Rebates

August 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

Smart Meter

Rebates For Your Heating and Cooling System-

Now is the time to replace your outdated, energy sucking air conditioner!

Up to $2,500.00 back from Southern California Edison’s Quality Installation Program.

Did you know that simply replacing your old system may not save as much energy as you expected. That’s why SCE offers the Quality Installation Program. When it’s time for a new A/C system, this program makes sure your new air conditioner is sized properly for your home, and ensures its installation follows guidelines set by ENERGY STAR®—saving you the most energy and money.  Hurry now this program is set to expire at the end of the year.

$200.00 back from The Gas Company

When you install a ENERGY STAR® Natural Gas Furnace that has a Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) of 92% or better you may be eligible for a $200.00 rebate.

Rebates For Your Water Heater-

$30.00 to $75.00 in Rebates on High Efficiency Natural Gas Storage Water Heaters

Southern California Gas Company offers a $30/$75 rebate on high efficiency natural gas storage water heaters.

    • $30.00 – Tier I – must have an Energy Factor (EF) of .62 – .66
    • $75.00 – Tier II ENERGY STAR® – must have an Energy Factor (EF) of .67 or above

Up to $400.00 in Rebates on ENERGY STAR® Natural Gas Tankless Water Heaters

Southern California Gas Company offers a rebate up to $400 on ENERGY STAR-qualified tankless water heaters.

    • $400 rebate for models with an Energy Factor of 0.90 or higher
    • $300 rebate for models that meet a minimum Energy Factor of 0.82
    • Must be replacing a conventional tank-type water heater

Rebates For Your Insulation-

$0.15 per square foot of Attic or Wall Insulation-

Southern California Gas Company offers a rebate of $0.15 per square foot of attic or wall insulation.  See the details below.

Attic Insulation - Any existing insulation must be R-11 or less. The final insulation level must be R-30 or R-19 if there is less than 24″ of attic clearance.

Wall Insulation – Existing walls must be uninsulated and the installed insulation must achieve a minimum of R-13.

Rebates For Your Toilet-

Many water purveyors offer rebates when installing High Efficiency Toilets (HET) that use less than 1.28 gallons per flush.  For program details please contact your local water purveyor.

Riverside Public Utilities’ water customers can receive rebates of up to $50 for purchasing and installing a qualified High-Efficiency Toilet (standard or Dual Flush) that replaces an older, high water- use toilet. Rebate Details

City of Redlands water customers can receive rebates of up to $100 for purchasing and installing a qualified High-Efficiency Toilet (standard or Dual Flush) that replaces an older, high water- use toilet.  Rebate Details

If you are looking for more information just give us a call, we would love to help!


 

Posted Under: Energy Efficiency, Heating & Air, Henry Bush, Plumbing, Specials | , , ,

Should You Be Concerned About Carbon Monoxide (CO)?

March 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

Carbon Monoxide

Is the Great State of California looking out for your best interest? You hear the commercials on the radio where the big box stores are pushing carbon monoxide alarms. They state, “There is a new California law requires all homes to have a carbon monoxide alarm”. Well yes that is true. This sounds great, right? Or are they giving homeowners and tenants a false sense of security?  Let’s look at carbon monoxide and carbon monoxide alarms.

What is Carbon Monoxide?

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal biological functions.

Where Does Carbon Monoxide Come From?

Carbon monoxide is a product of combustion. All gas fired appliances and engines produce some level of carbon monoxide.

Why Is Carbon Monoxide Bad For Us?

When a person is exposed to carbon monoxide it inhibits the bloods ability to carry oxygen.  Different levels of carbon monoxide exposure have different effects on the body.  When exposed to high levels of carbon monoxide a person may notice headaches after just an hour of exposer at levels of 200 parts per million (ppm).  If a person is exposed to 3,000ppm death can occur in less than thirty minutes.  On the other end of the spectrum is low-level exposure over extended periods of time.

Symptoms Of Low Level Carbon Monoxide Exposure:

The following ailments have linked to chronic low-level exposure to carbon monoxide:

  • Alzheimer’s
  • Chronic Fatigue
  • Confusion
  • Memory Loss
  • Parkinson’s
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
  • Hair Loss
  • Libido Loss
  • Low Birth Weight
  • Vertigo
  • Mood Changes
  • Lou Gherig’s Disease
  • Asthma

Summary of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2012:

  • California Senate Bill 183
  • Effective July 1, 2011 – Single Family
  • Effective January 1, 2013 – Multi Family
  • Requires a UL 2034 CO Alarm on every level of a house and in sleeping areas

What is a UL2034 Carbon Monoxide Alarm?

The carbon monoxide poisoning prevention act of 2012 requires that Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approve all carbon monoxide alarms sold in California.  UL states these products are to protect “Young and Health Adults” at prescribed alarm levels.

This sounds great but lets look at what is required by the UL for certification (UL2034 in Red):

  • 1-4ppm Normal levels in human tissue
  • 3-7ppm 6% increase in hospital admission for non elderly for asthma
  • 9ppm Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Air Act standard for out doors for 8 hour & maximum 3 times per year.
  • 25ppm Maximum allowable in a Parking Garage per International Mechanical Code
  • 30ppm 1st visual display on UL2034, must not alarm before 30 days!
  • 35ppm The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommended 8 hour maximum work place exposure
  • 35ppm EPA standard for out doors 1 hour maximum 1 time per year.
  • 35ppm Many fire departments standard for SCBA.
  • 50ppm OSHA recommended 8 hour maximum workplace exposure.
  • 70ppm – 1st alarm of a UL2034 CO Alarm with in 1 to 4 hours.
  • 200ppm
    • Healthy adults will show symptoms
    • NIOSH & OSHA recommend evacuate the workplace
    • UL2034 alarm must sound with in 30 to 60 minutes
  • 400ppm
    • Headache with in 1-2 hours
    • Maximum EPA levels for industrial flue exhaust
    • UL2034 alarm must sound with in 15 minutes.

As you can see by looking at the alarm levels listed above in red there is no real “alarm” for low-level exposure and even at higher levels you must be exposed for extended periods of time before the alarm must sound.

So What Should You Do?

Do not solely rely on a UL2034 Carbon Monoxide alarms.  You should install a low-level carbon monoxide detector at eye level near the sleeping areas of you home. If you don’t believe me here is what one of the leading UL2034 Alarm manufactures say in their instructions.   Kidde-Nighthawk Model #KN-COPP-3 says: “Pregnant women, infants, children, senior citizens, persons with heart or respiratory problems and smokers may experience symptoms at lower levels of exposure than noted. Individuals with medical problems may consider using warning devices which provide audible and visual signals for carbon monoxide concentrations under 30ppm.”

So What Is The Difference?

Low Level Carbon Monoxide Detector:

  • 5ppm – Visual Display
  • 15-20ppm – 1st alarm level 5 min
  • 35ppm – 2nd alarm level 5 min
  • 70ppm – 3rd alarm level 30 seconds & cannot be silenced.

UL2034 Approved Carbon Monoxide Alarm:

  • 30ppm – 1st Visual display must not alarm before 30 days.
  • 70ppm – 1st alarm 1-4 hours
  • 200ppm – 2nd alarm 30-60 minutes
  • 400ppm – 3rd alarm within 15 minutes

What To Do If You Suspect Carbon Monoxide:

  • Evacuate the house
  • Call 911
  • Have a certified technician repair the appliance.

CLICK HERE For more information on the Low-Level Carbon Monoxide Detectors that we offer.

Tyler Miner, Certified Carbon Monoxide & Combustion Analyst NCI#C11-273-09

 

 

 

Posted Under: Heating & Air, Henry Bush, Plumbing | ,

Do you have a Ghost Flushing your toilet

April 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

toilet-aerial-leslie (2)

 

I have had more than a few customers state that their toilet is flushing by itself. Some folks go as far as to suggest they think they have a Ghost. This is not an uncommon problem with toilets and contrary to some beliefs, the explanation and resolution is far from the paranormal.

So how do we get the ”Paranormal” Ghost flushing toilet, back to just a ”Normal” flushing toilet.

There are three simple steps to take, in order to answer why the toilet is turning on by itself. Once we know the answer, the simple solution is soon to follow.

  1. Check the water level in the tank.
  2. Check water pressure
  3. Listen for the sound of running water at the fill valve where the water enters the tank.

 

  1. Checking the water level in the tank:
  • Remove the Tank cover or lid being careful not to drop it as these can easily shatter when bumped with something that is harder than the china it is made of.
  • With the lid removed, flush the toilet and wait for the water to fill to the point when the Fill Valve shuts off the water. Sometimes this may take up to 5 minutes but with most toilets newer than 10 years of age, the fill cycle will be less than one minute. Note that if the water never shuts off completely, we need to proceed to step #2 and #3.
  • With a pencil, mark the level of the water in the tank and watch to see if the water level drops. In most cases, if there is a leak, you will see a drop in the water level in less than  two to three minutes however in some cases this process may take up to 15 minutes in order to see any noticeable water level change.

If your results of ths test prove the water level to be dropping to the point where the fill valve turns on, hense “Ghost Flushing”, we have at this point narrowed down the problem to be one of three things; Back siphonage, High water level, or a faulty flapper /tank ball seal.

Back Siphonage:

  • In most cases there will be a small tube coming from the fill valve to the Flush Valve which is located in the center of the tank. If this tube, called the refill tube, is inserted too far into the “Overflow” tube of the Flush Valve, water will likely syphon from the tank, down this tube, causing the water level to drop in the tank. To properly solve this problem, re-possition the end of the refill tube to the top of the Overflow tube of the Flush Valve with an appropriate fastening clip. With the end of the refill tube above the water level inside the tank the possibility of back siphonage has been eliminated.

High Water Level

  • If the water level in the tank is above the top of the Overflow Tube, located on the Flush Valve, then the Fill Valve will either continuously run or cycle on and off. Resolve this problem by adjusting the water level on the Fill Valve to a point aproximately 1/2″ to 1″ below the top of the Overflow Tube (see fill valve manufacturer for adjustment procedures). Note that for toilets where the tank and the bowl are one molded piece,  in liu of a smaller refill tube, a larger “Rim Wash” Tube, approximately 3/4″ in diameter will be installed from the Fill Valve to the back of the bowl. The water level in the tank needs to be adjusted to a level below that of the insertion point of where the Rim Wash tube enters into the back of the bowl.

Flapper/Tank Ball

  • The Flapper and/or the Tank Ball are one of the more common culprits of Ghost Flushing. They are both located on the flush valve which is usualy located in the center of the tank. Check the Flapper/Tank Ball at the bottom of the tank. The Flapper/Tank Ball is connected to the tank lever with either a strap, a chain, or maybe a brass wire, and is located at the bottom of the tank. To check the Flapper/Tank Ball, rub your finger along its edge. If, due to deterioration, the material of the flapper comes off on your finger, we know at this time the Flapper/Tank Ball needs to be replaced. In some other cases this seal may be located at the bottom of a column located at the center of the tank. Either way, it is this seal that holds the water inside the tank up, until someone presses that lever. So whether it is a Flapper, Tank Ball, or some other type of seal, if the material comes off on your finger when you touch it, it needs to be replaced. One last thing regarding this seal, some of the materials used can be of a poly urethane material in which case, even if they have failed, the material will not come off on your finger. To check this type of seal it must be removed and then visually inspected. The seal should be flat and without any ripples. If you see a ripple on the bottom side of the seal, replace it with a new replacement seal of similar type. When replacing a flapper be sure to pay attention to the adjustment in length of the chain, strap, or brass wire. An adjustment that is too short will create a symptom where water either continues to run or the Fill Valve will “Ghost Flush”. An adjustment that is too loose will create a symptom where the tank level will need to be held down for the entire cycle of the flush because it does not lift the Flapper/Tank ball up high enough in order to allow it to float.

2.   Water Pressure

  • High water pressure conditions can cause a good Fill Valve to act as if it is not functioning properly. The call I often get is one where a customer has replaced their old Fill Valve with a new one, they replaced their flapper, they have adjusted the water level below the overflow tube, they mounted the refill tube to the overflow tube with the supplied clip, and the new fill valve still cycles on and off. “High water pressure” I tell them, with assurance. What happens here is after a Pressure Regulator has failed, the water pressure in the house increases to full city supplied pressure when no other water is in use. We call this “Static” pressure. No, throddelingthe valve down at the main water shut off will not solve the problem, because at a static water pressure condition, (without any water being used in the house), the pressure is just as high as if you had the valve closed off to the level of a drip. To clarify, by Throddeling the main valve down you have adjusted “Volume”, not “Pressure”. Adjusting the Pressure Regulator at this point will not solve the issue either. To explain this, a Residential Water Pressure Regulator, when functioning properly, will not exceed 80psi. Therefore if the water pressure is above this point, we know at this time the regulator has failed and needs to be either replaced or rebuilt.
  • To confirm  the water pressure condition, first you will need a Water Pressure gauge, a commonly stocked item at our Redlands Showroom and Warehouse supply. With the Pressure gauge connected to a hose bib location, after the incoming water supply to the house and after the existing pressure regulator, turn the hose bib on in order to read the water pressure at this point. Keep in mind that we are looking at checking the regulated pressure after the existing pressure regulator.
  • With the pressure Gauge reading the “Static” Water Pressure, assuring there is not any water in use at this time, record this reading. While monitoring the pressure at the gauge, have someone flush the toilet in question. The water pressure will likely drop to a point below the set pressure of the existing Pressure Regulator, usually between 50 and 75 psi, (even with a faulty Pressure Regulator). When the toilet attempts to shut down, looking at the Water Pressure Gauge, you will see the water pressure rise to just below that of the level of incoming water supply pressure.  At this point the Fill valve of the toilet will be forced to relieve the excess pressure at which time you will see the pressure on the gauge drop down, due to the relief of excess pressure when the Fill Valve is forced to turn back on, and the cycle will then keep repeating itself until the Fill Valve has reached the point where it can shut down at the full city supplied pressure.

With exception to the Flapper/Tank Ball test, because of the direct relation of Water Pressure to the fill cycle of the toilet, it is suggested that you perform this Pressure test before any of the other attempted diagnostics, in order to avoid the unnecessary replacement of any of the toilet parts.

3.   Listen for the sound of running water at the fill valve where the water enters the tank.

  • With the exception of a faulty Fill valve or high water Pressure condition, we have pretty much covered the solutions to a running water condition. If after checking all of the other conditions the fill valve continues to leak water, the fill valve will need to be replaced. Follow manufacture guidelines in order to properly install the new Fill Valve
Posted Under: DIY, Plumbing | , , , , , , , , ,

Why you should only hire a licensed contractor.

April 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Only hire a licensed contractor

This is a great little video put out by the California State License Board on verifying that your contractor has a valid state license.  You should always verify that the contractor you hire is fully licensed and insured for the work that they are going to preform.  Also check to see that they cary Workers Compensation Insurance.  This will protect you the home owner if an employee is injured at your home.

Redlands / Henry Bush Plumbing, Heating, Air Conditioning and Home Energy Solutions is licensed by The State of California to perform work in the following trades under license number 184826;

C-20 - Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Contractor

A warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning contractor fabricates, installs, maintains, services and repairs warm-air heating systems and water heating heat pumps, complete with warm-air appliances; ventilating systems complete with blowers and plenum chambers; air-conditioning systems complete with air-conditioning unit; and the ducts, registers, flues, humidity and thermostatic controls and air filters in connection with any of these systems. This classification shall include warm-air heating, ventilating and air-conditioning systems which utilize solar energy.

C-36 – Plumbing Contractor

A plumbing contractor provides a means for a supply of safe water, ample in volume and of suitable temperature for the purpose intended and the proper disposal of fluid waste from the premises in all structures and fixed works. This classification includes but is not limited to: Complete removal of waste from the premises or the construction and connection of on-site waste disposal systems; Piping, storage tanks and venting for a safe and adequate supply of gases and liquids including vacuum, compressed air and gases for medical, dental, commercial and industrial uses; All gas appliances, flues and gas connections for all systems including suspended space heating units. This does not include forced warm air units; Water and gas piping from the property owner’s side of the utility meter to the structure or fixed works; Installation of any type of equipment to heat water, or fluids, to a temperature suitable for the purposes listed in this section, including the installation of solar equipment for this purpose; and The maintenance and replacement of all items described above and all health and safety devices such as, but not limited to, gas earthquake valves, gas control valves, back flow preventors, water conditioning equipment and regulating valves.

C-42 – Sanitation System Contractor

A sanitation system contractor fabricates and installs cesspools, septic tanks, storm drains, and other sewage disposal and drain structures. This classification includes the laying of cast-iron, steel, concrete, vitreous and nonvitreous pipe and any other hardware associated with these systems.

B – General Building Contractor

A general building contractor is a contractor whose principal contracting business is in connection with any structure built, being built, or to be built, for the support, shelter, and enclosure of persons, animals, chattels, or movable property of any kind, requiring in its construction the use of at least two unrelated building trades or crafts, or to do or superintend the whole or any part thereof.

The above trade definitions are from the California State Contractors License Boards web site.  For more information check it out.

Posted Under: Energy Efficiency, Heating & Air, Henry Bush, Plumbing | , , , , , , , , ,

Video: How to repair a Delta Faucet

March 22, 2011 | 2 Comments

Screen shot 2011-03-24 at 4.05.02 PM

We put together a helpful video with step-by-step instructions on how to repair a Delta faucet.

Click the “Read More” button below to view it.

Read More

Posted Under: DIY, Plumbing | , ,