More Tips TO Save Water This Summer

At Bill Howe, we have been the number one plumber San Diego residents have selected for decades. As an expert San Diego plumber, we want our customers to know we hold their very best interests as our top priority. That is why we want to pass on our expert tips to help you save water in your home so you can rake in the savings.

1. We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Use a water-efficient showerhead!

If you live in an older home in San Diego, plumber experts like us suggest replacing your existing shower heads with quality low-flow shower heads. The newer models of water-efficient shower heads can save you around 750 gallons of water each month if you take a daily 10-minute shower, doing the environment and your pocket book a world of good.

2. Check for toilet bowl leaks

To check for a leak in your toilet, you can put food coloring in the back tank of your toilet and don’t flush the toilet. If the color seeps into your toilet bowl, you might have a leak. Detecting a leak early and getting it stopped could save you up to 1,000 gallons of water each month.

3. Take care of leaks immediately

If you have a dripping showerhead or faucet, or if you detect a toilet bowl leak with the food coloring test, be sure to have the leak taken care of right away. Even a mild constant drip can waste gallons of water every week.

Because Bill Howe is a local plumber, San Diego customers can be sure we will do everything we can to help them keep their homes in peak condition. With more than 30 years of experience, no problem is too large or too small for us to handle.

To schedule an appointment or receive a free estimate from an exceptional plumber, San Diego residents please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website at www.billhowe.com.

Fact or Fiction? It’s Okay To Buy a Cheap Product As Long As It Has a Lifetime Warranty

Fiction. It’s important to use a quality San Diego plumber to install or repair your plumbing fixtures. Some people will look to purchase the most inexpensive product as long as it carries a lifetime warranty. While you’ll have the security of not having to purchase that product again if it breaks since it would be covered under warranty, you’ll still end up paying more with the cost of hiring a plumber to come back and install the new product. You’ll be better off purchasing a higher quality product at a higher price and knowing that you won’t have to replace that product for a long time.

An experienced San Diego plumber like Bill Howe Plumbing can offer advice on what parts and brands are the best to install in your home. When it comes to keeping fixtures and other plumbing parts working properly and efficiently, it’s important to consider using both a quality plumber and quality part. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for!

Here at Bill Howe, we have expert San Diego plumbers and all of the knowledge it takes to help our customers make the best decisions on plumbing products. We know that people like the security of warranties from the companies that they purchase their parts from, but we also know which parts are worth it. If you choose to buy the most inexpensive product on the market and it breaks, it definitely helps that the manufacturer is willing to send you a new product (although most likely of the same quality) to replace the broken one. However, every time you need to have that product installed, it’s going to cost you money to have it installed by a plumber – or if you can do the installation yourself, it’ll cost you time and a headache of having to take care of the repair. Save yourself future costs and headaches and speak with an experienced plumber before purchasing your own plumbing products.

If you hire a San Diego plumber with Bill Howe, it means getting our experience and our warranty. We have been in the business since 1980 and we are dedicated to quality service. To schedule an appointment or receive a free estimate from one of our San Diego plumbers, please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website at www.billhowe.com.

Updated Story: High-efficiency Toilet Rebate – Bill Howe Plumbing will honor $50 rebate until June 30th!

Have you been thinking about replacing your toilet with an energy efficient toilet? Did you know that 30 percent of your water usage goes toward flushing the toilet? Did you know you don’t actually even need that much water to flush? Don’t be fooled by they myths out there: one flush doesn’t do the job with a low-flow toilet, toilets clog more frequently, or even cause problems with home plumbing. Those may have been the woes of folks in the 90′s who jumped on the low-flow bandwagon early. But these high-efficiency toilets are not your father’s low-flow toilets. High-efficiency toilets use 20 percent less water than the ultra low flush toilets and as much as 300 percent less water than the older standard flush toilets and work just as effectively.

Not only can you save water, but you can save money with high-efficiency toilets. Potentially you could save over $800 on your water bill over the lifetime of the product.

If that’s not enough motivation to switch to a high-efficiency toilet, wait ‘til you hear this…SoCal WaterSmart rebate program is offering a rebate starting at $25 for qualifying toilets (high-efficiency toilet rebate applies to the Otay Water District). Learn more about SoCal WaterSmart’s rebate program here: http://socalwatersmart.com/rebateinfo

While the SoCal WaterSmart is limited to several water agencies in Southern California, at Bill Howe Plumbing we strongly believe in water conservation and we would like to honor that $50 rebate for ALL customers who are interested in a high-efficiency toilet (residents in Otay Water District will receive a $25 Bill Howe rebate). **Must have toilet installed by Bill Howe Plumbing between April 1 and June 30, 2012. $50 rebate may be applied to multiple high-efficiency toilets, toilet must be purchased through Bill Howe Plumbing.

Click here for a list of qualifying toilets: http://socalwatersmart.com/images/PDFs/qualifying_list_het.pdf.

For a FREE estimate to install your new high-efficiency toilet, call us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE or visit our website at www.billhowe.com. Email stefanie@billhowe.com for the Bill Howe rebate form.

Getting Your AC Unit Ready for the Warm Season

While San Diego air conditioner use peaks during summer months, the best time to consider performing regular maintenance on a system is during the spring before the warm weather hits, when the unit is not in operation. For most San Diego air conditioner service providers, this is the preferred time to conduct annual preventive maintenance services and the best time for customers to ensure their systems are ready when warm weather comes.

Studies have indicated that nearly 90 percent of all HVAC equipment failures result from Heat wave neglect. During times of heavy use, San Diego air conditioner equipment will be using up coolant and lubricant, belts will be wearing, moving parts may begin to loosen, filters will begin to clog, and air ducts to accumulate dust, dirt and debris. Left unchecked, these minor problems can eventually result in the need for costly repairs or even necessitate replacement of broken equipment.

Like an automobile where oil changes, tire rotations and replacement as well as tune-ups ensure safe and efficient operation, air conditioning systems require the same kind of regular maintenance routines. The easiest way to ensure that this regular maintenance occurs is to become enrolled in an annual maintenance program with Bill Howe Heating & Air, a qualified air conditioner San Diego service provider.

To lessen the likelihood of mechanical breakdown or inefficient operation during times when you need your air conditioner to be running optimally, the off-season is the best time to schedule a technician to:

• Check electrical systems and test run the unit
• Check refrigerant
• Clean or replace filters and clean condenser and evaporator
• Check thermostat operation
• Check ductwork for leaks
• Check belts and tighten any loose parts

All in all, good maintenance saves money by improving efficiency and averting costly breakdowns. To schedule an appointment for service on your air conditioner, San Diego residents please contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469) or visit our website. Our tune-ups are only $85!

"Howe” to Adjust the Temperature in Your Home When You’re Miles Away

Whether you’re on holiday and realized that you didn’t set your home’s thermostat to vacation mode, or you’re at the office and you’re having unexpected guests over and need the house cooled down or warmed up earlier than usual – you can do it all with a touch of your smart phone, tablet or PC.

Controlling you the temperature of your home is easier than ever before with new technology innovations. For example, Honeywell’s RedLINK™ Wireless Comfort Systems offer a full-suite of wireless-enabled comfort services. Features include remote access from a PC, smart phone or tablet, free app download, access to multiple systems and zones within your home, email alerts when the temperature or humidity limits are surpassed, and automatic upgrades. Honeywell also offers the Portable Comfort Control system, a portable thermostat so that you can adjust the temperature in your home where it’s most convenient for you, while also giving you all the information you need, like outdoor temperature and humidity, to help you make smart energy-related decisions.

Even if you have a very basic HVAC system, there are thermostats and other features that can be installed to give you what you want. You can then control the temperature, adjust settings and view what the temperature is in your house with just the click of a button and without even being there. You can even program your phone or tablet to give you alerts and warnings when something’s wrong with your system or when your system is due for a routine check-up.

Bill Howe can introduce you to all of the new systems that are available so that you can be as tech savvy as you’d like! We can show you the latest trends in technology, including mobile apps and wireless products so that you can be on the cutting edge of technology and make smart energy decisions for your home.

To schedule an appointment with one of our expert technicians, please visit our website at www.billhowe.com or contact us at 1-800-BILL-HOWE (1-800-245-5469).

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Over the last two weeks, we’ve received calls from all over San Diego with customers having issues with their heaters. Their thermostats aren’t working, the heater is dirty and releasing unwanted smells, or their heaters simply aren’t heating up their homes. Whatever the issue we can help.

Some tips from our team:

Change The Filter Twice A Year
Our team recommends changing out your heating/air conditioning filter twice a year. When your filter fills up with lint, dust, or pet dander, your unit has to work much harder to push out the hot or cold air. Additionally, when your filter gets dirty, that same dirt is getting released into the air that you’re breathing in your home. A clean filter = clean air.

Get On A Maintenance Program
Don’t let this happen to you in the future - signing up for a maintenance program ensures that our unit will be working as soon as you need it. We offer maintenance programs that include tune-ups on your air conditioning and your heating unit and air duct cleaning for as many years as you’d like to schedule for – the more you plan ahead, the more you save on our program! Call now to design and schedule a maintenance program that is custom to fit you and your home’s needs.

Test Your Unit BEFORE It Gets Cold!
Sure, this may be too little too late – but just remember it for next year or even remember it for the hot season – test your A/C unit before you’re stuck in the heat. Our tune-up special is only $85 – it includes a 15 point inspection of your unit.

If you’re interested in upgrading your wall heater to a central heating unit, or upgrading your current unit to a high efficiency unit, give us a call. We offer FREE estimates for new installations and we’re happy to help you upgrade to the best unit for your home. The Federal Tax Credit that offers a 30 percent credit (up to for installing energy efficient appliances) ends December 31st! This credit applies to 95% efficient furnaces, heat pumps rated at a 15 SEER, air conditioner units rated at a 16 SEER, and tankless water heaters.

You know who to call, San Diego!

Bill Howe

1-800-BILL-HOWE or 1-800-245-5469