All AC Unit warranty installations are backed by a minimum 5 year comprehensive parts warranty & most higher efficient models boast 10 years out of the box. Ask us about extended labour warranty on qualifying AC units!
AC parts break down over time. However, an improperly maintained central air conditioning system will put pressure on every part of that system. A dirty filter that hasn’t been replaced, fans that are not cleaned, leaking refrigerant, exposed wires in the electrical box, ice build up on coils. These put pressure on the capacitors, sensors that track heat levels and thermostat readings and generally weaken the unit so it does not run efficiently and any part can break down.
The most energy-efficient furnace is one that is ENERGY STAR certified and has an efficiency rating of 97% or higher. When you see an ENERGY STAR symbol on your appliance, you can be certain that it has been certified as energy efficient.
When it comes to the type of furnace, gas furnaces are typically the most energy-efficient. Although preferred in some situations, electric and oil furnaces are less efficient. Therefore, gas-powered furnaces are recommended.
The heating professionals at ProSolutions PHAC recommend the following high-efficiency furnaces:
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) measures how efficiently an air conditioner operates over a typical cooling season. It’s calculated by dividing the total cooling output (in BTUs) by the total electrical energy input (in watt-hours). A higher SEER rating indicates greater efficiency, leading to lower utility bills.
SEER2 is the updated version of this rating system. It uses more rigorous testing procedures that better reflect real-world conditions, like how your AC actually performs with ductwork and airflow resistance in a typical Edmonton home. Because of this, SEER2 ratings are slightly lower than SEER, even though the equipment performance hasn’t changed. For example, a unit with a 15.2 SEER2 rating is roughly equivalent to a 16 SEER under the old scale.
In Alberta, where summers can get hot and dry, a SEER2 rating of 14.3 or higher is generally recommended for energy efficiency and comfort. Some systems go as high as 18+ SEER2. While higher-rated systems cost more upfront, they offer better long-term savings.
Typically, a mini split AC does not use a lot of electricity. Ductless air conditioners can use anywhere from 0.30 to 4+ kWh (kiloWatt-hours) of power per hour. That said, the amount of electricity your ductless mini split air conditioner will use depends on several factors, including:
Experts like ProSolutions will tell you that it’s best to have at least two-thirds of your vents left open for best operation of your AC system. It is far harder to cool down a house versus keeping it at a constant temperature.
Cleaning a condensing unit can be an important part of maintaining the longevity of your condensing unit. Should you use a pressure washer or liquid cleaner though? The short answer is NO! Do not use a power washer. You may damage fins or other parts of the condensing unit. Use a garden hose and spray into the coil to remove all the dust and other stuff that gets onto the coil over the season. As for liquid cleaners, most of them contain corrosive agents and you don’t want to damage the coil or any other parts of the unit with which it comes in contact.
If you’re thinking about cleaning a condensing unit, a certified AC repair contractor will have specialized cleaners in cases where the coil needs to be thoroughly cleaned.
The size of AC you need will depend on several factors.
For help finding the right size AC for your home, book your free home estimate! We will help you find the right size and the right unit for your needs. Our technician will complete a load calculation to determine what size AC you need. Factors like the size of your home, the local climate, the number of appliances you have, etc. will be taken into account.
Keep in mind, while you can have an AC unit that is too small you can also have a unit that is too big. An AC that is too small will not be able to cool your whole home and a unit that is too big will waste energy. In both scenarios, your utility bill will be more than necessary and you will likely be reducing the lifespan of the air conditioner! The size of AC you need is essential to your home comfort. ProSolutions can help you find the perfect air conditioner unit for your home and get it installed for the perfect Summer.
There are several possible reasons. The usual ones relate to a frozen evaporator coil, dirty filter, dirty condenser coils, a leak somewhere in the refrigeration system or possibly in the ductwork system. It could also be that your unit is older and simply not able to keep up with the extra heavy cooling demands with our weather changes these days. ProSolutions Inc. can check this for you, identify the issue, and advise you on the best actions to take.
Yes—you definitely should! Even though your furnace isn’t heating your home during the summer, your HVAC system still uses the same ductwork and blower when you run your central air conditioner. That means your furnace filter is still working hard to trap dust, pollen, pet hair, and smoke particles—especially during Edmonton’s dry, dusty summers or wildfire season.
In fact, summer can be one of the most important times to stay on top of filter changes if:
You use central AC
You have allergies
You experience poor outdoor air quality (like wildfire smoke)
You have pets that shed
Not sure when to change it? Our Air Filter Delivery Add-On (available with ProComfort or ProHeating Memberships) makes it easy. We deliver the right filter size on your preferred schedule—so your home stays cool and your air stays clean, no matter the season.
If your furnace blower is not working, there could be a couple of issues here, one more serious than the other. Firstly, it is important to understand how a furnace works. You can begin to understand this through a very simple principle. A furnace uses some type of fuel (i.e. electrical, oil, gas, etc) to heat a series of coils. What type of fuel your furnace uses for this combustion. This series of heated coils (called a heat exchanger) has a fan (called a blower motor) which blows your houses’ air over them and into your air ducts where it is dispersed throughout your house. This simple process, regardless of what type of fuel you use, is how your furnace is able to blow warm air into your home.
If you’re having any issues with your furnace blower not working. It can come down to the blower motor in the furnace may need replacing and that’s usually a job for the experts. A capacitor. If the capacitor is defective, the fan motor might be noisy, overheat, or not run at all. If the control board is defective, it might not send voltage to the blower motor. If the furnace is not getting power, check the furnace circuit breaker or fuse as this might also be an issue.
On the other hand, the unit may be clogged with dirt and dust and you may be able to fix that yourself but may likely need special attention to unclog the debris and dirt from the components.
In the end, there are several things that can lead to a furnace not blowing air. If you decide to try and repair an older unit and it requires more effort and costs incurred. It may just be more advantageous to replace it.
If you need help with your furnace issues, give us a call today!
Although mini split ACs have numerous advantages, there are also several disadvantages of ductless air conditioners that homeowners must consider.
The main disadvantages of ductless air conditioning include:
