Frequently Asked Questions

For a detailed explanation of red tags and next steps, you can check out our article here. However, in short, we can help! If one of your appliances has been red tagged it means that a safety issue needs to be resolved. Give us a call and we’ll send one of our Certified TSSA Gas Technicians out to fix the issue for you. 

There are a few things we recommend trying if your furnace suddenly stops working:

1. Change the batteries in your thermostat. 
2. Check the power to the furnace. 
3. If your filter is dirty, swap it for a clean filter then cycle power to reset the lockout.
4. Check your outdoor vents for blockages, such as ice or objects placed in front of the vents. 

If your furnace still isn’t working, give us a call and we will be happy to send one of our experienced technicians to assess the issue. 

This is a common occurrence during periods of extreme heat. This is because air conditioners are designed to function optimally at average outdoor temperatures – between around 20 to 30 degrees. Air conditioners are able to cool the home by approximately 10 degrees below outdoor temperatures, so if it is 37 degrees outside, your indoor temperature will likely hover somewhere around 27 degrees inside. To keep it as cool as possible indoors, we recommend: keeping blinds closed, running fans, leaving windows and doors closed, cooking outdoors rather than using your oven or stove, ensuring you keep your filter clean and cleaning the outdoor condenser coil.

At a basic level, you will require a heating plan with drawings and heat loss/gain calculations, then you will need to obtain a permit, and then you will need to hire a contractor (that’s us!) to install the system. If you haven’t started the process yet, don’t sweat! Give us a call to tell us a bit about your project and we can arrange to have a designer prepare that initial heating plan for you.

Hydronic heating refers to water/liquid heat transfer, whereby a boiler or other unit heats the liquid, which is then circulated through the home to provide heat. This can include space heating/cooling (via hydronic air handlers), water heating (via an indirect hot water tank), in-floor heating, garage heat, snowmelt driveways and walkways, and pool heat – all integrated into one system! We install hydronic systems most commonly in custom homes, where there are often plans in place for floor warming or snowmelt, so it makes sense to add hydronic air handlers to the system rather than installing separate furnaces. There are also a number of added benefits to choosing a hydronic system, such as comfortability, efficiency, lifespan and appearance. If you’d like to learn more, we have a detailed comparison here, which includes the pros and cons of our 3 most common system configurations.

Homes without natural gas have a few different options: 1) a wood stove with electric back-up, 2) a propane-fueled heating system, or 3) a geothermal or air-source heat pump. A wood stove with a supporting secondary heat source is great option for small cottages. However, it is typically not enough for large cottages, cottages with many windows, or cottages with low-grade windows/insulation. A propane-fueled system is the next choice, however, if it is a 4-season cottage you should expect the cost of propane to be quite steep in the colder months. The last option is a geothermal or air-source heat pump, which transfers energy from the ground or the air to produce heat for the home. This last option is extremely efficient and therefore the least expensive to run on a day-to-day basis. To learn more about geothermal systems, check out our comparison article here.

It depends on the age of the heating system, the extent of your renovations and how satisfied you are with the current heat distribution. Are some rooms colder than others? Is the system on its last legs? Are you gutting the home or just renovating a section of it? Ideally, we would like to come take a look at the furnace to determine if it has a few years left or if it needs to be replaced imminently. Renovations can be taxing on the HVAC system, so if your unit is older, at a minimum you will want to keep a close eye on your air filters (see below).

Home renovations often create a lot of dust, dirt and debris. This increase in dust can quickly clog the furnace’s air filter, which in turn restricts airflow and can eventually cause the heat exchanger to overheat. Dust build-up resulting from an overused filter can also interfere with the electrical components within the furnace. To prevent the debris from causing damage, we recommend using high efficiency filters and checking the filters regularly during the renovation period. 

We service the Greater Toronto Area, York Region, Cottage Country and Surrounding Areas, including (but not limited to):

Toronto, Mississauga, Scarborough, North York, Brampton, Caledon, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, Uxbridge, Markham, Richmond Hill, Stouffville, Tottenham, Bradford, Innisfil, Barrie, King City, Vaughan, Woodbridge, Thornhill, Aurora, Newmarket, Queensville, Keswick, Sutton, Pefferlaw, Zephyr, Beaverton, Muskoka, Haliburton, Minden and more.

Yes, we have done projects as far as Prince Edward County, Kitchener and Ottawa. For larger projects, we are more than happy to travel outside of our usual work area. Send us an email at info@farrmechanical.ca to inquire.