Category Archives: Yard & Outdoors

Furnace Inspections A Must Under New Oilheat Regulations

March 29, 2022   Matt

Furnace Inspections A Must Under New Oilheat Regulations

(NC)-The Canadian Oil Heat Association (COHA) is encouraging oilheat customers in Ontario to book inspections on their heating systems as soon as possible to avoid any unforeseen delays or interruptions in service.
Basic and/or comprehensive inspections on oilheating systems are now required under new regulations from Ontario’s Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). The new regulations will ensure that heating with oil remains one of the safest and most dependable home heating options.
“Basic and comprehensive inspections are mandatory and should be seen as a part of regular furnace maintenance,” says COHA president John Butt. “They can generally be booked at the same time as your regular tune-ups and service checks.”
Basic inspections involve a general, visual examination of the system. By May 2004, all fuel oil customers must have had at least a basic inspection performed by a certified individual.
Homeowners are also required to have a comprehensive inspection of their heating and delivery system by a certified oil burner technician (OBT). This inspection is required every 10 years. By May 2007 all fuel oil customers must have a comprehensive inspection.
“It is important for homeowners to remember that their fuel oil distributors are required by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority to complete the inspections, repairs and replacements within the prescribed timelines,” says Butt. “Sometimes that can mean that service calls may take a little longer than usual, but homeowners should rest assured that they will be taken care of in a timely and efficient manner.”
The following are a list of Frequently Asked Questions that TSSA has been receiving regarding these new regulations:
Q: What exactly is on the inspection checklist?
A: First, it is important for homeowners to realize that a fuel oil system consists of more than just a storage tank. It also includes a fill and vent pipe for oil supply and an outlet line with a valve and filter to supply oil to the furnace.
Some of the things a fuel dealer will look at during the course of an inspection include:
Verifying that the tank has a proper gauge and vent whistle
Checking whether the tank is leaning over and may topple
Checking whether there are signs of leakage at the tank bottom
Ensuring that the fill and vent are piped outside.
Q: What happens if the fuel oil supplier finds an unsafe installation?
A: Depending on the potential danger from the unsafe installation, a fuel supplier can specify a time period of up to 90 days for corrective action before the delivery of fuel oil must cease. If the unsafe installation is very dangerous, then a distributor must immediately stop the supply of fuel oil to the installation.
Q: I don’t agree with my fuel supplier and I think that my equipment is safe. What can I do?
A: Homeowners can get a second opinion from other Oil Burner Technicians and other fuel oil suppliers to confirm whether or not there is an unsafe installation.
For more information on these regulations, please contact your Fuel Oil Dealer or visit www.tssa.org. To find an oil company in your area, visit www.coha.ca

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Family Fun While Landscaping

March 24, 2022   Matt

Family Fun While Landscaping

Landscaping, gardens and other home improvement projects improve our home in various ways. With proper planning, you can increase the aesthetic value of your home, but such projects are often a big problem. One way to make your landscaping project fun is by asking every member of the family to participate.

Involve your family in redesigning your home. Let everyone pitch-in his/her ideas on how you can improve work together your home. Ask for their opinions on how each area of your house could be improved.

You can exchange ideas on your home improvement project. You will be surprised to discover how creative others are when it comes to these projects.

Kids often use the yard as playground. Ask them what needs to be enhanced in that area. If you have teens in the house, the study hall or leisure room is the place they frequently spend their time. They know what needs to be done in those areas.

Create handy crafts that you can place on their rooms. Painting a decorative fence adds fun not just to your yard but makes work easier as well. Even the simplest task of weeding the grounds can be a fun task for the entire family.

Select plants with them. Have them help you decide plants what you can place in your yard. Look for the supplies that you will need together with your family.

Other than improving the aesthetic value of your home, engaging your children in landscaping your home has many benefits. One advantage of working together on landscaping your home is that you become more productive. It is possible to build stronger family ties and spend quality time while landscaping.

You also eliminate your children’s feeling that they are a hindrance. They begin to perceive the task as something as not just a chore that they have to do. The more that they get involved on the work the more confident they become of their potentials. Your kids may stay home longer if they are involved in home improvement.

Asking your kids to participate helps them develop their creativity. These projects also teach them skills that they will need when they become adults. They learn to express themselves in a more positive way. They build a stronger sense of self-meaning while helping you.

A little help from every member of the family is all you need to make landscaping fun.

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