Maximize HVAC Efficiency

How to Keep Cozy & Save Cash:

Winter is coming! But before you stockpile blankets and prepare to hibernate, let’s talk about how you can keep your home toasty without sending your heating bill through the roof. There’s a lot you can do to ensure your HVAC system runs efficiently (and saves you money), but we’ll also sprinkle in a few tips on how to keep warm. So, grab some hot cocoa, and let’s dive in!

Tune-Up Time

Just like your car needs a regular oil change, your HVAC system needs a seasonal check-up. Regular maintenance will keep your HVAC system running at its peak efficiency. Our HVAC tune up team can spot issues before they turn into expensive repairs. They ensure everything is running like a well-oiled machine.

Pro Tip: Schedule an appointment early in the season before the first real cold snap hits. This helps you avoid emergency service calls when everyone else is in a rush to get their furnace back up and running!

Change that Filter

A dirty filter makes your HVAC system work harder, which means more energy and higher bills. Aim to swap out your filter every 1-2 months during the winter. You’ll enjoy better airflow, cleaner indoor air, and a more efficient system.

Bonus: You’ll also notice less dusting required in your home. YAY!

Let’s Talk Thermostats

Want to lower your heating bill? The simplest way is to set your thermostat temperature a little bit lower, especially when you are away from home or when you are sleeping. Don’t have a programmable thermostat? Give us a call. We offer a variety of options and our team can professionally install it for you.

Imagine this: while you’re out building snowmen or watching movies in bed, your thermostat adjusts automatically. Set it to warm up before you get home or wake up, so you stay comfy without wasting energy. Going to be home a little sooner than your usual programming, use an app on your phone to boost the temperature in your home before you get there. Looking for a smart thermostat? Check out our Daikin options: Click here.

Seal it so you don’t feel it!

Drafts are like little thieves sneaking heat out of your home. Check your windows, doors, and even electrical outlets for drafts. You can use weatherstripping, caulking, or door sweeps to seal up these areas. Not only will your home stay warmer, but your HVAC system won’t have to work overtime to replace that lost heat.

Embrace the Sun

Sunny winter days can be your best friend. Open up your curtains or blinds during the day to let the sunshine in. It’s free heat! And when the sun goes down, close your curtains to help trap the warmth inside.

Zone your Home

If you’ve got a big house or rooms that don’t get much use, consider zoning for your HVAC system. This lets you control the temperature in different areas of your home individually, so you’re not heating rooms that no one is using. Efficiency, meet comfort!

Zoning also allows for adjustable comfort. Maybe you like your bedroom warmer than your teenage son. Set the zones and everyone can be comfortable.

The Humidifier Hack

Cold air tends to be dry, which can make your home feel chillier than it actually is. A whole-home humidifier can help by adding moisture to the air, making it feel warmer. Increasing the relative humidity in your home will allow you to lower your thermostat setting and still have the same comfort level. As an added bonus that extra humidity is great for your skin and sinuses and you will appreciate it during our dry winter months. Win-win!

Looking for a humidifier upgrade, we recommend Clean Comfort Indoor Air Essentials. Click for details.

Insulate, Insulate, Insulate

Insulation is your secret weapon for a warm home. Check your attic, walls, and crawl spaces to ensure you’ve got enough insulation. Upgrading or adding insulation can drastically improve your home’s heat retention and reduce the workload on your HVAC system. It not only helps keep your home warm but it will also help keep your home cool in the summer.

Invest in your HVAC System

Upgrading to a high-efficiency HVAC system can be a game-changer. Modern systems are designed to use less energy while providing the same level of comfort and, of course, they come with some pretty sweet warranties (like the ones we offer with our Daikin equipment. Plus, over time, the savings on your utility bills make it a worthwhile investment. SaskEnergy Rebates are currently available for furnace replacements when upgrading to a high efficiency model. Get in touch today for a free quote from our professional team.

Stay Cozy and Enjoy an Efficient HVAC System

Winter doesn’t have to mean skyrocketing energy bills. With a few easy changes, you can keep your home warm and your HVAC system running smoothly. Whether it’s a little TLC for your current system, smart thermostat tricks, or sealing up drafts, these tips will help you stay cozy while saving cash.

Got questions about your HVAC system or need a furnace tune-up? Give us a call—we’re here to help!

Now, go ahead and comfortably enjoy winter.

Furnace Season is Here

Why Should You Buy a Furnace with Town & Country?



We’re 100% locally owned. Town & Country is owned by a group of local men who live in and around Regina contributing to the community in a variety of ways. Many of our owners are tradespeople including plumbers, sheet metal workers, and electricians. They not only act as owners but as mentors for our young apprentices.


We’ve done the research so you don’t have to? What do we mean by that? We’ve researched our products seeking out the highest quality, best warranties, and most serviceable products. We choose to install products with long life spans but also products that can be serviced for a reasonable cost so that your investment goes a long way.


Our service department is housed within our business. That means that when you call us for service during regular business hours we answer the phone personally and our dispatch team sends out our service technicians.


We have a team of skilled, certified trades people. When we come to your home to do an install you can be assured that the team will be lead by a qualified journeyperson and it’s likely they will have an apprentice with them. We bring years of experience to every install and often we are also in the process of training our next generation of installers. We are dedicated to quality craftsmanship and expert installations.


We’re firmly established. Town & Country has been serving the people of Regina and area since 1963. We’re one of the longest running plumbing and heating companies in Regina. You can trust that if you purchase your furnace with our company we will still be around to honour your warranty and keep your furnace running smoothly with regular maintenance.


We offer a Customer-Centric approach with personalized solutions, tailored to your home’s specific needs. Our Home Comfort Consultants come to your home and take the time to understand your requirements and recommend the best system for your space, ensuring comfort and satisfaction.

Looking for a quote? Get in touch today and we will put our team to work to make your home as comfortable as we can.

HVAC Maintenance

HVAC is an acronym for Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning. It’s a term that is used to describe the complete system that is used to heat or cool your home or business while also ensuring the air you breathe is of high quality. 

A typical home in Regina will have several components to the HVAC system.  These will most likely include:

  1. Heating Unit: This is typically a furnace but may be a boiler.
  2. Cooling Unit: This is typically an air conditioner but may be a heat pump.
  3. Ventilation Elements:
    • Ductwork: Channels that distribute air.
    • Air Handler: Houses the blower that drives the air through the ducts.
    • Registers and Vents: This is where air flow happens in each room.

4. Thermostat:

The brains of the HVAC system. This is where the temperature is set.  Thermostats range from very simple devices to complex smart units that can even learn from your habits or presence.

5. Air Filters:

Filters help keep our indoor air perfect by capturing dust and pollens or other particles like pet hair. 

6. Humidifier:

These units act to control our indoor humidity levels. During our dry winters humidity is added. Adjusting humidity in a home can greatly increase the comfort level.

7. HRV Unit:

Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilator These devices, more common in newer homes, make your home healthier and cleaner by continuously replacing stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air.  

8. Radiators:

Some homes that use a boiler system for heating will have radiators located along walls in every room.  When the radiators heat up they radiate warmth outward to heat the room.



As you can see that’s a pretty big list of equipment keeping your home comfortable and your indoor air perfect. As with any mechanical equipment, your HVAC system does require
Regular Maintenance
to keep it operating smoothly.  


  1. Enhanced Efficiency: Cleaning, replacing filters, lubricating moving parts and ensuring proper airflow all add up to a more efficient machine which helps you save money on your energy bills
  2. Extended Lifespan: Your HVAC system is a big investment. Improve the lifespan of that equipment with regular maintenance.
  3. Better Air: Air quality is best when your HVAC system is running properly.
  4. Reduced Repairs: Preventative maintenance goes a long way in catching repairs early and preventing escalating costs.
  5. Improved Comfort: A well maintained system will provide you with the most comfort.
  6. Safety: Checking on electrical connections and gas lines regularly can reduce the risk of hazards like gas leaks, electrical fires, and carbon monoxide poisoning.
  7. Warranty: HVAC maintenance is typically a requirement for warranty.  Failure to maintain a system properly can void warranty.
  8. Reducing your environmental impact. A well tuned HVAC system uses less energy. 

  • Check operation of thermostat, including calibration
  • Test for refrigerant shortage
  • Wash outdoor condensing unit
  • Balance air flow for air conditioning
  • Perform temperature drop at indoor coil
  • Clean condensate lines and test operation
  • Inspect compressor contacts
  • Clean or replace standard filters
  • Lubricate all moving parts
  • Monitor start capacitor and potential relay operation
  • Close down humidifier operation
  • Measure and record amperage draw on compressor
  • Check operation of thermostat including calibration
  • Perform carbon monoxide test and record readings
  • Inspect venting for rust and leakage
  • Test all safety controls
  • Check combustion and ventilation air
  • Clean burners and pilot, Adjust for proper combustion
  • Clean flame sensor and record flame signal
  • Check all gas fittings on valve train for leaks
  • Clean and flush condensate lines, including pump
  • Clean heat exchangers
  • Remove and clean blower
  • Perform temperature rise on heat exchanger
  • Clean or replace standard air filters
  • Lubricate motors as required
  • Check operation of thermostat including calibration
  • Test all safety controls
  • Inspect venting for rust and leakage
  • Clear burners and pilot, adjust for proper combustion
  • Clean flame sensors and record reading
  • Perform carbon monoxide testing on ambient air in the boiler room
  • Inspect fire bricks and insulation
  • Check all gas fittings on valve train for leaks
  • Examine heat exchanger and combustion chamber
  • Lubricate pump and motors
  • Check condition and operation of expansion tank

Aging in Place

Making your Home Safe and Comfortable as you Age

As we age we think about where we are going to live and what that space will look like. We think about whether we will be able to continue to live in our home. Will moving to a condo be a better fit? So, what can you do to make your current home or a new condo home more comfortable as you age? What can you add to make your daily life activities more manageable? What safety features can you introduce? What can you do to make life just a little bit easier and more comfortable and what does your local plumbing, heating and electrical shop have to do with that? 


Let’s look at some of the activities of daily life:

  • Showering
  • Bathing
  • Using the toilet
  • Enjoying Indoor time
  • Enjoying outdoor time

So what can we do to make these areas of your daily life a little bit more comfortable. Let’s tackle the bathroom first.


Showering / Bathing

Have you considered converting your current tub shower to a walk in shower. Walk in showers can feature no step access, non slip flooring, and moulded, folding, or portable seats, as well as multiple spray options. We’ve got some great options from Hytec . The addition of safety grab bars can create an added sense of security. The grab bars are mounted to withstand a proper amount of force and provide much more support than simply bracing yourself against a wall or using one of those suction mounted grab bars.

This walk in shower install replaced a previous tub/shower combination. This particular install used a shower curtain. Glass door options are also available.


And what about faucet handles? There are lots of great options for handles in your shower or on your sink that will make turning them on/off easier. Check out some options from Riobel Pro and Moen

Lever style faucets make turning them on and off a little easier. No more twisting on a tap.


Toileting

Let’s face it, sitting down onto the toilet and getting up from the toilet absolutely gets more difficult as we age. Did you know there are toilets that are specifically designed to make them easier to use. The technical terminology is an ADA Toilet. ADA stands for Americans with Disability Act. ( I know, we’re in Canada but that’s the standard manufacturers typically use. The Accessible Canada Act or ACA, or Bill C-81 is the Canadian equivalent. As a Canadian contractor we follow B651-18 National Standard of Canada Accessible Design for the Buillt Environment.) Regardless of terminology the type of toilet we are talking about here has a minimum seat height of 17 inches (~43 cm) and a maximum of 19 inches (~48 cm). Standard height toilets are typically 14-15 inches in height. Elongated seats vs rounded seats can also be found to be more comfortable. Check out this link to an ADA toilet option from Contrac

Something that is also becoming more common in homes is a toilet with a bidet seat. We offer a number of choices. This link is for our Kohler options.


Enjoying Indoor Time

As we age we may find that we spend a little more time indoors, especially during winter. In order to make your indoor space more comfortable and safer consider some of the following options that we can assist you with.


Lighting

We’re an electrical shop. We can absolutely help you with lighting your home to not only increase comfort but also increase safety. Things to consider for safety might be night lighting, stairway lighting, or outdoor lighting. Things to consider for comfort might be the type of lighting you use. For example you might want to upgrade to LED pot lights, you might want to wire in better bedside lighting for reading, or maybe your garage needs better lighting because you have converted it to a hobby workshop.


Home Automation

Home automation can definitely add a lot of ease to your home as you age. Really we could have a whole blog on all the different types of comforts that home automation can bring to your home. Some options include:


Heating / Cooling

As we age we spend more time in our homes. Let’s make your home air more comfortable. That might include looking at zoning your home. Want your bedroom cooler than or warmer than a secondary bedroom? Tired of cooling your whole home when really what you want is just a cooler kitchen for cooking in the summer and cooler bedrooms for sleeping in? You may want to consider a ductless cooling system. ( Daikin Multi Zone Ductless) Or maybe you want your energy bills to be lower. Ask us about high efficiency furnace and air conditioner options. Want better humidity, cleaner air, and an overall better heating and cooling system? We’re experts at that!

Our lineup of products to perfect your air includes:


Enjoying Outdoor Time

Lighting

Adding walkway lighting and accent lighting to your home can not only make it safer, it can make it more enjoyable. Need some new wiring for your backyard lighting or some new lighting options for walkways, entryways or alley garages, we’ve got a team of professional electricians who can get that done. Town & Country is also an authorized dealer for Gemstone Lights . This permanent, professionally installed lighting system will light up your home in ways you never thought possible. Lights are completely customizable using an app on your phone. You can change the colour and patterns in so many ways that you will always have your home lit up just right no matter the holiday or occasion. Christmas themes, sports themes, or simply elegant architectural themes, your home will be the prettiest on the block and you can change the lighting colour and theme from any where you have cell phone service or a connection to wifi.


Heating

Outdoor heating? Yeah it sounds sort of ridiculous but maybe you have a 3 season sunroom or a screened room or even a sheltered patio or deck that you would like to be able to enjoy for a little longer through the year. As we age we often have more time for things like sitting on our patios enjoying a good book or visiting with family or friends. We have natural gas as well as electrical options for heating these spaces. Check out Schwank . And of course we also have options for your garage, because getting into a cold car just isn’t that much fun in the winter no matter what your age is. We commonly use Reznor or Lennox units for garage heat. Heating your garage can also make it a lot more useful as an all season workshop or hobby area for whatever retirement project you have in mind.

Eliminating Hot or Cold Spots at Home

The most common solution is to run the furnace fan on a continuous basis. A furnace with a variable ECM motor is the best choice for this.

You can also work on adjusting the registers or diffusers in the home. Start with restricting the flow through the registers in the rooms which are warmer than the others.

Troubleshooting Your Furnace or Air Conditioner

Please check the following before calling us for service. These are problems that homeowners tend to overlook and are not covered by warranty.

Step 1: Is your thermostat set to the correct function?

Step 2: Has the power to the furnace been shut off?

  • Electrical panel breaker
  • Power switch located close to furnace of high in the basement stairwell
  • Ensure the furnace fan door is on properly

Step 3: Is the filter clean? A dirty filter will eventually cause service problems and drastically decrease efficiency of both the furnace and air conditioner.

Step 4: High-efficiency furnaces have a System 636 PVC vent pipe which terminates on the side of home or through the roof. Ensure this is not blocked by debris, snow or ice.

If you cannot locate the problem by following these steps and require service, take note of the furnace model and serial number and call us.

Annual Safety Check

Town & Country believes in the best possible standards of safety at work and at home. Furnace maintenance is part of those standards. In order to run at its most efficient and safest, an annual maintenance check is crucial. Town & Country makes that annual check-up fast and thorough.

Furnace manufacturers usually require proof of regular maintenance in order to keep your warranty valid and Town & Country can provide that assurance.

An Annual Safety and Service Inspection will keep your heating system in peak operating condition. Our service technician will check for any potentially dangerous gas and carbon monoxide leaks in the home.

Call us today to arrange your T & C Precision Tune Up.

Gas Furnace Maintenance

  1. Permanent or disposable air filters should be cleaned/changed every two months during the heating and cooling seasons.
    Please note: For new homes, it is advisable to wash permanent filters once per month for the first year.
  2. Check unit operation annually. Do not wait until you need heating! Annual maintenance is required to maintain the warranty.

Equipment Maintenance and Care Guide

Annual Maintenance will improve the efficiency and prolong the life of your equipment. Your equipment should only be serviced by a qualified service technician.

Annual Maintenance is required to maintain your manufacturer’s warranty.

Caution: Do not perform any maintenance without turning OFF the power to the equipment.

Please see our blog posts relating to your specific maintenance needs.