Winter in Calgary

Winter in Calgary can Sting

Poetry in Motion

How cold does winter in Calgary get?

Occasionally it can get very cold in Calgary, temperatures have been known to dip to -30 degrees Celsius! However, usually the average temperature in Calgary during winter is between -5 and -10°C. In general, January is the coldest month in Calgary.

Surprisingly enough, when the Chinook Winds blows temperatures can suddenly increase with as much as 15°C! Furthermore, while it’s cold in winter, Calgary is the sunniest large city in Canada. And nothing beats being outside on a cold and sunny day…

Is winter in Calgary colder than Toronto or Ottawa?

Yes, winter in Calgary is generally colder than in cities on the East coast of Canada. However, locals describe the cold as a ‘dry cold‘ making it easier to cope with than with the ‘wet cold‘ of the east.

And, as mentioned above, Calgary is also the sunniest Canadian city so on many winter days going outside is still very enjoyable.

WHAT TO DO IN CALGARY IN WINTER

There are many places to visit in Calgary in winter, which isn’t surprising for a city that experiences winter for almost six to seven months a year. While the Calgary Stampede is the biggest draw when visiting Calgary in summer, the Calgary winter season has no shortage of festivals and celebrations either.

From the High-Performance Rodeo (Calgary’s international art festival) to the BIG Winter Classic (music, arts, and local craft beer) and Glow (a family-friendly Winter Light Festival held in downtown Calgary), there are lots of Calgary winter events.

What can wrong when Winter hits

School is in full swing, the leaves are changing color, and that pumpkin spice latte just isn’t enough to stave off the morning chill. It’s time to switch your HVAC system over to Heat. Check the following list to be sure your furnace is ready for the coming winter.

1. Turn on the thermostat.

Switch from cooling to heating and set the temperature a couple of degrees higher than the current room temperature. If you don’t hear the heat kick on within a minute, pull off the cover and make sure the wire connections are secure (if you feel comfortable doing so). If the connections are snug, make sure the power source to the HVAC system is turned on. If it’s still not working, you could check the furnace fan, blower or heat pump — but it likely makes better sense to call in a professional.

2. Change the air filters.

You probably have air filters behind a vent grill in the wall or ceiling, or a single filter in the HVAC system itself. Change these filters every few months. Or, if you have a permanent electrostatic filter, you can wash and reuse it. Cleaning or replacing your filters regularly keeps particles out of your HVAC system and can prolong its life. While you’re at it, change your humidifier filter and set the humidistat, if your HVAC includes a humidifier.

 

3. Cover the AC condenser.

Unless your HVAC is a heat pump (in which case, don’t cover it at all because it runs all year), cover the condenser to protect it from falling icicles. “A large trash can lid secured with bungee cords works quite well for this function,” says David Kenyon, training manager for Sears Home Improvement. You can also use a board to cover the fan — but don’t wrap it in a moisture-trapping plastic tarp.

4. Clean the heat exchanger.

“The heat exchanger should be brushed and vacuumed out annually by a trained professional while the unit is disabled,” Kenyon says. While it’s being cleaned, a Sears technician will look for cracks, which could lead to a dangerous carbon monoxide leak into your home.

5. Lubricate and clean the blower motor.

First check the owner’s manual to see if your motor is the kind that needs lubricating. If it does, turn off the power, open the cover and clean the caps covering the bearings. Then remove the caps and lubricate the bearings.

6. Test the igniter switch.

On an old system, you might have to relight the pilot. Newer systems have electronic ignitors. If the ignitor isn’t working, push the reset button. If that doesn’t do the trick, check your breaker. Still not working? Call in a professional.

7. Inspect the chimney and carbon monoxide detectors.

Chimneys can house carbon buildup or even small animals. “A professional should inspect them periodically,” Kenyon says. Routinely test or replace carbon monoxide detectors as well, as they help protect you from the “silent killer.”

Boiler Repair By Baker

Calgary’s Best Boiler Repair Techs, Bar none!

WINTER IS COMING

Proof positive, Baker knows its stuff

In Calgary they are few more qualified for Boiler repairs than Baker Plumbing! Since 1956 we have been among the best boiler repair professionals in Calgary.

With winter fast approaching the time is now to address any of those nagging or troublesome features about your boiler. In Calgary and area, Baker Plumbing has been servicing, repairing and replacing boilers since 1956. We know a thing or two about the severity that winter can bring us. That understanding of just how vital your boiler is during the harshest of all seasons is one of the best reasons to hire Baker.

The increase in technology and invention has brought a multitude of components to market. These marvels of tech allow for increased efficiency and function never before seen. That’s the upside, the downside is that each one of these wonders of engineering must be inspected, serviced, and calibrated. Failure to that can result in their failure to actually do their jobs and doing them well.

The time is now, don’t delay any longer. Call Baker Plumbing and ensure you and your family in Calgary remain toasty and warm with a boiler repair, service or replacement.

calgary boiler repair
Burners, burnt beyond repair

What is a boiler?

A boiler is a closed vessel in which fluid (generally water) is heated. The fluid does not necessarily boil. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications,[1][2] including water heating, central heating, boiler-based power generation, cooking, and sanitation.

Is a boiler safe?

To define and secure boilers safely, some professional specialized organizations such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) develop standards and regulation codes. For instance, the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code is a standard providing a wide range of rules and directives to ensure compliance of the boilers and other pressure vessels with safety, security and design standards.[8]

ecm motors

Calgary Furnace Repairs, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Calgary Furnace Repairs

https://www.bakerplumbing.ca/calgary/our-services/heating/furnaces/

ECM motor swap

ECM motors, the good, the bad and the ugly

There are, however, some serious downsides associated with improper application of these motors in new and existing HVAC systems. Let’s take a candid look at the good, bad, and ugly of good and bad application of these great gems of technology. Calgary furnace repairs.

The Good
When a furnace or air handler with an ECM is installed on a good duct, coil, and filtration system with static pressures within proper design parameters, it can perform flawlessly. These systems can deliver precise airflow to match two-speed condenser designs and multi-stage gas furnace firing rates to deliver quiet, draft-free comfort in virtually any configuration.

These issues can be avoided with good pressure and airflow testing, both before and after equipment is replaced, and on every system you service. When you measure, you know. When you don’t measure, you’re just guessing that it will turn out OK.

Additional benefits of these brushless DC motors include low electrical consumption when operating within design TESP (Total External Static Pressure). When installed properly, systems with ECMs can improve dehumidification, reduce register noise, save energy, and provide trouble-free operation.

The Bad
In marginal systems with higher-than-design static pressures — for example a .5–in. TESP rated furnace with ECM on a .8–in. TESP system — the motor still may be able to maintain airflow close to design. The tradeoff is higher velocities often cause a noisy system and some coil blow-off. The extra torque often required to overcome the higher statics results in higher electrical consumption. This reduces actual equipment EER, which means your customer won’t get the savings of the higher efficiency matchup.

The Ugly
Systems with TESPs of 1.0 and higher, which are more typical than many non-performance-based contractors are willing to admit, can eat up to eight times the power they should be using. When this happens, some ECMs will ramp down and drop airflow significantly. Some older ECM motors will overheat and even fail when constantly running in over-amped conditions. Newer models are designed to drop airflow but time will tell on how well they will hold up.

Other consequences of high static installations include noise at the registers from higher air velocities. In extreme cases, filter media can be sucked out of its rack causing filter bypass. In very extreme cases filter media can be pulled into the fan, chopped up and blown through the system causing all sorts of damage.

So, what do you measure? The first thing you should do is install test ports on either side of the blower. Once you’ve installed the test ports, use a digital or analog manometer with a static pressure tip to measure pressure at each location.

High velocities and pressures created by ECMs on systems with dirty evaporator coils can also blow moisture off the coil surfaces into the supply ductwork. This can reduce the system’s dehumidification capability and cause numerous moisture-related indoor air quality issues.

The Answer
These issues can be avoided with good pressure and airflow testing, both before and after equipment is replaced, and on every system you service. When you measure, you know. When you don’t measure, you’re just guessing that it will turn out OK. Calgary furnace repairs.

So, what do you measure? The first thing you should do is install test ports on either side of the blower.

Once you’ve installed the test ports, use a digital or analog manometer with a static pressure tip to measure pressure at each location. TESP is calculated by adding the pressures before and after the fan. Other pressure readings will help you diagnose the cause of high statics – but that’s for another article.

Once you know your TESP and your fan speed setting look up delivered fan airflow on the manufacturer’s fan table. If you’re replacing or servicing equipment with an ECM, and the TESP exceeds rated capacity, be sure to look up motor amp draw in the manufacturer’s specifications.

Armed with this information you should do two things: First, alert your customer that their system has a high “blood pressure” problem that needs to be addressed. Second, diagnose the cause of the high statics and recommend solutions to bring them down to acceptable levels.

Of course, there is more to this in terms of troubleshooting and solving these issues. The bottom line is that while the ECM is a great motor, as the servicing or installing contractor it’s your responsibility to make sure its application does not cause unintended consequences detrimental to the health and well-being of your customers’ homes and HVAC systems.

 

 

Commercial Plumbing full of surprises!!

While we never really know what kind of issues we are going to run into. At Baker Plumbing, we prepare for the worse and hope for the best! Here we have a project completed by others yet us and the client are left dealing with the problems! This entire commercial property was installed with Pex pipe (no problem) and plastic fittings!! (Seriously why???) This is at least the 10th failure we’ve repaired since the building opened 2 years ago!! When installers try to save by cutting corners, the end result is always the same!! TROUBLE! We did fix this client up and all is well that ends well, until next time anyway!!

WATCH THE REPAIR UNFOLD!

 

apprentice learning the trade

NO HOT WATER, NOTHING WORSE

Cold showers may be the newest fade going around these days. Yet we suspect no one actually wants to take one unexpectedly. Start your morning with an unexpected shock? At Baker Plumbing we can restore the options of whether you’d like a hot or cold shower. Live in Calgary or the surrounding area? Call Baker today and be sure you control when you take that cold shower and when you don’t!! Day or night Baker is prepared to answer the call.

Commercial Water Heater Calgary