The unexpected persistence of COVID-19 cases here in Ontario is causing a lot of us to put our longer-term regular spring and summer plans on hold.
It can be hard to know what to do and what not to do!
One thing that Shipton’s Heating and Cooling wants to emphasize is that everyone is still learning as we go – even the health experts and our elected leaders!
The most important thing to remember is to not push yourself to do something that feels truly scary or unsafe. This can cause stress that weakens your immune system and puts you at risk of illness – including that of COVID-19.
The calls that our teams are starting to receive, however, from our regular customers also let us know that many of us are feeling restless – we want to get back to our daily lives already! In order for that to happen, we need to start taking care of preventative HVAC maintenance before the summer season arrives for real!
In this post, we answer frequently asked questions about coronavirus safety, COVID-19, how these current issues relate to your HVAC maintenance and how Shipton’s Heating and Cooling can be of assistance during this difficult and confusing time!
Is It Safe to Allow a Service Technician Inside My Home?
The answer to this question is dependent on the company the technician works for.
Coronavirus affects all of us and no one (that we know of) is exempt from the risk. So you only want to hire companies that take this risk extremely seriously and implement all recommended safety precautions.
Here at Shipton’s, we have added several layers of additional protections to our regular service protocols – for your safety and for the safety of our technicians and support staff. No matter the location, our team practices all social distancing and COVID related safety precautions.
All of Shipton’s technicians abide by the following guidelines:
- Wearing masks and gloves at all times.
- Removing shoes or wearing protective shoe covers while inside your home.
- Extra time in between service calls to disinfect equipment.
- Use of hand sanitizer before and after every single service appointment.
- Contact-less options for technician communication, service orders and payments.
- Option to call ahead, allowing homeowners to social distance while our technician is on site.
Our team is also flexible in terms of providing additional safety measures upon request – just let us know what you need in order to feel safe and comfortable prior to our arrival, and we are happy to accommodate you!
Is It Safe to Have My HVAC System Serviced?
A few weeks ago, we shared breaking news about the link between COVID-19 and ventilation systems.
The new research – some of it coming from scientists here in Canada – turns a spotlight on the role HVAC systems may play in spreading coronavirus.
Not surprisingly, we got a lot of customer calls after this blog post was published!
Some customers called to cancel their regular preventative HVAC maintenance service and other customers called to order service. Some even called to ask if they should just stop using their HVAC system altogether in order to stay safe.
The one constant factor right now is simply a lot of confusion over what to do and what not to do. The truth is, we are still learning new things about this virus every single day. We want to ensure you, however, that Shiptons is staying as up-to-date as possible with these changes and will always provide our services with your safety, and that of our technicians, as our highest priority.
Regardless, here are two facts to keep in mind:
- Scheduling preventative HVAC service is the best way to make sure your system, and its all-important air filter, is squeaky clean and ready for the start of summer.
- Maintaining temperature control inside your space is vital to staying healthy – in other words, do not switch off your heat or A/C just because you are scared of COVID-19 as this could lead to mould, mildew or other serious health concerns in your home.
It is much safer to have your HVAC system serviced, whether for preventative maintenance or repair needs, than to put off this service. If you are in need of HVAC service repair or maintenance, contact us below and we will get your system serviced as soon as possible. We also have 24/7 emergency service repair or installation!
Should I Do Anything Special to Make It Safer to Use My HVAC?
With summer speeding towards us, it is only natural to wonder if powering up the air conditioning may cause artificially dry air that could increase the risk of COVID-19.
Some of our customers have called to ask about whether there are any extra safety precautions they should be taking before powering up their a/c for the first time this summer.
This is an important question to ask and the answer is yes!
Air conditioning is a wonderful invention (so wonderful we are giving away a FREE A/C this month: click here to enter this fun annual contest!).
Air conditioning also has a well-documented drying effect on our air and our lungs. We also know that humidity can help your body fight off coronavirus better.
So, when you do power up your air conditioner this month or next, consider adding back some extra humidity to your indoor air.
While a whole-home central humidifier does a great job of this, you don’t have to do anything fancy to add some extra humidity to your home or workplace right away.
Shipton’s suggest these simple tips you can start using right away:
- Bring some of your outdoor plants inside and keep them watered.
- Leave the door open after you have a warm bath or shower.
- Leave the door to the dishwasher or clothes washer open after a cycle.
- Turn on a portable humidifier (if you have one) in your bedroom at night.
- Boil some water on the stove.
- Breathe over some hot (but not boiling) steaming water.
- Leave some bowls of water out around your home.
None of these humidity aids has to cost you anything and each can help you fight off seasonal allergies, cold and flu viruses and bacteria, as well as coronavirus.
Send Us Your HVAC Coronavirus Questions!
Do you have more questions about safely using your furnace or air conditioner right now? Send them our way! Our team at Shipton’s Heating and Cooling is here to help you – day or night!
Get in Touch
HVAC, electrical and plumbing have all been deemed essential services during the stay at home order here in Ontario. Shipton’s Heating and Cooling services Hamilton, Ontario as well as the surrounding areas (including Ancaster, Burlington, Oakville etc.) We also continue to offer our services 24/7 – taking extra precautions and safety measures to ensure the safety of both you and our team. Click Here to watch a brief video explaining our COVID-19 safety procedures.
Give us a call at 1-905-549-4616 or visit us online if we can be of service to you during this difficult time.
