Without a doubt, a well-maintained hot water heater performs better and, therefore, costs less to run over the long-term. If you are having problems with your water heater and are unsure if you should repair or replace it, see below some common water heater problems and what action you should take if this is happening to yours.

Water Heater Problem #1: Water Discoloration 

Discoloration of water could be due to the anode rod. The anode rod is a sacrificial component inside your tank that attracts minerals in the water. Those minerals eat away at the anode rod instead of your tank. Most people will need to have their anode rod changed every 5-8 years. If you have a water softener in place you will want to have that checked every other year. 

Problem #2: Not Enough Hot Water

This could be a variety of things. Demand, faulty gas valve, electrical element, or even dip tube. These are items that require a service technician. Gibbon Heating & Air Conditioning can help repair your water heater.

Problem #3: Water Heater is Leaking

If it is leaking from the pressure, relieve the valve (located at the top side of the tank) or the drain. Parts may just need replacement. If it is leaking out the bottom, the tank will more than likely require full replacement. 

Don't Fall Behind With HVAC Unit Maintenance 

Leaves can be hazardous for your HVAC unit as they may get stuck in your outdoor unit and start a potential fire. Other particles can also accumulate in the unit, so we recommend cleaning out any particles and debris from the unit to help save you money and energy in the long run.

Test Your Thermostat

How do you know if your HVAC is being overworked? Try testing your thermostat. If you can see an accurate temperature reading displayed, it is working properly. Fall maintenance is the perfect time to double check all the settings you have set up on your thermostat. With cooler temperatures, you will want your home to be warmer so it is a good idea to change the settings on your thermostat based on the upcoming fall weather.

A new thermostat is a relatively small investment that delivers great rewards. If you are currently using a manual thermostat in your home, it is important to know what your options are.

With both a programmable and smart thermostat, it gives you the opportunity to feel more confident in your energy savings, environmental footprint, and ability to maintain a comfortable home throughout the year. Modern thermostats are digitized, accurate, and capable of providing more usability than their older style manual counterparts did. But what is the difference between a programmable and smart thermostat?

Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat allows you to set automatic schedules for heating and cooling, delivering the temperature you require at the time you want. This is a great feature if you are away from your home during the day, allowing you to set a temperature so your system is not running when no one is home but kicks in when you typically return for the day.

Programmable thermostats are very convenient since you do not have to manually increase or decrease the temperature. You could also save money on your energy bills with the ability to not run your heating or cooling unit while not at home.

Smart Thermostat

You can further maximize your overall experience with a smart thermostat that’s right for your indoor space. Smart thermostats learn from your behaviour and start making the temperature adjustments on their own over time.

Smart Thermostats can be very beneficial, however there are a couple things to remember with this application. They are Wi-Fi enabled thermostats meaning the more Wi-Fi usage in your home, the slower the entire system can be. Many times the installation of a Wi-Fi stat requires an additional “fast stat” that is installed to communicate between the equipment (kind of like a mini router).

A benefit of the smart thermostat being Wi-Fi enabled is that they can be adjusted through an app accessible from your cell phone or computer.

Programmable or Smart, Which Should You Pick?

It depends! Your choice depends on what works best for you and your home. Regardless of which one you choose, making the upgrade to a digital thermostat from a manual thermostat is a great decision to better control your heating and cooling and optimize your home’s investment.

Gibbon Heating & Air Conditioning can help you decide with the expert knowledge of heating and cooling professionals. Contact Gibbon to explore your thermostat options today.

See more of Gibbons Air Conditioning Articles and Tips here 

Gibbon's Services Include

• Saskatoon Plumbing & Heating
• Furnace Installation & Repair
• Garage Heaters
• Air Conditioning
• Water Heaters
• Gas Line Installation

"A History of Professionalism, A Foundation of Trust"

Gibbon Heating and Air Conditioning are TRUSTED SASKATOON Air Conditioning & Furnace Professionals

JEFF FROM JOB WARNS AGAINST FRAUD IN SASKATOON’S HVAC INDUSTRY

The feeling of being ripped off is horrible, and I count myself fortunate that I haven’t been the victim of fraud very much in my life. However,  I am sad to say that I deal with victims of contractor fraud too often in Saskatoon.  In my latest article, I share another example that happened recently, as I want to educate consumers on what to look out for.- Jeff , owner of JOB

Fraud takes many different forms

I was recently at a lady’s home to provide a quote to replace the furnace and air conditioner. Her house was the same as most other homes in our city,  in fact she lives just  4 blocks away from my family. She invited me in and we exchanged pleasantries,  then I asked her the burning question that had been top of mind since I pulled up outside.  Why was she requesting a quote for a new home comfort system in a house that was no more than 12 years old?

The other thing that I haven’t mentioned yet, is the 3 carbon monoxide detectors I saw in her home. I will not downplay carbon monoxide poisoning,  because it is the biggest threat to life that we face in the HVAC industry, however, there was no sign of that here. When questioned, she confirmed that the carbon monoxide detectors had never gone off. In addition, one of the detectors displays the level of CO present and when I checked it showed zero.

Let me be VERY clear here, this person was simply using fear tactics to sell a new furnace and air conditioner to this lady.

If you get a flat tire on your Chevy do you buy a new Mercedes??

“But he said I’m in imminent danger!” Said the lady

The moral of the story about fraud in Saskatoon’s HVAC Industry, is to be careful, ask questions and deal with the right people. Start by looking for businesses on TrustedSaskatoon .com.

JOB Heating has been a TrustedSaskatoon partner from almost the beginning. We are both locally owned and accountable companies and we deal with local companies. Local people always care the most, we care about service and we care about people.  We care because this is my city and my home too.

Contact Jeff and team at JOB Heating today. 

Here are a few idea’s to keep in mind:

AC PROBLEM: Clogged Air Filter  

One symptom that causes a majority of air conditioning issues is a dirty air filter. When your air filter isn’t cleaned/replaced monthly, dust and dirt can build up and obstruct proper air flow. In turn, this causes your refrigerant to over-cool and freeze any condensation located on your air conditioner.

AC SOLUTION:

Inspect your air filters monthly. If you see dirt beginning to form, give it a clean . We recommend to clean or replace your filters every 4-12 weeks. If the filter looks unrecognizable, the best option is to replace your air filter.

AC PROBLEM: Low Refrigerant

Another symptom is low refrigerant levels. This can be one of the key causes for your air conditioner freezing up. This culprit can be at the center of many issues you’re experiencing with your AC unit. In regards to freezing, a low level of refrigerant will cause the evaporator coils to freeze over. Your refrigerant can run low when you have a leak, caused by holes or cracks anywhere in your system

AC SOLUTION:

Contact Gibbon Heating to access the situation. NOTE: R22 refrigerant is no longer manufactured. In most instances your old R22 system will likely need replacement.

AC PROBLEM: Drainage Issues

The main drainage issues are:

• Dirt causing a blockage
• The drain line and pipe are loose.

When it comes to a blockage, the water can be disrupted by dirt buildup and can eventually cause the air conditioner to freeze up. When your drainage pipes are loose, the water will begin to leak all around the air conditioning system and later freeze over if the leak isn’t cleaned.

AC SOLUTION:

During humid days, check on your drainage pipes. Be sure you see water traveling through the drainage system. If you’re experiencing a clogged drainage pipe, contact us to make an assessment.

AC PROBLEM: Thermostat Levels

Blasting your AC can be an easy way to turn your air conditioner into an ice cube.By frequently placing your thermostat at a low temperature, you’re producing a higher risk of freezing your coils.

AC SOLUTION:

To help with that, do not drop the temp down below 21-22 deg C. If you have a programmable stat, set it the sameway you do heat in the winter (this saves money and is not so hard on your system)

AC PROBLEM: Fan Malfunction

A faulty fan is another issue that can result in a frozen air conditioner. Good indicators for a fan malfunction is if you’re not feeling any air out of the registers. Check that the system is on. Condensation will build up over time. The overage of condensation can build up on your AC coils and result in them freezing because of lack of air flow.

AC SOLUTION:

If the fan is damaged or simply not working, call Gibbon Heating and Air and we can can help get you up and running\

See more of Gibbons Air Conditioning Articles and Tips here 

Gibbon's Services Include

• Furnace Installation & Repair
• Garage Heaters
• Air Conditioning
• Gas Line Installation

"A History of Professionalism, A Foundation of Trust"

Gibbon Heating and Air Conditioning are TRUSTED SASKATOON Air Conditioning & Furnace Professionals