Helping Others Is In Our DNA – You Can Help AtlasCare Give Back

/in /by

When he opened the doors to Atlas Service Co. on Toronto’s Yorkville Avenue in 1932, Harry L. Bach had a modest vision: to provide an honest, reliable service for customers he cared about, while doing his best to care for the community around him.

Today, we still do our best at AtlasCare to give back those in our community who could use a helping hand.

Harry’s Story

Harry went into business at the dawn of the Great Depression. No-one knew how long it would last. To survive, Harry knew people would need to come together and help one another.

This was back in a time when “corporate social responsibility” was not a marketing term, and “giving back” was not a way for businesses to define their brands. Harry and his wife Grace helped others simply because that’s who they were and what they believed was right.

Along the way, Harry and Grace created a strong and trusted company, which would grow to become one of central Ontario’s largest and most respected independent indoor home comfort specialists. I was honoured to eventually purchase Atlas in 1986.

Our Commitment to Care

Much has changed in our industry in the past 85 years. Harry would probably be perplexed by the sophisticated computer systems and technologies that go into a modern furnace, boiler or air conditioner. However, he would certainly recognize those core values of honest service and care for the community.

Those values remain so embedded into our DNA that when we updated the company’s brand in 2008, it was only natural that we evolve our name just slightly – from Atlas to AtlasCare

It was such a small yet critically important change. I hear from our customers nearly every day that our team lives by that promise to provide care.

It makes me proud, and I know it would make Harry proud.

AtlasCare Gives Back

This month, we are especially proud to bring back the Care to Share program. In honour of Harry’s legacy over 85 years, we’re giving away $8,500 to charities in our community.

Care to Share is a way for our customers, employees and neighbours to tell us about the great work of charities that mean something to them. By taking no more than one minute to complete our nomination form, you could help a cause close to your heart receive a donation of $1,000, $2,500 or even $5,000.

Take a moment to nominate a charity you care about. Our nomination period is only open until November 30th, so please don’t put this off. We’d love to see their name drawn for one of our donations.

It’s one small way for us to honour Harry’s fine legacy.

Image: highwaystarz

7 Ways to Get the House Ready For Winter’s Cold

/in /by

Winter is on the way. By now, you have already cleaned up the yard, prepared the outside of your home, and made arrangements to swap out your all-seasons for snow tires. However, have you thought about what you still need to do inside your home this time of year?

Here are seven ways to get the house ready for winter.

  1. Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

In the summer, your ceiling fans should rotate counterclockwise to maximize cooling. During the winter, the opposite setting will push warm air down from the ceiling, which helps to increase comfort and results in less energy expenditure.

  1. Check for Drafts

Closely inspect windows and doors for areas where heat can escape, and seal them up with caulk or weather stripping. Look closely for areas along baseboards or in corners that could use repairs. This will also help to keep out any critters looking to take advantage of the warmth your home offers.

  1. Check Your Fireplace Vent and Chimney

A roaring fire is a wonderful addition to the holiday season and a great source of warmth. However, make sure to have the chimney and vent double-checked beforehand by a qualified technician in order to prevent fires and carbon monoxide dispersal into your home.

  1. Stock Up on Essentials

We often get at least one big storm every year where the power goes out. Depending on the conditions, it can take hours (and sometimes days) before electricity comes back on, so make sure that you have everything you would require during such an emergency: water, non-perishable food, batteries, candles, flashlights, firewood, etc. Try to make sure that your cellphone battery remains as close to fully charged as possible.

  1. Check for Exposed Piping

If pipes freeze, they can burst, leading to flooding. Wrap any exposed piping in foam rubber or fiberglass insulation sleeves.

  1. Make Sure Your Home Insurance is Up to Date

Life can get very busy and it’s easy to forget that your home insurance policy may expire during the winter months. If you can’t find the documents, give your insurance agent a call to double check. Update your policy, if necessary, to ensure that you have adequate protection from flood, fire, and other potential issues common to your area.

  1. Call for a Furnace Inspection

A furnace is the heart of your home comfort system this time of year and there is nothing worse than having a breakdown during the height of winter. It is easy to do basic tasks yourself, like replacing or cleaning a furnace filter, but yearly inspections by an experienced technician are important to prevent issues that could result in an expensive bill. If the heat is off for too long, you could also end up with frozen pipes that burst and result in extensive, costly damage.

Call us today to learn more about our Precision Furnace Tune-up and Safety Check, as well as our Protection Plans, which include an inspection visit from an AtlasCare Home Comfort Specialist.

Image: dolgachov

AtlasCare Celebrating 85th Anniversary By Giving $8,500 To Charity

/in /by

If there is a charity that’s close to your heart, you can give them a chance to land $5,000.

Today, heating and air quality contractor AtlasCare launched Care to Share on its website and social media channels. The project invites employees, customers and community members to nominate as many different charities as they wish during the month of November. In a random draw, three charities will receive a cash donation of $1,000, $2,500 or $5,000. The unrestricted gift means the winning charities can allocate the funds as they see fit.

“We’ve reached an incredible milestone at AtlasCare. It has taken hard work with plenty of ups and downs, but one constant has been our commitment to providing meaningful care for our customers and community. This seemed like a logical way to celebrate our birthday,” says president Michael Grochmal.

Anyone can nominate a registered Canadian charity that serves the local market by completing a brief form on the company’s website – mybosco.com/care2share – until November 30th at 11:59pm. Three winners will be drawn by December 6, with charities receiving their cheques before the holidays.