Condo Air conditioners leak water primarily due to clogged drain lines, frozen evaporator coils, cracked drain pans, faulty condensate pumps, or manufacturer coil problems. These mechanical failures and environmental stressors disrupt the system’s ability to manage condensation, forcing moisture to...
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Your AC is not blowing cold air because a dirty air filter, improper thermostat settings, or low refrigerant levels can reduce cooling performance, while issues with the coils, electrical controls, or key components can prevent the system from operating correctly....
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AC repair costs range from CAD 100 to CAD 8,000, depending on the type of unit and severity of the problem. Minor repairs, such as air filter, capacitor, or thermostat replacement, cost CAD 100-400, while major repairs, such as evaporator...
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Water leaks inside condominiums create immediate panic — especially when the water is coming from the unit above. Multi Residential buildings often are subject are dispute when dealing with unexpected water damage. Here we discuss more in depth how chargeback...
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A clogged HVAC drain is one of the most common issues condo owners face, especially during the summer cooling season. When the drain line gets blocked, condensation water has nowhere to go and can back up into your fan coil...
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Finding reliable replacement or repair solutions for the old Skymark HVAC systems has been challenging for condo owners in Toronto & GTA. With the manufacturer out of business and parts becoming harder to find each year, Skymark or Skypak systems...
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Mold infan coil units (FCUs) is a growing concern in Toronto condos, impacting air quality, property values, and residents' health. If mold growth is discovered in condos, proper remediation is essential to prevent further contamination. Removal & replacement if left...
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Age significantly affects the performance of fan coil units, primarily due to wear and tear as well as technological obsolescence. Fan coil units that are over 20 years old often require refurbishments, replacement or retrofitting. What solutions exist for ageing...
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Condo fan coil units are hydronic systems that rely on the building's mechanical infrastructure to provide chilled & hot water for the purpose of heating & air conditioning in condos. Condo Fan Coil systems are dependent on the following mechanical...
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Unlocking Efficiency & Comfort: The Many Benefits of Water Source Heat Pumps in Condominiums Water Source Heat Pumps are the most efficient and easily serviceable solution for heating and air conditioning in high-rise condominiums. This type of HVAC system...
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Inefficient Condo Air Conditioning can be stressful. Living in a condo offers many perks, but dealing with an emergency Condo Air Conditioning Repair isn't one of them. Whether it's a heat pump or a fan coil unit, understanding the reasons...
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ERV, also known as Energy Recovery Ventilator, is an integral part of a home's ventilation system. These systems are designed to improve indoor air quality by bringing fresh outdoor air while exhausting stale indoor air. They work by transferring the...
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If you notice a red high-pressure switch (HPS) light on your condo heat pump's circuit board, it typically signals an issue related to elevated refrigerant pressure. The HPS serves as a safety mechanism, designed to deactivate the heat pump compressor...
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Condo Heat Pumps aka Water Source Heat Pumps typically fail due to 5 common reasons. Heat Pumps have strict operation requirements during heating or air conditioning seasons. Failure to satisfy these requirement will disrupt heat pump operation in winter months....
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Who’s Responsible for In-Suite HVAC Repairs in Condos? Condo owners are typically responsible for emergency repairs and maintenance of their in-suite heating, air conditioning, and ventilation (HVAC) systems, including fan coils, heat pumps, ERV, bathroom fans, exhaust fans, and other...
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If you're a condo owner, you know how important it is to have a functional heating system during the colder months. Unfortunately, there may come a time when your condo heater starts to blow cold air instead of hot. This...
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Many property managers struggle with older In-Suite HVAC systems once they pass the expected life expectancy. Whether you are looking to do annual/semi-annual maintenance or building a wide HVAC retrofit project, the board of directors will need to have a...
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Do you smell musty in your home? Bad odour is one of the most reported problems by condo residents. This is mainly due to the lack of HVAC maintenance in your condo suite. Filter replacement isn't only enough to have...
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With the warmer weather approaching in April & May, most condo buildings with fan coil unit turn off the building central boiler system. At this time, you may not have heating or cooling. Normally building management post public announcement in...
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What To Expect Before & After Condo Fan Coil Replacement? Fan Coil Replacement & Retrofit is a process of removing all the electrical & mechanical components from the fan coil cabinet and replacing them with brand new mechanical and electrical...
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Condensation & excessive levels of humidity can cause potential problems for your condo apartment. Most Toronto condo owners and property managers have to deal with some degree of challenge regarding excessive humidity in the apartment. Now in Toronto, the majority...
Read MoreIf you live in a condo, you may be wondering what filter size or quality needs to be used for your condo HVAC system. We will discuss briefly what’s best for your equipment.
There are two common filters used in vertically stacked HVAC systems. 1. Wireframe Filters 2. Pleated Filter.
These filters are disposable made of fibreglass They have a MERV rating of 1 to 4. Typically, you should be able to hold these filters and see through them. If they are dirty, you should be able to detect it is time to replace them.
Pleated Filters are disposable filters. These filters have a MERV rating of 5 to 8. They have a more solid design compare to basic wireframe filters. Due to higher MERV and better quality, these filters can catch more dirt and particles in the air. We recommend these filters for most HVAC applications.
MERV stands for “Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value”. MERV rating on an air filter describes its efficiency as a means of reducing particles of 0.3 to 10 microns. The higher the “MERV” rating means higher filtration efficiency or simply the better it is at trapping particles within that size range. These ratings indicate a filter’s ability and performance to capture larger particles between 0.3 and 10 microns (µm). The data of the table below is derived from a test method developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The higher the MERV rating the better the filter is at trapping specific types of particles.
| MERV Rating | Average Particle Size Efficiency in Microns |
|---|---|
| 1-4 | 3.0 – 10.0 less than 20% |
| 6 | 3.0 – 10.0 49.9% |
| 8 | 3.0 – 10.0 84.9% |
| 10 | 1.0 – 3.0 50% – 64.9%, 3.0 – 10.0 85% or greater |
| 12 | 1.0 – 3.0 80% – 89.9%, 3.0 – 10.0 90% or greater |
| 14 | 0.3 – 1.0 75% – 84%, 1.0 – 3.0 90% or greater |
| 16 | 0.3 – 1.0 75% or greater |
Vertical Fan Coil Systems or VFC units are the most common heating and air conditioning systems in Toronto & GTA. You can use two types of filters:
1. Wire Frame
2. Pleated Filters
Air filters for standard HVAC and vertical fan coil (VFC) units. You can use basic wire-frame filters to the superior MERV 13 pleated filters. To get the most optimal airflow, typically, we recommend using MERV 8 Pleated Filters for fan coil systems. Our recommendation is to go with MERV 8 Pleated Filter. The higher the filtration (MERV rating) the more restrictive the filter is to airflow and this may impact the performance and life of your fan coil equipment. Generally, all the well-known manufactures use pleated filters of a max rating of MERV 8 on new fan coil systems. Although you can also use Filter Up to MERV 11 – 13, it will increase stress on the motors, reduces airflow and ultimately impacts your fan coil performance and increases noise levels.
Changing condo heat pump air filters is highly recommended to assure the unit air coil remains free of dust and other materials. Upgrading the filter to a higher efficiency level (MERV Rating) will provide more filtration of particles in the air and will result in longer life of the heat pump and a cleaner environment.
Taking good care of your HVAC system is one of the essential things you can do as a Toronto condo homeowner.
This includes changing the air filter once in a while to make sure your system works properly.
Besides keeping your energy bills low, this will also help keep your air fresh and free of any pollutants that may endanger your health and well-being. Failing to change the filter regularly in your condo’s heating & air conditioning system leads to a range of future maintenance issues you’ll want to avoid.
With that in mind, here are some reasons why you should change your filters regularly as part of the care of your HVAC system.
While it’s true that high-quality air filters cost more, they are incredibly efficient at cleaning your indoor air, keeping you and your loved ones healthy and well.
More importantly, HVAC filters can remove almost all contaminants from your in-house air and provide you with a dash of fresh air in your home.
Since all indoor air passes through your air filter in the HVAC system to cool or heat your condo, keeping your air filter clean is essential to breathing quality air indoors. If the air filter gets dirty, there is a wide range of things that can happen:
That’s why it is essential to change your filters regularly.
The best way to clean your condo’s HVAC system is to get in touch with the Toronto condo HVAC professionals who have the expertise and the equipment to keep it cleaning and in good running condition.
We can change parts, provide HVAC repairs, and provide the proper maintenance service as well as advice on how to take care of your condo’s HVAC system.
If you need professional Toronto condo HVAC servicing, repairing, and maintenance, feel free to get in touch with Home Trade Standards today to get started. We offer a full range of HVAC maintenance and repair services at the most affordable prices.
Contact us today and hire your Toronto condo HVAC expert.
