IS YOUR HVAC SYSTEM READY FOR WINTER? 

Soon temperatures will be dropping like the leaves and now is the best time to get ready for our Saskatchewan cold winter weather.  Getting your HVAC system ready sooner rather than later is always a good idea.  The change of seasons is often a trigger for many to do a thorough cleaning of the home – washing walls, cleaning closets, etc. but is your heating, ventilating and air conditioning system ready for the cold weather?  It too should become part of your regular cleaning schedule.  Full Throttle has a team of professionals ready to help!

Your HVAC system is important in regulating your family’s comfort.  There are several things you can do to prepare your heating system for these frigid temperatures.  One of the most important things is to make sure all components are clean.  Blockages or restrictions anywhere in the system reduces efficiency and can negatively affect the air quality in your home.  One of our trained professionals can ensure your furnace and ductwork are thoroughly and properly cleaned.  Something homeowners often do not think about in the winter is the air conditioning coil.  Dirt and debris accumulating on an air conditioner coil can block airflow across the coil, increasing the cost of heating or cooling your home. In severe cases, air conditioning coils or condensing coils can become so blocked that airflow is seriously reduced.

Colin and Jason, the owners of Universal Plumbing and Heating Inc are proud to call Regina, Saskatchewan home, and they really pride themselves on offering the best possible customer service experience! The Canadian HVAC industry is notorious for bad service, and the guys at Universal started their company with the intention to do everything possible to create a good, solid reputation! They are in demand from both home owners and home builders alike.

Universal Pluming & Heating Inc are Trusted Regina Air Conditioning & Furnace professionals. 

What Causes Indoor Air Problems?

Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.

Pollutant Sources

There are many sources of indoor air pollution in any home. These include combustion sources such as oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood, and tobacco products; building materials and furnishings as diverse as deteriorated, asbestos-containing insulation, wet or damp carpet, and cabinetry or furniture made of certain pressed wood products; products for household cleaning and maintenance, personal care, or hobbies; central heating and cooling systems and humidification devices; and outdoor sources such as radon, pesticides, and outdoor air pollution.

The relative importance of any single source depends on how much of a given pollutant it emits and how hazardous those emissions are. In some cases, factors such as how old the source is and whether it is properly maintained are significant. For example, an improperly adjusted gas stove can emit significantly more carbon monoxide than one that is properly adjusted.

Some sources, such as building materials, furnishings, and household products like air fresheners, release pollutants more or less continuously. Other sources, related to activities carried out in the home, release pollutants intermittently. These include smoking, the use of unvented or malfunctioning stoves, furnaces, or space heaters, the use of solvents in cleaning and hobby activities, the use of paint strippers in redecorating activities, and the use of cleaning products and pesticides in housekeeping. High pollutant concentrations can remain in the air for long periods after some of these activities.

Amount of Ventilation

If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Unless they are built with special mechanical means of ventilation, homes that are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of outdoor air that can "leak" into and out of the home may have higher pollutant levels than other homes. However, because some weather conditions can drastically reduce the amount of outdoor air that enters a home, pollutants can build up even in homes that are normally considered "leaky."

 If you are looking for Air conditioning and Furnace contractors you can trust in Regina, look no further than Universal Plumbing & Heating Inc. Call them today to book your service call or install! 

It’s an exciting time – the old house is sold, the new one is ready, and all that’s left is the move…..oh wait – not quite yet!! There’s all that legal “stuff” to deal with now….signatures….titles to be given…and pages and pages of documents that need to be signed before the key is in your hand!!! And to top it all off – who really knows a good real estate lawyer?

REGINA – Stephanie Gabber’s excitement over buying a new home in Pilot Butte quickly wore off when she tried to develop her backyard and found a drainage ditch running through the property.

Size vs Practicality 

We live in a world where success is often tied to the size of our house or cottage, and in many cases square footage receives higher priority than quality design and materials. When we look back to the large ‘mansions’ built a decade or two ago, we recognize the pattern of large structures with two storey spaces, lavish ensuites, numerous communal areas and exteriors that were quite out of scale with typical single family homes up to that time. With the recent increase in costs, this trend has slowed and we are seeing clients wanting spaces that are more versatile, practical and with a new appreciation for human scaled rooms.

Reasons for Downsizing

In addition to the easily understood concept that a larger home is more costly than a smaller one, there are several other obvious reasons to build smaller. A modest home will permit higher quality finishes which offer both aesthetics and durability. 

Site selection will be easier if you do not require a huge yard to construct your home. Consider using exterior living areas (as your climate and location permit) to take advantage of the sun, shade or a great view. 

Smaller homes require special care in making sure that the spaces you are designing are closely aligned to your family’s lifestyle and future needs. Rooms need to be planned to suite the furniture that you need to accommodate and if possible taking advantage of built-ins can reduce the amount of space required. Smaller spaces benefit from careful analysis of what needs to be kept and what can be used by others.

Household maintenance and cleaning are reduced on a smaller home. Taxes also are tied to value and less square footage helps to keep them low. Energy costs are reduced on a well built smaller home and the benefit to the environment is becoming increasingly important.

How do you want to live? 

All these practical reasons are not going to resonate with a future homebuilder without embracing the concept of living with less. Ultimately, this means adopting a lifestyle based, not on an accumulation of possessions, but on enjoying life in a simpler, less cluttered fashion. 

Bergens Auto Body Regina are a local family business and from the moment you walk in the door you will be treated like family! They are proud to have an amazing 80 Years Auto Body Experience, and they have been serving Regina Auto Body needs for over 30 Years....they have a loyal customer base that simply wouldn't think of going anywhere else. Bergen's are an SGI Accredited Regina Auto Body and Collision Repair shop They offer courtesy cars to their clients and they specialize in foreign vehicles . They are your Trusted Regina auto body professionals

Bergens auto body shares news of changes to SGI Claims process happening soon!  

Saskatchewan drivers now have a new way for processing collision claims through Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI), specifically for minor damages, like in a fender bender-type collision. Drivers can soon choose to take their vehicles to an auto body repair shop approved by SGI, where both the estimate and repairs will be done.

The minister responsible for SGI Don McMorris said the new setup will allow drivers to have vehicle repairs completed at the same shop where the claim is filed. SGI's claims centres will still be open and employ the same number of staff. They'll still be an option for drivers with minor damages, and they'll continue to handle larger damage, such as total losses. Where the vehicle will go will still be determined when a driver initially files the claim. The government says an audit process is in place to ensure body shops remain objective in their assessment. "People from SGI will be evaluating, you know, a spot evaluation of the body shop to make sure the damage was accurately assessed," McMorris said. "It's a benefit to the customer, it's a benefit to the body shop, as well as SGI. It gets some of that work out of our adjustment centres." McMorris said repair shops will also be subject to annual training.

Approximately 20 repair shops in the province are already doing damage estimates for drivers, SGI said. It hopes 180 shops will be accredited to do so by the end of the year. SGI estimated that there are more than 200,000 auto damage claims in Saskatchewan each year.

Bergen's AutoBody & Collision Centre are TRUSTED REGINA AUTO BODY EXPERTS...and they are waiting to help you. You can be assured that they will look after you ..you can TRUST them..we Guarantee it! 

This post contains quotes from the following sources: 

http://globalnews.ca/news/2199719/sgi-changing-how-you-can-get-vehicle-damage-assessed/

http://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2015/09/07/saskatchewan-government-insurance-to-let-collision-repairers-estimate-claims/

http://www.cbc.ca/m/news/canada/saskatchewan/auto-claim-process-to-change-for-drivers-sgi-1.3212830