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What are my rights when I cancel a water heater rental agreement

July 28, 2016

With so many options for better deals and more efficient water heaters these days, there are plenty of reasons why you might want to switch your tank and change providers. So what are your rights when you cancel a water heater rental agreement… Unfortunately, some rental companies attempt to charge customers additional cancellation fees that they never warned you about, and you never agreed to. These fees can be unpredictable but can be in excess of $1,000. Many of these fees are illegal, and you are under no obligation to

How to Proof Your Home Against Seasonal Allergies

June 21, 2016

The sneezing. The itchy eyes and throat. The inflamed sinuses. It’s seasonal allergies. They’re all familiar if you or someone you know has seasonal allergies, and it’s likely they are currently in full swing. If you are stuck avoiding the outdoors, you want your home to be a safe haven from respiratory trouble. Here’s what you can do to seal your home against outdoor irritants, as well as eliminate the indoor factors that aggravate allergy and other respiratory issues. Keep windows and doors closed as

How to Tell If Your Main Drain is Being Choked by Tree Roots

June 2, 2016

What would you think if an appliance in your home started draining slowly or not draining at all? If you are like most people, you would assume that something that went down the drain is causing a clog. But you could be wrong; in homes with certain risk factors, it could be the trees in your own yard causing your drains to slow and back up. Learn to identify these risk factors and what you can do if you think your pipes are being clogged with tree roots. What do Roots do to Pipes? Mature trees can have

Competition and Fun at the OTSC

May 6, 2016

Can you think of a place where you can find robotics engineers, aestheticians, bakers, and…plumbers and HVAC technicians all working under one roof? If you did, congratulations, you’ve just invented quite the catch-all business. We’ve never seen that company, but we did get to experience this scene at the recent OTSC (Ontario Technological Skills Competition) in Waterloo! OTSC – One-day Competition Skills Ontario holds a one-day competition that brings together over 2,100 young tradespeople to compete in 67 skilled trade categories. They have been promoting skilled trades and technologies in Ontario since 1989. The winners get prizes and

In the Press: Hy-Mark Leading in Safety Standards

April 29, 2016

This month Hy-Mark was featured in Plumbing + HVAC Magazine for our commitment to safety standards. We’re proud to be recognized for our efforts in Safety, but that’s not why we do it. We do it because we take industry law seriously and because everyone deserves to get home safe at the end of each day. Hy-Mark’s investment in industry-leading P.P.E. (Personal Protective Equipment) and Safety Training Programs pays off every day when our team stays safe, and we’ll never stop continuing to improve when it comes to safety. Our Outstanding Service When you use

4 Everyday Things That Are Clogging Your Drains

April 28, 2016

Have you got yourself some seriously clogged drains? Here are the top four culprits for clogging your drains and exactly how to fix them… 1. Hair, hair, and more hair Hair is one of the number one culprits for drain clogs, particularly in the bathroom. Though you may only see a few strands going down a day, little by little it does build up in your pipes, especially when it combines with soap to form a sticky gob that is just, well…not pleasant. Long strands are the worse offenders, but even short hairs can

RHG Wins Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers for 2016

April 7, 2016

We are beyond excited to say that once again, Hy-Mark has been recognized as outstanding. We are part of the Reid’s Heritage Group of companies, and RHG has been recognized as one of Canada’s Top Small & Medium Employers for 2016! RHG made this list in 2015 as well. This year, we can say the honour is even greater. That’s because every year, 25 percent of the companies on the list are removed and replaced with new companies. What that means is that every year our companies make this list, it is because we are not the same,

Program Your Thermostat and Save $180/year

April 4, 2016

Most homes these days have a programmable thermostat. Yet amazingly, one study found that 53% of programmable thermostats in homes were not even set up. If this includes yours, it’s time to get programming, and start saving! In theory, manually adjusting your thermostat as needed will work. The problem is, none of us are perfect, and that means we don’t remember to turn down the heat or cooling every time we leave the house. We often also don’t realize just how long our systems have been running once we are comfortable. Manually handling

How To Beat The Heat

July 28, 2015

Beat The Heat, Increase Comfort In Southern Ontario we are all too familiar with humidity at this time of year. Did you know that humidity is the second contributing factor to your home comfort? Indoor humidity levels should stay between 30-50% for ideal comfort. Having a high level of humidity can affect the ‘felt temperature’ by as much as 8 degrees(1). Why is humidity bad for indoor environments? Having high levels of indoor humidity can cause the following to happen: Encourages the

Tips for Changing your HVAC Filter

April 27, 2015

The much-debated question about your home heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system is: how often should the filter be changed? There is no one answer to this question, as there are many factors to consider in changing your filter. These include: Type of filter being used – there is a clear distinction between a 1” filter compared to a pleated MERV 16 filter that is 5” thick. Type of furnace and AC – if you have a new high-efficiency furnace and/or air conditioner it will help increase the lifespan of your

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