Saddleback Plumbing Heating & Air Blog: Archive for January, 2013

Plumbing Tip : What Does Plumbing Maintenance Involve

Tuesday, January 29th, 2013

Is it time for routine maintenance for your plumbing system? Call the Irvine plumbers at Saddleback Plumbing! We can handle all your plumbing maintenance needs, including providing tips and advice on how to get the most out of your system. Remember that routine maintenance can prevent repair issues, slow drains, clogs, and other problems. Call us any time for your next service!

Here are some tasks we can do during routine maintenance.

Video Pipe Inspection

When we provide a maintenance service or respond to a repair need, our plumbers send a video camera down your plumbing system to inspect the inside of the pipes. This allows our plumbers to get a close-up look at any kind of plumbing problems that might be further down the pipe or drain line. We’ll be able to see exactly where the problem is and what specifically is causing it. For instance, if there’s a tree root causing a leak in a sewer line, we can see that and know the best solution for this issue.

Gas Piping Maintenance

When you call us for a repair or maintenance service, we also inspect your gas piping. Our plumbers are trained and certified to work with gas lines and earthquake emergency shut off valves. We test these safety devices to ensure that they will work when you need them.

Professional Drain Cleaning

With a professional drain cleaning, our Irvine plumbers will thoroughly clean your plumbing system safely and effectively. Hydro-jetting uses a powerful stream of water to clear out any clogs or blockages that are in your plumbing system.  While only one way to clean your system, hydro-jetting will not damage your plumbing system. Drain cleaners use harsh chemicals, so avoid using conventional drain cleaners.

Call Saddleback any time for your next plumbing maintenance service!

 

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Laguna Hills Air Conditioning FAQ: AC Services Available

Monday, January 21st, 2013

If you live in Southern California then you know how critical a good air conditioning system is to your comfort. We enjoy wonderful weather all year long but on those hot days you need an efficient AC system to cool your home. There are so many different options available for cooling your home. At Saddleback, we provide complete air conditioning services throughout the Laguna Hills, CA area. We thought it would be helpful if we put together some of the options that are available to homeowners in the Laguna Hills area.

Air Conditioning Maintenance in Laguna Hill, CA

We’re all looking to reduce the amount of energy that we use in our lives. One of the best ways to increase the efficiency of your home’s  air conditioning system is to get it regularly maintained by a professional Laguna Hills air conditioning contractor.

Over time, and with continued use, your AC system will begin to wear out. This is just a natural part of your equipment’s life-cycle. But during regular maintenance visits, your air conditioning technician will look specifically for problems or issues that might be causing your AC unit to work harder. This can include dirty fan bearings, worn out fan belt, dirty cooling coils or leaking refrigerant. Your technician will clean any dirty parts, lubricate the moving parts and replace any parts that are worn down.

Ductless Mini Split Systems in Laguna Hills, CA

One type of heating system that is gaining popularity among many homeowners in the Laguna Hills area is the ductless mini split system. As their name implies, ductless mini split systems heat and cool your home without the use of cumbersome ducts. In this type of system, each room has their own unit that is mounted on the wall. Installation of these wall units is as easy as drilling a 3-inch hole in the wall to allow for electrical and refrigerant lines. Outside, a condensing unit provides for the exhaustion of heat.

Ductless mini split systems are terrific for old home renovations in Laguna Hills that don’t have room for ducts. They are also highly efficient and allow you to control the temperature in each room.

Zone Control Systems in Laguna Hills, CA

Finally, another great air conditioning service that we offer at Saddleback, is zone control systems. Zone control systems are a way for homeowners to potentially reduce the amount of energy that they use in their homes. If you have a traditional AC system, then you have to cool your entire home every time you turn on your AC. However, zone control systems allow you to target your cooling to just the rooms that you’re using. This saves you energy of having to cool your whole home when you’re just using one or two rooms.

If you need any kind of air conditioning repair just contact Saddleback today!

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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 13: DIY Drain Cleaning

Monday, January 7th, 2013

Not many people think about the drain system in their homes. However, your plumbing system plays a huge role in your home’s operation and in your comfort. Every day, your drains safely and hygienically remove the waste water from your home. That’s why it’s so important that when you need to have your drains cleaned in Mission Viejo that you work with a plumbing contractor that has the skill and experience to keep your drains working well. Here at Saddleback Plumbing, we have over 20 years of experience offering fast and reliable drain cleaning in Mission Viejo. We thought it would be helpful if we put together some of the benefits that regular drain cleaning can offer your home.

Common Drain Problems in Mission Viejo, CA

With all the use that your drains get, it should come as no surprise that eventually they start to have problems. Here are some of the most common drain repairs that we see in Mission Viejo, CA.

  • Clogs – Obviously, this is probably the most common problem that we get called to fix. Tree roots, soap scum, hair, food and other debris, are fairly common sources of clogs.
  • Leaks – Over time, your drains can start to leak. If the drains start to leak in your home it can potentially lead to water damage. But if your drains are leaking under your property, you’ll start to notice soft spots in your yard or smell sewage. These types of leaks can cause tremendous damage to your property and can sometimes lead to slab or foundation cracks.

Benefits of Regular Drain Cleaning in Mission Viejo

When you have your drains regularly cleaned and inspected by a professional Mission Viejo plumber, you should notice several benefits. First, your drains will work better. When you have a plumber cleaning and inspecting the plumbing in your home, they can catch small clogs or blockages before they turn into major issues. This is a great way to keep your drains work well. Second, you can potentially reduce the need for costly repairs. During regular drain cleaning visits, your plumber will be able to detect small repairs or problems that would otherwise just get worse.

When you need any kind of drain cleaning in Mission Viejo, call Saddleback Plumbing. Our plumbers are very friendly and highly trained to work on all components of your plumbing system. Call us today to learn more about drain cleaning services that we offer throughout the Orange County and Mission Viejo area.

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