Trusted Tips and Resources

Trusted Tips & Resources

Trusted Regina Electrician Active Electric Share a TIP on Why You Should Install a Generator

Active Electric are Trusted Regina Electricians and they get it right the first time, delivering all electrical services including installation, upgrade, and repair solutions.

Active Electric are your TRUSTED REGINA ELECTRICAL EXPERTS

Experiencing Power Outages?  Active Electric Shares A Tip on Why You Should Install a Generator

When most people think of generators, they tend to think about things such as construction sites and those who are turning to off-grid solutions for everyday living. The fact is, however, that more and more people are choosing to install generators in their homes and businesses.

A generator will power your home through power outages caused by storms, other weather, or man-made problems.  Generator installation is on the rise, be a part of the community and be prepared.  Below are a few reasons home generators can be a practical, cost-effective solution at your home or business.



Emergency Preparedness

Storms not only have damaging wind and rain that can knock down power lines, in some cases, but they also spawn tornadoes that can do even more damage to the power grid.  Power generators ensure you have access to electricity in emergency situations. Storms, rolling blackouts, and damage to power lines are just a few of the things that can come about when you least expect them. Having a power generator in place before these problems occur means you never have to worry

Furthermore, if a disaster were ever to occur, scrambling to find a power generator may be the last thing you want to do.


Backup Power For Home Appliance & Medical Devices

When the power is out, appliances shut off. Usually, worst-case scenario is having to reset clocks and power devices back on when electricity becomes available. Some appliances however have consequences. Food storage for instance can constitute a problem if refrigerators and freezers become inoperable for any substantial amount of time, as many items can spoil in just a few hours at room temperature.  


A much more serious reason to have a power generator on standby is the need for home medical devices. Equipment such as a CPAP machine for those suffering from sleep apnea, electrical hospital beds and chairs for those with mobility issues, heart monitors, dialisis machines and more are all dependent on electricity without fail. When you depend on one of those, you cannot tolerate the risk of a power outage.


Using a generator in a storm can preserve food, it can keep damaging mold from growing in your house from a lack of air-conditioning. A generator can let you operate pumps to keep your home from succumbing to water damage from flooding. It can allow your business to keep running during a power outage and prevent profit losses.

In cases where these devices are present, it is a good idea to have a power generator on standby that is dependable and will not let you down. This is a situation where you will want a professionally installed system that you know you don’t have to worry about.

Safety and Security

As many security experts in Regina will tell you, one of the first things many home intruders often do with the increasing presence of home cameras and security is cut the power of a home. In the absence of backup power or batteries, this will not only turn off the lights but shut down cameras and alarms preventing anyone home or away from that there may be an intruder.

Permanent power generators that automatically turn on with power loss can mitigate these concerns, and ensure continued security and monitoring in the event of a blackout or loss of power.


What type of generator do you need?

If you are only interested in keeping a refrigerator going and perhaps a few small appliances, a portable generator is the best. If you have a home or business and want to keep the air conditioner and all the electric powered items going, then a stationary (standby) generator is best. This generator should be installed by a licensed electrician to ensure it works correctly when a power outage occurs.


Portable Generators

These types of generators are much less expensive than their permanent counterparts. However, they are completely dependent upon your presence.

You have to manually start the generator and, if you have to use it for any length of time, monitor the gas consumption. 

Furthermore, a portable generator must be no closer to your home than ten feet, because of the carbon monoxide emissions. At the same time, you will want to house it in an enclosure that keeps it safe from the elements but also allows for free movement of air.

If you are using a portable generator in an emergency situation, it’s likely that it will only be able to power the most important appliances in your home. They simply are not big enough to handle the brunt of everything from appliances, televisions, lighting and everything else. Plan to downplay your energy output if you will be depending on a portable.

Permanent Placement Generators

You can find these in many different sizes, but all in all the expense will be more. The main reason for this is that you are paying for more peace of mind. Should you need to leave your home for vacation or business for a few days, you can rest assured your generator will take care of any random power outages. 

They are very quiet, much safer than a portable generator and, should you decide to sell your home, they can bring about 50% of their original cost in the sale.

The downside to permanently placed power generators is that they need maintenance every two years. However, with that maintenance, the reliability can be determined, and if there are needs such as medical equipment involved, the peace of mind is absolutely priceless.

If you are considering a home generator, and need assistance with electrical or infrastructure to ensure the safety and reliability of your investment, feel free to contact us for cost estimates and recommendations. 

If you are ever uncertain about a potential electrical issue in your home please contact Active Electric and one of their qualified professionals would be happy to help.  They also provide Free quotes! 


ACTIVE ELECTRIC are TRUSTED REGINA ELECTRICIANS -  Check out his listing here in REGINA ELECTRICIANS on the Regina Directory of excellence!

Trusted Tip How to hire a local qualified contractor for your Regina home improvement or renovation project.

As homeowners we all wonder what questions to ask a contractor to avoid a potentially horrible situation.  We have all heard  nightmare stories of home renovations gone wrong but how can anyone be sure this wont happen to them?   At Trusted Regina we believe we can help.  Trusted Regina was formed to help the public find local businesses you can TRUST.  In this article we share some of the ways we research businesses to ensure we have the best local contractors.  Giving you peace of mind knowing you have hired someone you can TRUST to do the job right.  

 

Requesting proof of insurance is one of the first steps in searching for a quality and Trusted Regina contractor.  

Are they Insured ? Any good contractor should carry liability and worker’s compensation Insurance this is something you should always require a contractor to have.

Contractor Liability Insurance

This will protect you if a contractor creates damage to your home, neighboring properties or injury to a third party that may occur during the renovation.  Ask to see a Certificate of Insurance; it should state the name and address of the contractor, the amount of general liability, including coverage for bodily injury and property damage, and the effective and expiry dates of the policy as well as the date of issue of the certificate.  Once you know the contractors liability coverage take it to your Insurance provider to ensure you are fully covered during the renovation as a renovation may require you to increase your coverage for a period of time.   

Workers Compensation

Except for single-person companies, Contractors are required by law to pay WCB premiums on behalf of their employees in the event of a workplace injury. Hiring a contractor that is not in compliance makes YOU the homeowner the project manager and liable for ANY injuries occurred during the renovation. Request a letter of good standing to ensure their premiums are paid up.  

Ask for references 

When anyone applies for a job they are required to provide references.  Why should a contractor be any different!  At Trusted we ask for so many references it's borderline obscene... it is A LOT and we call them all!. We don't anticipate you calling the number we do but we do think it is always a good idea to request references and that you call them.  Typed references or letters of recommendation are ok but a voice and a person are always best. 

There are two types of references you should request.

Client References:

Gaining a list of people who have used there service is extremely helpful and an indication of the amount of jobs they have done.  Asking if they did a good job is not always a good indication of the quality of their work and dedication to customer service.  Dig deeper. here are some suggested questions. - How did you find the contractor? how many jobs have they done for you?  Would you hire them again?  Would you recommend them to a family member? Did they finish the job on time?  Did they charge you the price quoted?  We have the 5 Trusted Guarantees and all of our contractors have to uphold them these are only some of the questions we ask. 

Supplier references

Though not always foolproof, supplier references are very important and help give some insight as to weather or not the contractor pays it's suppliers on time.  Which may in turn help you protect yourself from creditor liabilities.  Builders lien's are something you should know about and try to avoid!.  Here is a great article on how to avoid a builders lien.  

Check their online rating and memberships 

Another way to check and see if a contractor is worth hiring it to check sources like Trusted Regina to see if they have been put through a process of ensuring that they are who they claim to be. This is also are a very strong indicator of a company's commitment to professionalism. You should also search to see if any complaints have been made about them online and how they dealt with those complaints.  From time to time mistakes can happen.  But it is how a company deals with those mistakes that can show a great deal about how they would deal with you.  

Experience, education and certification 

Trade licencing requirements 

A contractor should easily be able to tell you how long they have been in business and have a valid business licence.  Beyond that there are other things you should ask.  Depending on the type of work you want done there are licencing requirements for different trades in Saskatchewan.  Ensuring that each trade has the proper licencing can prevent major issues down the line.  In Saskatchewan there are four compulsory apprenticeship trades. Electrician, Plumber, Refrigeration Mechanic and Sheet Metal Worker. To work in a compulsory apprenticeship trade you must have a journey person certificate or be registered as an apprentice with the SATCC. If one of the trades your contractor has working on your project claims to be a professional in this area ask for their certification. 

Ask for Examples of their work

Most contractors have tons of images of work they have done in the past.  See examples of their work can give you a good indication of the type of work they can do.  We do caution you however that sometimes that though they may be very lovely images you can't always be sure of the quality of the underlying work!

More info...

We hope this article helps you find the right contractor for your renovation project. We always hope you choose one of our Trusted Regina Contractors for any of your projects.   

If you are looking for more information about hiring a contractor we have several other articles that can help steer you in the right direction.




A Trusted Regina Air Conditioning and Furnace experts Indoor Air Quality Concerns

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.


Here they share indoor air quality concerns.

All of us face a variety of risks to our health as we go about our day-to-day lives. Driving in cars, flying in planes, engaging in recreational activities, and being exposed to environmental pollutants all pose varying degrees of risk. Some risks are simply unavoidable. Some we choose to accept because to do otherwise would restrict our ability to lead our lives the way we want. And some are risks we might decide to avoid if we had the opportunity to make informed choices. Indoor air pollution is one risk that you can do something about.

In the last several years, a growing body of scientific evidence has indicated that the air within homes and other buildings can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other research indicates that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors. Thus, for many people, the risks to health may be greater due to exposure to air pollution indoors than outdoors.
 
 

In addition, people who may be exposed to indoor air pollutants for the longest periods of time are often those most susceptible to the effects of indoor air pollution. Such groups include the young, the elderly, and the chronically ill, especially those suffering from respiratory or cardiovascular disease.
 
 

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! 


                                                         

Trusted Regina Heating & Air Conditioning expert tip on Repair vs. Replacement:

 Trusted Regina Air Conditioning and Furnace experts 

Heating & Air Conditioning Repair vs. Replacement:

Your air conditioning and heating system can be one of the most expensive purchases you make in your home. There are many factors to consider when determining whether or not you should repair an old unit or replace it, such as the age of the unit, overall investment costs, from initial purchase price to long term operating costs, and utility rates. To help determine whether or not you should keep your existing system, we've created an interactive Repair vs. Replacement Calculator.

Simply fill in the text field below with a number, and click your "tab" key. More text and text fields will appear. Whenever you see the "tab" note, click your tab key to continue the calculation.

What is the Cost of Keeping Your Existing System?

 

 

Some homeowners may feel "if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it." Here are some often-overlooked considerations. Sometimes you put multiple repairs into a system that is on its last legs. As of January 2006, new air conditioner efficiency standards came into effect. Most systems installed before this date cost up to 20% or more to operate than today’s base efficiency models.

If you agree that SOONER or LATER you will have to replace your air conditioning or heating system, what is the longest you think it would be?

 

CLICK HERE to be directed to the tab keys and for the interative calculator. 

 

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TrustedRegina.com
310 Wall St #209
Saskatoon, SK   S7K 1N7
Ph: 306.244.4150

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