Ottawa Air Conditioning Maintenance
Air Conditioning Maintenance Experts Serving Ottawa and the Surrounding Area
Regular air conditioning maintenance is an important part of protecting the efficient and reliable operation of cooling systems, especially during the hot summer months. Proper upkeep can extend the lifespan of your equipment as well as enhance its performance, potentially leading to energy savings and reduced utility bills. Neglecting routine maintenance can result in increased wear and tear, leading to unexpected breakdowns and costly repairs.
At Francis Home Environment, we are prepared to meet your unique Ottawa air conditioning maintenance needs. We can provide comprehensive, quality AC tune-ups that are designed to set your cooling equipment up for success and help you avoid unpleasant surprises. Our AC experts bring decades of experience to the table, and our reviews speak for themselves. Let our team help keep your home comfortable at the height of summer!
If your air conditioning system needs maintenance, do not wait to reach out to our certified technicians. We guarantee your satisfaction, so call (343) 453-5603 or contact us online today!
How Often Does My Air Conditioning System Need Maintenance?
How frequently your air conditioning system should receive professional maintenance can depend on various factors, including the type of system, its age, usage intensity, and environmental conditions. Generally, we recommend that residential air conditioning systems be serviced by a professional at least once a year. This annual check-up should ideally be scheduled before the start of the cooling season to help prepare your AC equipment to handle the demands of summer. For units in heavy-use environments, more frequent maintenance – typically twice a year – may be necessary to maintain reliable operation and energy efficiency.
For older air conditioning units, more frequent inspections and maintenance might also be advisable. As systems age, their components can wear out and become less efficient, increasing the risk of breakdowns and decreasing overall performance. Scheduling bi-annual maintenance can help identify and rectify age-related issues early, potentially extending the system's lifespan and maintaining reliable performance. Regular service is especially critical for systems over ten years old, as they are more susceptible to failures and may require more intricate care to remain operational.
Understanding the specific needs of your AC system allows for tailored maintenance schedules that can help all aspects of your unit receive appropriate attention. Our team of experts can evaluate your cooling equipment and work with you to implement a plan that suits your budget and lifestyle.
Benefits of Air Conditioning Maintenance
Even the newest air conditioners need consistent maintenance! Investing in our Ottawa air conditioning maintenance services can offer a range of benefits, from enhanced efficiency and an extended lifespan to improved air quality and cost savings.
Advantages of regular air conditioning maintenance can include:
- Increased efficiency. Clean filters and well-maintained components mean the system doesn’t have to work as hard to cool your space, resulting in lower energy consumption and reduced utility bills.
- Extended lifespan. By addressing minor issues before they become major problems, you can avoid premature replacement costs.
- Improved air quality. Regular filter cleaning and replacement helps prevent the build-up of dust, mould, and allergens, creating a healthier environment for you and your family.
- Reduced risk of breakdowns. Consistent inspections can help identify potential issues before they lead to system failures, providing you with additional peace of mind and a higher likelihood of uninterrupted comfort during hot weather.
- Cost savings on repairs. Preventative maintenance can save you money by catching and fixing small problems early, which are often less expensive to repair than major issues.
- Enhanced comfort. Regular maintenance can help your system distribute air evenly and maintain the desired temperature throughout your home.
What Does an Air Conditioning Maintenance Visit Typically Involve?
When our certified technicians conduct air conditioning maintenance, we make every effort to ensure that your system is operating at its best. A visit typically starts with a thorough inspection of your entire air conditioning unit. One of our technicians will examine all major components, including your compressor, condenser, evaporator coils, and refrigerant levels. Checking these components helps identify signs of wear and tear or potential problems that could affect your system's performance. For example, low refrigerant levels may indicate a leak that needs to be addressed promptly to prevent further damage and inefficiency.
A maintenance visit also generally involves cleaning key parts of your system. We will clean or replace air filters, which are crucial for maintaining good indoor air quality and ensuring proper airflow. Dirty filters can obstruct airflow, forcing your system to work harder and consume more energy. We will also typically clean your evaporator and condenser coils to remove accumulated dust and debris, which can reduce cooling efficiency. Clean coils improve heat exchange, enabling your air conditioning unit to cool the space more effectively and use less energy.
Lubrication of moving parts is another essential task we usually perform during a maintenance visit. Components like your fan and blower motor need to operate smoothly to deliver optimal performance and noise reduction. Proper lubrication reduces friction and wear on these moving parts, extending their lifespan and preventing untimely breakdowns. Additionally, we will check your system’s thermostat to ensure it is calibrated correctly and operating as expected. A malfunctioning thermostat can lead to inconsistent temperatures and increased energy consumption.
We will also typically inspect your cooling equipment’s electrical connections and components. Loose or corroded electrical connections can pose a safety risk and lead to system failures. Tightening and securing these connections helps maintain your system’s stability and operational safety. Furthermore, our technicians can assess the overall state of your ductwork to identify any leaks or blockages that could impede airflow and reduce efficiency.
Finally, our technicians will run a system test to ensure that everything is functioning correctly after the maintenance tasks are completed. This test involves turning on the air conditioning unit to observe its operation and check for any unusual noises or performance issues. We may measure the system’s airflow and temperature output to verify that it meets the required specifications. After confirming that your system is running optimally, we may provide recommendations for any additional repairs or upgrades that could further enhance performance and efficiency. We can also walk you through best practices for caring for your AC equipment.
Our Ottawa air conditioning maintenance experts are here to help! Contact us online or call (343) 453-5603 to schedule service today.
Our FAQS
Providing You With Answers & Solutions
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What is the Difference Between HVAC and Furnace?
Again, this is another common question that we often receive from homeowners who are looking to install a new HVAC system into their homes. While an HVAC unit is responsible for heating, cooling, or ventilating your home, a furnace is simply a type of heating unit that comprises the home’s overall HVAC system. A furnace is either powered by electricity or natural gas. If you have natural gas in your home already, then chances are your furnace is also powered using this method compared to electricity.
Further, regardless of the type of power used, the energy will produce heat onto a burner. The produced heat is then moved through what is known as a heat exchanger. The warmed air is then transferred out of your furnace system using your home’s ductwork before diffusing into each room of your home through air vents. At the same time, as your furnace produces heat, the combustion gasses created to do so are safely vented outside of your home using a flue pipe to ensure you do not come in contact with any carbon monoxide.
The main components of your furnace system include:
- The control system, also known as the thermostat
- Gas valves
- Burners
- Heat exchangers
- A motor blower
- Ducts
- Ventilation system
- Flue pipe
Together, they work to heat your thermostat to your liking regardless of what time of year it is.
Are you thinking of installing a furnace in your home? Do you need repair or maintenance services for your furnace? Call us directly or book an appointment with Francis Home Environment today for more information on all HVAC.
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What is the Difference Between AC and HVAC?
This is a common question we receive from homeowners who are looking to install a new HVAC unit into their home, as there is some confusion about what each unit is. Therefore, to provide you with clarity, let’s take a look at what these differences are in more detail.
Simply put, an HVAC unit is a heating, cooling, and air ventilating unit that is installed in your home. It allows homeowners to control the temperature inside their home to their preferences using a thermostat. This thermostat works to either increase or decrease the temperature. It also allows you to monitor your indoor temperature and set schedules for your heating and cooling cycles.
On the other hand, an HVAC unit is in charge of circulating air inside your home. As a result, it helps homeowners keep their indoor air clean by removing any dust, hair, dirt, and other airborne contaminants that can affect your health. In addition, it also helps ensure your indoor air quality is not stagnant. Generally speaking, HVAC units will fall into these categories.
- Air conditioners
- Heat pumps
- Boilers
- UV air purifiers
- Humidifiers
- Water heaters
- Furnace
As you can see, an air conditioner is a type of HVAC unit responsible for heating your home. These can either be ductless or work using the ductwork of your home. The air conditioning unit will draw hot air into your home’s ductwork through a vent before it is drawn into your unit’s compartment. If you have a ductless system, it will draw air from the outside of your home before it is drawn into its compartment. The warm air is cooled using a refrigerant liquid that removes the heat from the air before it is blown back into your home using ductwork or through a vent on your air conditioning unit. The process of cooling the air is continued until the desired temperature set on your thermostat has been reached.
The main components of your home’s air conditioning unit include:
- Refrigerant
- Compressor
- Condenser coils
- Air ducts, if applicable to your home
- Expansion valve
- Evaporator coil
AS you can see, it is easy to get these two systems mixed as they are technically the same thing, yet they are different as well. Therefore, if you want to learn more about installing an air conditioning unit in your home or require repair or maintenance services for your home’s current air conditioning unit, the team at Francis Home Environment is here to help.
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How Much Does HVAC Installation Cost in Ottawa?
At Francis Home Environment, we recognize that every homeowner and home is different. And with over 85 years in the industry, we can confirm that when it comes to installing an HVAC into your home in Ottawa, there isn’t a one size fits all solution. Therefore, before we are able to provide you with an installation cost for a new HVAC in Ottawa, homeowners must first schedule a free at-home consultation with one of our technicians.
During your consultation, a professional HVAC technician will listen to your unique needs as a homeowner before conducting a thorough inspection of your property. Once this is complete, a Francis Home Environment professional will be able to provide you with suggestions and recommendations on how to maximize your home’s energy efficiency while staying within your budget.
Therefore, while we are unable to provide you with an installation cost online, we can provide you with a list of factors that will ultimately play a role in the final price so you can have a better understanding of what to inspect.
Here is a closer look at some of these essential factors unique to your home and lifestyle:
- The type of HVAC system you wish to install into your home.
- The type of HVAC system currently installed on your property.
- The scope of the project at hand.
- The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio of the HVAC unit you need for your home to operate as efficiently as possible.
- The cost of labor relative to the size of your project.
- The installation techniques needed to connect your new HVAC unit based on the size, layout, and other factors of your home.
Another important consideration that will help us determine the appropriate size of your HVAC unit is the number of British Thermal Units (BTUs) required to heat and cool your home. This energy unit measures how much power it takes to heat one pound of water. Each HVAC unit has a different BTU number. This number is determined by:
- The age of your home.
- The quality of your home’s insulation, in addition to its heat gain and loss.
- The total square footage of your home.
- The layout of the rooms and floors throughout your home.
- The style and quality of ductwork you have installed in your home.
- The height of your ceilings.
As you can see, choosing the correct HVAC unit for your home, along with the process of installation, are pretty complicated. As such, it’s common for homeowners to feel overwhelmed, especially when they do not have professional guidance to rely on. For example, without the professional advice of an HVAC company, you risk installing a unit into your home that is either too small or too large for your home. When this occurs, you will inevitably use more power to cool and heat your home than is required. In the end, it will end up costing you more money on your monthly energy bill. In addition, with a system that is the wrong size, you risk causing damage to your home that can end up costing you money over time as well.
However, with the help of Francis Home Environment and our licensed, expert HVAC technicians, we’ll work with you closely from start to finish to ensure you feel well-informed and confident in the decisions made for your home from start to finish. Regardless of the type of project at hand, Francis Home Environment has your best interests in mind, so you can rest assured knowing your home is in good hands.
At Francis Home Environment, we’re happy to offer all Ottawa homeowners financing when purchasing a new HVAC system!
For more information on installation costs and choosing an HVAC in Ottawa that will optimize your home’s energy efficiency based on the unique features of your home, call us directly or book a free consultation with Francis Home Environment today so we can get you back to enjoying your home in no time.
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What to Look for in an HVAC Servicing Company?
When it comes to choosing a company to partner with for your HVAC services, sometimes, it can be not easy to select one that is reliable enough to get the job done right the first time. Therefore, it is essential that homeowners do their due diligence and research before signing a contract with any HVAC servicing company, as it can end up costing them more money in the long run if something is not repaired or installed correctly.
Therefore, to ensure that homeowners feel well-informed when making their decision, here are some of the most critical factors that you should look for in an HVAC servicing company that prove they are trustworthy and suitable for the job:
Years of Experience
One of the first and most important factors in choosing the right company for your HVAC services is choosing a business that has years of experience. While newer companies may provide quality work, it can lead to a hit or miss scenario. On the other hand, a company with years of experience has the knowledge and skills to keep a business up and running for an extended period of time.
Positive Customer Reviews
The most telling sign that a business is reliable with its ability to offer you quality results is positive customer reviews. Customers are what make any business successful. Therefore, if the company has positive testimonials on its website and other social media pages from previous clients, then you can feel confident that what they are saying is true.
Proper Licensing
All HVAC technicians and companies in Ottawa are required to have all the proper licenses and certifications to operate legally. Therefore, if you are looking for more confirmation that a company you’re thinking of working with is legitimate, ask them for proof of documentation to ensure that it is accurate and valid.
Insurance/Warranty on Services
Further, the company you choose to partner with should also come with insurance and/or warranty on all services they offer. That way, if something should go wrong, you can rest assured knowing that you will not be reliable to pay for any repairs or modifications once a technician has finished servicing your home.
Get a Free Quote
Companies that are unwilling to give homeowners free quotes should not be trusted. A professional company should provide you with a free estimate on the services you need, and all costs should be confirmed before any work is conducted in your home.
What Homeowners Say About Us
4.9 Stars On Google From Over 4,100 Homeowners
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“Professional, friendly and efficient. He diagnosed the issue within seconds and had it fixed within minutes. He gave our system a thorough checkover after completion and had lots of useful advice for cheap maintenance and care.” - David C.
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“We have been dealing with them for years and always have a good experience. I highly recommend Francis.” - Laura P.
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“I own a home that was built in the 1960s and this team was able to find a solution for every problem that came up.” - J.W.
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“The technician worked extremely hard to troubleshoot the issue in our extremely warm house. He utilized another team member via video call to assist him with the technology.” - Marshall M.
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“A team that works well together, pleasure to have them in our home. This is the second big job done by Francis Fuels here, not one complaint. Good products, great reliable service and to top it off, friendly, kind and respectful.” - Catherine L.
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“Service has always been top-notch for the many years we have been with them. Highly recommended for both service and installation of equipment and add-ons.” - Arthur W.
The Francis Home Environment Difference
Certified Technicians Providing Exceptional Service
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Comfort Guaranteed
We guarantee all of our installations, for a peaceful home and mind.
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Trusted Experience
Francis Home Environment has been serving families in Ottawa and the surrounding area since 1933.
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Locally Based & Operated
We’ve been serving local families for over eighty-five years, which shows both our dedication and experience.
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Serious Service
We offer ‘round-the-clock service so that you’re always covered.