Hydronic heating is nothing new. In fact, it’s been around since the mid-1800s; only the technological details have changed. Where once you would have had a massive central boiler that served an entire building, or perhaps a connection to a municipal district heating service, nowadays we see small self-contained systems. The advantages of this are
Something New: The Polaris Water Heater
Water heaters are a little bit like cars; when you pay 22k for a sedan, there’s not very much to distinguish one brand from another. However, compare a basic economy model to a top-of-the-line BMW and you’re certain to notice some differences in build quality and performance. What is this then? A Mercedes? A
3 Ways to Improve Indoor Air Quality
Sick building syndrome (SBS) is a term coined in the 1980s for symptoms of un-wellness that appear to be linked to time spent inside a building. With widespread concern over energy conservation in the 70s, we intentionally began building homes to be more and more airtight in the interest of keeping heat in and cold
Grohe EasyTouch & FootControl
You probably know about touch activated faucets. They’ve been around for quite a while, yet some customers are a wee bit leery of the concept due to misconceptions about their operation and safety. Take it from us, you have nothing to worry about. Breaking the Bacterial Chain If you’re working in the kitchen and
Sewer Backflow Prevention
The fifth anniversary of Calgary’s 2013 flood is coming up, and we’re all reminded of how rainy it can be here in late spring and early summer. Sewer backflow is a damage vector that you can actually do something to prevent, and chances are your insurance company will reward you for doing so. A
’Tis the Season for Air Conditioning
(Soon, We Promise) It’s been a long, cold, rough winter here in Calgary… We understand completely if cooling off is the last thing on your mind right now, but summer is almost here. It’s time again to get your air conditioning system ready for the season, and if you don’t have AC yet, now is
Garburators vs Green Bins
A garbage disposal unit is an awfully nice thing to have. However, with the advent of Calgary’s Green Bin recycling program for biodegradable waste, many people have come to frown on their use. It’s A Good Thing The Green Bin program is making a real difference for the better. More than half of what
Time Again to Think About Flood Mitigation
What a winter we’ve had, with few chinooks and much more snow than we’re used to in Calgary. If you’ve lived here very long, you know we could still see plenty of wet, wintry weather in April and May; you’ll want to keep that spring precipitation and melting out of your basement. Icy Rooftops
Getting Rid of Hard Water Deposits
Like we’ve said before, by global standards Calgary has a spectacular water supply– clean, safe and plentiful. The high mineral content, however, is problematic for most water handling surfaces and equipment. If you lack a water softener, or have only recently added one, you likely have hard water deposits to contend with. These are a
Water Softening: Right For You?
It’s a fact that here in Calgary we enjoy one of the world’s safest, cleanest water supplies. It’s also a fact that our water supply has a fairly high mineral content; this is understandable considering our water comes to us via overland drainage from a mountain watershed– namely the Bow and Elbow rivers. Calgary’s