Trusted Saskatoon Furnace Experts At JOB Heating & Air Share Homeowner Safety Tips

6. Dec 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaning, Trusted Tips

JOB Heating & Air Conditioning’s wonderful staff will be more than happy to provide you with an estimate for any home comfort improvement that you have in mind. They also offer training classes at your personal site for maintenance and they also offer home heating tune-ups. JOB are Trusted Saskatoon Furnace experts and they can also help you with all your Saskatoon plumbing needs!

If your heating system is beyond repair, or if you just want to upgrade or update, our team will be more than happy to provide you with an estimate for any home comfort improvement that you have in mind. We are an independent Lennox Dealer and we offer training classes at your personal site for maintenance and home heating tune-ups. We can also help you with all your Saskatoon plumbing needs too! You can be assured that JOB Heating & Air Conditioning will be there to help. In this Saskatoon furnace article, Jeff Bolton, owner of JOB, highlights how important it is to be aware of the threat of carbon monoxide and he shares some winter safety tips for your home.

Winter Safety Tips For Your Home From JOB Heating & Air

What does that do and why does it matter?

I was recently in two Saskatoon residences with gas inspections to investigate the source of carbon monoxide in the homes. Thank heavens both homeowners had carbon monoxide detectors, that in my opinion, saved their lives. Both days I went home and checked my CO detector.

When was the last time that you checked your CO Detector?

Go do it now then come back and finish reading…
So how this works is usually the fire department or Sask Energy get a call, then they visit the home with their carbon monoxide meters to assess the level and then, if reading show and issue they red tag the furnace unit and shut off the gas. The Red Tag program provides a consistent means for gas utilities, propane distributors, gas contractors or others deemed appropriate by the chief gas inspector to report unresolved gas-related deficiencies or identify reoccurring design flaws. The issuing of red tags is only done by a licensed gasfitter.

What to do when you have a red tag.

The homeowner should then call us to come to correct the problem. We will go through the furnace and water heater with a fine-tooth comb to attempt to find the source of the carbon monoxide.

Sometimes it is a crack in a heat exchanger, however, sometimes the furnace and water heater are working exactly as they should. It is then incumbent upon us to investigate why the carbon monoxide is present in the home. In these locations we often find that the homes are drawn into negative pressure, what that means is that the homes are exhausting more air than fresh air coming into the home. As you may remember from science class, areas of high pressure always go to areas of low pressure. So what happens is the high pressure outside finds a way into the area of low pressure (inside the home) through any possible route. If the doors and windows are closed then the only other hole in the home is the chimney. Air begins to flow down the chimney to replace the air that’s being exhausted out of the home. So why is that an issue? This becomes a problem when the furnace or water heater begins to fire and there is no draft up the chimney. This then results in the products of combustion (carbon monoxide) being vented into the home.

What can homeowners do to prevent this from happening?

There are items in your home to prevent this from happening. In most cases, the insulated vent that runs from the outside of your home into the furnace room brings what we call combustion air. The combustion air helps to regulate the pressure of your home preventing your home from getting into a negative air pressure situation. This is also the air that is used when the furnace or water heater are firing up and sometimes this air supply can become blocked. On occasion, we have found that homeowners will purposely block the intake because they don’t like the cold air coming in.

I need to stress how important this is and that by blocking this you are putting yourself and your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. So please don’t block this or if you have, open it up immediately.

Another more common problem is that the air intakes themselves become blocked. These intakes appear from the outside like exhaust vents but when you bend over and look up inside them they are in fact air intakes with a screen that needs to be clear of all debris. A good rule of thumb is to walk around the perimeter of your home and look for these vent/intake hoods. Look up inside them and clean them up. This is a simple 10-minute job and this will help to protect you from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Do your intakes look like this?

Go outside today walk around your home and clean these intakes.
Check your carbon monoxide detectors
Check your smoke alarms.

These 2 devices save lives every day you just don’t hear about it. If you don’t have a smoke alarm and carbon monoxide detector buy them and put them in your home today. I promise you they save lives.

Then have us come out and do a furnace tune-up. We test the furnace and ensure it is functioning as it should be, in addition, we clean the parts of the furnace that you cannot.

Contact Jeff and team at JOB Heating today. Jeff Bolton. Owner- JOB Heating and Air Conditioning

JOB products and services include:

JOB Heating & Air Conditioning Trusted Saskatoon Furnace, Boiler and Air Conditioning Experts

JOB. Heating & Air Conditioning are Trusted Saskatoon Plumbers

Trusted Saskatoon Tire and Auto Repair & Service Winter Car Maintenance Tips

5. Dec 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Auto Repair & Service, Saskatoon Tires, Trusted Tips

Be Safe On The Roads This Winter

Safe driving is always important, but being on the road during winter warrants extra precautions. That's why we have written up our most important tips to stay safe in hazardous, wintery weather conditions.

1) Avoid slipping and sliding

Ensure your vehicle is ready for Canada’s changing winter weather, by switching your all-season tires to winter ones before the temperature drops below 7°C. Winter tires optimize the performance and safety of winter driving. The braking distance of a winter tire could be up to two vehicle lengths shorter than the braking distance of an all-season tire.

2) Replace Worn Tires

It’s extremely important to check your tires each winter season because worn or bald tires can be very dangerous. Tires have tread wear indicator bars moulded into them. A solid bar of rubber across the width of the tread means it’s time to replace the tire.

3) Make Sure Your Tires Are Correctly Inflated

For every 5°C drop in temperature, tires lose one pound of air pressure. To ensure optimum fuel efficiency and prevent irregular or premature wear, tire inflation should be checked monthly. Several tire manufacturers recommend that tire pressure should be higher in the winter, so check to see whether your tire pressure should be adjusted accordingly.

4) Fill Your Trunk With A Winter Survival Kit

Winter weather can be very unpredictable, so make sure you have a winter survival kit in your trunk in case you get stuck in bad conditions. Every car should have a scraper for the windshield, a small shovel, candles, and warm clothing such as a winter jacket, gloves and a hat. Also, make sure you bring a cell phone with you on every trip in case you need to call for help.

5) Defrost Your Vehicle Properly

Although it takes you a few extra minutes, make sure to properly clean your windows and remove any excess snow from the top of your vehicle. Ice and snow that is left on your vehicle can obstruct your view, causing potentially dangerous situations.

6) Top Up Your Fluids

Wintery road conditions can cause your windshield to get dirty quickly, so make sure your windshield washer fluid is filled up. Also, ensure your gas tank is at least half full, as on very cold days the condensation in the tank can freeze and cause problems.

7) Buckle Up & Adjust To Driving Conditions

Make sure you are always buckled up and adjust your driving to what the conditions are like. You will put yourself and others at risk if you do not change your driving style to suit the wintery conditions.

Trusted Saskatoon Real Estate Expert Marla Janzen Has Made The Move To eXp Realty

29. Nov 2019 Nat Saskatoon Real Estate, Talk to Experts, Trusted Partner News

Marla Janzen is an award-winning SASKATOON REAL Estate expert she takes action to sell her client's homes and find them the perfect new place to live while negotiating the best terms and price possible. She loves what she does and takes great pride in providing excellence in customer service to all of her clients.

Marla Janzen is a TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT listed on the SASKATOON DIRECTORY and she loves to provide Trusted Saskatoon real estate Tips that help the public!

Marla Explains Why She Moved To eXp Realty

First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who’s supported me as I moved over to eXp Realty. It’s been an exciting month meeting new people, exploring new places, and learning about the exciting online world of eXp Realty.

I started as a real estate agent in 2004 with Century 21 in Saskatoon. Over the past 15 years, I’ve learned and grown into the agent and person I am today. I’m very thankful to my former brokers and colleagues at Century 21 for giving me the foundation to grow my real estate business into one that’s earned multiple awards and accolades.

Being a Trusted Saskatoon Realtor, I enjoy giving my clients the highest level of service I can. I am thrilled to be working with an international corporation who is forward-thinking and agent owned. eXp Realty is a full-service real estate brokerage providing 24/7 access to collaborative tools, training, and socialization for real estate brokers and agents through its fully immersive, 3D cloud office environment. It was a long and tough decision, but one I am whole heartily excited for and feel great about. It is exciting to be part of a real estate company who is growing so quickly and easily offers support, networking, coaching, and mentorship to top realtors around the world.

I’m ready to make 2020 a great year of change and success. Being a top producing agent in Saskatoon and area, I have been successful through many market changes, and now I can also offer my years of experience and award-winning results to help others in real estate do the same. I’m happy to be partnered with Realtors® Chris Molenaar and Tara Knoblauch. We have already established some great goals and programs to offer our clients, as well as, help agents on our team.

I am proud to be partnered with Westbow Construction as their Saskatoon, Warman, and area Realtor. I have been working with them since they established here 7 years ago, and I am looking forward too many more exciting projects to come. Trusted Saskatoon Homeuilder Westbow Construction is committed to provide the best quality home for their clients and I’m proud to be a Trusted Saskatoon Partner alongside them.

I love living and raising my family here in Saskatchewan and I am happy I have found a company with great core values that relate to my own. I’m looking forward too many more years of happiness, success, and growth in this amazing city doing what I love. I believe honesty, hard work, and stellar customer service are the most important parts of the real estate business. I put this philosophy to practice and strive to be the best Saskatoon Realtor® I can every day.

To read more testimonials about Marla Janzen, view her listing HERE!
Find Marla Janzen Online at www.marlajanzen.com...she is a eXp Realtor.
Marla Janzen is TRUSTED SASKATOON REAL ESTATE EXPERT.

Trusted Saskatoon Mortgage Brokers Tip About Your Phone and Low Mortgage Rates

28. Nov 2019 Trusted Saskatoon Saskatoon Mortgages, Trusted Tips

Buying a home is one of the most important and exciting steps in your life.... now that pesky financing! Deal with people who can offer you and your family the best options for you.

So How Does Your Phone Affect Your Mortgage Rates

What many people aren’t aware of is that your cell phone payment history DOES affect your credit score.

Cell phone accounts work differently than a credit card or a line of credit. A cell phone is an open or “O” account, which means the balance has to be paid in full at the end of each month.

There is no such thing as a minimum payment with an “O” account like there is with credit cards and lines of credit. You can’t just pay a portion of your bill. The amount that you see on your statement has to be paid in full otherwise your credit score will suffer.

Unfortunately, many Canadians don’t view paying their cell phone bill in full or on time as being as important as other payments. Lenders disagree. The bank underwriters (the people who review your application) are thinking, “If you can’t make or keep track of a cell phone payment, what are the chances that you are going to be responsible with your mortgage payment?”

Costly Missed Payments

Let’s take a look at one borrower, John, who was declined for best-rate mortgage financing on the purchase of a new house because he had three late payments on his cell phone bill during the last two years. His argument wasn’t unique. “I called (the phone company) before the payment was due and asked if I could pay half of the bill this month and the remainder of the outstanding balance the following month,” he said. “The customer service rep told me that it was okay to take a couple of months to get caught up.”

Susan and Frank found themselves in a similar situation. They were approved for mortgage financing but were then declined at the last minute due to a recent late payment showing up on their report in the same week they were supposed to be moving.

Arranging a mortgage and preparing for a move is stressful enough without having a financing issue in the eleventh hour. In the end they were able to find a resolution, but it resulted in a delayed closing. They had to get approved by a different lender at a higher rate. In addition to all the stress and time, this small mistake ended up costing them $3,459.28.

Despite what they tell you, late payments will continue to be recorded until your account is caught up. Underwriters will look at an applicant with an outstanding balance as someone who is not in control of their finances. It will drop your score and hurt your chances of being approved for the best rates and terms.

A Matter of Principle

It’s common for consumers to not make a payment because they were unfairly charged or they found a mistake on their bill. On principle, I understand that you might not want to make the payment, however, even if you are disputing the charge, it will not stop the negative item from showing up on your credit report.

And keep in mind that one late payment can be enough to negatively impact your best rates and terms for future financing. Your cell phone company will start the collection process if an overdue balance is not paid within 60 to 90 days.

As you can guess, a collection appearing on your report does not help your credit score. Many of my clients echo my caution, and in hindsight wished they had simply paid the bill in the first place. If you find yourself in this situation, my suggestion is to clear the amount owing first and then dispute the charges. That way it doesn’t lower your score or cause you to get charged higher rates just because of one account.

Warning…Warning

If you have paid out or closed your cell phone account, make sure you get something in writing to confirm that there is no outstanding balance owing.

The same goes for an outstanding amount or settled collection. Don’t take anyone’s word for it or assume that it will be updated on your credit report. Are you starting to see a trend? Whatever you do, get a confirmation in writing! If you don’t, it will make trying to correct the error even more difficult.

The only way to avoid having your cell phone report on both Equifax and TransUnion is to go with a pay-as-you-go contract. If you are on any other type of plan, keep your fingers crossed. You don’t want to be one of the unlucky ones to have a cell phone error or problem tarnishing your credit. To improve your chances of avoiding any issues, ensure you pay the full amount owing each month and keep good records.

Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Trusted Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaners Tip On When To Clean Your Ducts

26. Nov 2019 Admin Saskatoon Furnace & Duct Cleaning, Trusted Tips

Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality are here to service all your Indoor Air Quality needs in Saskatoon.They provide the best furnace and duct cleaning in Saskatoon. In this article they explain when you should get the furnace and ducts cleaned!. Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Specialists are Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaners.

When Is It Time To Clean Your Ducts?

Over time, ducts become littered with foreign objects such as dust, mould, dead insects, dust mites, and animal hair. Unfortunately, people often overlook cleaning their ducts, which can lead to problems.

Consequences Of Dirty Ducts

Dirt and dust restrict the heating and cooling capability of ducts, which results in increased run time requiring more fuel and energy, therefore costing you more!
Airflow is restricted, which means the system can’t effectively circulate properly warmed or cooled air throughout your home. Again, this means that more energy will be used.
As your HVAC system needs to operate longer, it increases its wear and tear. This means you’ll need to replace it sooner, which would be a lot more expensive than just getting it cleaned.
All the dirt and dust that is left in the ducts can become a breeding ground for bacteria, mites and other unwanted pests, which can be detrimental to your health and exacerbate allergies.
The dirt and dust spread much quicker around your home with dirty ducts, no matter how much you clean! The contaminants flow from room to room covering anything in their paths, such as beds, tables, phones, and children’s toys.

How To Determine If Your Ducts Need Cleaning

You can attempt a visual inspection of the air ducts to help determine whether they need cleaning. However, you must be able to physically access ALL the areas of your HVAC system in order to do this properly. That is why we recommend you getting the professionals in to inspect the system, as with our high-resolution video inspection cameras, we can have a thorough look to determine whether your ducts need cleaning.

Determine The Type & Amount Of Debris Inside Your Ducts

It is inevitable that at some point ducts will get clogged with various types of debris and pollutants. This can consist of pollen, rodent and insect faeces, dust, dust mites, and lint. All of these MUST be removed to ensure the proper functionality of your ducts.
If you find mould growing inside or outside the surface of the ducts, a thorough moisture issue investigation needs to be quickly carried out to prevent any further complications. It is essential that you do not try to tackle mould in or out of the system yourself, but instead, let the professionals do it on your behalf.

Clean The Duct Yourself Or Not

If dust, debris, pollens or moulds have accumulated to the point where they are clogging air ducts, collecting on dampers, joints and screws, then it is most certainly time to get those ducts PROFESSIONALLY cleaned. If you fail to do so the airflow will get restricted, affecting its efficiency in the long run and potentially causing premature failure of the whole system.

Breathe Better is committed to providing clean and healthy indoor air quality. They always follow best practices in sanitizing equipment between clients, maintaining a comfortable distance between technicians and clients, and offering unique sanitizing options to help you keep safe and healthy.

'Indoor Air Quality Specialists Helping You To Breathe Better.'

Breathe Better Indoor Air Quality Specialists are Trusted Saskatoon Furnace and Duct Cleaners

Trusted Tips & Resources

Trusted Saskatoon Furnace Experts At JOB Heating & Air Share Homeowner Safety Tips

Winter Safety Tips For Your Home From JOB Heating & Air

What does that do and why does it matter?