An Unfortunate Choice
A friend of ours has a very successful pizza business and was looking to open a third location. They looked around for a while and eventually found a good location that suited them, signed a lease, and set a move in date. Everything went without a hitch….which is generally when you should start to worry!
As with most small businesses the owner’s time was spread thin and he was not always at the new premises. His wife was at the new location one day to help out, when the landlord walks in with a question….
“Do you want three phase power or a new roof top unit?” A confused look crossed her face. “I need an answer now, they are going to do the work right away”
Unable to get her husband on the phone she picked the three phase power, crossing her fingers it was the right choice. Of course, it wasn’t! As they had a gas oven they didn’t need three phase, but the small space had no heating or cooling so a roof top unit would have been perfect for them. Instead they go in early in the winter to switch on the ovens for heat, and in the summer they use four large fans to make it bearable.
Don’t get caught with impossible questions. Once you find a space to lease it’s worth bringing in your HVAC or maintenance company for a quick look as soon as possible. That way you’re in the know before you have to make any unfortunate choices!

Caledonia Integrated Services is an Energy Management, HVAC and Electrical company, serving Vancouver and BC area.
We actively encourage feedback, comments and questions. You can leave a message here, or look us up on Facebook and Twitter. Of course, you can always e- mail us too!

Pipes v Pumps

You’ve probably read a few of our previous blog posts about a/c units producing water, and the problems this can cause without proper maintenance. The part we’ve not covered yet is how to get rid of this water! Obviously a drain is required but sometimes it can be difficult to install because of the units’ position and the difficulties posed in getting a suitable drain close by. This week alone we have attended two service calls with drain problems so, obviously, the universe is encouraging us to write about!

There are two choices when installing an indoor unit, which usually go above a ‘T’ bar ceiling. You have the choice of a sloped pipe or a pump, both of which would lead to your drain.

The pipe is the most common, mainly because it’s cheaper. If it’s a short distance to a good drain then this is the best solution but, if it’s a longer distance, the slope of the pipe has to be perfect and will need to be vented properly. This means a pipe should only be installed if a drain is easily accessible. Beware of tradesmen trying to install this purely because it is the cheapest option.

When the drain line becomes complicated either by distance or a requirement to go uphill, a pump quickly becomes the best option. The pump can be installed next to the unit, and then a hose is run to the drain. This hose can be run up to 100ft and even rise 20ft to the drain. Aside from the higher cost, the draw back to the pump is maintenance – they will need to be cleaned every few years.

Caledonia Integrated Services is an Energy Management, HVAC and Electrical company, serving Vancouver and BC area.
We actively encourage feedback, comments and questions. You can leave a message here, or look us up on Facebook and Twitter. Of course, you can always e- mail us too!

Have you ever felt like the small guy?

Managers and business owners know this feeling well. Whether you have one small location or 125 stores across the country, there always seems to be someone bigger than you. This can make you question your business and yourself.

Our philosophy is to ALWAYS think big! Believe that nothing can stop you, there are no limiting factors, and you can do everything your competitors do…but better. Changes in technology and marketing tools mean that small businesses can access the same markets as the big companies. Printing costs are a fraction of the old costs. Facebook, Twitter and other social media are free. Producing videos, commercials, websites and software is within the reach of everyone. A little bit of research will almost always show you a newer way of doing something, and it’s usually easier and cheaper than the old way of doing things.

A good example of this in the HVAC/Energy Management industry is the recent changes in control systems. In the past they were large and bulky, the software needed a dedicated computer to run it (which also meant room for an extra computer), the parts in the system were proprietary, meaning you were stuck with a certain company even if you disliked the service you were receiving. All of this meant that the costs were out of reach of all but the biggest companies. Now, with recent technological advances, we can install systems for a fraction of the cost, the system is built with common parts, and everything is accessible on the web.

It may not be big, but it IS clever!

Caledonia Integrated Services is an Energy Management, HVAC and Electrical company, serving Vancouver and BC area.
We actively encourage feedback, comments and questions. You can leave a message here, or look us up on Facebook and Twitter. Of course, you can always e- mail us too!