Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of frequently asked questions which we've sub-divided into separate categories:
Furnaces ~ Air Conditioners ~ Installation ~ HVAC Terms ~ Financing ~ Warranty ~ Service ~ Filtration ~ Other
How does a furnace work? ~ What's the difference between mid-efficiency and high-efficiency gas furnaces? ~ Why should I purchase a 2-stage variable speed gas furnace? ~ Why should I purchase a modulating variable speed gas furnace? ~ What's the difference between clamshell and tubular heat exchangers?
When the term "furnace" is used within the context of heating a house, it's assumed to be a "forced-air" furnace, not a blast-furnace or other type. The forced-air furnaces all heat in the same method: by sucking in air, heating it, and blowing it out. Thus, furnaces heat your home by heating the air inside it.
There are 4 major types of furnaces:
gas (natural gas & liquid propane), oil, electric, and solid fuel
(wood, wood pellets, corn, coal, etc...).Thy type of furnaces Furnace
Factory Direct sells are mostly natural gas and liquid propane
furnaces. Gas and oil burning furnaces both have 1 thing in common: the
heat exchanger.
The heat exchanger's sole function is to transfer heat from the burning
fuel to the air in your house, while keeping the exhaust fumes from mixing
with the air being heated. A metal barrier (steel, aluminized steel, or
stainless steel) separates the exhaust fumes from the air being heated.
If there is a hole or crack in the heat exchanger, then there is a chance
that the exhaust fumes enter the home, and thus the air that you breath.
This is called a critical failure, and means the heat exchanger must be
replaced immediately. For more information on heat exchangers, click
here.
All furnaces require return air ducts and supply air ducts. Return air ducts bring air from the rooms to the furnace. Supply air ducts take air from the furnace, and distribute it over the house through registers.
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What's the difference between mid-efficiency and high-efficiency gas furnaces?
The efficiency ratings of furnaces is measured in AFUE as a percentage. AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency, and it's what furnace manufacturers use to inform us of the efficiency of their equipment.
Standard efficiency gas furnaces have efficiency rating of 60% to 70%. Mid-efficiency gas furnaces have an AFUE rating of around 80%. High-efficiency gas furnaces (aka condensing gas furnaces) have efficiency ratings in excess of 90%. To visualize what the percentage means, deduct the efficiency from 100%. whatever you have left is what the furnace doesn't use. Thus, for an 80% efficient gas furnace, 20% of the gas you purchase is going up the chimney. For a 93% efficient (high-efficiency) gas furnace, only 7% of the gas purchased is going up the chimney.
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Why should I purchase a 2-stage variable speed gas furnace?
There are 2 main reasons for purchasing a variable-speed, 2-stage gas furnace: comfort and energy savings.
Comfort: a 2-stage variable speed gas furnace distributes the air around your house more evenly, which results in better heating or cooling distribution. These types of furnaces make much less noise, which means less white noise in the background. Less noise, better heat distribution = more comfort. Added bonus: you can run your fan (blower) at low speed between heating or cooling cycles to allow your filter to remove more dust from the air before it settles on your furniture. Do you have allergies? If yes, then a variable speed furnace with a high-efficiency air filter is the solution for you! Remove contaminants from the air cost-effectively!
Energy Savings: Variable-speed blowers use about 1/4 of the electricity standard motors use. This translates to a savings of $200.00 to $250.00/ year per household! And to top it off, variable speed furnaces make your air conditioner run more efficiently, and help make your air conditioner remove humidity quicker from your home.
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Why should I purchase a modulating variable speed gas furnace?
Along with the reasons for purchasing a furnace with a variable speed blower system, consumers are now buying a modulating gas furnace because it offers the maximum efficiency (95%) throughout the entire modulating range. Modulating means the furnace raises and lowers the heat output of your furnace automatically, from 30% to 100%, and anywhere in between. Coleman modulating gas furnaces offer 95% efficiency all through the modulation (from 30% to 100%), unlike some other manufacturers that only offer their peak efficiency at two points on their modulation range. They achieve this by having a variable speed exhaust fan that guarantees the perfect fuel-to-air mixture at any modulation. the reason other manufacturers can only guarantee maximum efficiency at two modulation points is because they use a 2-speed exhaust fan which can only offer peak efficiency at those speeds. As a result, the overall efficiency of those modulating gas furnaces is lower than the peak efficiency (read their brochures and they will admit that).
Another reason for purchasing a modulating gas furnace is that the furnace will have longer run times than even the 2 stage models. This means even better warm air distribution, and fewer colds spots in your home ever!
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What's the difference between clamshell and tubular heat exchangers?
The heat exchangers refereed to here are for gas forced-air furnace only.
A clamshell heat exchanger is constructed of two pieces of flat steel (could be aluminized, could be bare, could be stainless steel, etc...). The two pieces of sheet metal are stamped with a concave shape. The two concave sides are pressed together, and are either welded or folded over each other to create a cavity inside. It's inside this cavity that the gas is burned.
A tubular heat exchanger is constructed of a single or more tubes. It's inside the tube that the gas is burned.
The main differences are wall thickness and seem length.
Wall thickness: the wall thickness of the tubes used in tubular heat exchangers is larger than than the wall thickness of clamshell heat exchangers. Thicker wall means it will take more punishment before the wall fails.
Seam length: The seem length of a tubular heat exchanger is less than 1/10th of the clamshell design. Seams are typically where heat exchanger failures occur. Thus, with such a reduction is seam length, the tubular heat exchanger has less than 1/10th the chance to fail at the seam than the clamshell design.
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How does an air conditioner work? ~ What is SEER? ~ What is the difference between R-22 (freon) and R420(aka Puron)? ~ What SEER rating should I purchase?
How does an air conditioner work?
Central air conditioning helps keep your home cool and reduces humidity levels. By transferring heat from air located inside your home to the outside, conditioned and cooled air is left to be re-circulated. Using electricity as its power source, the compressor inside an air conditioning unit pumps coolant, or refrigerant, back and forth to gather heat and moisture from indoors. Warm air from inside is blown over the cooling coil, which is connected to the compressor, and then pumped back into your home.
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The efficiency of central air conditioning units is governed by U.S. law and regulated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Every air conditioning unit is assigned an efficiency rating known as its “seasonal energy efficiency ratio” (SEER). The SEER is defined as the total cooling output (in British thermal units or Btu) provided by the unit during its normal annual usage period divided by its total energy input (in watt-hours) during the same period.
After of January 2006, no units with a SEER rating lower than 13 will be produced in the USA. After June 2006, no unit with a SEER rating lower than 13 will be allowed into Canada.
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What is the difference between R-22 (freon) and R420(aka Puron, Environ, etc...)?
Let's define them first:
R-22 is the common name for hydro-chlorofluorocarbon
(HCFC). R-22 has been used as a refrigerant by HVAC manufacturers for
over 40 years, but studies in the past decade have shown that HCFCs contain
chlorine, an ozone-depleting agent. For this reason, the United States
Clean Air Act has set a target date for January 1, 2010, on which HVAC
manufacturers must cease the production of products that use R-22.
R-410A is the common name for an emerging hydro-fluorocarbon (HFC)
that is being used as a refrigerant in the HVAC industry. R-410A is more
environmentally friendly than R-22 and is the most likely replacement
for R-22 by HVAC manufacturers. At the beginning of 2010, the use of alternate
refrigerant will be required in HVAC manufacturing.
Other than what is obvious from above, the main difference is the equipment itself: the R410A system operate at a higher pressure than the R22 machines. Thus, the equipment must be manufactured to a higher pressure rating. Higher pressure ratings means better equipment (thicker walls, better quality control etc...).
When you chose R410A as your refrigerant
of choice, you've made a choice for better equipment, lower energy costs
and as an added bonus, being more friendly to the environmentally
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What SEER rating should I purchase?
As of January 1st, 2006, no units with SEER ratings lower than 13 will be produced in the USA. this means that after that date, the minimum SEER rating you can purchase will be 13 SEER. At Furnace Factory Direct Inc. we recommend purchasing the minimum SEER prior to January 1st 2006. The price levels and efficiencies make it the best return on investment. After January 1st, 2006, you might be interested in purchasing a 15 SEER unit or higher - and hopefully the prices will make it attractive for our short Canadian summers.
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Where does the air conditioner go? ~ How long does it take? ~ What are my responsibilities? ~ What do they do with the old equipment? ~ Is there anything that can cause a delay in the installation date?
Where does the air conditioner go?
The ideal location for the air conditioner is typically a compromise. We try to find the out-or-the-way location that is close tot he furnace room and the electrical panel. the farther away the outdoor unit is from the furnace, the more it costs the homeowner in installation costs. Proximity to neighbours is also a factor - you don't want your unit impinging on your neighbour's property!
The best location is also one that gets a lot of shade. The cooler your outside unit is, the less electricity is consumes!
At Furnace Factory Direct Inc, we select the location with you, and get you to agree on the exact location. This way there's no surprises when the unit is installed!
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The length of an installation can be from a few hours to several days depending on the project. Typically, a central air conditioning system can be installed in about 1/2 day. Most furnace installations take a full day. If there is a furnace and A/C installation, with oil tank removal, then it could be a full day, working late until 10:00PM, or 1.5 days.
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The homeowner is responsible for the following:
- Ensure that all items in the way if the installation are removed
- Ensure the children and pets are kept away from the work area at all times
- Ensure that the priceless heirlooms are not in a location that could get knocked down by the installers
- Provide electrical power for the various tools required for the installation.
- Ensure that all people in the household stay away from the electrical panel during the installation
- Provide 1 restroom for our installers - they're only human!
- Ensure payment is ready when the project is finished (or as arranged in writing on the contract)
By ensuring that the above is adhered to, you will enjoy an eventless installation!
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What do they do with the old equipment?
Old equipment is disposed of as per local laws and codes. All devices having refrigerant in the (air conditioners & heat pumps) must have their refrigerant reclaimed prior to disposal.
If you wish to keep any of your old equipment, just ask the installation crew's team leader, and he'll be happy to oblige.
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Is there anything that can cause a delay in the installation date?
Not often, but like every otter organization, we're subject to Murphy's Law!
The most-common delay is for the air conditioner installation: rainy day. In high humidity conditions, it's best to wait for drier conditions in order to protect your new air conditioner.
Other delays could be a result of equipment unavailability, vehicle break-down, or personnel being ill.
Whatever the reason, rest assured that we want to install your equipment as soon as possible - it does us no good to install tomorrow what we can install today!
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The HVAC industry can be a maze of unfamiliar acronyms and industry terms. This dictionary will help you navigate the most common terms you’ll come across during your buying decision.
A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V W Z
AC Alternating Current - A type of current where the polarity is perpetually reversing, causing the directional flow in a circuit to reverse at regular intervals.
ACCA - Air Conditioning Contractors of America.
Acoustical - Relating to sound, the science of sound, or a sense of hearing.
AFUE - Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. A measurement used to rate furnace efficiencies by dividing the ratio of heat output by heat input.
AGA - American Gas Association, Inc.
Air Conditioner - A device that changes humidity levels, temperature or quality of air.
Air Flow Volume - Measured in cubic feet per minute (cfm), this is the amount of air circulated in a space.
Air Handler - Parts of a system including the fan-blower, filter and housing.
ARI - Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute.
ASHRAE - American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers.
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BTU - British Thermal Unit. Measures the amount of heat required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit.
BTU/hr. - British Thermal Units per hour.
Burner - The device that facilitates the combustion of air and gas.
Burner Orifice - The opening in the burner through which the gas or fuel passes prior to combustion.
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Capacity - HVAC capacity is the output produced by the heating or cooling unit and is measured in BTUs per hour.
Celsius - A temperature scale that registers the freezing point of water as 0° and the boiling point as 100° under normal atmospheric pressure.
CFM - Cubic Feet per Minute. A measurement of airflow volume.
Charging a System - Adding coolant, or refrigerant, to an HVAC system.
Compressor - A pump that increases the pressure of gas.
Condensate - Vapor that is turned into a liquid as its temperature is lowered.
Condenser Coil - Also an outdoor coil. A device that removes heat from the refrigerant, allowing the refrigerant to be converted from vapor to liquid.
Condenser Fan - A fan that passes air over the condenser coil to facilitate the removal of heat from the refrigerant.
CSA - Canadian Standards Association.
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DC - Direct Current. A type of electrical current that only flows in one direction.
Damper - Found at the exit point of ductwork, this plate usually contains grates that can be opened or closed to control the flow of air into a zone.
Degree-Day - Calculated by subtracting the average outdoor temperature for an area from 65º Fahrenheit. This measurement is used to estimate the amount of heating or cooling a home or building will need.
Dehumidifier - A device that removes humidity, or moisture, from the air.
Diffuser - A grille over an air supply duct with vanes that distribute the discharging air in a specific pattern or direction.
DOE - Department of Energy.
Downflow Furnace - A furnace with an intake on the top and an air discharge at the bottom.
Drain Pan - Also a condensate pan. As the refrigerant vapor is liquefied, the drain pan collects the condensate and funnels it to the drain line.
Dry Bulb Temperature - The temperature as measured without the consideration of humidity.
Ductwork - A network of metal, fiberboard or flexible material flowing throughout a space which delivers air from an HVAC unit to the respective zones of a home or office.
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EER - Energy Efficiency Ratio.
EPA - Environmental Protection Agency.
Expansion Valve - A valve that meters the levels of refrigerant through a temperature or pressure control.
Evaporator Coil - Also an indoor coil. A device that is designed to absorb heat in the air in order to change the liquid refrigerant that flows through it into a vapor.
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Fahrenheit - A temperature scale in which water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees at normal atmospheric pressure.
Fan - A device that creates air flow.
Filter - A device that acts like a strainer to remove dirt or undesired particles.
Flue - A vent that removes the byproducts of combustion from a furnace.
Furnace - The major component in heating a home. A device that facilitates the combustion of fuel and air to create heat.
Fuse - A delicate metal strip connecting two parts of an electrical circuit. This strip breaks, or melts, in the event of excess electrical charge, breaking the electrical circuit.
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GAMA - Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association.
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Heat Exchanger - A device through which heat is transferred to a cold area or surface.
Heat Gain - The amount of heat added or created in a designated area.
Heating Coil - A coil that acts as a heat source for a heating system.
Heat Loss - The amount of heat subtracted from a designated area.
Heat Pump - A device used for either the heating or cooling of a space by transferring heat between two reservoirs.
Heat Transfer - Moving heat from one media to another. Example: from your furnace's heat exchanger to the air in your ductwork.
HEPA - Acronym, stands for "High Efficiency Particulate Absorbing" or "High Efficiency Particulate Air". It is a classification of a filter. It is commonly meant to rate filters that provide a minimum removal of 99.97% of particles down to 0.3 microns in the filter's rated air flow.
HSPF - Heating Seasonal Performance Factor. This factor rates the efficiency of the heating portion of the heat pump.
Humidifier - A device that adds humidity (moisture) to the air. It accomplishes this by passing air through a water-laden media (sponge or "fill" cartridge). The warm and dry air absorbs some of the water particles, and then is mixed with the air you breath.
Humidistat - The device that measures humidity and turns the humidifier on and off.
Humidity - Dampness in the air caused by water vapor.
HVAC - Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning.
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Ignition - Elevating the temperature of a substance to the point of causing a combustion reaction.
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Kilowatt (kW) - 1,000 watts.
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Latent Heat - A type of heat that when added to an area produces an effect other than an increase in temperature.
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Media - The fine material of a filter that traps dirt, dust, mildew or bacteria.
MERV - The acronym MERV stands for "Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value". The MERV rating is the standard method for comparing the efficiency of an air filter. The higher the MERV rating, the better the filter is at removing particles from the air. The MERV scale ranges from 1 (least efficient) to 16 (most efficient), and measures a filter's ability remove particles from 3 to 10 microns in size. Filters with higher ratings not only remove more particles from the air, they also remove smaller particles. A typical fiberglass furnace filter might be rated from 1 to 4 on the MERV scale. A HEPA filter would be rated a 16. (However, the HEPA requirements are substantially more stringent than a MERV rating of 16 -- therefore, filters with a MERV rating of 16 are not necessarily HEPA-compliant.)
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NEC - National Energy Council / National Electric Code.
NEMA - National Electrical Manufacturing Association.
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Orifice - An opening or hole.
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Package Unit - A heating and cooling system contained in one outdoor unit.
PSI - Pounds per square inch.
PSIA - Pounds per square inch, absolute.
PSIG - Pounds per square inch gauge.
PVC - Polyvinyl chloride; a type of plastic.
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Reciprocating Compressor - A type of compressor used in cooling systems to compress refrigerant by using a piston action.
Refrigerant - A chemical that condenses from a vapor to liquid and, in the process, decreases in temperature.
Refrigerant Charge - The amount of refrigerant in a system.
R-22 - (aka freon) Type of refrigerant used in older style air conditioners. R-22 is blamed for thinning or the Earth's ozone layer, and is being phased out of production.
R-410A- (aka Puron) This is the new refrigerant replacing R-22. It is environmentally-friendly and operates at a higher efficiency. By 2010, only R-410A machines will be manufactured.
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SEER - Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. A rating system developed by the U.S. Government to indicate the efficiency level of cooling equipment. It's a measure of annual average cooling efficiency of an air conditioner or heat pump in BTUs per watt of electricity. The minimum SEER rating allowed as of January 2006 is 13. Click here for more information.
Self-contained System - A package unit.
Sensible Heat - Heat added or subtracted that causes a change in temperature.
Sensor - A device that reacts to a change in conditions.
Split System - An outdoor unit combined with an indoor unit.
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Thermostat - Sensors that monitor and control the output of an HVAC system.
Thermostatic Expansion Valve - A device that creates a constant evaporator temperature.
Ton - One ton is 12,000 BTUs per hour.
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Upflow Furnace - A furnace that pulls in air from the bottom and releases it through the top.
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Vacuum - A space where the pressure is significantly below that of standard atmospheric pressure.
Variable Speed - Refers to a blower motor equipped with an E.C.M. (Electronically-Commutated Motor). These motors operate on D.C. voltage, and use 1/4 of the power conventional blower motors consume.
Volt - A unit of electro-motive force.
Voltage - The force pushing electrical current along wires and cables.
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Watt - The unit of electrical power equal to the flow of one amp at a potential difference of one volt.
Wet Bulb Thermometer - A thermometer that measures the relative humidity in the air.
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Zoning - A system that divides a home, office or space into different regions in order to better control the temperature and effectiveness of a heating and cooling system.
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Who do we have the financing contract with? ~ What does "zero interest deferred payments" mean? ~ What is the administration fee? ~ When do I have to pay?
Who do we have the financing contract with?
The financing company we presently use is Wells Fargo Financial, which used to be called Trans Canada Credit.
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What does "zero interest deferred payments" mean?
Let's break this up into two definitions
Deferred refers to when after the contract date do you have to start paying the finance company. Thus, if you have a 6-month deferral period, you don't have to make any payments units the first day of the 7th month.
Zero-interest refers to the deferral period: you won't be charged any interest on payments made BEFORE the deferral period is over. However, any amounts owing AFTER the last day of your deferral period will be subject to interest charges from the day of the contract to that date. This said, it is always most favorable to pay off your loan BEFORE the deferral period is over. "Example: You have a $1,000.00 loan, and your deferral period is 6 months. You pay $500.00 any time BEFORE the end of the sixth month. On the first day of the 7th month, you will be charged 6 months of interest on $500.00, which works out to approximately $70.00
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What is the administration fee?
Wells Fargo Financial presently offers 3 types of deferred payment plans: 3,6 & 12 months. The 3-month plan has no administration fee. The amount of the contract is not changed. The 6-month plan has a 1.5% administration fee. This is added to your contract with Furnace Factory Direct Inc. under "additional charges". this is a fee levied upon us by the financing company. Essentially, it is similar to a 6-month loan, at 3% interest. The 12-month plan carries a 6 % administration fee, being comparable to a 6% loan.
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You can pay whenever you wish, as long as you make your regular payments after the deferral period ends. You can even pay before your deferral period ends. It is most-advantageous to you to pay off the loan completely before the end of the deferral period. This way you don't get charged any interest. Remember this: any amounts owed when the deferral period is over, will be charged interest. for the entire deferral period. Read "What does "zero interest deferred payments" mean?" for more information.
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What are the different types of warranties? ~ Who does my labour warranty service? ~ What isn't covered?
What are the different types of warranties?
There are 2 basic categories of warranties:: Included
Warranties and Extended Warranties".
Under the "Included Warranties" category are the following:Parts Warranty
and Heat Exchanger (or compressor) warranty. These warranties are described
below.
Parts warranties
cover a duration of typically 5 years, but some models come with 10 years
parts warranty. This means that all parts are warranted against defects
in materials and workmanship under normal use and maintenance from the
date of installation and for the term of the warranty. It is possible
to extend the parts warranty with Extended Warranties, and your Furnace
Factory Direct energy consultant can assist you in selecting the best
plan for your needs.
Here is an excerpt from one of Goodman's Warranties, which is typical
of this industry: "As its only
responsibility, and your only remedy, Goodman will furnish a replacement
part, without charge for the part only, to replace any part that is found
to be defective due to workmanship or materials under normal use and maintenance.
For warranty credit, the defective part must be returned to a Goodman
heating and air conditioning part must be returned to a Goodman heating
and air conditioning"
Translation: The parts warranty only covers
the supply of the replacement part, but NOT the LABOUR to replace it.
Labour warranties are covered under Extended Warranty Plans.
Extended warranties
are warranties that are purchased to extend the Included
Warranty. The warranties include increasing the parts warranty
& labour coverage. They are sometimes offered at rebated prices or
sometimes for free depending on the promotions available at that time.
Extended warranties are a separate contract between you and the manufacturer
of the equipment. The manufacturer is guarantying payment to the approved
contractor for parts and labour, based on a set rate. What is not covered
is after-hours or holiday rates. Usually, those rates are rated a "time
& a half or double-time" What that means, is we charge out a
set labour rate, and the rate is multiplied by 1.5 or 2 depending on the
time and date (i.e. Christmas at 7:00 PM would be charged at double-time,
normal weekday at 7:00 PM would be charged at 1.5 times the normal rate).
If you wanted warranty labour to be done during after-hours, then you
would have to pay for the portion above regular time. Ex: if you had a
4-hour labour charge, and the if regular rate was $75.00 per hour, and
you wanted the work done after hours on a non-holiday, you would have
to pay $37.50 / hour in order to have the work done then. Exception: if
there is warranty work for a no-heat situation during winter, that required
during the daytime on a holiday, the labour would be covered by the manufacturer,
and there are no extra surcharge rates. This only applies to Furnace Factory
Direct customers who purchased gas furnaces with the extended warranty
plan.
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Who does my labour warranty service?
Your primary contact is Furnace Factory Direct Inc. We are authorized UPGnet and Goodcare dealer. this means we are authorized to perform warranty by Coleman and Goodman to perform warranty labour repairs.
As an alternative to Furnace Factory Direct, there are many UPGnet and Goodcare dealers in the Ottawa area that are authorized to perform the warranty labour on your equipment (depending on the brand). Thus, you are covered by an umbrella of companies authorized to perform warranty labour.
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Extended parts & labour warranties do not cover regular maintenance. Regular maintenance is your responsibility, like changing the oil in your car is required to preserve your vehicle's warranty.
Extended parts & labour warranties do not cover after-hours or holiday labour rates (see extended warranties).
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What's the difference between service and maintenance? ~ What are your regular business hours for service?
What's the difference between service and maintenance?
Not much: Maintenance is planned service (fall start-up of furnace, spring air conditioner start-up etc...), where when we say service, we mean unplanned, usually involving repairs.
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What are your regular business hours for service?
Monday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, excluding holidays.
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Why do I need to filter my air?. ~ What kind of filter do I need? ~What does MERV mean? ~ How often do I need to replace / clean my filter? ~ Does a U.V. light replace my requirement for an air filter?
Why do I need to filter my air?
For many reasons:
- To keep your furnace and air conditioner operating at peak efficiency. When the heat transfer surface of the furnace and air conditioner (indoor evaporator coil located on top of your furnace) gets covered in dirt (dust, etc...), it requires more energy to achieve the same load. For heating, this means you will consume more gas and electricity to heat your home, and for air conditioning, you would use more electricity to cool your home.
- For health reasons: indoor contaminants, such as dust, smoke particles, pollen and some bacteria (just a few examples), are removed form the air you breath. This is extremely helpful for those with allergies and/or asthma sufferers. Indoor air pollution is a major concern today, and good filtration helps a lot in achieving clean and safe indoor air.
- Helps keep your house cleaner. When air is in motion, the dust particles are carried with it. If you keep your furnace's blower (fan) on, those dust particles are carried to the furnace By filtering those duct particles out, you reduce the amount of dust in the air, thus reducing the amount of dust that settles onto your furniture. Thus, good filtration helps keep your house clean.
- Better home theater experience. This one is a bit extreme, but home theater enthusiasts that use digital projectors frown upon dust in the air. the dust particles show up like fireflies, and are a distraction. Proper filtration removes these dust particles, and thus solve this problem.
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What kind of filter do I need?
It all depends on your requirements and expectations, along with what kind of heating and cooling system you have. You will require at least (in order to preserve the warranty of your equipment) the standard fiberglass, throw-away 1" thick filter. this offers the least amount of protection, and lets through a significant amount of particles. For allergy sufferers, we recommend a minimum of a MERV-10 rated pleated media filter (click here for product information). For Asthma Suffers, or those with serious allergies, we recommend a Certified True HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air - click here for definition) combined with a MERV-10 media filter. The HEPA filter combined with with the MERV-10 media filter will greatly improve the air you breath. Click here for product information. Viruses, however, are small enough get by these filters. If viral infections, or spreading of colds is a concern (i.e. kids bringing home a virus from school), then you have 2 options: 1) installing and electronic air cleaner in place of the media air cleaner. or installing an ultra-violet air cleaner. Both will remove and/or kill viruses. The Ultra-violet has the additional advantage of preventing your air conditioner's evaporator pan (pan on top of your furnace that collects water from the humid summer air. It's an environment for mold and bacteria to grow in.) from spreading mold and bacteria from your furnace throughout your home. We believe that the ultimate home filtration system is a combination of the EAHEPA, with the EAMU MERV-10 filter with the Sanuvox R-4000X Ultra-Violet air cleaner. Click here for product information on Electronic Air Cleaners. Click here for product information on Ultra-Violet Air Cleaners.
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The answer is on this page in the definition area. Click here for the definition.
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How often do I need to replace / clean my filter?
This depends on what type of filter(s) you have, and the loading (loading refers to the amount of particles the filter has trapped). Essentially, you must replace the filter once it starts to reduce the air flow excessively. This can result in your furnace's heat exchanger over-heating, your safety limits getting damaged; it can even create a fire hazard1 It is also the leading cause of air conditioner services calls: a plugged filter can cause the evaporator coil to "freeze up". this happens when the airflow over the coil is insufficient, and ice forms on the coil's surface.
1" thick filters should be replaced one a month during the months of operation. 5" think media filters (MERV-10) should be replaced once a year. HEPA filter, however, don't have a fixed time to replace them. they should be periodically inspected, and replaced when it is visibly loaded with particles.
If you have an electronic air cleaner, then you don't replace the internal components, you clean them. We recommend cleaning them once a month. Follow the manufacturer's cleaning instructions.
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Does a U.V. light replace my requirement for an air filter?
No. An Ultra-Violet air cleaner (a.k.a. air purifier) does not replace your air filter - it enhances it greatly. It doesn't protect your furnace and air conditioner from dirt build-up on their heat transfer surfaces. It does, however, gives you that final "kill anything in its path before it gets to your lungs" protective barrier. It greatly helps remove odours from the air too.
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If an outdoor air conditioning/heat pump unit needs replacing, should the indoor unit be replaced too? ~ Can shrubs or flowers be planted around an outdoor unit? ~ Should a thermostat's fan setting/switch be set to "auto" or "on"?
If an outdoor air conditioning/heat pump unit needs replacing, should the indoor unit be replaced too?
Yes. Air conditioning and heating units are designed to operate as a complete, matched system. The efficiency rating is based on the entire system. Replacing the entire system ensures the system will be reliable and efficient. In some cases, the existing refrigerant lines can be kept. The technician on-site will determine of the existing refrigerant lines are: a) sized correctly for the new equipment, and b) free of contaminants, and c) show no signs of wear & tear, damage, etc... If Furnace Factory Direct installs an air conditioning system, but opts (i.e. the technician approves the condition of the lines) to keep the existing refrigerant lines, Furnace Factory Direct will include the existing refrigerant lines as part of the new system's warranty coverage. Any leaks in the refrigerant lines would be treated as if Furnace Factory Direct installed new lines, and would be repaired free of charge during the period of warranty coverage.
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Can shrubs or flowers be planted around an outdoor unit?
Yes. However, we recommend that plants be no closer than 18 inches (45 cm) to the unit. This allows for plenty of room for air circulation in and out of the unit. Without this room for air circulation, the unit could overheat, resulting in a premature need for service, excessive wear, excessive electrical consumption and possible compressor failure.
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Should a thermostat's fan setting/switch be set to "auto" or "on"?
This depends ont he type of furnace you have. If you have a furnace equipped with D.C. (E.C.M) variable speed motor, then yes. This is one benefit of the variable speed motor: you can affordably operate your blower 24 hours a day because it circulates the air in between demand cycles at a lower rate, and uses a lot less energy than a conventional blower motor.
If, however, you have a furnace equipped with a conventional motor, you should operate the fan in Auto mode. That way, the fan operates only when the temperature requires it. This is the most used and the most efficient setting. However, there are advantages to using the "on" setting. Air is constantly filtered through the unit's air filter, and the constantly circulating air results in an even temperature throughout the house.
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This marks the end or our Frequently Asked Questions section. If you didn't see your question answered, just give us a call at (613) 829-8186 or toll-free at 1-866-685-HEAT (4328) or e-mail us at sales@furnacefactorydirect.ca