Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners at Bridge City Discuss Air Vents & Carbon Monoxide

25. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaning, Trusted Tips

Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners Bridge City Duct Cleaning provides both residential duct cleaning and commercial duct cleaning and furnace maintenance services. Their team is professionally trained, qualified, bonded, and factory furnace and duct cleaning technicians. In their latest article, they talk about the number of air vents needed in our homes. With winter coming on, questions start to fly about carbon monoxide.

Carbon Monoxide

In the middle of a dark wintery Saskatchewan evening, the last thing you want is for your furnace to quit. With snow coming you will see many warnings about clearing your furnace vents of snow. Many ask does this mean you need to clean your ducts? And the answer is not necessarily.

During extreme winter weather events (i.e. heavy snowfall and extreme cold), your furnace and water heater exhaust vents may become blocked with snow, ice, or frost. New models of furnaces are factory programmed to automatically shut off when Carbon Monoxide (CO) levels are higher than usual within your home. Without proper ventilation, carbon monoxide can build up inside your home and the consequences can be fatal. The burning of natural gas produces both water and CO. Where do these gases go? Furnace exhaust gases are vented outside via a PVC pipe and are typically one to two feet above the ground.

If you notice your furnace is not properly heating your home, check to ensure your exhaust vents are clear of any obstructions. Even if your furnace is running, there is a possibility that the exhaust vent could be partially blocked. Over the cold winter months, frost can build up slowly in and around the vent, reducing your furnace’s efficiency. So whether it’s for optimal efficiency or protection from carbon monoxide, it’s important to keep your exhaust vents clear.

Carbon Monoxide Info

Often referred to as the “silent killer,” Carbon Monoxide, also known as CO is an invisible, tasteless and odourless gas that can cause severe illness or death. The poisonous gas is produced when fuels, such as propane, gasoline, natural gas, heating oil or wood do not burn completely in fuel-burning appliances, such as furnaces, fireplaces, hot water heaters, stoves, barbecues, portable heaters and generators, or vehicles.

There are more than 300 CO-related deaths per year and more than 200 hospitalizations per year in Canada. While it is mandatory to have carbon monoxide detectors in all homes now, they are not 100% reliable (they become unplugged, run out of battery, may not be in the right room, etc.). This is why you need to take every step to ensure your furnace vents properly.

Exposure to Carbon Monoxide

Exposure to CO can cause flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, nausea and dizziness, burning eyes, confusion, drowsiness and loss of consciousness. If you or others in your household or building have these symptoms, go outdoors and call 911 immediately. If your CO alarm sounds and no one is suffering from symptoms of CO poisoning, check to see if the battery needs replacing or if the alarm has reached its “end-of-life” before calling 911.

Not sure if you need your ducts cleaned or not, contact Bridge City Duct Cleaning Services to have them review your situation.

Call today to book your appointment with Bridge City Duct Cleaning.

Bridge City Duct Cleaning Services Include:

Bridge City Furnace and Duct Cleaning Is A Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaning Company

How Often Your Air Ducts Need To Be Cleaned By Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners at Bridge City

25. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaning, Trusted Tips

Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners Bridge City Duct Cleaning provides both residential duct cleaning and commercial duct cleaning and furnace maintenance services. Their team is professionally trained, qualified, bonded, and factory furnace and duct cleaning technicians. In their latest article, they discuss how often your air ducts need to be cleaned.

How Often Do Your Air Ducts Need to be Cleaned?

Did you know a single duct cleaning service removes about five or six pounds of dust? So this begs the question, how often do your air ducts need to be cleaned? We know that over time contaminants like dust, lint and debris can build up in your air ducts and dryer vents, which affects your home’s indoor air quality, but how often they should be cleaned depends on each homeowner, and who you ask. Some recommend it should be done yearly as part of your home maintenance list. It is agreed that the following situations are specific times when it should be done.

When you move into a new home
After building a new home
After completing a home remodel project
If you have pets in the home that shed
If smokers live in the household
If you fry a lot of food in your home

What parts are included in an air duct cleaning?

Supply and return air ducts
Grilles
Diffusers
Heat exchangers
Heating and cooling coils
Drip pans
Fan motor and housing
Unit housing

A thorough air duct cleaning should remove all visible and hidden dirt and other debris from the air ducts and the connected HVAC. Otherwise, the dirt in the air duct system will quickly build up again from the dust and debris left behind on other parts of the HVAC system.

Generally, it is recommended that you should have your air ducts cleaned every 3 to 5 years under normal household conditions.

Now that you know how often your air ducts need to be cleaned, connect with Bridge City Duct Cleaning to get a quote online.

Call today to book your appointment with Bridge City Duct Cleaning.

Bridge City Duct Cleaning Services Include:

Bridge City Furnace and Duct Cleaning Is A Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaning Company

Trusted Saskatoon IT Pro's at Burnt Orange Discuss Technology and Your Customer's Experience

17. Oct 2022 Admin Saskatoon Computers & Web design, Trusted Tips

Gareth McKee and his Trusted Saskatoon IT team at Burnt Orange Solutions promise to have a one-hour response time for all your IT support needs. Honesty and respect are important to them. They pride themselves on ensuring their clients understand IT concerns by providing a straightforward and reliable solution with exceptional service. Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts. In their latest Saskatoon IT expert tip, they discuss technology and your customer's experience.

Technology and Your Customer's Experience

Customer service expectations have grown over the last few years, and Saskatoon businesses have had to adapt to meet the needs of their customers. If you have not added any technology to improve your customer’s experiences here are a few ideas for you.

49% of consumers have left a brand in the past year due to poor experience; however, the emerging technology of today can power the customer experiences of the future. In order to create a positive customer experience, fuel brand loyalty and drive sales growth, Saskatoon businesses and beyond must find the right digital tools for their business. Here are a few options:

The Cloud

The Cloud and the tools backed by this technology are very important in every business organization. As technology advances, the amounts of available sales channels increases as well. Think about it, you can make a purchase at the local retail store by walking in, phoning it in, or ordering it online. There are about eight different channels for most customer engagements. No matter what channel customers choose to use, brands need to gather, centralize and react to that data. Organizations are relying on cloud technology to manage these interactions and keep the information. The days of pen and paper don’t work as well anymore.

Chatbots

With today’s technology, i.e. smartphone and mobile search features, today’s consumers are used to immediate answers and on-demand access to the web. Most people are willing to wait up to four hours for an online response. However, approximately 90% of consumers' inquiries go unanswered by brands. In comes Chatbots. They are artificial intelligence designed to engage in conversation with human users over the internet. They are quickly taken over customer service functions for many businesses as they are able to respond to customer questions and fulfil the consumer’s desire for an immediate response.

Augmented Reality Technology and Your Customer’s Experience

90% of all information is visual, our brains are built for visual information. It takes only 13 milliseconds for the human brain to process an image. Based on this fact, it is known customers often have a difficult time, visualizing what an item will look like when they buy it and put it in their home. Augmented Reality allows a consumer to take a picture of the room, place the item in the picture and now they can visualize it in their home.

There are many ways to improve technology and your customer’s experience and we can help with that. Contact the Trusted Saskatoon IT professionals at Burnt Orange Solutions and we will take IT worries off your plate.

Burnt Orange IT Solutions Products & Services:

"IT Support You Can Trust and Understand"
Burnt Orange Solutions are your Trusted Saskatoon IT Experts

Trusted Saskatoon Hot Tub experts at Backyard Living Center Answer FAQs! Part 4

6. Sep 2022 Admin Saskatoon Hot Tubs, Trusted Tips

Backyard Living Center is a locally owned and operated Saskatoon hot tub store. They offer an exclusive line of high-quality Canadian-built hot tubs that are perfectly suited to the Saskatchewan climate. With a variety of design choices, they have a spa that will suit every lifestyle! Service means everything to owners Sheryl and Matthew! Whether it's finding the perfect spa, hot tub servicing or repair, water testing, or helping find or deliver parts for your hot tub, they're here to help. In this Saskatoon hot tub tip, we continue the series of experts answering all your FAQs about hot tubs.

Backyard Living Center Is Your Trusted Saskatoon Hot Tub Store!

FAQs About Hot Tubs Answered By Backyard Living Center - Part 4

How easy is it to service all areas of the spa?

H2O Spas are manufactured with motors and electronics located inside the front of the spa. This makes it very easy to access all of the equipment during regular maintenance. Some spas have motors housed on more than one side of the spa which makes it very difficult to position the spa against a wall or on a deck. Never purchase blindly, always insist on seeing the area where the equipment is housed it will tell you a lot about the quality of construction. Because we manufacture all H2O Spas with a dedicated structural frame, we are able to assemble our product in a modular style. This means that if there are any maintenance issues or need for repair, the hot tub is completely accessible from all sides.

Does the plumbing vibrate?

It is widely quoted that only full urethane foam insulation can restrict the movement of the plumbing lines in traditional spas, therefore, preventing any vibration in the plumbing. An H2O Spa is not your traditional spa. The development of highly efficient and balanced water delivery systems has eliminated plumbing vibration and movement. As an additional measure, in an H2O spa, the weight of water within the plumbing lines is supported by custom supports built into the fibreglass shell.

Are all Hot Tub Warranties the same?

NO, not all spa warranties are the same. At H2O Spas we go to great lengths to separate ourselves from the competition. We work closely with our dealer network to ensure that we are not associated with exaggerated product claims that can lead to future ambiguity. Not all warranties are genuine in their intention, read them carefully.

What is the Best Location for my Hot Tub?

Location, location, location. Always make sure that your hot tub is located as close to the house as possible. It has to be convenient, especially when using the hot tub during our Saskatchewan winters. If you intend on using your hot tub frequently, then close to the house makes sense; protection from the weather while accessing the hot tub is essential.

Is it Difficult to Maintain a Hot Tub?

It is very easy to maintain your hot tub.

The first task is to make sure your spa is visually clean. That means that you have cleaned the acrylic surface. This can be achieved by simply wiping the acrylic surface with a clean cloth and no detergents or cleaning liquids other than those designed specifically for the purpose. The acrylic surface will not withstand abuse with harsh chemicals or toxic cleaners.
Do not use any chemicals on the cabinet, acrylic surface or on equipment.
All H2O Spas are made from acrylic, fibreglass and plastic. These materials have been chosen for their longevity and ability to look new even after years of use.

How much does it cost to run a hot tub monthly?

We have measured the cost of using your hot tub under normal use conditions. How you use your spa can greatly influence the cost of operation and obviously, some people will use their tub more or less often, in which case, the average may not apply to them. Our research along with the feedback of our customers, suggests that an average monthly Hydro cost should run between $15 and $30 depending on your location.

Is it safe to empty my hot tub water onto my lawn?

Prior to you emptying your spa, you should reduce the sanitizer content of the spa. This means that you should refrain from putting any Chlorine or Bromine into the spa. You can then add a product to the water that eliminates sanitizer. To empty your spa simply connect your garden hose to the drain connector in the equipment enclosure and place the other end of the hose into the storm drain. If all sanitizer has been removed from the spa, it is safe to run the water onto your lawn.

Does the hot tub cover have to be on the hot tub when it is not in use?

Yes, here is the reason why. If the cover is not properly fitted onto the spa when not in use, the heat will escape and cool the water. When this happens the electronic controller will call for heat from the heater until the required temperature is reached. The call for heat will continue indefinitely until the temperature is maintained. If you lose heat from the cover it will cost you money. So, make sure the cover is always properly fitted.

How do I detect a leak in my hot tub?

The simple rule for leak detection is water loss. If you observe a reduction in the water level of your spa you should refill the tub to your desired level and check again at the same time the next day. If the same loss occurs call us and explain the circumstances.

Another indicator is that you see evidence of water stains on the pad underneath the hot tub. If it is persistent and maybe worsens, again, call us.
Do not attempt to repair the spa even if you locate the leak; the spa is made from speciality parts and is best left to the service technician. Read the warranty claim document to make sure the repair is covered under the warranty. If the warranty has expired we can still repair it for a reasonable fee.

See their selection of in-stock H2O Canadian-made premium spas at their showroom on Brodsky Avenue, or visit their website for more choices and information on hot tub supplies, hot tub care, and maintenance and service. Take it from us… you will not be disappointed!!!

Backyard Living Center is Your Trusted Saskatoon Hot Tub and Outdoor Furniture Store!

Trusted Saskatoon Funeral Home Provides Information On Cremation Services

22. Aug 2022 Admin Saskatoon Funeral, Trusted Tips

Since 1910, Saskatoon Funeral Home has responded to the needs of Saskatoon & area citizens of every faith and every walk of life. They have a proud history as Saskatoon's longest-serving, local, family-owned and operated, full-service funeral and cremation provider to trace its roots to the beginning days of our city. Saskatoon Funeral Home are a Trusted Saskatoon funeral home. In their latest article, they provide important information about their creation services.

Cremation Services

Cremation is an alternative to the burial process and it is chosen by many people because of religious beliefs, the desire to preserve the environment or it was requested by the person who died. Cremation is often a less expensive option in comparison to a burial, mainly due to less professional fees from the funeral home, a more basic casket choice, and reduced cemetery costs. At the funeral home, the deceased is placed in a container or casket that is combustible. The casket is then placed in a cremation chamber at the crematorium where through intense heat is reduced to bone fragments that are then processed to resemble course sand. The cremated remains of an average adult body will weigh about 7-8 pounds. Cremation is not an alternative to a funeral, but rather an alternative to burial or other forms of disposition.

Cremated remains can be scattered or buried, or they may be kept with the family in a decorative urn. There are many new and different ways to memorialize: cremated remains can be placed in an artificial coral reef in the ocean, they can be launched into space or sent up in helium balloons, or they can be spun into glass pieces of art or diamonds.

Some religions welcome cremation while others forbid it. The Catholic Church had banned cremation up until 1963, and burial remains the preferred form of disposition today. If cremation is chosen in the Catholic funeral, the church advises that the cremated remains are to be buried in a cemetery. In other Christian denominations, cremation was historically discouraged but nowadays it is more widely accepted. In eastern religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism cremation is mandated, while in Islam it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox Jewish faith also forbids cremation; other sects of Judaism support cremation, but burial remains the preferred option.

Cremation FAQ

What is Cremation?

Cremation is the process of reducing the human body to bone fragments using high heat and flame.

Is a casket needed for Cremation?

No, a casket is not required. An alternative container constructed of wood or cardboard is necessary in Saskatchewan. The funeral home has a number of choices to suit any budget.

Is embalming required prior to cremation?

No, embalming is not required. But you may choose to have embalming if there will be an extended time before viewing, or if there will be a traditional funeral followed by cremation.

Can the deceased be viewed without embalming?

Yes, often family members will choose to view the deceased at the funeral home prior to cremation, to say a final goodbye. In Saskatchewan, visual identification is required by law prior to the funeral home booking the cremation with the crematorium. Sometimes this can be done at the time the deceased is transferred from the place of death, otherwise, the visual identification will be done at the funeral home.

Can the family witness the cremation?

Yes, they can; family members may choose to be present when the body is placed in the cremation chamber. Some religious groups even include this as part of their funeral custom.

Can an urn be brought into church?

Nearly all Churches allow for the urn to be present during the memorial service. Most Catholic Churches also allow the remains to be present during the Memorial Mass. Orthodox Churches encourage families to have the deceased present at the funeral in a casket.

What can be done with the cremated remains?

While laws vary province by province, for the most part, cremated remains can be buried in a cemetery lot or a cremation garden, interred in a columbarium, kept at home or scattered. Other options to consider are to separate a portion of the cremated remains as a keepsake, choosing keepsake jewellery, blown glass, and a number of other options your funeral director can discuss with you.

How can I be sure I receive the correct cremated remains?

All cremation providers in Saskatchewan follow a rigorous set of operating policies and procedures set out in the Saskatchewan Funeral and Cremation Act in order to maximize the level of service and minimize the potential for human error. A numbered stainless steel identification disc follows the deceased through the entire process and is returned with the cremated remains.

How long does the actual cremation take?

Timing depends on the weight of the individual, and a number of other factors including the cremation container provided. For an average-sized adult, cremation can take two to three hours at a normal operating temperature of between 1,000 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

What do the cremated remains look like?

Cremated remains resemble coarse sand and are whitish to light grey in colour. The remains of an average-sized adult usually weigh between 7 and 8 pounds.

Do I need an urn?

An urn is not required by law. However, an urn may be desired if there is to be a memorial service or if the remains are to be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is not purchased or provided by the family, the cremated remains will be returned in a temporary container.

Visit their website to learn more about pre-planning a funeral and grief support, as well as the traditional funeral and cremation services that they have to offer. They are always there to help. Check out their listing on Trusted Saskatoon to read more reviews and to see all the services they offer.