Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Irvine’

What are Earthquake Emergency Shut-Off Valves?

Monday, January 20th, 2014

If you live in Southern California, earthquakes are a constant concern. Safety and preparedness need to involve all aspects of your home. From the perspective of experts on gas and plumbing in Irvine needs to include earthquake emergency shut off-valves to help keep your home safe in the event of a shocker. But what are earthquake emergency shut-off valves? More importantly, how do they do their job? A quick primer can be found below.

The valves have sensors on them calibrated to detect quakes of a sufficient magnitude to cause problems with your gas lines.  When those sensors are triggered, they immediately cut off the flow of gas. Some valves merely redirect the gas to unaffected piping. Others turn off the gas completely. This safety feature often goes beyond the initial damage cause by the quake itself. The ground can shift in an earthquake, destabilizing underground pipelines and setting the groundwork for a future problem long after you’ve thought the danger had passed.  That’s the sort of assurance you have with an earthquake emergency shut-off valve: protection for your home until all the repairs can be made.

If you don’t have such a valve, they’re pretty easy to install, provided you have the right professional service to do so. With a skilled technician on the job, the task should take only a few hours. The same technician can also reset the shut-off valve after it’s been triggered (after determining that every aspect of your gas system is safe) and inspect it every 1-2 years to ensure that it’s operating as it should.

In those cases, it’s imperative that you have the right kind of professional to help you out. For issues with gas and plumbing in Irvine, you can count on Saddleback Plumbing to help. We’ve had plenty of experience installing and maintaining earthquake emergency shut-off valves, and can put one in your home with safety and professionalism foremost in our minds. We never know when the next big quake will hit, and when it does, you want the assurance that an earthquake emergency shut-off valve can bring. Call us today to set up an appointment!

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Common Heat Pump Repairs

Sunday, January 12th, 2014

Heat pump technology in Irvine makes a lot of sense. It combines the functions of a heater and an air conditioner into a single unit, running refrigerant gas through a closed cycle that can alternately heat or cool your home depending on the season. Heat pumps struggle when temperatures drop to the freezing point, but here in sunny So Cal, that almost never happens. More importantly, they are very efficient forms of technology, allowing you to save a great deal of money on your monthly energy bills. They’re dependable forms of technology too, but like any appliance, they sometimes need servicing.

Here’s a brief list of some common heat pump repairs in Irvine.

  • Ice coils. Ice on the coils is usually created when the refrigerant gas leaks out of the system. Like A/C units, heat pumps are designed to be used with a specific amount of refrigerant. When that leaks, it creates ice on the coils which both wastes energy and insulates the gas from the very air it’s supposed to be cooling. You can’t just scrape the ice off – it will quickly reform – but a service technician can seal the leak and recharge the refrigerant.
  • Fan problems. The fan blows the cool air (or warm air in the winter) from the heat pump into your home. It’s usually powered by its own motor, and if that motor overloads, it can affect the performance of the fan. The fan can also have a bent or a broken blade, or the fan belt could be damaged, lowering the flow of air.
  • Incorrect settings. A heat pump with a problematic thermostat or similar equipment might not turn on when it’s supposed to, or it might cycle on and off without regard for the proper temperature. The faulty component will need to be replaced before it will work again.

If you’re experiencing common heat pump problems in Irvine, call on Saddleback Plumbing for help. We handle calls from communities all around Irvine, heat pump technology is well known to us, and we won’t rest until the problem has been located and corrected. You can also schedule an appointment online!

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I Don’t Understand How a Furnace Works: Let a Pro Help You

Friday, November 22nd, 2013

Here in Irvine, furnace technology is almost entirely a winter concern, with the rest of the year given over to air conditioning issues. It’s one of the perks of living in Southern California. That doesn’t mean that you should ignore the importance of a good furnace to your home’s comfort, however. Our winter nights get pretty chilly, and a good gas furnace is often the best way to keep warm and comfortable when temperatures start to drop.

In light of that, it’s important for you the homeowner to understand what goes into the furnace’s functioning, this way you can react more appropriately when the need arises for a furnace repair in your Irvine home. “I don’t understand how a furnace works,” you say? Not to worry – let a pro help you with the basics.

The heating process starts when your thermostat detects that the temperature has dropped below a certain level set by you. It then activates a set of burners connected to a combustion chamber. A gas line feeds steady gas into the burners which an electronic ignition system (or a pilot light in the case of older furnaces) ignites it. The gas heats up a heat exchanger, which heats up the air blown into the furnace through a blower. The hot air then passes out from the furnace into a series of ducts, which carry it throughout your home.

Problems can arise from any number of sources, such as blocked lines, dirty burners, or problems with the ignition system. Safety features such as thermocouples automatically shut off the gas in the event of a problem to prevent the gas from flooding your household. But whenever such issues arise, you should shut off power to the furnace and call in an expert to address it.

Here in Irvine, furnace repair services are provided by Saddleback Plumbing. If problems arise and you’re saying to yourself “I don’t understand how a furnace works,” then our expert staff is here to help. We can hunt down the source of the problem and put your furnace back in the pink. Let a pro help you when your heating isn’t what it should be. Pick up the phone and give us a call today for all of your Irvine heating needs.

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How to Reduce Water Usage in Your Bathrooms

Thursday, November 7th, 2013

Question: Where’s the best place in your house to save water?

Answer: The bathroom!

Although you might have felt tempted to answer “the kitchen,” the bathroom is the spot in your home that has the most water fixtures and drains, and all of them see use during the day, often multiple times. Because the bathroom gets so much use, you’ve probably developed a number of water-wasting habits that you can change. There are also spots in your bathroom that will use less water after they receive attention from a professional plumber.

Saddleback Plumbing is ready to help you get the most efficient use from your Irvine, CA bathroom plumbing system. We’ve helped many people save water with our quality plumbing services since 1981, and we can help you too.

Below we’ve listed a few of the best ways to reduce your water usage in the bathroom.

Stop running water during other activities: Do you keep the faucet running while you brush your teeth? While shaving? There’s no reason to do this, but unfortunately it’s a habit many of us fall into. Make a conscious effort to shut off the bathroom faucet the moment you don’t need water, and soon that will be a habit—a positive one.

Fix leaky faucets: A small leak from a faucet may seem like a minor annoyance you can drown out by just shutting the bathroom door. However, this sort of leak can waste up to 20 gallons per day or more. Get a plumber to stop the leak.

Reduce your shower time: Showers take up less water than baths, but are still wasteful if you spend too much time under the running showerhead. Try to reduce the length of your showers by a few minutes. You can also try shutting off the water while you soap your body or lather shampoo in your hair, and only turn the water back on when you absolutely need it.

Get running toilets fixed immediately: If a toilet continues to run after it was last used, it’s more than an inconvenience—it wastes a tremendous amount of water. A running toilet will use 2 gallons of water a minute, which will add up to enormous waste in the space of only an hour. Call a plumber for repairs as soon as possible.

You’ll soon discover that saving water while in the bathroom doesn’t take much extra effort—and it will repay you on your monthly bills. Seek the advice of a professional Irvine plumber for problems with leaks and running toilets. Professional plumbers can also advise you about getting installations that will help reduce your water usage.

Contact Saddleback Plumbing today for help with your bathroom plumbing in Irvine, CA.

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Is a Furnace the Best Heating Option for My Home?

Monday, November 4th, 2013

In Irvine, furnace systems see use in a wide variety of homes. They’re simple and easy to operate, they don’t cost much in monthly bills, and when trouble arises, repair professionals can usually fix them without a great deal of difficulty. Considering our warm Southern California climate, however, you may want to consider an alternate option for your heating needs. “is a furnace the best heating option for my home?” the answer depends on your unique circumstances.

The central issue is usually one of up-front costs vs. long-term savings. For instance, a heat pump – which combines the functions of an air conditioner and a heater into a single unit – often uses less energy than a gas furnace, though it costs a little more to install. Similarly, a hydronic floor system – which runs tubes filled with hot water beneath the floorboards of your house – delivers warm temperatures without the drafts or cold spots that appear in “forced air” gas furnaces. Both save you considerably in monthly heating costs, as well as improving the resale value of your home.

On the other hand, those savings come at the price of a big up-front cost, and you need to weigh your current finances against the future savings you will enjoy with a different system. They can also involve extensive installation operations, particularly with hydronic systems, which need to be inserted into your floors in order to function efficiently. Heat pumps usually involve a connected indoor and outdoor unit, which can damage the aesthetics of your home.

Despite that, the savings offered by alternate forms of heating are hard to ignore, especially in Irvine where mild temperatures make heat pumps a very good fit. Regardless of whether a furnace is the best heating option for your home or you’d like to explore a different option, it pays to consult with an expert. Saddleback Plumbing has the skills and experience to install a new heater in your home, or just keep your existing one in fine shape if it’s serving you efficiently. Give us a call to schedule heating service in Irvine today.

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Heating Repairs Caused by Electrical Failures

Tuesday, October 1st, 2013

When it comes to heating repairs, Irvine CA has it comparatively easy. Our Southern California weather is warm and mild, and air conditioning systems usually play a much larger role in our household comfort than heating. But winter nights can still get chilly, and it’s nice to have a functioning heater to warm things up when temperatures drop. Heating repairs caused by electrical failures are not uncommon out here, and while you may be tempted to let them wait, moving promptly on them will ensure that you don’t need to suffer through an uncomfortably cold house.

Don’t Be A Victim of An Electrical Failure!

In some cases, electrical failures stem from the wiring connecting your heater to the circuit box distributing power to your entire house. Frayed wiring or a bad connector can interrupt power to your heating unit, requiring an electrician’s attention to get fixed. Electrical power can also be cut off if one of more components in your heater is overloaded. Motors running the fans and other key components may suffer an internal breakdown. Many of them have automatic shut-off switches designed to keep the heater from turning on if they overload. This not only alerts you to the problem, but prevents other components from suffering damage if the heater keeps running.

In many cases, routine maintenance can prevent the need for electrical repairs. A qualified technician can replace faulty components and re-test connectors to make sure they’re working properly. A maintenance session can also clean dirty components, reducing wear and tear and lowering the possibility of a component overload.

If repairs are needed, the technician needs to know where to look to find the faulty component, He can then replace it while leaving the rest of the system intact, reducing the cost of repairs while still ensuring that the issue is resolved.

If you electrical failures ruined your system, call on the Irvine heating repair experts at Saddleback Plumbing. We have experts who specify in heating repair, and Irvine, CA lies in the heart of our service area. We also pride ourselves on absolute customer satisfaction. Contact us today to set up an appointment, and let us handle the issue for you!

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Reasons Why Your Air Conditioning System May Be Making Loud Noises

Tuesday, September 24th, 2013

If you’ve ever had an air conditioning system in your home, the regular sounds it makes will be familiar to you: the whir of the fan and the hum of the compressor. Anything out of the ordinary, such as loud and unpleasant noises, is usually a sign of a malfunction or an impending one. If left unattended, this problem might eventually cause your air conditioner to cease working entirely. Whatever you do: don’t shrug off loud noises and hope they are only a temporary nuisance. When you decide you need expert help to figure out why your AC has started making loud sounds, contact the staff at Saddleback Plumbing. We offer 24/7 emergency ac repair services, so we can help get your air conditioner working right again at any time of the day.

Some of the usual suspects for an AC making loud noises include:

Low refrigerant charge: The fixed amount of refrigerant in your AC—it’s “charge”—can start to leak, damaging your system’s cooling power. It will also cause a loud noise in the compressor. This sound could also occur if the wrong type of refrigerant is put into the air conditioner, which is why recharging the refrigerant should always be left to HVAC experts.

Loose motor parts: If the moving parts in the motors that run the fans and the compressor suffer damage, they can create unpleasant rattling and grinding sounds. The motors will need repairs and perhaps replacements.

Damaged fan belt: The fan motors are hooked to the fans with belts, similar to the belts you find in car engines. If the belt is damaged or comes loose, it will start rubbing against other components and make strange sounds. This needs repair as soon as possible before the belt can damage other parts of the AC’s interior.

All the problems above need professional attention in order to fix them properly and safely. Don’t pry open the air conditioner cabinet to inspect the problem yourself and fiddle with any mechanisms. Contact a technician to discover the source of the problem and to repair it.

Avoid getting stuck with a busted AC in Irvine, CA. Air conditioning repair is only a phone call away with Saddleback Plumbing.

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How Sediment and Scale Create the Need for Water Heater Repair

Wednesday, August 14th, 2013

Whether your water heater is brand new or 10 years old, you need to make sure that it performs well at all times. After all, you depend heavily on hot water every day to enjoy hot showers, and to keep your dishware and laundry spotless  – a professional Irvine water heater repair technician at Saddleback Plumbing, Inc. could see to this. But we often take major appliances like our water heater for granted; that is, until something goes wrong with their operation. Having your water heater professionally installed is the first, important step to ensuring years of excellent hot water in your home, but it’s not enough to secure the ongoing performance and efficiency of your water heater. In order to ensure that you continue to get the hot water you need, you need to have your water heater routinely maintained by a professional plumber. In today’s post, we’d like to look at how sediment and scale can negatively impact your water heater.

Call Saddleback Plumbing, Inc. today for comprehensive water heater repair services in Irvine.

Don’t Let Lack of Maintenance Ruin Your Water Heater!

If you have a tank water heater, then over time sediment can build up on the bottom of the tank, right where the heat exchanger is. When sand, dirt, and other particle begin to accumulate here, it can actually disrupt the water heating process. It can even lead to system damage because it forces the entire system to overheat. Similarly, the mineral deposits left behind by hard water as it passes through your water heater’s tank can also leave behind accumulations of scale. These also block the water heating process. The most common indication of a sediment or scale problem with your water heater is a rumbling or boiling sound. This means that the entire system is overheating.

This is especially problematic considering the risk of scalding hot water temperatures that can circulate throughout your home. When these materials buildup, it can override the ability of your thermostat to control the temperature, and pose a threat to you and your family, especially younger children. The best way to prevent such issues is to have your water heater periodically flushed.

Call Saddlbeback Plumbing, Inc. if your need water heater repair services in Irvine because of sediment or scale buildup. We can also complete routine maintenance.

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Do You Need Professional Water Heater Repair?

Friday, July 26th, 2013

Knowing when to pick up the phone and call for professional water heater repair service in Irvine is not always so straightforward. But you should trust your gut instinct on the matter. If you feel like your water heater is not performing as it should, then do not hesitate to get in touch with one of the plumbers at Saddleback Plumbing, Inc. We can make sure that your hot water is restored in no time. If the repair job seems major, we can also recommend an alternative solution, such as replacement, so that you can take control of your home comfort.

Call us today, Irvine; water heater repair is what we do.

  • Does your water heater make a strange sound? You should expect a nominal amount of sound emitting from your water heater during its operation. This is simply part of what it has to do to give you hot water. But it should not be excessively loud, or unusual. If you recognize that your water heater has developed a strange, unexpected sound, it could be a sign that something is in need of repair. A rumbling or boiling sound from your tank water heater may be a sign that you have excessive sediment or scale at the bottom of your tank, which will need to be cleaned out to ensure safe and effective operation.
  • Does your shower go cold? If you suffer from inadequate hot water, there could be numerous things wrong with your water heater, whether tank or tankless. You could have a problem with the fuel or electrical supply, or possible even with the thermostat that controls the temperature of the water. While this problem may seem only minor, many water heater problems develop slowly and it’s always best to catch them before they become major, costly repairs or even premature replacements.

At Saddleback Plumbing, Inc., you can depend on excellent Irvine water heater repair services from us. We can restore the hot water in your home. Give us a call today, whatever your water heater issue may be.

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What Type of Water Treatment System is Best for Me?

Monday, June 24th, 2013

We have the benefit of many modern luxuries in our homes these days, such as natural gas piped directly into the building for instant access and electricity. Running water, though, may just be the one luxury that has the biggest impact on our day to day lives. From brushing our teeth to doing the dishes and even making coffee in the morning, running water makes it all quick and convenient. If you are concerned about the quality of the water that comes into your home though, you may not be so enthused about the luxury. With the right water treatment system from the Irvine plumbing experts at Saddleback Plumbing, Inc., you can enjoy the great water quality that you deserve in your house.

A lot of people use point of use water filters to improve the quality of their tap water for drinking. Taking a whole home approach to water filtration, however, is a much more effective method. Of course, the type of filtration method will vary depending on the types of contaminants that you are concerned about.

From hard water problems to unwanted chemicals or bacteria, Saddleback Plumbing, Inc. has the right water treatment system for your Irvine home.

Specialty cartridges are also a great way to improve water quality in your home, and are used to target specific problems. While a water softener will help to eliminate a variety of different minerals and sediments that can lead to hard water, specialty cartridges offer a much more focused approach. Because of this, it is necessary to have your water tested to determine exactly what problems you are facing.

Finally, a reverse osmosis system is a very effective, if somewhat costly, water treatment option. Water is passed through two different liquids which are separated by a film that will only allow water molecules through. Note it is necessary to have these filters changed regularly by a qualified professional to maintain the effectiveness of such systems though.

To learn more about water treatment systems for your Irvine home, call the professional Irvine plumbers at Saddleback Plumbing, Inc.

We have the information you need to make an informed decision about how best to improve the w ter quality in your Irvine home. Contact us today to learn more.

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