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Consumer Reports: Poorly installed heat pumps are much less reliable In a recent report on central air conditioners, Consumer Reports found that “19 percent of systems installed by new-home builders failed compared with 12 percent installed by homeowners. The gap was even wider for heat-pump units, where 28 percent of the builder-installed units failed compared …

Air Source Heat Pumps: The Importance Of A Quality Installation Read More »

When buying a new hot water tank, one of the main questions homeowners ask is “which brand is the best?” Unfortunately, no major consumer publication (such as Consumer Reports) or surveying organization (such as JD Power) conducts brand reliability surveys. Consumer Reports just recommends to install a tank with a longer warranty, because “sawing open …

Hot Water Tank Reviews/ Ratings: Which brand is best? Read More »

Deciding which brand of tankless water heater to install can be a difficult decision, as there are no consumer publications that provide brand recommendations and seemingly no sources of unbiased reviews. Hiring an established contractor that guarantees their work remains the best way to ensure you get a quality unit, as such a contractor will …

Bosch Vs. Navien Vs. Rinnai Tankless Water Heaters: Who makes the best tankless water heater? Read More »

Notice: Undefined index: file in /home/x4obwo122mgm/public_html/wp-includes/media.php on line 1500 It used to be considered “common knowledge” that geothermal (or ground source) heat pumps are a lot more efficient than air source heat pumps.  During the winter,  temperatures are a lot higher under the ground than they are in the air, which means a geothermal system …

Air Source vs. Geothermal Heat Pumps: Comparing efficiencies Read More »

The three most common brands of central heat pumps in BC are probably Lennox, Carrier (which also makes Tempstar and Keeprite), and Trane (which also makes American Standard). They make systems with similar specifications such as HSPF2 (the heating efficiency rating), noise rating, and warranty periods. The HSPF2 rating is measured by AHRI, an independent …

Lennox Vs. Trane Vs. Carrier Heat Pumps: Which brand is best? Read More »

How do professionally installed air cleaners compare to 1” filters and portable air cleaners? According to North America’s best regarded consumer publication, professionally installed whole-house air cleaners with 4-5” filters outperform  standard 1” models (even including the more advanced “allergen reducing” filters that are sold in hardware stores). They outperformed room air purifiers by an …

Whole House Air Filters: Comparing HEPA filters, electronic air cleaners, UV lamps, and 5″ filters Read More »

When looking for a new car or appliances, reliability ratings for all major makes and models can easily be obtained from major consumer publications. Unfortunately, reliability data is not available for individual furnace models. However, Consumer Reports has conducted surveys on the reliability of furnaces made by the leading brands. Consumer Reports Reliability Survey The …

Gas Furnace Reviews / Ratings: How do different brands compare? Read More »

Most homes do not have the power supply required by an electric tankless water heater Electric hot water tanks usually take longer to re-heat hot water than gas systems. For this reason, homeowners with electric hot water tanks are often attracted to the “endless hot water” that is promised by tankless water heaters. Unfortunately, it …

Electric Tankless Water Heaters: Usually not a practical option for whole-home hot water Read More »

***This program is expiring on Dec. 31, 2023. When you install a new tankless water heater FortisBC will give you a $400-$500 rebate. The amount of the rebate depends on the efficiency of the tankless water heater: Water heater type Efficiency rating* Rebate Non-condensing tankless​ 0.82 – 0.89 EF​ $400​ Condensing tankless​ 0.90 – 0.99 …

FortisBC Energy Star Tankless Water Heater Program: Install a tankless water heater and get a $400-$500 rebate from FortisBC Read More »

A recent article in the Toronto Star reports how some homeowners are finding high efficiency furnaces very difficult to install in their homes. This is particularly a concern for townhouses and homes where the furnace is located near the centre of the basement. Since 2010, all new furnaces imported into Canada must be at least …

High efficiency furnaces can be difficult to install in townhomes, as reported in the Toronto Star Read More »