Furnaces make all sorts of sounds during operation. If you’ve had yours for any appreciable length of time, though, you probably know which sounds are normal and which are not. If you start noticing any unusual noises coming from your furnace, you should call for repairs right away. The sooner you can have your furnace repaired, the more damage to the system you can prevent. Read on for more information on specific sounds, and the problems they indicate.
Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Posts Tagged ‘Mission Viejo’
Furnace Sounds That Indicate a Problem
Monday, December 7th, 2015Advantages of Installing a Heat Pump for Winter
Monday, November 2nd, 2015With winter right around the corner, now is a pretty good time to make sure that your home’s heating situation is in order. If you’re one of the many people looking for a new home heating system, you should consider installing a heat pump. Heat pumps offer a unique range of advantages for those who install them. Let’s take a look at some of those advantages now.
Furnace Problems You Need to Know About
Monday, October 12th, 2015Summer is over, and heating season is here. As you start to use your home’s heating system more and more in the coming months, it’s a good idea to keep an eye out for the various problems that can afflict your system. Furnaces, for example, have a number of issues that can decrease performance or cause a breakdown. It is important to know the symptoms of these issues, so that you can call for repairs as soon as possible. Let’s take a look at some common furnace problems now.
When to Replace Your Water Heater
Monday, September 21st, 2015Water heaters are incredibly tough systems. They’re built to last years in constant contact with water, and if you take good care of them they can last even longer. Unfortunately, however, they cannot last forever. At some point, you will eventually have to replace your water heater. If you aren’t sure whether or not your water heater needs replacing, read on.
What to Do About Cool Spots in Your Home
Monday, July 6th, 2015Sitting on your couch watching TV should be an enjoyable experience, especially after a long day at the office. But, if your air conditioner deposits an abnormally high volume of cold air directly onto your couch, making you shiver despite the 90 degree heat outside, you may have a cool spot. Cool spots are an unfortunate side effect of modern air conditioning technology. They often occur when HVAC systems are improperly sized or ductwork is improperly installed. Other factors like insulation, vent configuration or window placement can also contribute to the presence of a cool spot (and possibly some hot spots). So, what can you do about it?
What to Do When Your Toilet Keeps Running
Wednesday, March 25th, 2015On average, the toilet accounts for a third of all indoor water use in a home. This is why it’s important that you make sure the toilets in your home receive attention from professional plumbers whenever they malfunction. If you let a problem like a toilet continually running go without repairs, you might end up with an enormous spike in your water bills. Worse, you might end up with a non-working toilet, which is never a pleasant situation.
At Saddleback Plumbing, we offer professional bathroom plumbing services in Mission Viejo, CA that will get any faulty toilet back in working order. Don’t try any DIY tricks beyond using a basic plunger: give us a call and we’ll see that you receive quality service, done fast and done right.
Is your toilet is running nonstop? Here’s what to do
If the toilet continues to run water into the bowl a few minutes after a flush, it could mean a variety of problems. Although the situation shouldn’t threaten your home with flooding or water damage, it will waste a great deal of water and needs to be dealt with right away.
The first thing to do is to flush the toilet again and see if the problem continues. If it does, turn off the water flow at the feed line so the toilet will not continue to waste water.
At this point, you’ll feel tempted to lift off the cover on the tank and attempt to figure out what’s causing the trouble. You should think twice about trying to tamper with the components in the tank, however, since it’s not always easy to determine the source of a malfunction. The problem could be with a tangled flapper chain, the float, a deteriorating flapper, or a defect in the fill valve. Some of these problems are easier to fix than others, but you don’t want to guess and end up trying to repair something that isn’t broken. If the problem lies inside the fill valve, repairing it is a job that requires professionals. In some cases, the whole overflow tube and flapper may need to be replaced, which is a tricky task that will require removing the entire tank to perform, and that’s something you only want a plumber to handle.
But in general, no matter what the trouble with the toilet is, you want to have a plumber investigate it and handle the repairs to make sure that they are done right. A plumber knows the correct parts for any necessary replacements and can take care of the job in a brief time. The next time your toilet starts to run without stopping and you need bathroom plumbing in Mission Viejo, CA, give Saddleback Plumbing a call and we will send one of our skilled plumbers to the rescue.
3 Things You Should Know about Your Gas Furnace
Wednesday, February 25th, 2015Gas furnaces are the most common type of heating system found in homes today, a position they have held for decades. Furnaces have retained this top spot because of their high energy output as well as their affordable operation. If you have a home with a gas connection, chances are high that you have a gas furnace to take advantage of the lower costs of natural gas compared to electricity.
Here are three things that our technicians at Saddleback Plumbing would like you to know about your furnace in Mission Viejo, CA. These facts will help you increase your understanding of how your furnace works and how to best care for it so that it continues to work its best. You can always call our technicians whenever you need assistance with your furnace, whether it’s repairs, regular maintenance, or a replacement. We are proud of the quality heating we have provided for homes in Orange County since 1981.
#1. Your gas furnace isn’t inherently dangerous
The common conception that natural gas furnaces are major risks for homes is erroneous. Gas furnaces can create hazards from carbon monoxide, but it is extremely rare for this to happen with contemporary furnaces. Manufacturers construct furnaces with multiple safety measures in them, such as furnace limit switches and automatic gas shut-off valves. However, you still must see that your furnace receives regular professional care and prompt repair work whenever necessary so you can reduce the potential risks to their lowest level possible.
#2. Your furnace won’t run without electricity
A furnace may burn natural gas to create heat, but it also has a number of components necessary for its operation that run on electricity. The blower fan must have electricity to power it, and without a blower fan a furnace cannot distribute heat. Most modern furnaces use electronic ignition systems (which are safer and more energy-efficient than standing pilot lights), so if the power goes out, you won’t be able to turn the furnace on.
#3. You must schedule annual maintenance
No heating system should go without an annual inspection and tune-up from a professional, but with gas furnaces it is especially important to schedule this service to keep it working safely. The best time to arrange for maintenance is during the fall before the colder weather arrives. However, if your furnace has gone for more than a year without maintenance, you should schedule it right away and avoid the possibility of repairs, safety hazards, or inefficient performance.
The next time you need service for your furnace in Mission Viejo, CA, or if you are interested in installing a new furnace, give our heating experts at Saddleback Plumbing a call. They will be glad to arrange for whatever work you need.
When Sump Pump Installation Is a Good Idea
Wednesday, October 29th, 2014Here in California, the term “sump pump” is not a term that is foreign to many. A sump pump is a plumbing installation designed to protect your home from unexpected flooding. Water damage is a serious threat to your home. Not only can it ruin your property, requiring massive renovations and destroying irreplaceable items, but it may also pose health hazards for some members of your household if mold and mildew gathers as a result.
If you’re worried about flooding, or if you’ve ever had a flood in your home in the past, sump pump installation may be the best choice for you. To learn more about installing a sump pump in Mission Viejo, CA, call on the plumbing experts at Saddleback Plumbing.
How a Sump Pump Works
A sump pump is installed at the lowest point in your home, usually in the basement or a crawlspace. A technician digs a pit in the ground and installs either a submersible pump, which has a waterproof encasing and sits inside of the pit, or a pedestal pump, which rests above the pit on a pedestal. In either case, a sump pump uses motors to impel water into a drain pipe which leads to the outdoors.
Reasons You May Choose a Sump Pump
So why should you consider a sump pump in Mission Viejo? There are a few reasons. Sure, California is not as prone to flooding as many other parts of the country, where many homeowners choose sump pump installation because high water tables indicate a high risk of floods. However, it’s still a possibility that your pipes will burst and water will move into your house, especially if it has happened in the past or if it’s a frequent problem for neighbors.
People often choose to install a sump pump to protect asthma and allergy sufferers in the home, who may have a serious reaction if mold spores move into the air. Others choose to install a sump pump to increase the property value of the home. Whatever your particular reasons, the experts at Saddleback Plumbing can help you protect your home from water damage with professional sump pump installation in Mission Viejo, CA. Give us a call!
How Video Pipe Inspection Works for Kitchen Plumbing Repair
Wednesday, September 17th, 2014Many people do not think much about the drains in their kitchens and how much they do on a daily basis. But your kitchen plumbing system makes it so that wastewater and food scraps move into the sewage system without any trouble. And without a functioning drain system, cooking and cleaning would be a lot more difficult. So when the drains clog in your kitchen, you want immediate repairs from a professional. But you shouldn’t choose just any plumber for the job. In this guide, we’ll look at why you should choose a company that relies on video pipe inspection for kitchen plumbing repair.
Video pipe inspection involves using a fiber optic cable with a small camera attached at the end. A technician pushes this camera into the pipes and views the live feed on a screen. This helps the plumber to find the precise location of clogs. This is important because some clogs require a different piece of equipment than others. It would not help for a plumber to use an auger that can only reach clogs close to the drain opening, when the blockage is actually deep within the sewer line.
With a fiber optic camera, a technician can also tell whether fat, oil, and grease (F.O.G.) affects your pipes. These substances may seem innocuous, but they may actually solidify and collect inside of the pipes until they clog. During video pipe inspection, a plumber may inform you of this problem. To be safe, always throw F.O.G. into a separate trash container.
Video pipe inspection may also tell you whether hard water poses a threat to your plumbing system. If your water has too many minerals such as calcium and magnesium in it, deposits may build along the insides of pipes. With video pipe inspection, the plumber can detect this and recommend solutions for your home, whether it’s pipe repair or a whole-home water treatment system.
When you need any kitchen plumbing services in Mission Viejo, CA, call the professionals at Saddleback Plumbing. We use video inspection to make sure your pipes are clear when we leave your home. Give us a call!
Problems That Duct Sealing Will Solve
Thursday, July 31st, 2014Regular duct cleaning is a necessity for modern homes. The ventilation system that circulates air through a house has an airtight seal along it to maintain air pressure, but this also allows dust and debris to start to build up along the walls of the ducts without any escape except back out into the rooms, where it will eventually re-enter the ventilation system through the return air vents. Over a period of two years (and sometimes less than that), the accumulation of debris and other contaminants can become quite heavy inside ducts.
However, breaks in this airtight seal can make the situation far worse; along with duct cleaning, you may occasionally need professional duct sealing for your home. Duct cleaners will usually catch these issues and help you schedule the necessary work. For duct cleaning and duct sealing service in Mission Viejo, CA, you can count on Saddleback Plumbing to take excellent care of you.
Issues That Duct Sealing Will Address
- Additional pollutants and contaminants: Your ductwork already gathers dust and dirt during normal operation. Breaks and leaks along the air channels will make this accumulation worse, since these openings will probably occur in closed-off sections of your home, such as crawlspaces and between walls, that have large amounts of dust, dirt, and construction debris in them. The number of pollutants that enters you ductwork will steeply increase until you have the gaps sealed.
- Mold, mildew, and other bacterial growth: Mold and bacteria developing inside your ductwork is one of the worst problems your HVAC system can encounter. It will severely lower your indoor air quality and cause major health issues. These growths will also increase damage to the ducts and weaken the material. Sealing gaps in the ducts will prevent moist air from entering and raising the humidity level that encourages these biological growths.
- High utility bills: Even a small leak in a duct that breaks the airtight seal can cause a 33% drop in airflow form an AC or forced-air heater. This will put strain on the system to compensate for the loss of airflow, and it will start to drain money to obtain its regular levels of cooling or heating (and often fail). Keeping your ducts intact and all leaks sealed will prevent you from paying heavier costs to keep a home comfortable.
- HVAC repairs: An over-strained AC or heater, or one dealing with excess contamination that can enter into its cabinet, is at higher risk for repairs. You can avoid these unnecessary repairs with proper sealing to keep the ducts airtight.
Saddleback Plumbing has helped homes in Mission Viejo, CA with duct sealing and duct cleaning since 1981. Make us your first call when you notice low airflow or odd musty smells coming from your vents, or when heating and cooling bills start to rise for no obvious reason. We’ll track the problem and fix it, whether with duct sealing or HVAC system repair.