First off, tankless water heaters are far more efficient than a regular hot water tank at up to 96% efficiency! Second, they do not waste natural gas by keeping the water in a tank warm when you’re not home. Thirdly, tankless water heaters take up significantly less space than a traditional tank-style water heater. One thing to watch for when buying a tankless water heater is the capacity. People read the capacity wrong in many cases. Most brands advertise their capacities using the groundwater temperature in the southern United States. Our groundwater temperature is much lower here; thus the capacity will not be the same. We usually only install a unit that is around 200,000 but to account for the change in groundwater temperature. The other thing to take note of when buying a tankless water heater is that most units operate by a flow switch; the unit senses flow and turns the burners on. Some units take longer to sense this flow than others. This is why we use the NAVIEN brand, as it has one of the lowest firing gallons per minute ratings on the market. If you have a “home run” type system with your waterlines, this wait can be increased as there is only a ½″ water line feeding each fixture from the mechanical room as opposed to a ¾″ or 1” mainline feeding individual bathrooms/kitchens. With these factors in mind, you may be ready to start saving money on gas!

Joe recommends NPE-S and NPE-A series tankless. This is the only tankless water heater that we sell at G.M. Mechanical. We recommend this product as NPE-S provides the best customer support and R&D. They were one of the first brands in North America. After going through many failed models, they re-designed their units for Canadian groundwater temperatures, now the best in the market. The technology helps you get more output for the money you spend on it. It has low installation and operating costs, which makes it a winner.

For more information, please contact G.M. Mechanical at 403-652-1282.

This depends on the filter. Typical 1” filters should be cleaned or replaced every 1-3 months. 5” high-efficient filters only require replacement once per year or twice per year if you have air conditioning. Please feel free to call G.M. Mechanical for more information at 403-652-1282.

During the cold winter months, many ailments may become pronounced due to the cold, dry air. The heating systems in your home and office tend to dry the interior air, which may lead to problems for many. Here are seven benefits that come along with using a humidifier in your home or office during these cold winter months.

1. Helps prevent the spread of airborne viruses. Studies have shown that raising indoor humidity levels to at least 43% had a dramatic effect on approximately 85% of airborne viruses, rendering them virtually ineffective.

2. Helps prevent snoring. By using a humidifier to add moisture to the air, you create a more favourable scenario that may help soothe the tissues at the back of your throat.

3. Prevent dry skin. Because 50–60% of the human body is made of water, dry conditions may pull moisture out.

4. Helps your home feel warmer. Humidified air feels warmer than dry air. This can be attributed to the fact that with more water in the air, sweat evaporates more slowly, leaving people feeling warmer.

5. May relieve allergy symptoms. Allergy sufferers tend to feel more comfortable with heightened humidity, as it may help soothe the tissues in the throat and nasal passages.

6. Prevents static. This electricity can be annoying when associated with your laundry or frizzy hair. Even worse, built-up static can even damage sensitive electronics.

7. Prevents damage to wood furniture and flooring. As always, if you have any questions or need our help, please call G.M. Mechanical at 403-652-1282 or visit www.gmmechanical.ca.