How does wildfire smoke affect your plumbing and heating?

Wildfire smoke can potentially affect plumbing and heating systems in the following ways:

Air Quality and Filtration: Wildfire smoke can contain fine particulate matter and pollutants that can be drawn into HVAC systems. These particles may accumulate in air filters, affecting their efficiency and potentially reducing the airflow. Reduced airflow can strain heating and cooling systems, impacting their performance.
Clogged Air Intake Vents: Smoke particles can settle on air intake vents, obstructing the flow of air into heating and cooling systems. This can lead to decreased efficiency and potentially affect the overall operation of the system.
Indoor Air Quality: Wildfire smoke can permeate indoor spaces, including plumbing systems. Smoke particles may settle on surfaces within plumbing systems, potentially affecting water quality. However, the impact on water quality is generally minimal unless there is a specific source of contamination, such as direct exposure to fire or damaged water supply lines.
Soot and Residue Buildup: Soot and residue from wildfire smoke can accumulate on surfaces, including heating system components. This buildup can hinder the proper functioning of heating equipment, such as furnaces or boilers, reducing efficiency and potentially increasing the risk of system malfunctions.

To minimize the impact of wildfire smoke on plumbing and heating systems, consider the following measures:

HVAC Maintenance: Regularly check and replace air filters in heating and cooling systems to maintain optimal airflow and filtration efficiency.
Air Intake Protection: Close windows and doors during periods of heavy smoke to reduce the entry of smoke particles into indoor spaces. If you have outdoor air intake vents, consider covering them temporarily with filters or other protective materials.
Professional Inspection and Cleaning: After prolonged exposure to wildfire smoke, it may be beneficial to have a professional inspect and clean HVAC systems, including ductwork, to remove any accumulated soot or residue.
Water Quality Testing: If you have concerns about the impact of wildfire smoke on your water supply, you can have your water tested by a certified laboratory to ensure its safety.

It’s important to note that the specific impact of wildfire smoke on plumbing and heating systems can vary depending on various factors, including the proximity to the fire, duration of exposure, and the individual system’s condition. Consulting with HVAC and plumbing professionals can provide more tailored advice and guidance based on your specific circumstances.

Call JW Brian Plumbing and Heating at (780) 249-1496 for more information or to arrange an in-home consultation.

March 20, 2019 By jwbrian Gas Fitting • Heating Edmonton garage heater installation • Garage heater • garage heater cost • garage heater installation 0 Comments

How Much Does A Garage Heater Cost To Install In Edmonton?

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How Much Does A Garage Heater Cost To Install In Edmonton?

Many individuals ask us “How Much Does A Garage Heater Cost To Install In Edmonton?” Let us shed some light on this question.

Installing a Garage Heater can be a nice addition to your level of comfort in your home. As a result they keep your car warm, keep the floor dry and are ideal for man caves or hobbyists.

Do you have a living space above your garage?

In addition to keeping your garage warm, a Garage Heater will assist in warming the floor of the rooms above your garage. Keeping your garage even a few degrees above zero will act as a buffer zone from frigid, outside temperatures.

The cost of installing a Garage Heater will primarily be based on two factors.

The size (BTU’s) and type of Garage Heater.
The length of gas line required to provide gas to the Garage Heater.

What type of heater is right for you?

Regarding the type of heater, a home owner has several choices. Picking the right heater will depend on one’s intention with the garage. For instance, someone who air brushes or paints in their garage will most likely prefer a tube heater (radiant heating) installed as opposed to a unit heater which heats by blowing warm air (forced air).

Another consideration might be: Does the home owner intend to work with combustible materials or combustible fumes in their garage? In this case, a sealed combustion chamber will need to be considered.

If space is limited a Unit Heater may be the answer as they tend to be a less bulkier option compared to a tube heater.

Sizing a Garage Heater is basic. For instance the size of the garage and the insulation values of the walls and ceiling being the determining factors.

The gas line factor

The length of gas line has a significant impact on the final cost of a Garage Heater installation. Some home owners are fortunate with the main gas line for they’re home running through the attached garage, this would be the best case scenario, as gas is readily accessible. However, if say you have a detached garage, a gas line will need to be ran underground to the garage if there is not a gas line already installed. One can see where this would increase the cost significantly.

Want to learn more about gas line installation?

Check out our article “How Much Does It Cost To Install A Gas Line In Edmonton” in our Tips and Advice column.

Expected Garage Heater costs?

On the low end, with all the right conditions, a person could expect to pay approximately $3000 for a Garage Heater installation. For a job requiring significant gas line construction, and a bigger BTU heater, you could be looking upwards of $6000 for a Garage Heater installed. In other words, this is all dependent on the type and size (BTU”s) of the heater, and length of gas line.

And now you know “How Much Does A Garage Heater Cost To Install In Edmonton?”. We hope this rough guide has helped you to answer a few questions you may have regarding the cost of a Garage Heater. In conclusion, don’t hesitate to call John at JW Brian Plumbing and Heating for a on site assessment and Quote. Don’t worry about permits and inspections, we take care of all that !!

Feel free to contact us at: (780) 249-1496

We Are Here To Help

Contact us now for reliable and trusted plumbing, heating and gas fitting services 7 days a week! (Subject to availability).

How Much are Carrier Furnace Replacement Parts in Edmonton?

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How Much are Carrier Furnace Replacement Parts in Edmonton?

Replacement parts for Carrier furnaces can have a wide range of prices. In this article, we will attempt to list the prices of the most common and main components of the Carrier furnace.

Note: All prices are in Canadian dollars and does not include dispatch, diagnosis and installation fees. Also, this is only a rough guide based on our extensive experience servicing hundreds of Carrier furnaces in Edmonton, Alberta.

JW Brian Plumbing & Heating does not supply replacement components for furnaces to the general public, only as part of our repair service.

Blower Motor

The blower motor on your furnace is responsible for turning the fan to circulate the warm air out of the furnace into your home. Blower motors on a Carrier furnace can range from as low as $300 to $1200 for an ECM motor, depending on your model.

Draft Inducer

The draft inducer is a fan that removes the gases created from the combustion process in your furnace. Like the blower motor, the Carrier draft inducer can have a wide price range, from as low as $250.00 to as high as $900, once again depending on your model.

Control Board (motherboard)

The control board on a furnace is a circuit board that controls the operation of your furnace. A Carrier control board or as some call it, the motherboard, can range in price from $300.00 to $800.00; depending on your model.

Gas Valve (combination gas control valve)

The gas valve or combination gas control valve opens and closes when there is a call for heat. The Carrier gas valves vary widely in price range, from $300 to $600, depending on your model.

Pressure Switch

The pressure switch on your furnace is a safety device that detects the wrong pressure in your vent system preventing the furnace from operating when there is a issue. Carrier pressure switches, depending on your model, vary in price from $50.00 to $150.00.

Heat Exchangers

The heat exchanger on your furnace exchanges the heat from your furnace to the air in your home. There are two types of heat exchangers, each with their own price tag:

High efficient – $500.00 to $1,000.00
Mid-efficient – $300.00 to $800.00

Pilot Assembly

On older furnaces, you may have a standing pilot. The pilot assembly is the thermocouple and pilot orifice. The price can range from $100.00 to $250.00.

Hot Surface Ignitor

On modern furnaces, they have done away with a pilot light and installed a device that heats up red hot to ignite the gases when the gas valve is turned on.They range in price from $80.00 to $150.00.

Flame Sensor

The flame sensor on your furnace detects the burners are in fact burning the gas. It is a safety device, shutting down the furnace when the gas valve is releasing gas but not burning. Prices can from $25.00 to $50.00.

High Limit Switch

The high limit switch is another safety device that shuts the furnace down when it detects over heating of the furnace. Prices range from $25.00 to $75.00

Flame Rollout Switch

The flame rollout switch detects flames rolling out from the combustion chamber, shutting the furnace down when it detects this unsafe problem. Priced from $15.00 to $25.00.

Condensate Pump

The condensate pump discharges the condensate from high efficient furnaces to a place of disposal when there is not a floor drain available. Prices range from $150.00 to $250.00.

Questions About Your Carrier Furnace or Replacement Part?

If you have a question regarding your Carrier Furnace or a Carrier Furnace Component, please call JW Brian Plumbing and Heating at 780-249-1496.

We Are Here To Help

Contact us now for reliable and trusted plumbing, heating and gas fitting services 7 days a week! (Subject to availability).

Broken Furnace – 10 Essential Tips to Keep in Mind

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Broken Furnace – 10 Essential Tips to Keep in Mind

Just like any household appliance, your home furnace will no doubt reach a day when it requires some level of repair. It could be that it’s making a minor noise or, worse yet, isn’t producing consistent heat. Regardless of the issue, you’ll need a specialist (such as JW Brian Plumbing & Heating) to repair your broken furnace and have it up and running again ASAP.

Additionally, after repairing hundreds of furnaces and gas appliances in the Edmonton area, one common question we’re asked is: “my furnace isn’t working, what should I do?”. You’re of course welcome to contact us and we can help with the repair, but you may be surprised to learn that you might not need us at all! With the advice shared in this guide, you may be able to troubleshoot or fix your furnace yourself.

10 Essential Tips When You Have a Broken Furnace

When the day arrives that you are dealing with a broken furnace, we recommend ten important tips:

Is the Main Power on?
Re-boot furnace
Batteries in the thermostat
Furnace filter isn’t blocked
Ice buildup
Check that the condensate trap isn’t clogged
Ensure the vents are not obstructed
Inspect Chimney
Call your furnace repair company
Use other sources of heat

1. Is the Main Power on?

As silly as it may sound, there have been times when a client has called us with a failing furnace only to discover the power is turned off.

So before anything, do yourself a favor and double check that your furnace’s power is turned *on*!

2. Re-boot furnace

On occasion, on modern, high efficient furnaces, a simple reboot of the furnace is all that is required, Simply turn the power off then back on after a couple minutes. Its a long shot, but you never know till you try.

3. Batteries in the Thermostat

Dead batteries are a fairly common problem, it is recommended to change your thermostat batteries yearly.

4. Inspect Furnace Filter

The furnace filter’s job is to protect the blower fan from dust, hair, and any other harmful contaminants that enter the furnace through the return duct.

After much use, the filter may become clogged and so dirty that it blocks the airflow and over heats the furnace tripping it out. Thus, with the furnace power turned *off*, pull the filter out from the appliance and see how it compares to a new filter (such as the image above). Filters should be changed twice a year.

5. Ice buildup

On high-efficiency furnaces and particularly in cities with cold winters (such as Edmonton), a common reason for furnace failure is ice buildup in the air intake or exhaust of a furnace on the outside of the house.

Check that there isn’t a buildup of ice on the air intake or exhaust preventing proper airflow.

6. Check that the condensate trap isn’t clogged

Furthermore, another frequent issue with high-efficiency furnaces is the tremendous amount of moisture and condensate produced, which must be collected in a “trap” and drained out of the furnace.

Although the trap is a highly effective draining mechanism, it’s also quite rudimentary in nature and can be easily blocked. More information on condensate drains can be found at HVAC School.

7. Ensure the vents are not obstructed.

On a high efficient furnace, in addition to ice build up mentioned in step 5, the air intake and exhaust vent may be blocked with foreign objects such as a bird’s nest or dead rodents. Check the vents and remove any foreign objects that may be clogging the airflow.

8. Inspect Chimney

On your older, gravity vented furnaces and mid efficient furnaces, you may have a obstructed chimney.. We have have found children’s toys, bird’s nests, and even one of Santa’s boots in a chimney. A yearly inspection of your chimney is advised.

Photo Above: An extreme example of one of a obstructed chimney – birds nests.

9. Call your furnace repair company

In addition, if tips 1 through 8 are not effective in reviving your furnace to working order, then it is best to give us call. We are available 7 days a week for Heating and Plumbing emergencies.

10. Use other sources of heat

Lastly, if your furnace is failing to produce warm air and you are left with a cold home, then it never hurts to find another source of heat temporarily, such as a electric portable heater, fireplace, and of course, a few extra layers of clothing to get you through until your furnace is repaired.

We Are Here To Help

Contact us now for reliable and trusted plumbing, heating and gas fitting services 7 days a week! (Subject to availability).

How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Furnace in Edmonton?

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How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Furnace in Edmonton?

Plain and simple, if you live in Edmonton it’s nearly impossible to live without a working, reliable furnace in your home. We might not need heat during the warmer summers months from May to August, but come September it’s an absolute necessity; especially when temperatures dip to below 0°C.

Here at JW Brian Plumbing & Heating, we’ve diagnosed and repaired hundreds of furnaces in the Edmonton and surrounding area on all makes and models.

To help prepare you for the day that your furnace is suddenly rattling or fails to produce heat, we’d like to share some of our relevant knowledge on this topic. Through this guide, we will answer one of the most common questions customers ask us: “how much will it cost to fix my furnace?”.

As you’ll see below, there are a number of variables that will determine the final cost of a furnace repair. We will attempt here to give a reasonable approximation so at the very least you’ll have some idea of what to expect.

Note: the below cost approximations are based upon our experience and proven track record of servicing hundreds of furnaces in Edmonton, Alberta. Although we stand by these figures, the final cost may vary depending on the contractor you hire.

The average cost to repair a furnace in Edmonton

In our experience the average cost to repair a furnace in Edmonton ranges from $300.00 to $1,500.00 and averages out to around $700.00.

This is influenced by several factors which we will break down further below.

Dispatch and diagnostic fee.
The age, brand, & model of your furnace.
Cost of labour.
Cost of replacement components.

1. Diagnostic fee

All legit companies who offer furnace repair services will have a dispatch and diagnostic fee of some type. These fees are to cover the cost of doing business and vary between companies. Please call 780-249-1496 for our dispatch and diagnostic fees.

2. The age, brand & model of your furnace

The age, brand & model will influence the cost of repair. Concerning age, we have found a simple rule-of-thumb applies: older furnaces tend to be more affordable to repair than newer furnaces. This is due to the fact that the components for older furnaces are old technology, while newer furnaces use higher tech components that are more expensive to replace.

As well , the brand of your furnace will influence the cost of the replacement components. The more common brands in Edmonton are: Lennox, Carrier, Goodman, Trane, and York.

3. Cost of Labour

In addition to the age, brand & model of your furnace, it’s important to consider the contractor’s cost of labour. Due to the rate variance between contractors in Edmonton, you’ll likely need to do some research and asking around to find more information on installation fees.

4. Cost of replacement components

Furnaces are built to last and with proper maintenance and care should provide years of service , but there is no denying some components will wear out and need to be replaced in time.

Pinpointing the affecting issue in a broken furnace can be daunting without professional help.

Up until now, we’ve covered three factors in determining the approximate cost to repair a furnace. The final determining factor is the actual cost of the defective component that is preventing your furnace from working as it should.

Outlined below are 4 of the more common components we replace in the Edmonton area and they’re approximate costs.

Draft inducer – the draft inducer is essentially a small fan that pulls the products of combustion through the heat exchanger. Draft inducers typically cost between $400.00 and $900.00.
Blower motor – implied within the name, the blower motor pushes and circulates hot air from the furnace into your home over the heat exchanger. The cost for this component is $400.00 – $1,500.00.
Control Board – the control board is the furnace’s computer controlling its functions. They range in price from $300 to $900
Gas valves – the gas valve regulates and controls the flow of gas to the burners, and are integral to the appliance’s performance. There are various types of gas valves, the cost of this component is from $400.00 to $1,000.00.

Need help repairing your furnace? Let JW Brian Plumbing and Heating help.

If your furnace needs repairing, please feel free to contact us. We are on call 7 days a week (Subject to availability). To book an appointment, please call us at (780) 249-1496.

We Are Here To Help

Contact us now for reliable and trusted plumbing, heating and gas fitting services 7 days a week! (Subject to availability).

Category: Heating

Tips and Advice

Sharing our knowledge and expertise on furnaces, plumbing, gas fitting, process piping, and more!

How Much Does A Garage Heater Cost To Install In Edmonton?

What type of heater is right for you?

The gas line factor

Want to learn more about gas line installation?

Expected Garage Heater costs?

We Are Here To Help

Recent Posts

Tips and Advice

Sharing our knowledge and expertise on furnaces, plumbing, gas fitting, process piping, and more!

How Much are Carrier Furnace Replacement Parts in Edmonton?

Blower Motor

Draft Inducer

Control Board (motherboard)

Gas Valve (combination gas control valve)

Pressure Switch

Heat Exchangers

Pilot Assembly

Hot Surface Ignitor

Flame Sensor

High Limit Switch

Flame Rollout Switch

Condensate Pump

We Are Here To Help

Recent Posts

Tips and Advice

Sharing our knowledge and expertise on furnaces, plumbing, gas fitting, process piping, and more!

Broken Furnace – 10 Essential Tips to Keep in Mind

10 Essential Tips When You Have a Broken Furnace

1. Is the Main Power on?

2. Re-boot furnace

3. Batteries in the Thermostat

4. Inspect Furnace Filter

5. Ice buildup

6. Check that the condensate trap isn’t clogged

7. Ensure the vents are not obstructed.

8. Inspect Chimney

9. Call your furnace repair company

10. Use other sources of heat

We Are Here To Help

Recent Posts

Tips and Advice

Sharing our knowledge and expertise on furnaces, plumbing, gas fitting, process piping, and more!

How Much Does it Cost to Repair a Furnace in Edmonton?

The average cost to repair a furnace in Edmonton

1. Diagnostic fee

2. The age, brand & model of your furnace

3. Cost of Labour

4. Cost of replacement components

Need help repairing your furnace? Let JW Brian Plumbing and Heating help.

We Are Here To Help

Recent Posts

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