and cooling unit in good condition is important for keeping your employees and customers comfortable. One of the best ways to keep your unit in top condition is to invest in regular maintenance. Here’s what you need to know about commercial HVAC system tune-ups.

What Is a Tune-Up?

You know that you need to call a professional to repair your unit when it starts to malfunction, but you may not understand what a tune-up is and how it can benefit your system. Routine maintenance appointments are important for keeping your HVAC system in top health because they give technicians a chance to make sure various components of the unit are working properly. If a certain component is close to malfunctioning, technicians can change the part before it causes a problem. During a tune-up, technicians can also play me a system to keep it operating efficiently.

Why Should You Get a Commercial HVAC Tune-Up?

You may not think you need to pay for maintenance services for your commercial HVAC system. It’s additional money that you can save by bypassing yearly tune-ups, but you will likely pay more in the long run because you will end up replacing the system more frequently. HVAC units are expensive, so you want them to last for several decades so that you get the most for your money. Paying for yearly maintenance is a good way to keep your system running smoothly so that it lasts longer.

What Are the Benefits of Tune-Ups?

There are numerous benefits to buying an HVAC maintenance plan with yearly tune-ups. In addition to extending the lifetime of your system, you’ll gain the following advantages with tune-ups:

Increased energy efficiency: HVAC units use a lot of energy and have a huge impact on your carbon footprint. Regular cleanings done at tune-up visits increase the energy efficiency of the system and require it to run less frequently to keep your building at a comfortable temperature
Improved Reliability: If your HVAC system breaks, your building will get too hot or too cold for the people inside to stay comfortable. It may be hours or even a few days before a technician can resolve the issue. Investing in tune-ups reduces the risk of your system tearing up so that you have more reliable heating and cooling.
Fewer Repairs: With HVAC systems, small problems quickly spiral out of control and become major. If you fail to fix problems right when they happen, you will end up paying for more extensive repairs and may even need to buy an entirely new unit. Regular maintenance helps you avoid costly repairs. Technicians can identify parts that are aging so that they can replace them before they begin to malfunction and cause problems.

Who Should You Call for an HVAC Tune-Up?

Although the needs of every business are unique, it is typically recommended for all commercial buildings to have their HVAC systems tuned up once a year. You should contact a reputable company to perform the maintenance so that you can keep your unit running efficiently for as long as possible. If you are looking for furnace repair in Kitchener, CJ Brubacher is ready to help. Our team of HVAC professionals is experienced with commercial furnace repair and can complete tune-ups quickly and efficiently so that your business building continues to be comfortable for everyone inside.

Make an Appointment Today

CJ Brubacher has commercial HVAC maintenance plans to keep your unit in peak condition. If your system is in need of a tune-up, contact us today to schedule an appointment.

Kitchener Heating Services: 3 Reasons To Avoid DIY Furnace Repairs

A furnace on the fritz can be a significant inconvenience at your home. This major appliance plays a big part in making your house comfortable. If you’re typically a handy person, you may be tempted to do some research and try to fix your furnace on your own. However, this is a risky option. Check out why it’s better to leave furnace repair in Kitchener to the professionals.

Gas Lines Are Dangerous

At the top of the list of reasons to avoid messing with your furnace is the gas connection. Many modern furnaces run on natural gas. While that offers consistent and reliable heat and energy, it also creates the risk for gas to leak into your home where it shouldn’t be. A gas leak could turn into an explosion with just a spark.

When our professionals make a repair involving a gas line, they know how to properly turn the gas supply on and off and ensure the gas line is correctly connected or capped. A professional repair person will also know the signs of a pipe that needs to be repaired to prevent future problems. These are skills you can’t get without special training.

Risk of Electrical Hazards

Safety risks also come in the form of electrical hazards. Electrical furnaces are popular as an efficient choice to heat your home. Even gas units will have some electrical parts. When repairs are needed, whoever is tasked with opening up the unit and finding the problem needs to have a healthy understanding of how to handle wires.

Making a mistake with electrical parts during a residential or commercial furnace repair could have dangerous results. Grabbing a live wire could result in burns, electrical shock or electrocution.

There is also the risk of a wire shorting out and impacting the electrical system connected to your furnace. A surge could trip a circuit or even cause damage to other HVAC elements in your home or business. You could end up needing more than just the furnace repaired.

DIY Repairs Void Warranties

Attempting residential furnace repair also brings the risk that you will void the warranty of your appliance or previous guarantees on older repairs. Furnace manufacturers usually give an estimated lifespan for how long the unit should last and will often promise to fix well-maintained furnaces if something unexpectedly fails.

However, there is likely a requirement that repair work is done by a qualified technician. This is because the company wants to make sure that there is no additional damage done to the unit. When you go tinkering inside your furnace on your own, your manufacturer may decide that they don’t have to take responsibility for a non-working component since they don’t know what was done to it.

Furnace Repair in Kitchener You Can Trust

Once you take DIY furnace repair off the table, it’s time to get a professional team you can count on like CJ Brubacher Ltd. Our experts use their experience to figure out why your furnace isn’t heating your home the way it should, and what it takes to fix it. By working with a qualified team, you get reliable work done right the first time.

A furnace repair partner can also help guide you on regular maintenance. They understand the best working conditions for your unit and can let you know if there is something that will help the furnace run better or something that is hurting its performance.

Furnaces are important and costly parts of homes, so ensuring they work well is worth the investment. Don’t risk damaging yours or hurting yourself with a home repair. Instead, reach out to CJ Brubacher Ltd for quality fixes anytime.

5 Signs You Need Professional Furnace Repair Services in Kitchener

There are often some signs that you need furnace repair in Kitchener before the unit fails completely. You should learn to recognize these signs and pay attention to them. The furnace is most likely to fail in winter when it sees the most use, and then residential furnace repair becomes urgent. Without it, you could experience burst pipes or hypothermia.

Here are some specific signs that you need to repair your furnace.

1. Unusual Noises

A furnace typically isn’t completely silent, and this is good because otherwise, it would be harder for you to tell whether it is working. When a furnace is working correctly, it usually makes a soft whirring sound. You may become so used to this sound that you hardly notice it anymore. However, if your furnace starts making unusual noises, these may attract your attention. Examples include rattling, banging, groaning, or unusual hums. Pay attention to these noises because they could signify that something inside your furnace has come loose or is not working properly.

2. Strange Smells

If you detect an unusual odour coming from your furnace, it could mean a problem with your combustion. Poor combustion can give off aldehydes, which are chemical compounds you can smell, as well as carbon monoxide, poisonous gas that you cannot. If your furnace is giving off strange smells, it doesn’t necessarily follow that it is also giving off carbon monoxide, but because the possibility exists and carbon monoxide is so dangerous, you should have the furnace checked out promptly.

Note that it is normal for a furnace to give off a strong smell when you first have it installed, or when you first turn it on after a long summer. However, if the smell occurs out of nowhere, doesn’t gradually fade away, or starts to intensify it is a sign of a potential problem.

3. Water Leaks

A water leak can occur if you have a humidifier attached to your furnace that is not working properly. If you do not have a humidifier, the furnace’s internal drain system or condensation line may be broken or clogged. A water leak from your furnace is usually easy to fix, but if you do not address it immediately, it could cause other complications.

4. Uneven Heating

It is unlikely that your heater will keep every room in the house at exactly the same temperature at all times. For example, the basement is usually several degrees cooler than the upstairs area of the house. Nevertheless, the heating should generally be even. If you have two vastly different temperatures in similar areas of the house and there isn’t another explanation for it, e.g., a draft from a window, it could be a problem with the heater requiring residential furniture repair.

5. Unexplained Increase in Energy Bills

Of course, energy bills tend to fluctuate with the season. Your heating bill goes down in the summer when you are not using the furnace as much and then increases during the winter. However, if you see increases that are not explained by the changes in the season, it may mean that there is something wrong with your furnace that is affecting its energy efficiency. You should have it checked out right away, especially if it occurs alongside other warning signs of furnace problems.

Call CJ Brubacher for Professional Furnace Repair in Kitchener

If your furnace breaks down, it is typically at an inconvenient time, such as a cold winter night. We offer 24/7 residential and commercial furnace repair so that you can call for help whenever you need it. With an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and nearly 100 years in the business, you can trust us to diagnose and repair your HVAC system. Find out more about our heating services.

Preparing Your HVAC System for Severe Weather

Kitchener Furnace Repair: 4 Ways to Prepare Your HVAC System for Severe Weather

With severe weather events on the rise, it is easy to be caught off-guard or surprised by the damage a storm can cause. Keep in mind that old adage: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In order to avoid a large bill for furnace repair in Kitchener, follow these simple yet effective suggestions for proactively protecting your HVAC system.

1. Keep Your Furnace Footprint Free of Other Objects

We cannot prevent or predict the weather, but we can protect our assets in the event of a disaster. Imagine a perimeter of at least five feet surrounding the top, sides, and ground around your HVAC system. Clear away any tree branches, yard implements, or furniture that could be blown against the furnace during high winds and cause damage. The greater the distance between your furnace and other objects, the less likely your HVAC system will suffer a puncture or be crushed by something heavy in the chaos of a storm.

2. Cut the Power

Another way to avoid paying unexpected bills for a residential furnace repair is to simply shut off the power to your furnace when you know a storm is coming. This will be temporarily uncomfortable for those inside the house, but it could save you a lot of money over time.

During a storm, electricity surges are common and can damage the circuitry of the HVAC system. If there is no power, however, there is no surge, and your furnace will continue operating smoothly after the storm has passed. Failure to do this may result in days or weeks without proper heating and cooling. In the aftermath of a storm, repair companies are often so backlogged that residents have to wait a very long time for their systems to be up and running again.

3. Anchor Your Furnace Securely

Commercial furnace repair companies highly recommend that each furnace be fastened down to a concrete slab or securely fixed to an exterior wall. During high winds, even a heavy furnace can be lifted off the ground and jostled. This causes instability within the fan blades and wiring that make the furnace function. An unsecured furnace is not only a risk to your HVAC system but also may damage other property or people if it comes loose during a storm.

4. Use a Surge Protector

While these are more commonly used to prevent electronics from shorting out, they are absolutely a wise choice for your furnace as well. A surge protector is able to sense unusual voltage increases and will shut off the machine if it believes the voltage is too high. This is especially crucial to have done ahead of time if you are not at home during the storm to turn off the power supply yourself. Power surges are not always predictable, so installing a surge protector takes away this element of surprise that could cost you money and inconvenience.

Prompt and Professional Furnace Repair in Kitchener

There are a number of services we offer if you have the misfortune of needing your furnace repaired. The first thing we will do is visit your property and assess the damage. If you are experiencing an emergency, call our 24/7 crisis line and we can usually respond quickly. If residential furnace repair is what you need, we will send our technicians to your home to determine whether repair, replacement, maintenance, or tune-up is the best solution. If you need commercial furnace repair, let us guide you with advice on energy efficiency and the potential for capacity upgrades. Visit our website to schedule a service or request an estimate today.

Why Turn Off Your Furnace When the Warmer Weather Appears in Kitchener?

One of the best things about spring is the warmer temperatures during the day. It’s not only more pleasant outside, but inside as well. You can open up your windows and let the fresh air in. Of course, spring weather is unpredictable. One day it might be sunny and bright, but the next day it could be rainy and cold. Turning off your furnace may seem like a gamble. Here’s what to know about turning off your furnace in the spring and who to call for residential furnace repair.

Why Should You Turn Your Furnace Off in the Spring?

Your heater won’t cycle on if you’ve set the thermostat lower than the inside temperature, so you might be wondering why it’s worth turning your heater off.

You end up wasting money by running the pilot light when your furnace is on.
You won’t inadvertently heat your home if the thermostat isn’t set right.
You save money on furnace repair in Kitchener because your furnace takes the season off.

Shutting the pilot light off during the summer reduces your energy consumption and avoids putting stress on the components of your heater during the warmer months when you don’t need it.

How Do You Know When to Turn Off Your Furnace?

Don’t go by daytime temperatures to turn off your heater. Look at nighttime temps, when the air gets the coldest. Your home retains the daytime heat into the night, so it’s those early mornings where you may need the most heat. You want the outside temperature to be consistently above 7 to 10 degrees before turning off your furnace. If you have many north-facing windows or have a tendency to be cold-natured, you may need to wait until late May before you turn your furnace off for the season. Conversely, if you want to save on energy costs and don’t mind putting an extra blanket on your bed and wearing a warm sweater in the morning, you may be able to turn off your furnace earlier in the season.

How to Turn Your Furnace Off in the Winter

It’s not enough to switch off the thermostat. You need to turn off the pilot light to the furnace. You may also want to cut the main gas supply to the furnace. Don’t cut your gas supply to the water heater and stove. If you can turn off electricity to your furnace without shutting down the AC, do so. A professional technician can help you shut your furnace off safely.

Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Home Safer

Turning your furnace off is a personal choice. You don’t have to, but you should spend some time in the spring checking out your furnace and AC.

Check your furnace and AC filters. Replace them if warranted. Make a note on the filter to remember the date you changed it.
Check your carbon monoxide detector. If it uses batteries, put fresh ones in. Check the age of your CO monitor. Most should be replaced after 10 years. D
Check the area around the furnace. Remove any debris.
It’s also a good time to make sure your AC is ready for the warmer days. Have a service tech do an inspection of your furnace and AC to make your system last longer.

The biggest drawback to shutting off your furnace in the summer is remembering to relight the pilot in the fall. Fortunately, you can call the professionals to handle that job. While they’re lighting the pilot light, they can do a quick inspection to make sure your heater is ready to tackle the winter.

Contact CJ Brubacher Ltd. for residential and commercial furnace repair. We’ll make sure your furnace is operating at peak performance when you need it and doesn’t give you problems when you don’t.

Waterloo Heating Services: Is A Burning Smell In Your Furnace Normal?

The heating system in your home or a commercial facility is necessary for the colder winter months. While heat is essential for keeping people warm, it is also vital for the maintenance of your property. Without heat, pipes can freeze, windows can break, and so much more. If you do not have heat, contact an expert in furnace repair in Waterloo.

However, not every apparent issue requires a technician. For example, many homeowners freak out when they smell something burning after turning on their HVAC system for the first time. Is the smell normal? Is it something to worry about?

Is It Normal To Smell Burning?

A slight burning or hot smell does not always warrant a call to a residential furnace repair company. When a system is shut down for a while, like most systems are during the spring and summer months, a minor odour is expected as the system kicks back on.

A stagnant system collects dust throughout. When the furnace kicks back on, it is burning the existing dust within the motor, heating elements, and other components. The burning that takes place after a while of inactivity is considered normal and nonthreatening. Still, that does not mean that all burning smells are natural.

What Smells Are Not Normal?

Whether dealing with residential or commercial furnace repair, some odours are unnatural and require the attention of a seasoned expert. Some smells can indicate problems with specific components, and others can represent issues with entire systems. Homeowners must know the differences between these odours to explain the scent to a technician and determine the feasibility of a repair. Depending on the severity of the damage, a new system might be advisable.

1. Rotten Eggs

Most HVAC systems use natural gas to operate. Natural gas is odourless, which is dangerous, so gas companies add mercaptan to it, producing a rotten egg smell. Without the rotten egg odour, people may not realize they have a gas leak, which can result in death or severe injury.

If you smell rotten eggs when you turn on your furnace or HVAC unit, you should shut it off immediately and call the gas company or a licensed HVAC professional. A crew should arrive on the scene quickly to inspect and repair any issues.

2. Mustiness

Sometimes, homeowners will turn on their furnace and notice a strong musty or mouldy smell coming from the vents. The odour usually indicates mould growth in the ductwork or evaporator coil. The vents and system will need to be cleaned to eliminate the odour.

Unfortunately, depending on how bad the mould growth is, it often represents more significant problems. You might want to hire a mould remediation company to assess the rest of the property for mould. Sometimes, mould remediation is the only way to rid an entire property of mould risks.

3. Electrical, Metallic, or Plastic

Electrical and metallic burning smells can indicate an overheated blower or another component. The best thing you can do is shut down the system and ask an HVAC technician for assistance. If you continue to run the system with malfunctioning parts, you risk damaging the heat exchanger or other critical components.

The smell of burning plastic is not typical, and it can be hazardous. Plastic and similar materials can release fumes into the air that are toxic. If you smell plastic, shut off the HVAC system, open windows, and contact an HVAC specialist.

Have you noticed strange odours coming from the vents in your home or facility? If so, contact CJ Brubacher Ltd. and schedule an assessment. The HVAC, Plumbing, and electrical specialists will send out a qualified team member as soon as possible.

Tag: residential furnace repair