DECEMBER 2018
The Season of Staying Warm
Every year as the temperatures fall across the Lower Mainland, we get calls from folks who have turned their heat on for the first time, only to discover that there is no heat. It’s never a good feeling when your home is chilly and you just want to be warm and cozy. Of course, we’re more than happy to take the call, drive out, and assess the situation. More often than not, the primary culprit behind a poorly-heating home is a blocked filter. Season after season, we run into furnace filters that haven’t been replaced in years! As a result, air cannot properly circulate through the furnace and into the home. This is why filters are a common topic in our newsletter. They all-too-often don’t get replaced when they need to. We don’t fault anyone for that — filters are easy to forget about. No matter the season, when we go out to inspect an HVAC system, we always check the filter and replace it if necessary. It’s just a small part of every inspection. Here’s why checking and replacing air filters is so important: If left too long, the air filter will clog with dust, dander, and other small particles. Over time, your furnace will have to work harder to move air and heat the home. When this happens, the furnace itself can overheat, which can damage the unit to the point where it will need a costly repair or replacement. As always, a regular inspection will often catch the problem before a costly repair or replacement is needed. If there’s a problem, our technicians are trained to find and fix it. I think we can all agree that we’d rather deal with a smaller cost today than a much bigger cost tomorrow.
That said, if the situation arises and you do need a new furnace, boiler, or other natural gas heating appliance, FortisBC does have several rebates available through the end of the year and even into the new year. Fortis regularly offers rebates on a number of different appliances, so be sure to check out their website, FortisBC.com, for details and eligibility requirements. It could end up saving you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars! Another thing we want homeowners to keep in mind this winter, especially as more people heat their homes, is to be sure all of your home’s smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are in working order. Check and replace batteries in all the units and give them a test. If you have any detectors that aren’t working, get them replaced ASAP. You never want to go a day without a working smoke or CO detector because all it takes is one day for disaster to strike. It’s easy to take home safety for granted, and, as you know, we’re all about safety at Lewis MacLean. With that, we hope you have a warm and safe winter. If you ever have any questions about your home’s heating, we’re a phone call away. And yes, we’re standing next to that phone, 24/7, ready to take your call, no matter your need — heating, plumbing, air conditioning, drainage, you name it!
1 604-532-9625 •
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