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

Heating FAQ 1: Heating Options

Monday, January 14th, 2013

While Orange County isn’t known for its extreme cold temperatures, if you’ve lived here for a winter you know that there are a few months where a good heating system is critical to your comfort. If you’re looking to install a new heating system, there are a number of considerations to keep in mind. Putting in a new heating system offers homeowners some exciting benefits. But any changes to your home should be thoroughly analyzed so that you have all of the information available to you. Saddleback Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning offers comprehensive heating services in Irvine, CA. We wanted to give our customers some ideas about what they should think about as they move forward with the heating installation process.

Heating Replacement and Installation Benefits in Irvine

To get us started, here is a quick list of some of the benefits to replacing your heating system.

  • Greater efficiency – New furnaces, boilers and heat pumps typically offer a huge efficiency upgrade to homeowners in Irvine.
  • Safety – New furnaces and boilers have some very important safety features on them that old systems may not have.
  • Comfort and reliability – With a new heating system, you will likely receive more reliable and comfortable heat in your home.

Heating Options

One of the first things that you should think about when replacing your heating system is fuel. The gas vs. electric heating debate rages on but at Saddleback, we can work with either fuel source. Depending on where you live, the cost for each fuel could vary wildly. But in general, natural gas is cheaper to buy and with modern technology it is a fairly clean fuel. With electricity, you get more efficiency but it typically costs more to heat your home with those types of heaters.

At Saddleback Plumbing, Air Conditioning and Heating, we can install a variety of different systems. If you have ducts in your home, we can replace your furnace or heat pump very easily. But if you’re interested in going to a radiant heating system, like a hydronic boiler, baseboard or floor system, we can do that too. Radiant heating systems are known to provide very comfortable heat because they actually heat the objects in the room instead of just heating the air.

Water Heating Options in Irvine

Another important heating consideration is replacing your water heater. If you’re tired of taking cold showers, replacing your water heater might make sense. Tankless water heaters are typically great for small households while tank water heaters are preferable for larger households that have large hot water demands. Multiple tankless water heaters are normally required for homes with large demand.

If you have any questions about water heater replacement or heating replacement in Irvine, call Saddleback today. Our friendly and highly trained technicians have experience working on all types and brands of heating systems and water heaters. Call us today.

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Plumbing Tip : When Something Goes Wrong

Monday, December 17th, 2012

Indoor plumbing is such a common luxury that we tend to not even think about the system and its many components that make life so convenient in Irvine. We expect to be able to open a faucet and get a steady supply of hot water. When we use the bathroom we expect the toilet to flush and the bathtub to drain away waste water. When something goes wrong with your plumbing in Irvine, though, you may find it difficult to stop thinking about the system that makes all of those conveniences possible. Whatever plumbing services you need, a professional, certified plumber from Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning can help.

Plumbing Installation

Whether you are remodeling or building a home or you need to replace a portion or your entire plumbing system, only a professional can handle the surface. A lot of fresh and waste water is moved throughout your home every day. These pipes are hidden in your walls and beneath your floors. The last thing you want to deal with is a problem in such inaccessible areas. Avoid water damage and schedule professional plumbing installation.

Video Pipe Inspection

Plumbing systems pose a number of challenges because so many potential problems can go unseen. A video pipe inspection allows us to take a look directly into your pipes. That way we can locate any problems and ensure that they are totally resolved. Call today to schedule service.

Slab Leaks

Few problems in your home have as much potential to do serious damage as a slab leak. These leaks occur beneath the concrete foundation of your home. They are difficult to notice, difficult to access and an all-around headache. Contact us today to learn more about the services we offer for slab leaks in Irvine and how you can tell if there is a slab leak lurking below your home.

These are just a few of the exceptional plumbing services we offer. Our Irvine plumbers have the training and skills to handle any plumbing job you may need. Remember to call Saddleback for any services you need related to plumbing in Irvine.

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Heating Tip 2 : Getting More Efficient Heat with Zone Control

Monday, December 10th, 2012

Are you looking for a more efficient way to heat your Irvine home this winter? At Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning, we can help you save energy and reduce your heating bills with a few tips and our comprehensive zone control services. Call any time to set up a consultation.

Here’s how to get more efficient heat with zone control.

Zone control systems are designed to heat only certain parts of your home rather than heating your entire home at once. Why heat the attic when you aren’t using it? Also, the closer the temperature indoors is to the outside, the less heat you lose. A cooler attic would prevent the heat that rises from escaping.

You can also design the system to match your needs. For instance, if there are rooms that aren’t used as often, you can close off the dampers in the duct system to prevent the heat from going into that room. Not only can we install the dampers, but we can also install the thermostats for each zone and show you how to use your new system.

Another way to improve efficiency is to upgrade your old dial thermostats to digital ones. A mercury thermostat is not as accurate as a digital one that uses an electronic signal to read the temperatures inside the home. Digital thermostats help lower your utility bills because a more accurate reading prevents the heating system from producing more BTUs than it needs to, which uses more energy.

There are many energy-saving features on digital thermostats, such as programmable and humidity control features, and they can be used on a variety of systems. If you are upgrading to zone control, you’ll need one that matches that system. Call us if you want one of our heating specialists to go over the different models we can install for you.

Call Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning for all your Irvine heating needs.

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Plumbing Tip : New Features to Consider Before Buying a Tankless Water Heaters

Monday, November 12th, 2012

Are you considering buying a new tankless water heater for your home? Our plumbers can help you choose the right model, and we’ll make sure you get the right size and install it for you. If you’re considering a tankless new water heater or if you’re looking for ways to reduce your energy consumption, here are some things to consider:

Energy Use

There are two basic types of water heaters: traditional storage tank and tankless. Tank water heaters use a large tank of water that’s kept hot all the time by an electric or gas burner. As the hot water is consumed, more water fills the tank. Tankless water heaters convert cold water to hot water as the water is being used. In terms of energy consumption, tank-style heaters consume energy to maintain a large supply of hot water throughout the day, even if it’s not being used. Tankless heaters consume energy in short bursts, so you’ll want to take that into consideration.

Flow Rate

The other consideration is flow rate. Tankless units vary in their ability to produce hot water on demand. The amount of hot water they produce is measured in gallons per minute. Deciding which size tankless unit is correct for your home should be based on your family’s typical hot water needs. For 1 to 2 bathroom homes, look for models that can deliver at least delivers 3.4 gallons per minute. A shower and a dishwasher each consume about two gallons of water per minute. So for a tankless unit to comfortably serve both with a little to spare would probably require a capacity of five gallons per minute.

Size and First Hour Rating

All water heaters, whether traditional tank models, tankless, or hybrid, have different hot water delivery capacities. A water heater’s capacity is measured by its First Hour Rating (FHR), which is the number of gallons of hot water it delivers in an hour. Getting a heater with a low FHR could mean taking cold showers. Getting one that’s too large could mean you’re wasting energy.

When thinking a new water heater, first think about how much hot water is used in your home each day. Secondly, call the folks at Saddleback Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning. Our staff would be glad to help you calculate which size tankless unit is right for your home.

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Heating Tip 1: Are Your Gas Pipes in Good Shape?

Monday, November 5th, 2012

Natural gas is a popular fuel choice for home heating and cooking. It is affordable, dependable and in large part domestically produced. It is also very safe, generally speaking. It is important that you as a property owner ensure that your gas pipes are in good, safe working condition. In order to do so there are some steps that you will need to take and some warning signs that you should keep an eye out for. Here is some information from Saddleback Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning to keep your Irvine home safe and comfortable when using natural gas.

The first step towards ensuring that your gas pipes are in good shape is to be sure that the installation process is handled only by a qualified profession. If you are having a gas piping system installed for the first time or are scheduling repiping service you need to do your research. Look at testimonials and read online reviews, as well as asking contractors for references directly. Your gas pipes are too important a component of your home plumbing system to take any chances with. Call Saddleback today to learn more about gas pipe installation or to schedule service.

If you already have a gas piping system in your home you need to know what to look for in terms of trouble. While a gas leak may not cause as obvious problems as a leak in your water lines there are plenty of indicators that will tell you your gas pipes are compromised. Because natural gas is colorless and odorless an odor is added to help you identify a leak. This is where the rotten egg smell that so many associate with natural gas comes from. Any unusual sounds from your gas equipment may also indicate a gas leak so it is important that these irregularities are assessed by a professional.

There are also buried gas lines outside that allow natural gas to be piped into your Irvine home. If you see any dirt being blown into the air around this buried pipe or notice bubbling when the ground is wet this gas line may be leaking. Keep an eye out for dead vegetation in the vicinity as well.

When properly used and with a high-quality gas piping system natural gas is a perfectly safe, convenient fuel source. If you have any concerns about the condition that your gas pipes are in call the gas piping experts at Saddleback Plumbing, Heating and Air Conditioning today. We can help ensure that your home is as safe as it is comfortable with our gas piping installation, maintenance, repair and replacement services.

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When to Call for Heat Pump Service?

Monday, October 29th, 2012

If you’ve invested in a heat pump, you probably did it for the energy savings that they can potentially provide. Heat pumps are wonderful additions to your home because they provide efficient heating and cooling your house. But if you don’t keep up on regular maintenance and repair services, they might start to become costly and inefficient. But how do you know when you need heat pump services at your home in Irvine? We’ve put together a handy list of some of the common problems that heat pumps experience.

No Heat

This is a common experience with heat pumps that we get called to deal with. There are a few common things that can cause your heat pump to fail to produce heat. The first is no power or a broken igniter. The first thing to do is make sure the heat pump is plugged in and that the igniter light is on. Another common culprit of no heat is your thermostat. You should test your thermostat to see if it is actually working correctly. Beyond these things, you should probably call for the services of a Irvine heating technician.

Not Enough Heating or Cooling

Your heat pump uses a series of coils that are filled with a refrigerant to move heat from one place to another. In heating mode, your heat pump collects heat from the outdoors and moves it into your house. In cooling mode, it does the opposite. The refrigerant is what carries the heat from one place to another. If you have too little or too much refrigerant, it can prevent the heat pump from providing enough heating or cooling. You should check the pressure gauge on the heat pump to see if you have enough or too much refrigerant. Low heating and cooling may also be caused by a broken compressor or a dirty filter. All work on the refrigerant, compressor or filters should be done by a trained professional.

Frost on the Heat Pump

There are a few different things that can cause frost to appear on your heat pump. This can sometimes have to do with a defective fan or dirt build up in the evaporator coils. It can also be from a broken compressor. All of these repairs should only be attempted by a certified professional. If you attempt to do this yourself you could risk damaging your system permanently.

If you need heat pump repair services at your home in Irvine, then call Saddleback immediately. We are proud to offer complete heat pump repair services in Irvine and can get your system working correctly quickly.

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Plumbing Tip: Why Proper Drain Installation is Important

Monday, October 22nd, 2012

The drain and sewer system in your home is a very important component of residential plumbing systems. It is the one system that is responsible for removing the waste water from your home to ensure that your home environment remains sanitary. Not only does this system include the drain lines and main sewer line, but there are other components that are integral to this process.

The plumbing experts at Saddleback Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning are committed to educating our customers about their plumbing system and why it is important to have it properly installed and maintained. We’ve included a list of the main parts of the drainage system in your home and how each of these components work together to make sure that your plumbing system is effective and worry free.

Drain Lines

The drain lines in your home should be able to remove heavy volumes of waste water from your home. That’s why it is imperative that they do so without getting clogged by materials, such as paper products or food waste. While homeowners can help by being careful about what they put down the drains or flush down the toilets, the installation of the drain and sewer system also plays a role in waste management for your home.

The plumber who installs the system should take into consideration the number of bathrooms and kitchen plumbing appliances you have, the age of your pipes for additions, and other considerations that are related to the layout of your home and local plumbing codes. These calculations will help to prevent any issues with the drain system in your home.

Sump Pumps

The drainage inside your home is just as important as the outside drainage, which includes sump pumps in some areas. Sump pumps remove any groundwater that gets into the lower parts of your home, and in areas prone to flooding, this is an essential part of preventing water damage. If you decide that you need an outdoor drainage solution for problems related to heavy groundwater, we install and maintain sump pumps and can create a custom plan fitted to your situation.

Proper installation applies whether you are adding a new fixture, a full bathroom, kitchen, or whether you are simply replacing any part of your existing drain and sewer system.

Call the professional plumbers at Saddleback Plumbing, Heating, & Air Conditioning for all plumbing needs in Irvine, CA!

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Why Install a Hydronic Floor Heating System in Orange County

Monday, October 1st, 2012

One of the hottest additions to Orange County home heating in recent years is the hydronic floor heating system – a combination of classic hydronic boiler technology and carefully design work that can actually have heat radiating out of the floorboards in your home. Here are a few reasons why you might consider having such a system installed and the specific benefits they offer.

First, There’s Comfort

Imagine stepping out of bed on a chilly winter morning and putting your feet down on toasty warm tiles or wood flooring. Instead of the ice cold of most flooring materials that either forces you to wear socks perpetually or put down heavy, pricey rugs, a hydronic floor heating system ensures that your home is always warm, no matter where you step.

Supplemental Heating

A radiant floor heating system offers a supplement to your standard heating system. This reduces the workload on your other heating systems and ensures that you remain comfortable even when the others are off or turned down, saving you money. You can also switch to an all hydronic system and gain a number of additional benefits.

Even, Efficient Heating Distribution

A system that consists only of hydronic floor heating ensures even heating throughout your home – no cold or hot spots. Additionally, the system will operate less often as heat radiates slowly from the water pipes, rising from the ground to provide ample, even heating all day.

A good radiant floor heating system is a good fit in many types of Orange County homes and even in some businesses. How it will fit into your current heating system, the impact it will have on your budget and where it can be best installed in your home will depend on a number of other factors, so make sure you contact a professional if you are interested in learning more about what options are available to you.

For more information regarding floor heating options for your Orange County home’s heating system, contact Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air today!

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Plumbing Tip: What Does a Drain Trap Do?

Monday, September 24th, 2012

There are many components in an Orange County home’s plumbing system but few require as much persistent homeowner attention as a drain trap. If your drain trap is clogged or you simply are interested in learning more about that U-shaped stretch of pipe beneath your sink, here is a quick overview.

The Flow of Water into the Drain

When water enters the drain in your fixture, it goes through the tailpiece and into the drain trap, then through the main drain line out of your home. It all makes perfect sense except for that little U-shaped stretch of pipe that always seems to get clogged with food, grease and hair. Why is it there if all it does is get clogged?

The answer to this question is directly related to the way in which plumbing is designed to work. Drain pipes all lead directly to a sewer line which then exits your Orange County home and goes into the sewer. That sewer line contains all of the waste and waste water from your home and as a result, a lot of decomposition takes place here, producing large volumes of sewer gas.

Sewer gas is not only unpleasant, it is unsafe, and it must therefore not be allowed to enter your home. A drain trap is used for this purpose as it will hold water as a barrier against any backflow of sewer gasses when your drain pipes are empty. Gravity ensures that there is always enough water in the trap to keep this from happening.

Maintaining Your Drain Trap

Regular flushing of the drain trap is highly recommended to prevent clogs, and if there are any fixtures in your home that you don’t often use, it is recommended that you pour enough water down the drain to keep the trap from evaporating and allowing sewer gasses to enter your home. Do these things and your system should continue to work properly moving forward.

For more information regarding your Orange County home’s plumbing, contact Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air today!

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HVAC Tip 1: Factors Contributing to Poor Air Quality

Monday, September 10th, 2012

The truth is that most people don’t even realize that they have poor indoor air quality in their Irvine homes. It is imperative that you be aware of this problem if it exists. The following are some signs and symptoms that point towards poor air quality.

  • Irritable eyes, throat and nose with cold like symptoms
  • Dry skin
  • Rashes and other skin irritations
  • Sleepiness, fatigue and headaches
  • Other symptoms such as wheezing, dizziness, nausea as well as hypersensitivity reactions can also be attributed to poor air quality

The onset of most of these symptoms is not very direct or immediate. They usually build up gradually and become a part of your daily life without you even realizing it. These symptoms are highly subjective and can also be brought about by a variety of other co-existing factors such as stress, so you might not realize right away what’s causing you to feel the way you do.

This is why it is very important to evaluate the problem of poor air quality in an objective and scientific manner. The following are some of the primary causes of poor air quality.

  • Poor ventilation system leading to inadequate supply of fresh air in the house
  • Pollutants coming from the paints and chemicals on the walls and furniture in your home
  • Pollutants arising from various other building products, cleaning material, gases, new materials, pesticides, office machines and stationery
  • Micro-organisms, as well as other contaminants coming from the atmosphere
  • The presence of allergens such as pollen, pet dander, mold spores or dust mites

The primary reason for all these problems taking root in your home is poor ventilation which does not allow enough air circulation and exchange between indoors and outdoors. That means not enough fresh air enters your home, making the air rather stale and providing no way for any types of pollutants to get out, and these contaminants tend to increase in concentration over time.

Luckily, all of these issues can be addressed by adding a good indoor air quality system to your home. A professional Irvine HVAC contractor can tell you exactly what types of pollutants are causing trouble in your home and get the right systems in place to eliminate them effectively. Call Saddleback Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning today to learn more about how to improve the air quality in your home!

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