How to Winterize a Cottage Heating System: A Muskoka Checklist
Whether you shut the cottage down or hold it at 10°C, the heating system needs a specific set of steps before the first hard freeze. Our checklist.
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What’s Included in an HVAC Installation Quote? (And What Should Make You Ask Questions)
A real HVAC quote is a scope of work with a price, not a number on a business card. Here is what should be on it and the questions to ask when it is not.
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HRV vs. ERV: Which Ventilation System Does Your Ontario Home Need?
Condensation on the windows in January and stale air in a tight house are ventilation problems. HRV or ERV, which one fits Ontario, and what they cost.
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Why Is One Room Always Cold? Ductwork Problems and How They Are Fixed
The furnace is fine; the room is still cold. Six ductwork causes we find most often in Simcoe County homes, and what fixing each one involves.
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Furnace Short Cycling: 7 Causes and What to Do About Each
A furnace that runs for a couple of minutes and shuts off is short cycling. Seven causes, from a $20 filter to a red-tag heat exchanger, in the order to check them.
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What Size Furnace Do I Need? Why the Square-Footage Rule Gets Ontario Homes Wrong
Square footage alone cannot size a furnace. Here is what a heat-loss calculation looks at, typical BTU ranges for Ontario homes, and why an oversized furnace is a problem.
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Do Heat Pumps Work at -25°C? What to Expect in a Simcoe County or Muskoka Winter
Cold-climate heat pumps heat well below -25°C, but only if they are the right model, sized to the house and installed for snow. Here is what actually happens in January.
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Year-Round Cottage Heating: What to Plan
Year-round cottage heating starts with a coordinated plan for the building, heating equipment, hot water and ventilation. Define your cottage heating needs before choosing equipment First, explain how many people will live at the property, when you will use it and which renovations you plan. Heating decisions should account for the finished home, including insulation…
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Propane vs. Heat Pump for Your Muskoka Cottage
Compare propane vs. heat pump heating based on how you actually use your Muskoka property. There is no reliable savings percentage that applies to every cottage. Bring the property’s details to the assessment Tell us whether the cottage is occupied year-round, on weekends or seasonally. Bring recent propane and electricity bills, the current equipment details…
