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How To Deal With Humidity In Edmonton

The humidity and indoor temperature in your home is greatly influenced by the weather outside. Humidity levels vary naturally with the changing seasons. Indoor humidity in your room should be between 30-50% to have a comfortable environment. When the humidity level reaches or exceeds the 60 figure, it starts getting hot and uncomfortable.

Too much moisture in the air not only makes you feel uncomfortable but also affects your health. It can cause allergy flare-ups, respiratory problems, and sleep interruptions. It also causes structural damage, mold growth and condensation in walls. If you want to gauge moisture levels in your house, use a hygrometer.

Here is what you can do to relieve the discomfort and enjoy your summer:

Ensure proper ventilation

The purpose of ventilation is to control the thermal environment and humidity and remove dilute pollutants. The ventilation system in your house or office should be sufficient to remove pollutants and keep the air circulating. Places like bathrooms, basements and closets lack proper ventilation. These places are prone to humidity build-up and mold. Therefore, it’s important to ensure proper ventilation.

Use air conditioning

Using air conditioning systems can help you reduce humidity and maintain a comfortable environment. Air conditioners produce cooler air while removing humid, warm air. If your air conditioning system isn’t producing enough cooling in the summer, make sure to change its filters or hire a professional HVAC expert to have it tuned up and ready for the summer.

Reduce wet objects

Household activities such as cooking, washing and drying clothes inside the house cause humidity indoors. Water leakage, retained construction moisture, and plumbing leaks also amplify the humidity level in your house. Simple and easy activities such as using exhaust fans in the bathroom, range hood in the kitchen, venting a dryer to the outside and installing externally vented gas heaters can help you reduce the moisture level in indoor air.

While indoor plants provide numerous benefits in terms of air quality and aesthetics, you should consider removing them as they create a water cycle that turns your living space into a greenhouse.

Use a dehumidifier

Turn on your fans and air conditioners to dehumidify the air and lower the perceived temperature. It’s always a good idea to use a dehumidifier in the basement or anywhere in your house. You can set the dehumidifier to a level that ensures healthy humidity level (30-50%) inside your house. Bathrooms, closets, and attics are some places where you can put dehumidifiers.

If the HVAC systems installed in your building are unable to reduce the summer heat and humidity level, call Nor-Can Heating & Air, a reputable HVAC company in Edmonton where we provide a complete range of HVAC services from small air conditioner repair to installing furnaces and ventilation systems.

How To Reduce Air Conditioning Costs In The Summer

For most Canadians, keeping cooling and heating costs down and maintaining a comfortable indoor home environment go hand in hand. While it’s important to stay cool in the summer, people don’t want to break the bank. It’s important to figure out how to reduce air conditioning costs while maintaining a comfortable indoor environment. The following are ways to keep cool and save on air conditioning costs:

Install energy-efficient air conditioning systems

With rising energy costs, everyone tries to find ways to be more energy efficient. Installing energy-efficient air conditioning units is an effective way to reduce your energy bill. The Canadian government encourages its citizens to use energy-efficient HVAC systems which protect the environment and consume less power.

As an innovative and progressive HVAC company in Edmonton, we also encourage our customers to replace outdated cooling and heating systems with energy-efficient HVAC solutions. Contact Nor-Can to learn more about energy-efficient HVAC solutions in Edmonton, Alberta.

Set the temperature as high as possible

To reduce energy consumption, set your AC as high as possible. It’s recommended to use a programmable thermostat to increase the temperature when you’re asleep or out. It’s important to know that the smaller the difference between the outdoor and indoor temperature, the less you’ll pay in bills.

Maintain your air conditioners

While installing energy-efficient appliances is a good decision, HVAC maintenance can have an impact on your bills. Properly maintained air conditioning system needs less power to operate. For example, dirty and clogged filters make air conditioners work harder to cool the designated space. A simple maintenance task is to replace or clean the AC filters once a month. You can talk to an HVAC expert to learn more about air conditioner repair and maintenance.

Avoid heat build ups during the day

When the outdoor temperature exceeds the inside temperature of your home, it’s advisable to avoid activities that generate heat such as over using your dryer or stove. Small things like washing dishes by hand or letting clothes air-dry can make a difference.

When used properly, highly reflective blinds can significantly reduce heat gain. If you put in an effort to prevent solar heat by keeping the treatments drawn all day, your AC will use less energy. Make sure to use light-colored shades, blinds, and curtains as they deflect the sun’s scorching rays.

When installing, cleaning or maintaining your AC unit, make sure to read and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Feel free to contact Nor Can Heating & Air for reliable HVAC installation, repair, and maintenance services in Edmonton!

Understanding The Significance Of HVAC Services

An acronym for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, HVAC services are widely used to provide cooling and heating for residential and industrial settings. From a small house to skyscrapers and mega industrial plants, HVAC systems play a critical role in improving climate control and creating a comfortable indoor environment.

For most households, heating and cooling accounts for more than half of the energy they use. Taking into account the importance of energy efficiency, it’s important for you to choose the right HVAC setup that can meet your heating and cooling needs without increasing the cost of your utility bill.

Heating systems

It’s hard to imagine a comfortable lifestyle without heating systems in cities like Edmonton where cold weather can make life seriously difficult. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Edmonton was −49.4 °C (−56.9 °F), on January 19 and 21, 1986. There are different forms of heating systems; for example, furnaces that burn natural gas or propane to produce heated air through ductwork. It’s recommended to use energy-efficient furnaces that use ECM motor technology. Boilers are another form of heating systems that heat water for steam radiators. They use oil or gas to heat the water.

Radiant floor or hydronic heating systems is another way to keep the indoor environment warm and cozy. These systems use underfloor piping made of flexible tubes filled with glycol solution or water. Whether your floors are made of concrete or wood, these systems can heat most floors.

Cooling Systems

Just like heating systems, there are many types of air conditioning systems ranging from massive units designed to cool down large spaces, to small window-mounted systems to cool small rooms.

High relative humidity, bright sunshine, and elevated air temperature can combine to create an uncomfortable indoor environment. Cooling systems are one of the most effective ways to deal with heat in the summer. However, air conditioning comes with a sharp rise in electricity bills. To make life easier, consider removing your old, inefficient air conditioner and replace it with a more energy-efficient one. Make sure cooling systems installed in your house are sufficient to control the temperature. As a household owner, you should carefully evaluate your heating and cooling needs so that you use the HVAC systems ideal for your home.

Ventilation systems

According to a recently conducted report, Canadians spend approximately 80% of their time indoors. The use of efficient ventilation systems can help you improve indoor air quality. They reduce moisture levels and pollutant that lead to harmful health effects.

Your house may be designed in a way that is naturally ventilated. However, ventilation solely by window opening can increase energy costs, especially when it takes heavy cooling or heating to keep the environment at a comfortable temperature level. Managing relative humidity also becomes challenging in the summer and winter.

If you’re not sure what HVAC system is right for your space or you need dependable HVAC repair and installation services in Edmonton, feel free to contact Nor Can Heating & Air!

Choosing The Best Furnace For Your Home in Edmonton

It’s important for Canadians to prepare for the winter and have their heating systems properly installed and maintained. If your house or office isn’t ready for extreme wind, ice, and sub-zero temperatures, it’s time to equip your space with an efficient furnace. Having the right heating system installed in your house plays a key role in maintaining a comfortable indoor environment during the cold months.

Whether you need to upgrade your existing heating system or need to repair your old furnace, or maybe you’re planning to get rid of your old, inefficient furnace and install an energy-efficient unit, it’s helpful to consult an HVAC expert. This blog post will help you choose the right furnace for your house.

Before making a purchase, don’t forget to check the equipment’s Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE); the higher the rating, the more efficient the furnace will be.

Types of furnaces

Maintenance, operating cost, size and your heating needs can help you determine what type of furnace you should install in your home. Some of the popular types of furnaces in Canada include:

Gas furnaces

Gas furnaces are the most commonly used heating appliances in Canada. Many residents prefer to use gas furnace due to their features: safety, reliability, and efficiency. HVAC technology has changed dramatically over the past few years. For example, gas furnaces have become more efficient in terms of performance, functionality, and energy consumption.

Electric furnaces

The function of electric furnaces is to heat up the air that moves through the ductwork by a fan. Controlled by circuit breakers, electric heater elements in the electric furnace produce heat. The cost to run an electric furnace is relatively high. However, electric furnaces are easy to install and environment-friendly contributing almost nothing to carbon emissions.

Propane furnaces

Installing a propane furnace is a good choice if you live in a rural area where other fuels are expensive or scarce. You need to install a propane tank outside of your home and connect it to your propane furnace. Local service companies should be refilling your tank.

Buy a furnace with Electronically Commutated Motors (ECM)

Electronically commutated motor (ECM) is a motor technology used in heating applications to reduce the consumption of energy. Surprisingly, a furnace with ECM can help you reduce energy consumption by up to 60%. Apart from having a reduced electricity bill and optimum level heating, you can claim a rebate if you purchase any eligible furnace with a high-efficiency motor (ECM). These motors help adjust speed to provide adequate airflow resulting in less noise and electrical consumption.

About Nor-Can Heating & Air

Nor-Can is a team of HVAC experts in Edmonton where we help our customers choose, install, repair and maintain all kinds of heating systems including furnaces and air conditioning units. If you live in Edmonton, just give us a quick call and we will take care of your heating and cooling needs. Contact us for more information!

Does Indoor Air Quality Matter? Here Is What You Need To Know

While the environmentalists have focused a lot on the environment around your home, it’s also crucial to consider that indoor air quality is of great importance. Most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors. The quality of indoor air you’re breathing has a significant impact on your health. Unfortunately, air contaminants can’t be seen with the naked eye, so you never realize the source of the problem. Breathing bad air every day and for an extended period of time can lead to serious health complications. Therefore, it’s important to take steps and ensure a healthy indoor environment.

Indoor air contaminants

Most of the elements in the air are odorless, which means there’s hardly anything to alert you. Indoor air quality tends to be worse in the winter when people feel cozy being sealed in tight against the cold. The reduced flow of fresh air from the outside will lead to an increased amount of allergy-inducing particles such as pet dander, dust mites, and mold spores. These air contaminants will keep circulating throughout your house.

People that are more vulnerable to air pollution include children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with lung and heart conditions. Types of air pollutants include:

Chemical pollutants (lead, ozone, asbestos, carbon monoxide, etc.)
Biological pollutants (bacteria, dust mites, pollen, and spores)
Radiological pollutants (radioactive substances)

Related: Indoor air quality risks

How to improve air quality

Adequate natural ventilation and the use of healthier building materials can help you lower the risks of indoor air pollutants. In order to avoid allergy symptoms and asthma flare-ups, you need to improve your indoor air quality. Here are some tips to make breathing easy throughout the year:

Keep it clean

Good indoor hygiene can greatly cut down animal dander and dust. You should make efforts to reduce the accumulation of mold, pet dander, and dust lurking in your home. To improve the situation, vacuum rugs and carpets at least once a week. It’s also helpful to clean bedding, drapes, and other objects that can accumulate allergens.

Air purifiers can help

If you’re unable to trace down the source of the problem, you should consider using an air purifier – you can place purifiers in commonly used areas of your house to capture some of the irritants that may trigger symptoms. It’s hardly possible to completely remove the allergens from the air. However, you can reduce them and mitigate the intensity of the problem. You can also consider using dehumidifiers in damp areas to prevent the growth of mold.

Always use energy-efficient and high-quality HVAC systems that can handle allergens and keep the indoor air clean.

About Nor Can Heating & Air

Nor Can is a team of heating and cooling experts in Edmonton where we provide a diverse range of HVAC services from emergency services to repair and installation. Visit our website or contact us for more information!

How To Make Your Home More Energy-Efficient

There is a direct relationship between the pattern of lifestyle households lead and energy consumption and emission. Modern civilizations are run by energy. Considering the rising demand for energy, it’s important to study the way people build houses to find out ways to identify and reduce the unnecessary use of energy. Unless governments set examples and encourage people to achieve a sustainable lifestyle, it will be difficult to help people materialize sustainable living.

Heating and cooling are the major components when it comes to the overall energy consumption of a house. The efficiency of a house depends largely on its ability to control heat loss, the movement of moisture, and air leakage.

The concept of an energy-efficient home

Households can save money and energy by making their houses more efficient. When building an energy-efficient home, the builder has to take a number of factors into consideration. From tightly sealed thermal envelope and ventilation to the installation of high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, the prime objective of an energy-efficient home is to create a green home with a healthy indoor environment. Let’s take a look at some of the properties of an energy-efficient home:

1. Air and moisture barriers

Preventing air and moisture from penetrating into the interior of a home is a basic design requirement. When it comes to eliminating thermal bridges, airtightness of a home plays a key role. Growth of mildew and mold rarely takes place in the presence of strong moisture resistance home. Continuous insulation and moisture barriers are inseparable parts of energy-efficient home design.

2. Heating and cooling systems

As mentioned earlier, heating and cooling systems account for almost half of a home’s energy use. Therefore, it’s important to pay due attention when purchasing heating and cooling systems. For instance, an efficient HVAC system must be more than 90% efficient, which means there is a minimum amount of energy loss. Building new houses in accordance with the Energy Star recommendations can help you build an energy-efficient home that will help you reduce your utility bills in the future.

3. Appliances and electronics

Appliances and electronic products also play a vital role in reducing a home’s energy use. Don’t use an outdated, inefficient microwave, dehumidifier, freezer, washer or dryer if you want to design an energy-efficient home.

If you’re in Edmonton, contact Nor-Can Heating & Air to learn more about energy-efficient homes, heating, and cooling solutions. Apart from our HVAC repair and consultation services, we also help households install energy-efficient appliances and get instant rebates on buying some energy-efficient products such as tankless water heaters. Contact us for more information!

Benefits Of Using Humidifiers In The Winter

The function of a humidifier is to release water vapor and improve moisture levels in the air. During the winter months, cold and dry air can cause many ailments. Studies reveal that increasing humidity to a certain level can help prevent many airborne viruses that cause flu infections. Which means the right use of humidifiers can help you avoid getting sick due to dry air in the winter.

Dry skin and use of humidifiers

Dry skin or chapped lips are signs that there is a need for a humidifier in your space. The level of humidity in furnace-heated air can be significantly low. Humidifiers add the much-needed moisture to skin and to the air. You can use several humidifiers in the house and near bedrooms.

Improving the quality of air by adding moisture not only treats dry skin but also soothes skin itchiness and dryness ensuring a more comfortable indoor environment in the winter. It’s not just the winter that leads to dry air, there are other factors such as cosmetic products and topical medications for acne that sometimes result in skin dryness.

Reducing flu and allergy symptoms

Moisture and steam can help you ease down itchiness in the nose, irritation, sinuses, nasal passages, and itchy eyes. Humidifiers, therefore, benefit people with flu or allergies. The growth of bacteria that flourish in the dry air can be prevented by improving indoor air quality. However, you must be careful when utilizing humidifiers as a tool to improve moisture in the air. Overusing this device can also facilitate the growth of allergens and pathogens.

Easing asthma

People suffering from asthma can find humidifiers beneficial as it improves breathing especially when a patient is experiencing respiratory infection. However, if you or someone in your family is suffering from asthma, use humidifiers after consulting your doctor.

Snoring remedy

People who breathe through their mouth find it difficult to prevent dryness, especially when they are sleeping. The use of a humidifier can improve the situation in such cases helping people soothe the tissues at the back of their throat. It will help them snore less and sleep more comfortably.

Humidified air feels warmer than dry air. Sweat evaporates more slowly with more water in the air making people feel warmer. Maintaining good air quality in your house can help you and your family live much healthier lifestyle.

The use of humidifiers also helps you maintain some of the essential components of your home such as furniture, wallpaper, and paint. Consult a heating and cooling expert to know more about how increasing the humidity level in the air can help you prevent certain health-related issues in the winter.

About Nor Can Heating & Air

Nor Can Heating & Air is a team of highly competent HVAC experts in Edmonton where we help people enhance their indoor environment in terms of cooling, heating, and air quality. From emergency HVAC services to the new installation or replacement of old HVAC units, we deliver a broad range of services. Contact us for more information!

What Value Can An Efficient Furnace Add To Your Home

Replacing old, outdated furnaces with an efficient heating system is a simple thing you can do to make your home more green and energy-efficient. Apart from the initial installation costs, modern furnaces are made to provide comfort while having an insignificant impact on the environment.

Your house is more than just walls and a roof, it’s a complex system comprised of various components that determine the level of safety, health, and comfort. With the passage of time and technological advancements, HVAC manufacturers now better understand the heat, air, and moisture movement in a building, enabling us to manage or control the indoor environment in a very systematic way.

An obsolete furnace can be very expensive

If your furnace was installed in the 90s, you shouldn’t wonder why your monthly heating expenses are so high. Obsolete home appliances aren’t helpful when it comes to curbing pollution and energy waste. The early furnace models were required to convert at least 78% of fuel into heat. Now, the efficiency level has climbed as high as 98.5%, which means that up to 98.5 of fuel should be considered as convertible energy and heat. Therefore, if your furnace was installed 20 years ago or more, it’s time to replace it and save energy and reduce that utility bill.

Efficiency does matter

Most heating systems use gas which is a common heating fuel. How efficiently your furnace turns gas into heating energy is measured as a percentage. In addition to reduced power consumption, efficient furnaces produce fewer emissions. Also, the environment must be taken into account before making a purchasing decision.

Buying a furnace

There are a number of manufacturers selling furnaces in Canada. How can you make the right furnace buying decision? There are so many factors to consider: models, features, sizes, warranties, efficiency, costs, etc. Nowadays, everything boils down to energy efficiency, comfort, and warranty.

You can get rebates in Alberta

The Government encourages households to buy home appliances that produce maximum results while consuming minimum energy. For example, purchasing a furnace with a high-efficiency motor, which is also called ECM or electronically commutated motor, can help you qualify for a rebate. In order to get a rebate, you have to follow a few simple steps.

Most of the latest furnaces offer 90% efficiency. However, when you buy a new furnace, make sure it has an ECM so that you can save more and receive a rebate. If you’re not sure which model you should select for your space, contact Nor-Can Heating & Air where we not only provide HVAC repair & installation but also help with building energy-efficient houses and offices.

From HVAC emergency services to new installations and repair, we add value to your home by making it more efficient. Contact us for more information!

How Tankless Water Heaters Are More Energy Efficient

Tankless water heater systems use less energy, take up less space and provide hot water faster than most of the traditional water heating systems. Considering the benefits, it’s not wise to equip your home with inefficient, old-fashioned water heaters. Take advantage of technological developments and replace old appliances with energy-efficient appliances. You have the freedom to reduce your utility bill whether you are heating your home or cooling your home.

Tankless water heating systems or demand-type water heaters provide hot water only when needed. This means you don’t have to suffer standby energy losses associated with traditional, storage-type water heaters. While tankless models are more energy-efficient, it’s important to determine whether or not they are feasible for your home or office. For that, you need to know how demand-type water heaters work:

How tankless water heaters work

If you haven’t yet explored much about tankless water heaters, you might be wondering how they work. Simply put, as the name suggests, demand-type water heaters don’t use a storage tank. When you turn on a hot water tap, cold water runs through a pipe into the unit. An electric or gas element heats the water delivering an uninterrupted supply of hot water, unlike storage-based models that keep you waiting for hot water while the tank is filling up.

It’s also important to mention that tankless water heaters can limit the flow rate due to their instant mechanism of heating up water; they provide hot water at a rate ranging from 7 to 15 liters per minute or 2 to 5 gallons per minute. Gas-fired units offer better flow rates as compared to that of electric. In large households, a single tankless heater might not be enough to supply enough hot water to facilitate multiple and simultaneous uses. It’s a good idea to have more than one unit, connected in parallel, to meet your growing demand for hot water in your building.

Residents of Alberta can get a rebate for installing a tankless water heater

The use of energy-efficient appliances is always desirable on both the national and international levels. The good news is that you can get an energy efficiency rebate of up to $1000 for installing specific tankless water heaters. You can call Nor-Can Heating & Air to learn more about how much you can get back in rebates when installing a tankless water heater.

About Nor-Can

Nor-Can, an HVAC company in Edmonton specializes in providing energy efficiency services to households and businesses which results in adding value to their heating and cooling systems. Whether you need to install a tankless water heater or need to repair a furnace, we provide a comprehensive range of heating and air conditioning services in Edmonton, Alberta. Contact us for more information!

Selecting The Right Water Heater For Your Home

If your current water heater is about to reach its full life expectancy and you’re thinking about getting a new one, or you want to select a water heater for your new home, you’ll be happy to know that you can choose from a number of energy-efficient models and brands. However, you might feel overwhelmed with the types and sizes available in the market.

It is crucial to select the right design, type, and size in order to get an uninterrupted supply of hot water in a cost-effective manner. Choose a water heater that is not only energy efficient but also powerful enough to meet the demand for hot water. It’s never a good idea to just choose a manufacturer and randomly buy a model without considering your needs. Let’s discuss some of the popular types of water heaters to make the selection process easy for you:

Types of water heaters

Having considerable knowledge of different types of water heaters will make it easy for you to make the right choice. Here are some of them:

Traditional, storage-tank: this is the most commonly used type which offers 20 to 80 gallons of a ready reservoir of hot water. Storage heaters use energy to heat up the water and maintain its temperature. If you prefer to have a considerable amount of water ready at all times, select models with stronger insulation.
Tankless: as the name suggests, this type of water heater heats water without using a storage tank. You can say it’s an on-demand type of water heaters which provides a limited flow of water per minute as compared to that of storage-type. Tankless systems are energy-efficient, ideal for homes that prefer to use natural gas to power the heating systems.
Solar: these domestic water heating systems are great when it comes to the environment and economy as they use solar energy to operate. They work best during the summer months. However, the high initial installation cost can be a disadvantage.

Let’s simplify the process: selection criteria

Here are some of the factors that you must consider before making a purchase decision:

Fuel type: energy source or fuel type can have an impact on your water heaters operation costs and output. Natural gas, electricity, fuel oil, and solar are some of the leading energy sources. Select the one that is ideal for you both in terms of monthly costs and output.
Size: determine the demand for hot water in your house so that you can select the right size. Amount of water per minute is a good indicator to find out whether or not a particular model is appropriate for your building. Select a properly sized unit that can efficiently fulfill your requirements.
Cost: How much energy is used is often a concern for many households. It’s advisable to buy energy-efficient models.

About us

Nor Can Heating & Air adds value to your heating and air conditioning systems. If you’re looking to install, repair, or replace a water heater in Edmonton, Alberta, we have what it takes to provide you with excellent service. Contact us for more information!