Furnace tuneups //inspection ///repair

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by EVERLAST

MERV 3 and 6 for residential

My Generalaire filter box is sized for a 20x25x5, and filters seem to be mostly in the MERV11 range, with a few MERV8's. I've been running Generaire 4511 filters (came with the filter box I assume)

What's one to do if they're looking for a lower MERV filter - can I run a 4" filter?

Also, what's your favorite place in town to buy filters? Best I can seem to do on 5" filters is $30 each, which seems on the high side. I do need to change frequently as my Carrier performance seems especially sensitive to 1-3 limit lockouts...

[EVERLAST]

CDN Tire ....HOME Hardware....not Depot.

Lastly. Blow your box filters out monthly. Keep em clean always don't just allow them to accumulate 90 plus days of grunge....you'll fry your inducer motor, dc or ECM motor all your temperature sensitive components boil the condensate in your high efficiency furnaces and start having major condensate leaks .

No filter should ever be left in a furnace over 30 days .unless you hate money.

[EVERLAST]

Hey CP

I've hit a record number of failed Inspections this year . I typically average 1 in every 30 or so.

This year 9 in the last 14 .

Of those here's what I see by manufacturer

4 Lennox/ General Aire ( 3 reheat coil failures/ condensate leaks , heat exchanger failures and 1 dc motor )
2 Trane/ American standard ( re heat coil failures)
1 carrier ( 1st one in over 400 )reheat coil failure
2 Goodman / Daiken/ Amana( too many to list)

All of these furnaces are less than 15 years old All of them installed WRONG from NEW.

9 different Installers all installing furnaces WRONG from day 1 all serviced multiple times by unqualified people for the lifespans of each furnace.

Unreported issues , too thick of filters , lack of filter maintenance incomplete furnace maintenance

None of these were as a result of homeowner neglect....NONE!!!

Be careful who you hire. Don't hire based on price, Fake Google reviews , size of company as the bigger the worse the service, brand recognition based on company familiarity, advertisements, radio TV or online spam

I do FREE inspections where I look at everything.

We're permits pulled? Was it installed right? Who serviced it? Chronologically I look at it from day 1 .

Need help? Keithmfg@gmail.com or 403-803-9511

[EVERLAST]

Hey CP

This year I've found a.record number of unregistered furnaces.

Unregistered furnaces in New Homes at 85 % and Replacments in older homes at 60% meaning if your furnace IS NOT registered within the first 30 days the manufacturer WILL NOT cover your warranty entitlement for repairs within the first 5 years.

You will have to pay out of pocket for those repairs and repairs to furnsces 10 years old and newer has skyrocketed to 60% are needing major component replacement costing on average $850 to $2500.

New furnaces range from $5700 to as high as $8000.

Of the numbers listed above 75% of furnaces Installed are not installed properly.

As follows these are the violations I'm seeing.

Gas pressure too high for Calgarys high altitude
Unlevel unshimmed furnaces that aren't draining away condensate properly
No permits pulled for new install
No registering
Un licensed Installers
Improper sized ductwork attached
Improper sized filter racks....too small in most cases
Wrong venting used on Combustion and exhaust
Improper installation of Flo thru humidifiers
Installing NEW air conditioning OVER 10 year old and older furnaces.

There's more .

2023 I've seen so many code violations in 1.month ...OCTOBER THAN I see in 5 years .

Be careful who you hire.

[EVERLAST]

Booking into week before xmas

[EVERLAST]

Bump ....Thanks CP for the continued support in 2023.

[curves2000]

Hi Keith,

Wondering if the furnace filter arrow should point towards the furnace or away from the furnace and towards the duct work? It says airflow so I assume it should point away from it.

[EVERLAST]

Airflow comes DOWN the return air main TOWARDS the furnace. ....so arrow towards the furnace.

Some filters don't have the airflow Indicator but a protective wire or cardboard mesh on one side . That mesh or wire is to protect the motor and fan blades from drawing in the actual filter media.

Lastly. Using ANY filter higher than a Merv 6 is insanity. The stress you are putting on your motors (inducer, ECM, and dc )! , temperature sensitive components and coils and Condensate production increases 18-30% over all which increases your gas and electricity costs by that much because it's taking thay much longer to heat or cool your house.

[EVERLAST]

Bumped for 2024

[EVERLAST]

Just won 2024 Best of Calgary on Homestars.
My 7th win in 11 years .

My little company started as a dare
Promoted on Calgarypuck starting in 2013 and if it wasn't for Calgarypuck I'd have never been able to sustain enough work this whole time

Thanks for the repeats the referrals and all the kindness these past 11years

[Sliver]

Thanks for doing my house yesterday, EVERLAST! Much appreciated

[EVERLAST]

Thanks for the continued support

[Jiggy]

EVERLAST did a furnace and duct cleaning service at my moms place a few months back. She usually gets frustrated with companies because of their crappy service and work. EVERLAST blew away her expectations. Thanks for your help!

[EVERLAST]

Thanks so much for the positive feedback.

Thanks to all of CP....I'm celebrating 11 years since opening my little furnace service company and in that 11 years won 7 best of Calgarys on homestars.

Not easy to do as a.1 man show.

[EVERLAST]

Bump

[lambeburger]

Just had EVERLAST over to look at my furnace and do a duct cleaning. He was able to show me the poor job that was done by whoever the previous home owners hired and made fixes to my furnace as needed. He thoroughly explained everything he was doing and why.

Experienced and honest fellow, good for a chat about hockey too. Would have as my furnace guy again.

[Calgary14]

I finally figured out how to turn off the fan on my furnace from running 24-7; it's much quieter and I anticipate my energy bills to go down. It's a carrier high efficiency furnace. Are there any potential issues with this? I can see the need for continual air circulation in the winter (ie. avoid attic rain) but in this weather it doesn't seem to make sense having the fan on 24-7

[EVERLAST]

Calgary 14

If the furnace has a ECM motor it will cost you about 14 bucks a month to run continuously.
Ecm motors are variable speed fully modulating motors that use the least amount of power and ALL furnsces in the future will be equipped with these .

When ON they'll use circ speed(lowest speed) and store inertia and not only use a low amount of power but continue circulation of air at a minimum cost.

All 90+ % efficiency furnace are designed to operate this way....especially the carriers who have patented this technology only.to be copied by all other manufacturers but not entirely replicated as carrier motors , gas valves modulate up and down completely as compared to others that just go up and OFF.

Thermostats and ventilation switches have to be able to control.your ecm motors as well unless the control board has been set to automatically control the ecm motor as per the design.

There's allot more to be said but this is in brief how they work.

Lastly . You aren't harming the motor running it constantly if it's an ecm....there designed to run all the time.....dc motors and belt drive not so much obviously as the cost is 75% higher.

And don't forget ALL furnaces with air conditioning coils or high efficiency need monthly filter changes or.cleans to keep congestion out of them.

Hope this helps

[EVERLAST]

Spring Sale on NOW for all services reduced $20 per add on

Furnace only ...cleaned inspected and tuned up $165 sale
If high efficiency add $24 sale
If air conditioning add $24 sale

Full House package Furnace vents and duct cleaning
$165 (1) Furnace tune-up cleaning and inspection with 10 vents
All vents OVER 10 $9 each
Add one are less $20 per service
High efficiency $24 air conditioning coil $24 condensate traps checkand flush $24 HRV $30

NEIGHBORS DEAL
Side by side jobs are $40 OFF ALL package pricing for same day services ONLY.

Email me directly at keithmfg@gmail.com and I'll respond to that email once back to office

[EVERLAST]

Bump