To do's and not to do's for HVAC system landscaping

- Be very vigilant towards maintaining your yard. After a thunderstorm, go to your yard and perform the necessary cleaning. Remove any twigs, leaves and clean the area around the HVAC unit immediately if not the entire area - At the time of clipping grass, it is highly recommended to point the grass clipping away from the compressor in order to not let the popped pieces into the unit - In the case of an upcoming wind, clear the area surrounding the HVAC unit. Wind can bang table, chairs etc in the unit resulting in damage - If you're planning vegetation in your yard, make sure it's 3 to 4 feet away from the compressor unit - While many people do not keep this in consideration, the unit should not be under the direct sun. The efficiency gets affected when the unit is under the direct sun. Also, in the winter season, the compressor unit should be covered to protect it from snow and pets. - On a routine basis, do not allow any pets or stray animals to accommodate the space near the compressor unit. Animal urine corrodes the metal very fastly. - When the compressor fan is running, do not cut the grass around it. The clippings can get stuck in the fan blades and or may clog the compressor coils - When mowing the lawn, make sure no twig or stone is in the way. A rapidly moving mower will throw them and in case it hits the compressor, you are ruined! - In order to keep maintenance, inspection and repair easy for yourself and the technicians, better not try camouflaging the unit with shrubs or plants - And needless to say that the surroundings of the compressor has to be well clear in the times it is being used. The unit needs space to exhaust the heat properly. When tightly packed, it cannot perform the job of exhausting the heat - Last but not least, always choose professionals to install the unit. It is because they know where and where not to install the unit. When the unit is installed in the right place, you don't have to worry too much about it later. And since the location matters a lot, choosing a wrong technician, who would choose the wrong location, will ultimately become a deal of loss for you. With proper maintenance and wisely made HVAC choices, you can manage to enjoy comfort throughout the year, save on monthly energy bills and also reduce the possibilities of sudden breakdown and frequent repairs. For now, you are well equipped to perform a safe and HVAC-friendly landscaping the next time.

The furnace is no less than a blessing in a season like winter and that too of Canada's when everything just freezes up. A lot of Canadian homeowners prefer to use Furnace as their primary home heating source in winter. Some other may prefer fireplace, heat pump or space heater but Furnace nonetheless remains the most widely used and the most favourite. However, when it comes to maintaining the appliance, there are very few people who are regular and concerned about performing in time maintenance of their Furnace unit. Even worse, a vast majority in addition to delaying maintenance keeps units in use even when they are in need of repairs realizing not that doing so is synonymous with calling upon serious dangers. This blog will highlight the dangers associated with using malfunctioning or unmaintained Furnace units.

- The scariest - Fire 

You do come across news mentioning house fires incidents throughout winters, don't you? And behind many of such incidents, there is a malfunctioning Furnace responsible. As the Furnace operates, it releases CO as a by-product. In normal cases, this by-product is designed to escape through the vents but an unmaintained unit can actually fail to expel the residual gas outside resulting in accumulation of the gas inside. Since CO is odourless and colourless, it is not possible to find it out even when it is there. And being highly flammable, only a slight fire is enough to turn your home into ashes.

- Silent death - CO 

As mentioned above, CO is poisonous and yet this poison cannot be suspected. Similar to the fire accidents, the next most common accident associated with Furnaces is the CO poisoning. This gas also called, "The Silent Killer can cause situations like extreme fatigue and loss of consciousness. In worst cases, death. While on one hand it is suggested to not use a malfunctioning Furnace, on the other hand, it is also important that a CO detector is installed in order to detect the CO presence well in time.

- Deteriorating IAQ 

Other than the above-mentioned consequencing of using a malfunctioning Furnace, one consequence is that of a bad IAQ. Even if your unit is not releasing CO, it is releasing dust and pollution whatsoever when not maintained. And the air that circulates in the entire home after passing through a dirty unit indubitably takes the pollution with it and spread it all around. Also, the dirty filters will result in the blockage of airflow burdening the system and once again, creating circumstances for a breakdown.

Moreover, a malfunctioning unit causes frequent repairs which results in unnecessary expenses and one problem gives way to another. So if you have been using a malfunctioning Furnace last winter, do not repeat the same mistake this time. Get the unit repaired by a certified professional and ensure that it is working properly. A properly working unit ensures safety as well as savings.

Are you facing any Furnace related issues? Do you want to learn some quick Furnace DIY troubleshooting? Explore our blog to find out more.