Feel The Love Announcement

Thankful to Be Giving Back: Feel the Love Recap

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This year, Thanksgiving weekend took on a whole new meaning for us at AtlasCare. As part of Lennox International’s 2020 ‘Feel The Love’ community program, our team members volunteered their time to install a brand-new mini-split ductless HVAC system (and more!) to thank Sharon Ahamad, a deserving frontline worker, for her unending devotion to others.

As an overnight Personal Support Worker for seniors at a Burlington facility, Sharon is often the only constant in her patient’s lives. Some of them suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s, so seeing a familiar face can make a big difference in their days—or in this case, nights. When the pandemic hit, Sharon had to choose between this position and a second job she had because of the risk of infection to patients if you worked two facilities. Sharon chose to stay with her overnight position instead of the higher paying, more secure position at a regional hospital, because it was important to her to keep being a constant in the lives of her patients at the seniors’ facility in Burlington.

When someone like Sharon, who refuses to let others down need help, it’s our duty to help them—and that’s exactly what our team did, and we felt so thankful to be doing so that Thanksgiving weekend.

On Saturday morning, AtlasCare (organizers, team members and volunteers) gathered on Ottawa street in Hamilton, Ontario, where Sharon lives. Before we got to work, our president Michael Grochmal, whose energy and smile was contagious even behind his mask, explained that ‘Feel the Love’ was so much bigger than what we were doing here today. More than 250 other contractors throughout North America were doing exactly what we were about to do. He explained that Lennox International, the company that started ‘Feel The Love’ back in 2009, wanted to find a very deserving frontline worker who helped their community this year during COVID. And because AtlasCare is always there when you need us, from helping you with your home comfort or giving back to the community, it was a no-brainer for us to partner with Lennox.

Dylan Parry, a representative from Lennox International, shared his thoughts about how “AtlasCare is the absolute definition of what we want in a partner, and by extension you guys and the amount of effort you put in, and we can’t thank you enough… This is going to be a great day.”

Because of the current COVID restrictions, only a small number of people could work on site at once. Michael made sure to mention the many more team members at AtlasCare who would have loved to volunteer but had to stay home so we were following the province’s guidelines. “We couldn’t do this without the people who actually know how to do the work. This group over here, who are the professionals, who donated their time,” he finished, before introducing the person we were all there for: Sharon Ahamad.

“Thank you,” she said, emotionally. “I really appreciate it. Thank you for being here, to help.” Her nominator and long-time friend, Sharon Mathew, came to support her, as did her neighbours and some of her colleagues from the Seniors’ facility. It was clear that being able to help Sharon, someone who even while struggling herself made it her personal mission to be there for others, was a truly heartwarming occasion not only for our team, but also for everyone else in her life.

Over the course of the day, AtlasCare workers were busy installing new ductless equipment for heating and air conditioning, after which they completely cleaned and serviced the boiler, replacing aged parts, which was the first time her boiler had been serviced in 6 years. Then AtlasCare went over and above by calling in their plumbers to fix all the plumbing issues in her home. This last step wouldn’t have been possible without the generous help of Independent Mechanical Supply in Oakville who donated the plumbing materials.

While giving back to the community definitely filled us with Thanksgiving spirit, the event was made even more festive with the food we were surprised with. Lennox brought in breakfast from Pickle Barrel for the 35 of us, and the Tim Horton’s on 65 Ottawa Street N., Hamilton––which you might know better as the original Tim Horton’s location—generously donated coffee for everyone.

Looking back at all the work everyone did to make this Saturday happen, we realized how big of an undertaking this was. It took over 5 months of preparation for us, as we searched the communities we serve in the GTA for deserving people who made it their mission to help others even in their own times of need. Our customers, the community at large, local politicians, and charities stepped up to the plate and brought forth 13 incredibly worthy nominations, but it was when we met with Sharon Ahamad, visited her home and listened to her story that we knew she was the one we needed to help the most.

Sharon—thank you for all you do for others. We hope that on Thanksgiving weekend, you felt as supported by us as your patients do by, well, you!

To view more behind the scenes footage and CHCH news coverage of the event, visit our recent Instagram post by clicking here.

A Letter From Our President, Michael Grochmal

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Dear friends,

Thanksgiving has always been one of my favourite times of the year. The fall colours never fail to provide a spectacular show, and as we move into the colder weather, I am reminded how grateful we are that AtlasCare is a trusted partner of customers like you. We are privileged to be welcomed to your home – thank you.

Gratitude has been on my mind a great deal this year. Despite the ongoing challenges with this stubborn virus, which is preventing us from simple joys like shaking hands and attending traditional gatherings with family and friends (which I’ll deeply miss this weekend), I am grateful every day.

First and foremost, I am truly grateful that the people I care about have been healthy and supportive of one another through this. I am thankful for the frontline professionals in our community – they have shown courage and compassion when they are exhausted and afraid. I am grateful for the community charities, volunteers and donors that are working tirelessly to help families get the relief they need right now. I am also grateful that our staff have stepped up in every imaginable way to support our customers in this unusual time. Their actions have made me proud time and again.

This weekend, our team will experience the pleasure of joining Lennox International’s “Feel The Love” community giving initiative. On Saturday, an AtlasCare crew will help make life a little easier for a very deserving essential worker in our community who has selflessly put the needs of others ahead of herself for years. It is our honour to give her this gift, which includes a Lennox furnace and air conditioner, extensive plumbing repairs and an annual AtlasCare Membership to handle maintenance requirements down the road. We will share more about her story with you soon. Thank you to our customers for your nominations – there were many deserving candidates.

There is no joy greater than the joy of giving to others, especially at a time when we are feeling grateful for everything we have. From my family to yours, I extend my sincere best wishes for good health, safety and wellbeing.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Michael Grochmal,

President

 

The Second Wave of the Coronavirus is here – October 2nd Update

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The second wave of COVID-19 has arrived. Case counts are climbing every day. We expect that the Provincial Government will continue to constrain our ability to congregate socially not only in the community but also with our families and friends. It was relatively easy to maintain social distances from one another this summer when we could spend the majority of our time outdoors. It is a whole other ballgame now that fall and soon winter will be upon us. We will all definitely be spending a lot more time in our homes. Our home is our oasis and we need to ensure that it stays that way.

We receive a lot of questions every day about how we can help folks improve the quality of the air in their homes. Good practice would be to eliminate or isolate the source of the problem. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything about the coronavirus. However, we can improve ventilation and filtration. Good mechanical ventilation is now standard in the Ontario Building Code for new homes, but few older homes have been retrofitted to date. A ventilator becomes the lungs of your home. A steady supply of fresh, filtered, outdoor air is good not only for keeping ahead of the coronavirus but also for controlling the levels of humidity, chemicals in the air and carbon dioxide in your home. Installations are sometimes difficult due to physical constraints around common venting of combustion appliances and finished basements. The cost, however, is reasonable, usually in the range of $3,000 – $5,000 for a typical home. This is the single best thing you can do in your home.

The next thing we can do is improve the filtration system. Firstly, AtlasCare can upgrade furnace filters. We usually recommend a deep pleated filter to maximize the surface area and trap the most particles. The filter efficiency or MERV rating is important. Too low and not much gets filtered out. Too high and the air flow can become restricted. We can advise you on the best filter for your home. A HEPA filter can take it to the next level. This is a hospital grade filter that can remove very small particles. Lastly, we can install a germicidal ultraviolet light. While research on their efficacy with the coronavirus is yet to be established, these are known to kill many other viruses.

In my last letter, I mentioned that supply chain issues were starting to rear their ugly head with the supply for furnaces. That hasn’t changed and now we can definitely add UV lights and HEPA filters to the list. School boards and office buildings have been buying them up in quantity and we are now looking at 4-6 weeks to get these units. If you are thinking of getting one for your home this winter be proactive and get one on order with us now.

Stay healthy everyone.

Roger Grochmal, P.Eng.

CEO

 

 

Roger Grochmal sitting in his office wearing a face mask

Is COVID behind us or not? – August 24th Update

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So far, we have endured most of the COVID journey outdoors thanks to the best summer in living memory. It truly has been glorious and allowed us to physically distance in the great outdoors. As summer winds down and the reality of spending more time indoors sets in, 2 thoughts/questions occur to me.

Firstly, will we experience a second wave of coronavirus infections due to the 3 C’s? This is defined as Closed spaces that are Crowded places with Close contact especially for an extended period of time. Will we be as comfortable in our homes or having people in our homes as we want/need to be? Will we be ready for winter? I had my furnace serviced and safety checked last week. I also had my ERV filter cleaned, my steam humidifier cleaned and made ready, and my UV bulb in my air purifier changed as well as surge protectors installed. Lastly, I had my drain inspected as I live in a flood prone area. I want to be as comfortable as I can be with the least amount of disruption. There are going to be a lot of issues and uncertainties to deal with and our homes shouldn’t be one of them. Our proactive customers are getting their homes in shape now.

The second issue we are facing is the effect on business. The home service/renovation/building sector has been very busy during COVID. There is high demand at a time when there are substantial issues all up and down the supply chain. Just ask anyone trying to get lumber or a hot tub. The HVAC industry experienced shortages of air conditioners this summer and from what we are hearing, there will be a shortage of furnaces this fall and winter. We are seeing it already. The bottom line is that if your furnace is nearing the end of its useful life, and you are not confident that it will last the winter, then you might want to change it out now. Take advantage of our BOGO sale and upgrade your air conditioner at the same time. Please visit our website at www.mybosco.com for program details.

It’s never too early to be ready. Stay safe everyone and be ready for the fall.

 

Roger Grochmal, P.Eng.

CEO

Photo of Roger Grochmal

The Dog Days of Summer

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As we move into the dog days of summer, we see a lot of thunderstorms with this oppressive heat and humidity. These storms can deliver a significant amount of rain 5-10 cm (2-4in) in a very short period of time. Many storm sewers can’t deal with this kind of sudden deluge and like all systems when put under stress, sewers and drains can back up and fail. Over years sewage pipes can sag, crack, get infiltrated with tree roots and become blocked with waste. When they back up, it can lead to not only an urgent repair but also the need to clean up a very messy basement.

Many of our customers who have older homes or live in flood prone neighbourhoods (mine is one of them), have one of our drain technicians come out to do a camera inspection of their drain system as a preventive measure. We can also test the sump pump and check for a backwater valve. This is a complementary service we offer to all of our customers who have a service membership. Many municipalities have generous rebate programs for drain system improvements. Call 1-888-888-1108 today to schedule your complementary drain inspection.

How can I protect my HVAC equipment from Electrical Surges?

The second outcome of thunderstorms comes as the result of a loss of power and/or a power surge. All HVAC equipment like most other devices in our lives has electronic components and controls that can fail with a sudden surge in power. The best protection is a surge protector. This is an affordable way to manage a big risk. We carry these devices on all of our service trucks and typically install them during a maintenance visit. Talk to your maintenance technician and find out how you can protect yourself from damaging power surges.

Feel the Love

Every year Lennox works with local dealers to provide free furnaces to families in need. In 2020, AtlasCare is delighted to partner with Lennox in this program in the GTA. People across the country recognize deserving individuals in their hometowns by nominating them to receive new heating systems. Each nomination recognizes an unsung hero who may be going through hardship, helping others in need or simply supporting their community. And this year, given the recent COVID-19 pandemic, the program focus is expanding to bring hope and support to medical professionals, essential workers and those on the frontlines. For tips on deciding who to nominate, see our guidelines. Help us help someone in need and nominate someone by August 31. Thank you.

Roger Grochmal, P.Eng.

CEO

AtlasCare technicians bringing in a furnace through a house

AtlasCare Feels The Love!

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With everything happening in the world, it is a breath of fresh air to hear about the amazing work Lennox is doing with their Feel The Love Campaign. Their mission is to give back to those who have made it their mission to serve others in their community. They want to play an active role in creating communities that care for one another by sharing a little bit of love with those in need of a helping hand.

AtlasCare is proud to partner with Lennox as they donate brand new HVAC systems to deserving local heroes in our community. The program was founded in 2009 and since then has expanded across the U.S. and into Canada, installing over 1,200 furnaces.

There are 3 key ingredients to the Feel The Love campaign:

  1. Nominations: this requires the community to nominate someone in need that has actively been involved in giving back to their community while also facing their own difficulties
  2. Lennox donates brand new HVAC unit
  3. AtlasCare donates material, time and labour to install the units

A combination of all 3 of these ingredients is what makes the Feel The Love campaign possible.

This campaign means a lot to the team at AtlasCare because we are all about the communities we serve. Without community support, the success of our company would not be possible. As a result, we strive to give back wherever we can. At AtlasCare we also run our Care To Share program, which is a similar community initiative in which our team gives back to the communities that have helped us grow since 1932. As you can see, the community is at the heart of everything we do, which is why when Lennox presented us with this opportunity, it only made sense for us to be a part of this great initiative. We believe in their movement for change and want to support it wholeheartedly.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact throughout the world, affecting global physical and mental health and economic stability, not to mention the impact it has had on our loved ones. Now more than ever we are reminded of the importance of helping others. By joining forces with Lennox, AtlasCare is committed to making a difference. We are committed to working together to support the local heroes and frontline workers that continuously make courageous sacrifices for their communities. Not only are they selflessly putting other’s needs above their own since the pandemic began, but they are also saving the lives of so many.

Hoping to brighten the day and make a difference, Lennox will supply new high-efficiency heating or cooling equipment for selected nominees during Feel The Love Weekend, October 8 – 11, 2020. And the team at AtlasCare will provide the material, time and elbow grease to install these units to the deserving recipients. But we need your help! Without the help of our community, we won’t be able to identify these deserving individuals. This is why we are reaching out to you, to help nominate local heroes.

How Do I Nominate Someone?

Nominate someone in your community you feel is in deserving need of a new HVAC system. If you know someone that selflessly serves the community on a regular basis without looking for anything in return, they may be the perfect nominee. The focus this year is to bring hope and support to medical professionals, essential workers and those on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. We ask that you share their story and why you feel they deserve this gift. The deadline to nominate someone in your community is August 21st, 2020. We encourage individuals across Ontario to nominate deserving local heroes in need of a safer, more comfortable home, especially as people will again begin to spend more time indoors. To nominate a member of your community visit AtlasCare Nomination Form today!
Help us give back by nominating a front line worker in your community. Let’s work together to make the world a better place, one community at a time.

Three people next to each other wearing feel the love shirts

Are You Cool Enough?

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When we find ourselves in a prolonged heatwave such as we are now experiencing, we get a lot of calls with the complaint that the house isn’t getting cool enough. It may not have been that important to us in the past but in the time of coronavirus when we are all spending so much time in our homes, we really notice it. The implication is that there must be something wrong with the air conditioner. The reality is that the air conditioner is doing exactly what it is designed to do. Standard design conditions for the Greater Toronto Area require an air conditioner on a 30°C day to be able to cool a house by 7°C down to 23°C. On a 33°C day, the temperature inside the house would rise to 26°C. Since houses and air conditioners are rarely exactly matched you can sometimes get an extra degree or two out of the system. That’s it.

How can I broaden the comfort range for my home?

The obvious solution is to put in an air conditioner that is one size larger. Problem solved. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy. While you might be more comfortable on those extremely hot days, the tradeoff is that you would be very uncomfortable on all the other warm days. The AC unit would easily bring the temperature down to where you want it, but it would not run long enough to remove the high humidity we experience. The result would be a cold, clammy house. Not that comfortable.

Is there a good solution?

95% of all homes have a basic single-stage air conditioner. The good news is that we have 2 stage and variable stage air conditioners that can significantly stretch the comfort range so that you can achieve the temperature you desire while maintaining good relative humidity levels in your home. These AC units are also very efficient so that you don’t pay an energy penalty. This is what I have in my own home. It does require that you have large enough ducts to handle the extra airflow required. Another solution is to add cooling to specific areas of a house such as a master bedroom or home office. This could be in the form of a portable AC unit or a wall hung ductless type air conditioner.

I am always amazed at the expense and effort people will go to create beautiful indoor living spaces and end up being uncomfortable because they didn’t fully examine the options available for their HVAC system. If you want to be more comfortable in your home, invite an AtlasCare comfort advisor in to go over your options. We pride ourselves on bringing solutions not boxes.

Roger Grochmal, P.Eng.

CEO

Oakville Awards for Business Excellence

Awarded for Excellence by the Oakville Community!

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We are delighted and privileged to announce that AtlasCare has been awarded the RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year Award as part of the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence! On June 22nd at 8:00 PM, Roger and Michael Grochmal accepted this prestigious award on behalf of AtlasCare, in front of online audiences in a virtual awards ceremony showcased live on Facebook. If you were unable to tune in last night, please click here to view the award ceremony. Join with us in celebrating this achievement and recognizing the other businesses showcased.

Organized by the Oakville Chamber of Commerce and The Rotary Club of Oakville, it is truly an honour to be valued by our community. Many of our team members live in Oakville, and this city acts as the home base for our 50 service vehicles and 100 employees who continue to put our customers first.

The RBC Royal Bank Large Business of the Year Award recognizes businesses that have “more than 20 employees and/or primarily serves the provincial, national and international markets and/or generates approximately $10 million or more in revenue annually.” AtlasCare was assessed on our growth, reputation, innovation, investment within the business, and company practices! As many of you know, AtlasCare has been providing HVAC and plumbing services to our customers since 1932. During this time, we have developed relationships as a part of CEO Global Network and as a member of Nexstar, a North American-wide network of 650 residential home service contractors. Paired with our industry-leading best practices, training programs, and the ability to pivot to continue to serve our customers, we have seen exceptional growth. We are thrilled to have been judged on these qualifications, as our sole focus is to provide exceptional service to our community while creating an incredible place that nurtures success and wellbeing.

This award was made possible by the customers and team members have chosen to place their trust in AtlasCare, and we could not be more proud and humbled. Our core belief at AtlasCare is to be “always there when you need us,” and we can say with great pride that this has only been possible because the Oakville community has always been there for us!

We wish to congratulate our fellow award recipients for their incredible work and dedication, as well as their influence in the Oakville community. We are proud to live and work in Oakville and the surrounding area and are looking forward with eager expectation for what is in store.

Photo of Roger Grochmal standing in front of an AtlasCare banner

Summer Has Fully Arrived – June 11th Update

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This is the third week in a row where we will be experiencing 30°+C temperatures. The result is that with

the volume of air conditioner repairs that we have had to perform, we have had to re-schedule many prebooked annual AC maintenance visits and we will be in the same situation this week. We truly appreciate the patience and consideration in making room for those who have no cooling and need us to respond.

Despite our best efforts, COVID continues to challenge our ability to get things done in as timely a manner as we would all like. There are a number of issues we have to deal with.

  • Everything just takes longer
    • Our customers have to wait for us, AtlasCare has to wait on our local distributors and they in turn have to wait on their plants in the United States.
    • Extra time is required on every call to implement all of the hygiene practices we need to do to keep everyone safe.
    • We still have a few staff members off dealing with issues of personal health vulnerabilities and caregiving responsibilities related to the pandemic. We have brought on 8 new technicians and are looking for more. As they get up to speed, our response times will improve.
  • Scarcity is starting to develop
    • Yesterday when I went to the grocery store, I had a list of some 2 dozen items to pick up. The supermarket was out of stock on 6 of them. Similarly, we are now seeing supply issues with some original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for both new equipment and warranty repair parts.
    • COVID outbreaks in several manufacturing and distribution plants in both Mexico and the United States has disrupted supply chains. Depending on the issue, there is only so much we can do with a temporary repair. There are instances where repair parts are being estimated to take weeks instead of days to get here.
    • At AtlasCare, we have a good inventory of parts and replacement equipment for our key suppliers in our warehouse. We evaluate our inventory daily and reorder as needed.

The staff at AtlasCare are working flat out every single day. We are proud of the dedication and hard work they are demonstrating to look after each and every customer issue. Thank you to everyone who took the time to provide us with an online review. Feedback is important and is very much appreciated.

Stay healthy and safe everyone!

Roger Grochmal, P.Eng.

CEO