Our fully-qualified and comfort certified experienced plumbers can handle any plumbing challenge no matter how small or how large. We can repair or replace what won’t work, and improve your comfort and add beauty and elegance to your home or office. The Empire Family of Services only uses and installs the finest time tested brands, and our quality workmanship is second to none, guaranteed.
Bathtubs, Jetted Tub, Jacuzzi Tub, Whirlpools Broken Pipes. Broken Water Pipe, Broken Gas Pipe, Broken Sewer Pipe
Cesspits, Seepage Pits City Sewer Tie In, New Sewer, Replacement Sewer Clogs, Clogged Sewer, Clogged Toilet, Clogged Sink Drains, Slow Drain, Clogged Drain, Area Drain, Main Drain Faucets, All Brands Garbage Disposals Gas Piping, Black Iron Pipe, Galvanized Steel Pipe, Poly Pipe Leaks, Gas Leak, Water Leak, Pipe Leak Plumbing Emergencies. Fast on the job to help you out Pumping Stations Rooter Service, Drain Cleaning Septic Tanks, New Installation, Replacement Sewage Pumps, Simplex, Duplex Sewer Injectors, From Small to Large Sewer Line Jetting and Sewer Videotaping Sinks, Kitchen Sink, Bathroom Sink Sump Pumps, Dock Pumps, Dry Wells Tankless Waterheaters Toilets, Low Boy, High Boy, ULF, Ultra Low Flush Vanity Installation Water Filtration, Softner, Whole House Filter Water Heaters, Gas Water Heater, Electric Water Heater Water Pipes, Under the Slab, Slab Leak Water Pressure Adjustment Water Pressure Booster Pumps Water Treatment Systems Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Drain Service – The Empire Family of Services can clear any main line stoppages and repair broken sewer lines. We offer free video inspection of sewer lines after providing you with rooter service to so that you can know, proof positive, that the cause of the backup has been eliminated. You can trust the Empire Family of Services and we will prove to you that we are better, cleaner and faster. When you need drain cleaning done right, call The Empire Family of Services Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top Garbage Disposals – My Plumber can repair or replace any make or model of garbage disposal. We proudly install InSinkErator products, the best-selling food waste disposer brand in the world. Other products available on request Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Gas Piping – We repair and replace all kinds of gas piping, including copper, flexible gas connectors, galvanized steel, polyethylene and black Iron pipe, for natural gas and propane. If you suspect you have a gas leak in your home or business turn off the gas and then give us a call immediately. Gas leaks can be dangerous Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Leak Locator- Electronic Leak Detection – Water or sewage leaks under closets, water leaking out from under cabinets, water leaks in the walls, water leaks in the ceiling or under the kitchen sink can be annoying, very costly or even hazardous to your health. Failure to fix water leaks can lead to mold, mildew and serious home damage. We locate leaks in walls. We locate leaks under concrete and we locate leaks under floors. We repair leaking toilets. We repair leaking water heaters. We repair leaky pipes and we fix dripping drain lines Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top Qest Pipe Repair – Also known as poly pipe, quest pipe or qest pipe, polybutylene pipe was widely used in the 1980s and early to mid-1990s and is prone to micro-fractures caused by interaction of the pipe material with chlorinated water and splitting at the joints. These tiny cracks can suddenly turn into large cracks and can lead to sudden system failure, with terrible water damage resulting. The Empire Family of Services can fix, repair or replace those pipes. We perform copper repipes daily Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Repairs and Replacements – Since 1992, the second generation Empire Family of Services has specialized in the repair, replacement and upgrade of existing plumbing systems in both commercial and residential applications. Our world class plumbers can handle any challenge your system can come up with Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Residential and Commercial – No job is too big and no job is too small. We bring comfort, safety and security to your home and your place of work. The Empire Family of Services can work on or replace your tankless water heater, your tank type waterheater, your garbage disposer and your kitchen sink. Our plumbers can fix your leaky toilet and repair a backed up shower drain and keep your home spotless the entire time. Sewer Injectors and Sump Pumps – We repair and replace sump pumps, battery operated sump pump systems, and sewage injectors. Simplex and duplex systems are designed, repaired and installed. Call The Empire Family of Services and we can diagnose and fix sump pump backups, sump pump odor problems. All it takes is one phone call to solve your sewage pump problems for good. We can help Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Slab Leaks – Does water sound like its running in the walls? Slab leaks can occur in either high pressure water system of your home or in the drain system. Some things to alter to the problem from a slab leak, high water bills, hot spots in the home, flooding, mold and mildew buildup in closets, doors settling and sticking closed. Your home may smell like the Pirate of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. If you are having any of these symptoms you need to give The Empire Family of Services a call right now. Locating the source of a slab leak, sewer or high pressure water requires specialized equipment and an experienced plumber. In most cases we can fix the leak or repair the slableak without damage to your home. Here at The Empire Family of Services we will send you an experienced plumber who can find and fix slab leaks to prevent foundation damage, structural damage and mildew growth Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top Sewer Injectors and Sump Pumps – We repair and replace sump pumps, battery operated sump pump systems, and sewage injectors. Simplex and duplex systems are designed, repaired and installed. Call The Empire Family of Services and we can diagnose and fix sump pump backups, sump pump odor problems. All it takes is one phone call to solve your sewage pump problems for good. We can help Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Toilets – From simple toilet repairs, float valve repair or balcock repair, flush valve repair and flapper replacement, to water closet replacements using any brand you wish, such as Toto, American Standard, Kohler and other brand names, My Plumber Heating and Air’s qualified technicians do it all Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Vanities and Faucetsand Undersink Drains– The Empire Family of Services can fix leaking faucets, wide spread faucets, 4” centerset faucets regardless of brand. Be it Moen, Delta, Gerber, Kohler, Sterling, KWC or Price Pfister. We can fix drain stoppers, pop up assemblies. We repair or replace chrome, polished brass, antique brass, brushed nickel and gold fixtures and install, or move any shape vanity for you. Giving us a call now means that you are that much closer to having those plumbing problems resolved for good Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Water Heaters – The Empire Family of Services repairs and installs all types of water heaters: gas, electric, power vented and tankless water heaters. Commercial or residential from 20,000 btu’s to 5,000,000 btus. We work on single phase and three phase electric water heaters. The Empire Family of Services plumbers can let you know your options for a perfect water heating system. We can let you know your options for getting the hot water you need Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Water Service – Your mainline water service is something we can repair or replace. Does your water appear rusty? Do you have low water pressure? Do you have yard leaks and flooding? Give us a call. We are here to give you the helping hand you deserve Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
If they don’t have workers compensation listed under their business…run, don’t walk to the next plumber. Chances are they will be out of business next year and you run the very real chance of receiving high priced shoddy craftsmanship. 20% of all contractors go out of business each year during normal times. Right now businesses are dropping like flies. With the end of the business comes the end of your guarantee.
You should also find out if they are iin a professional trade organization such as the Association of Plumbers and Heating Contractors. Plumbers in the trade organizations are the plumbers that help write the codes that protect you and they are the plumbers that have been around awhile. They know how to deal with problems as they have already encountered them countless times in the past. They will treat you more like a friend rather than like a paycheck. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Deal with Price Issues Upfront Before the Work Starts
The last thing you need to do before selecting your professional plumbing contractor is to question the price and scope of the work. Can you read the writing on the agreement? Does the agreement have a set price on it or a not to exceed price? Is the scope of the job easily determined by what is written? Many contractors send their plumbers to school to teach them how to write contracts that are open ended. Insist upon a contract with a fixed price.
Nobody knows how much the price is going to be over the phone. We need to take a look at the job to determine the scope. That is why we give free estimates. You are no obligated to us in anyway and you should feel free to say no if you think something is amiss.A common question we asked everyday is “I have a kitchen sink stoppage. How much is going to cost to clear?” Just some of the questions that are going to determine that are: Where is the access point? Do I need to take apart the kitchen waste to access the drain? Do I have to spend 30 minutes clearing out 10 years worth of kitchen gadgets and chemicals from under the kitchen sink? Is there a clean out on the outside of the home with easy entry? Did you pour a chemical drain cleaner in the line? Lye, sulfuric acid or fill it with bleach. Yes, people do this and it turns a mundane job into a hazardous waste site. Is the line going to clear or is it broken, fill with roots? Is the piping glued together or welded together and if I take it apart will it go back together? Is the entire sink up to the counter filled with water? Is it filled with engine oil? Do you have a large mean barking dog that you insist on being 24 inches from my face the entire time I am going to be working? Everyone of these has happened to me over the years many times over. I won’t gross you out with some of the other stuff, but it isn’t always pretty. These are just way too many variables in estimating to do so blindly over the phone. That is why we give free estimates for most things that we do. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Plumbers will have higher prices than you think. Please don’t compare an hourly wage with what the plumber must collect to stay in business. The amount you pay the plumber isn’t going into his personal bank account. It goes to pay for an obscene number of taxes our overly liberal government has thrust upon us. It goes for taxes from the South Coast Air Management District, CALOSHA, The State of California, every City we work, the County we work in, workers compensation insurance, disability insurance, property taxes, use taxes, weight fees on the trucks, a little sticker on the side (CA #) that goes to nothing but the general fund, it pays for training taxes so those overpriced undereducated technical schools that promise students a great education in 6 months and deliver a $10 an hour job at the end can get paid by the state. Unemployment insurance is a constant battle with the workers that won’t come to work still getting paid out of the company coffers. Overall when all is said and done and the greedy bloated tentacles of our state and local officials have picked our pockets the average plumbing company clears about 2.5 cents on every dollar collected.
The price issue is the most common problem your plumber has to deal with each and every day. He should answer all your questions and should be perfectly comfortable discussing pricing with you. You need to be comfortable with the pricing, so ask why, why is the price so high? The biggest complaint in the industry, aside from the plumber leaving a mess (if you ever have this problem with any of our employees here at The Empire Family of Services give us a call and we will get a professional cleaning crew to come to your home and clean up. This should never happen.), is the price complaint. It really doesn't seem to matter how much the job actually is either. So many people just spurt out that the price is to high without ever really thinking about what they are saying. To maximize your return on your investment and to obtain the most of amount of work for the least amount of money you need to know where your going and what your prepared to have done and this includes the price that you wish expend.
So if you say: "Your Price is too high." Be prepared when you are asked "How much do you want to spend today?" The better prepared you are, the less likely that you will overspend and this advice doesn't only hold true for plumbing, it holds true for any investment you will ever have. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Flat Rate vs Time and Materials
You can get ripped off both ways, but time and materials is built by deception at its core. It’s very nature is one of deceit. Let’s say you hire a plumber that says he’ll work for you by the hour and he picks a dollar amount that sounds very good to you, say $60 an hour. Yes, there are many plumbers still billing out $60 a hour. That was a good enough rate for the mid 1980’s and they decided to stick to it. Never mind that Xerox won’t even look at your photocopier for less than $275 a hour. The example job is a water heater install in a garage. This is listed at 3 hours labor nationally and you need to add 30 minutes in Southern California for earthquake strapping (Properly performed it really does take this long).
Your hourly plumber diagnosis your water heater as needing to be replaced and leaves to go get a replacement one.
1 hour service charge for the diagnosis. $60
Truck operational surcharge (TOS). $15
Supply house time and drive time 1.5 hours. $90
Mileage getting materials 5 miles at $1.50/mile. $7.50
Installation of the heater 4 hours (Why hustle when finishing early will cost you money?). $240
Clear aerators at each faucet in the home (a common callback). 30 minutes. $30
Material costs (All materials are marked up)
Water heater. $1,050
2 24” supply lines @ 47.50 each. $95
2 brass nipples @ 32 each. $64
Gas shut off valve. $48
Gas flex (gas flex’s must be changed per manufacturer). $52
Earthquake restraint kit. $68
Temperature pressure relief valve. $37
Pipe-couple for T&P valve (3/4" water flex lines are not allowed. T & P lines must be hardpiped.) $28
2 3” gas vent adjustable 90 at $15 each. $30
30” section of 3” single wall venting. $25
¾” ball valve shut off. $62
Water heater drain pan. $145
Piping, fittings for drain pipe installation. $44
Rags, solder, shop charge. $50
Water heater disposal fee. $150
Plumbing permit (required). $275
2 hour return time to meet city inspector. $120
Total cost for installation. $2,785.50
Yes I know some of these items will not be needed, but also some other items may be needed. The price is high and I would be concerned if I was the one paying for it. If we take this price at only $60 an hour and lift it to $125 an hour(closer to the cost of doing buisness), the price skyrockets to $3,240.50. This is a simple time and material contract. Another part of T&M that leads to deceit is tool rental. Anytime a power tool is used a charge is incurred. Your water heater leaked and got the area wet, so you need a carpet blower right? $90 a day, 2 day minimum. Was a vacuum used? $25 use charge. A sawzall? $25 use charge. And there are many, many more.
The State Legislature has set mandates for Time and Material contracts. A T&M contract is required to have a “not to exceed price” on it in writing. Open contracts are against the law. Since all home improvement contracts are required by law to have a flat, up front, or not to exceed rate on them, upfront pricing, call it what you will, is truly the only type of contract that is legal and fair to all parties involved. You know exactly what the price is going to be before the work is started. You can make an intelligent decision. Isn’t that they way everything should be? Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
So, how much do we charge by the hour? The answer is we don’t charge by the hour. I would rather lose your work than lie to you. I won’t tell you that we’ll install that water heater for $60 giving you the impression that all you have to do is pay for the water heater and a hour’s wage. You will get upfront pricing and it will be honest. This way you can make a proper informed decision with your home repair. Isn’t that the way it ought to be?
Just make sure you get an excellent plumber, because the low ball price leader won’t be here tomorrow to pick up their mess. Pricing jobs is wild and there is no rhyme or reason to the different proposal amounts other than ignorance. It doesn’t seem to matter what price is given. There is always someone willing to offer a lower price. Just this last week we bid a whole house repipe in the City of Lakewood for $10,500. Sounds like a lot doesn’t it? It included the permits, a tankless water heater, relocating the water heater to the attic, a new gas line to the tank less water heater, a dedicated electric line to the attic, a light in the attic new tub/shower valves, water service, new angle stops and supply lines and we were going to fix all the drain leaks under the sinks in the home. We get blamed to any leak, potable water or not, after a repipe even if we have nothing to do with, so we include in the job.
They went with another contractor, no permits and a hastily hand written contract that had less than 20 words on it. It was $8,500. It turns out that it didn’t cover tub/shower valves ( since 1994 code requires balanced valves to stop hot and cold flashes), water service, electrical to the attic or the gas line to the new heater. After the company was done the amount jumped up to $11,250. I was called out to the home because they were not happy with the work. After a brief inspection I came to the conclusion that the LA ZOO must have had some monkeys escape, just the work looked as if it was performed by them. Her avenue to get the mistakes, undersized piping and inadequately supported and installed piping, is to purchase a city permit, get the Contractors State License Board involved and pay someone else to redo the job. By bid to redo the work was just over $5,000. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
A excellent plumber:
Holds a current and active C36 (and C42 for sewers) contractor’s license with the State of California.
Maintains active liability and workers’ compensation insurance.
Answers your call with a live person during all working hours, not answering machine or service.
Has the experience and expertise to handle your particular plumbing issue.
Arrives in a timely manner and calls you with updates if he is running late.
Arrives in a labeled vehicle.
Wears a uniform identifying him. No shorts, jeans or beer chugging T-shirts.
Explains the problem and solution in simple terms, and offers several options for you to choose.
Provides a clear up front price for the work that you want performed.
Comes prepared with the tools and parts needed to complete most repairs.
Communicates with you during the job if your decision is needed on any aspect of the work. Remember, it’s your home, you are in charge, you are the boss.
Cleans up after himself, leaving the area as clean or cleaner than when he arrived.
Demonstrates to you that the work has been performed and explains it in detail.
Offers a performance guarantee that is rock solid. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
We Are Your Professional HVAC Company.
Are you too hot? Are you too cold? Does your home have hot spots and cool spots. Are paying more for utilizes to have uneven and uncomfortable hot spots in your home? Are you tired of listening to a noisy furnace? Does your air conditioner smell like a swamp? Do you have mold problems? Do you have mildew problems?
Are comfortable in your home and business through all four seasons? The allergy plagued sniffling and sneezing season, Spring, the hot and muggy you can’t sleep at night season, Summer, the back to school cold and flu season, Fall and the ice cold dry chapped lips and hoarse voice season, Winter. Are you paying a mortgage and not enjoying your investment? We can help. Even the most expensive home can be very uncomfortable and can make you miserable if your indoor air environment is too hot, too cold or just plain dirty
Let The Empire Family of Services create a comfortable clean indoor air environment for you and your family. We can repair your forced air furnace when it breaks. We can upgrade your heater when its time has come. We can deliver quiet cool comfort every month out of the year and do so while lowering your utility bills. We can clean the air to hospital grade in your home and office. We can kill bacteria, air borne virus’ and help to prevent asthma attacks. We can stop dry chapped lips and help prevent you from catching the flu. A home comfort system is a system that promotes a clean healthy environment in your home. We have the latest technology, much of which did not even exist 10 years ago, that can make your home environment amount the safest you can live in Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Air Purifiers – Purification Systems – Whole House Cleaners - Ultra Violet Air Cleaner - Hepa Air Cleaner - Electrostatic Air Filter - 3M Filtrete Filter
All Makes and Models of Heaters and Air Conditioners Carbon Monoxide Detectors Cracked Firebox – Diagnostic & Repair Ductwork – Ducting – Quiet Flex – Decorative Duct Electric Furnaces – Air Handler Filters, Filtration Systems, Electronic Air Filter, Electrostatic Floor Heaters – Gravity Heaters Gas Company Notice – Cracks Around Base Gas Furnaces – Propane Furnace – Natural Gas Furnace Heat Pumps – High HSPF – High SEER Humidifiers/Dehumidifiers Hydronic Heating & Boilers, Radiant Heater, Water Furnace Indoor Air Quality – HEPA Filter - Decontamination Package Units – Heat & Cool Radiant Heating – Electric and Water Refrigerant – Puron – Freon – R22 – R410a Repairs and Replacements – Fuses to Heat Exchangers Roof-Top Air Conditioners – Residential and Commercial Roof-Top Heaters – Commercial – Industrial – Equipment Thermocouple Systems – Millivolt Systems Thermostats – Standard – Electronic - Setback Wall Furnaces – 25,000 – 80,000 btu Zone Controls – Air Control = Comfort Control Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Here at The Empire family of Services we take pride in knowing that we can fix air conditioners regardless of brand. We can repair any brand of air conditioner. We can repair your air conditioning system, or we can install an upgrade for you and lower your cooling bills by at least 30% guaranteed. Our seasoned professionals will listen to you and cater a system that suits you and your family perfectly. They will help you choose a new heating and cooling system that will be the best for you, the best for your family and will be the best for your finances. We are here to help. You can count on us to give you the helping hand that you need.
You can increase your and your families comfort and health while lowering those budget busting energy costs with a new air conditioning system or heat pump that will harness the humidity, keeping it under control, as well as giving you complete control over your home temperature. Whatever your family’s needs, you can be sure that The Empire Family of Services will deliver results far better than you imagined and far better than you thought possible. We are the pro’s and we will deliver safety, security, energy efficiency when you want it, where you want it and we will do it at a price that will surprise you. We are affordable. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
We Are Better, Cleaner and Faster and Comfort Certified
The HVAC technicians here at The Empire Family of Services participate in many hours of training, in our one of kind facility as well as manufacturers’ classes to make sure that everyone we send out to your home or business is up to date with the latest technologies. Our employees are Comfort Certified and that means they are constantly updated with classes and seminars to maintain their exceptional skill level. Our employees are required to leave your home as clean or cleaner when they leave as when they arrived. Our trucks, really warehouses on wheels, are stocked with thousands of parts needed to repair air conditioners and to ensure that you don’t have to pay for a trip to the supply house. This saves you money and means that your Empire Family of Services professional service person can complete jobs quickly, efficiently and affordably without the common delays caused by lack of onsite materials.
Repair or Replacement – The Choice is Yours
We here at The Empire Family of Services know that budgets can be tight. We know that you may only be looking at keeping that air conditioner running for one more season. Because of this knowledge our employees are required to present you every scenario. We will let you know what it is going to take to keep that air conditioning system running a little while longer and we will also let you know how much you will need to invest for a new system and we will let you know the savings from lowering your utility bills, reaching high SEER and high EER, so that you will know how much of your new system will actually be paid for by the utility company. Many system are actually free when factoring in the lowering of the utility expenses each month. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Your Home and Your Business
Whatever brand you have, Trane, Carrier, York, American Standard, Payne, Heil, Tempstar or other, we can service it with expertise and we can replace it when the time comes. Over the years we have found that many people end up replacing their air conditioning system far sooner than they should because they simply don’t work. The majority of the problems related to air conditioning system are directly tied into lack of proper maintenance and improper installation. We have be around for a long time. We are trained experts. You won’t be a guinea pig when you have us help you out. We will correct those problems caused by “the other guys” and don’t worry, if we can’t. The work is free. Really, it’s guaranteed and it’s in writing on each and every agreement we enter. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
All Makes and Models
Adams Amana American Standard Ameristar Armstrong Bard Bryant Carrier Coleman Comfortmaker Consolidated Industries Cozy Day and Night Ducane Empire Evcon Fedders Fujitsu GMC Goodman Heil Intertherm Janitrol Kenmore Lennox LG Magic Chef Mitsubishi Payne Premier Rheem Ruud Samsung Sears Tempstar Trane Weatherking Williams York Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Your Central A/C System
Is your old A/C system an ac laughing stock? Does your a-c system look as old as the dinosaurs and roar like them as well? Is your system able to wake up the neighbors when it turns on? Are your electrical bills so high that you feel like you are single handily paying for the college education of the children of some executives over at the electric company? We here at The Empire Family of Services have resolution to those problems and we practice those resolutions every single day. Isn’t it about time that your air conditioning system starting working for you rather than against you. Give us a call, we are here to help. We have a quiet, attractive neutral system with your name on it just waiting to spend the next 20 years making your life and your families lives comfortable and doing it at least 30% more efficiently. What are you waiting for, another high electric bill, another month of being uncomfortable? We are here to help. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Central A/C and Ductless Systems
We here at The Empire Family of Services fix central air conditioning systems and we repair ductless, split system ductless, systems from Samsung, Mitsubishi, Fujitsu and LG. We replace split system ductless and central air systems. Ductless or ductfree systems are typically installed in areas that preclude the use of ducting. They are very quiet and the indoor unit hangs on the wall like a picture. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Heat Pumps – Electric Heat – Electric Air Condition
Whether you need heat pump troubleshooting, heat pump repair or heat pump replacement, The Empire Family of Services can lend you a helping hand. We can provide you and your family with a high efficiency heat pump lowering your electric bill by as much as one half. It’s almost unfair how much of your new comfort system the utility company is going to pay for. Properly sized, heat pumps can control the humidity keeping you comfortable even on the hottest of summer days. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top Zone HVAC Ducting Airflow Controls
Is your upstairs hot while your downstairs to cold? Do you have some rooms that are much cooler than other rooms. Does your home heat and cool evenly? We have the answer for you. We can install zoning controls so that you can enjoy the ultimate in comfort. You could have a separate thermostatic control in every room of your home eliminating hot spots and cold spots. Contact Us or Give us a call at1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top
Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality can be many times dirtier than outdoor air. Are you or is a family member suffering from allergies, asthma? Is tobacco smoke, pet dander, pollen, smog and dust turning your home into a miserable place to live. We can help. Here at The Empire Family of Services we install and service the best air purification system ever devised for home heating and cooling systems. We install the AccuClean and we can get your home to hospital grade clean. Just give us call and say goodbye to poor air quality. Give us a call at 1.877.247.6426 we care. Go to top or Contact Us
Up to a 40% reduction in output is expected when you mismatch systems. This is part of the study from the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society and was published in 2007.
Mismatched 13 SEER Outdoor/ 10 SEER Indoor Using factory refrigerant charge of 8lb, 7oz Cooling Performance:
Capacity (Btuh) 22,208
SEER 8.46
Superheat (°F) 54.54
Subcooling (°F) 0.98
Liquid Pressure (psig) 209.94
Return Gas Pressure (psig) 58.42
Capacity Loss 40%
SEER Loss 38%
This is only a single example of what happens when you mismatch systems. A 38% loss in SEER. That means a very significant increase in your monthly utility overpayment. This study tells us that the indoor coil, the furnace or air handler and the outdoor unit need to matched just the way they were when the manufacturer submitted them for efficiency and btu testing. Any type of mismatch will cost you thousands of dollars in utility overpayments over the years.
Why would anybody mismatch a system? This is primarily done to save the homeowner money on the initial installation by reusing older components. Would you buy a new car and have the dealership install the transmission from your older car to save a little money? The True Cost of a Home Comfort System is determined by the initial installed investment, but by adding all the expenses, including; initial investment, monthly utility payment, maintenance and cost of breakdowns. Installing an engineered matched compete package will always save you money while giving you comfort and peace of mind.
Ducting is the other major loss in a new installation. It gets hot in the attic and many service technicians choose to ignore the ducting because of that. It turns out that the majority of ducting in homes here in Southern California is undersized. There is a very good reason for it. The Uniform Mechanical Code only sizes ducting for heating-not cooling.
The UMC states that the size of the ducting need to be 2 squares of free air movement for every 1000 btus of heating. That means that 75,000 btu heater needs a round duct that is equal to or greater than 150 squares of cross sectional surface area. Using pi we find that a 14 inch duct is 3.14 x 7 x 7 = 153 square inches. More than big enough. Well a 75kbtu furnace can have up to a 4 Ton drive blower (48,000btu of cooling) and cooling btus require 6 square inches of free air per every 1,000 btus of cooling. 48 x 6 = 288 square inches of cross sectional surface area. Using pi again we find that the minimum duct size to operate that 4 Ton unit is 18” ducting. Ducting only comes in even numbered sizes above 10 inch in diameter.
If your ducting is choking down your air system, you are paying for air conditioning that you are not receiving. A Ton of air is between 350 and 450 cubic feet of air per minute. The ideal in this area of the country is close to 400 cubic feet per Ton. Areas with higher humidity use a smaller amount of airflow and areas of desert use closer to the 450 cubic per air figure.
Virtually every study ever perform on heating and cooling btu loss in ducting has concluded that about 35% of all wasted btus in a heating and cooling system come from undersized, broken, restricted or improperly installed ducting. Have your ducting checked out every year and save a bundle on utility bills as well as increasing your comfort ratio. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
How much is it going to cost to fix my air conditioner?
No one can tell you this over the phone. No one can tell you this over the phone. Yes, I know if you call enough places that someone will answer your question and they will sound convincing. This is a bait and switch company. They will tell you some low rate and commit you to pay for that and then after “fixing” the item that they said they undoubtedly will find something else wrong and hike that service rate up to the moon. It is poor contracting and a fraudulent business practice to quote a repair over the phone when, as licensed professional, you know that the chances are good that the repair will be different than what you are quoting.
Don’t fall for it.
The majority of problems in a heating and air conditioning system are electrical in nature, not Freon. So when you get that quote over the phone for Freon, brace yourself, because that isn’t likely to be the problem. I can tell that that more than 60% of all the service calls that we go on are repaired for less than $100. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
How much is it going to cost to fix my FAU?
See above under air conditioning.
How do I protect myself from bait and switch contractors?
The number one thing you can do is insist upon a city or county permit. The only reason to skip the permit process, it's required by law, is to skimp on materials and skip on labor. Believe me when I tell you that their are many areas where labor and materials can be skimped on, all to your disadvantage.
Look at the Fine Writing.
Most contracts have so many exclusions that the warranties and guaranties are worthless. I recently saw this line in 10 point type on the back of a re-pipe contract: “Customer accepts that should any provisions of the estimate on the front side of this contract not be accepted in full and paid at the time of completion that any and all warranties and guarantees are void.” The front of contract was for a re-pipe of a home for $15,300 and included an additional estimate for a tank less water heater for $8250 and a water pressure regulator for $325. If the customer does not accept the tank less water heater and the water pressure regulator, they have no warranty on their re-pipe.
Never use a big box retailer.
You really can't anyhow. Guess what. None of the big box retailers actually perform the work for you. They merely charge a percentage of the contract price, usually 15%, from the contractor that sells and installs the equipment. Home Depot has never installed a Trane Heater here in Orange County. Lots of other companies have. Most companies that work for the big box retailers give up working for them after few months. They foster a ruthless corporate environment and they care nothing for anything but the bottom line. If you have a contract by one of the big box retailers you really should read the fine print. By accepting the contract you given up all rights to sue or collect a single penny from the big box retailer. They legally wash their hands of you and you are merely purchasing the advertising service from them to connect you to this other contractor. Is that what you really thought you were buying? Guess what kind contractor uses a big box retailer? They are typically new contractors or contractors that have been unsuccessful in garnering work for themselves. They have next to no repeat buisness. They are here today and gone tommorrow. Its a big box revolving door.
The State of California mandates that all new construction in homes come with a mandatory 4 year warranty against obvious defects (defects you can see, hear, feel, smell) and a 10 year warranty against latent or hidden defects (typically structural, water leakage, etc.). The problem with this is that new construction, obvious if it’s new home, has never been defined. Is installing a water heater new construction? The problem with the 4 year obvious defects warranty is that small claims court only goes back 2 years with a limit of $7,500. You could have the case heard by the contractors license board which has a $25,000 limit and they will address the 4 year and the 10 year warranty provisions, but most cases are complicated and the board really wants to see bad contractors, not a latent defect that may or may not have been the fault of the contractor. Chances are your case will not prove gross negligence and the contractor won’t have to pay. You could sue in civil court, but the only real winners in that type of action are the attorney’s that will bleed you dry and leave you with nothing or less than nothing.
So, what do you do?
Make sure the contract specifically states that you can change your mind for the first year. We call it our 365 day test drive or the ‘I want think it guarantee.’ This takes all the guesswork out of picking a quality plumber. It eliminates all the fine print, no matter what it says, you are in charge. At anytime during the first year after the installation, you can simply ask for your money back and we’ll give it back to you. Complete details of this fantastic warranty are on the agreement and in writing. Never a lawsuit is needed. Why? Because you can send the contract and the request to our bonding company and they will have to pay you if we don’t. We are required by law to live up the terms and conditions of our agreements and if we fail to do so, the bonding company steps in. You are in charge and isn’t that the way it ought to be? Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Don't let your A/C repairman rip you off.
There are a number of things that you can do a number of things that you should do in order to make sure that you are getting your money’s worth from you’re Heating and A/C technician as well getting the proper kind of work performed.
Have a little fun and print out this section the next you have a air conditioning service technician to your home.
1. Do ask questions, especially about the price. I don’t mean beat them up about it. I mean ask them how they came to that dollar amount. Believe or not most companies just make up the price as they are going along. It’s almost as if they set the price according to the price of the neighborhood or the car in the driveway. They should have a printed price book and each task that they are performing should be in that book. They should be able to show you that they did not just make up the price. If they can’t show you the pricing structure then show them the door.
2. If they are adding Freon to your system, ask them how they knew it was low. They will say that the pressures are low. Say, I understand, and could you tell me what method of charging Freon are you using? 80% are going to give you a bewildered look because they have never been taught how to charge Freon properly. They may even start babbling some nonsense, you’ll know it’s nonsense. Nearly the entire other 20% will tell you that they are using the superheat method of charging. It’s very popular because the manufacturers were pushing this method up until a few years ago. This is the method used for systems that used a fixed orifice metering device (older cheaper coil, less efficient). All newer systems since January 2006 use a thermostatic expansion valve and can only be charged using the subcool method.
It is incredibly easy, but I have only had 4 applicants pass a test for employment in the last 20 years that could actually explain it. The industry is generally not very good when it comes to education.
The subcooling method requires a temperature reading of the high side line leaving the outdoor unit. The temperature of the line should be about 10 degrees below the pressure-temperature reading on the Freon gauges. I say about because manufactures vary this somewhat. The temperature pressure reading is the listed temperature of the Freon at the pressure that it is operating-not the actual temperature.
The superheat method requires reading the temperature of the Freon leaving the evaporator coil (the larger of the two lines) and comparing it’s temperature gain against the temperature-pressure reading of the low side line at the condensing unit. It should be from 14 to 27 degrees depending upon the manufacturer and the humidity.
This article isn’t about to service your air conditioning system and I tried not to get too technical, but you need to know that if you’re A/C technician tells you your system is low on Freon and he adds Freon and says everything is good now….watch out. He should record the following on his invoice: Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Before adding Freon:
Low side pressure @ psi
High side pressure @ psi
Outdoor temperature (ambient)
Superheat degrees or subcooling degrees
After adding Freon:
Low side pressure @ psi
High side pressure @ psi
Superheat degrees or subcooling degrees
Supply temperature
Return temperature (these should be about 20 degrees different)
If your air conditioning technician didn’t perform this work, then he didn’t charge your unit correctly and maybe he didn’t charge it at all.
Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Can't a handyman fix my a/c?
The guy that caulks your windows and paints the trim on your garage is not qualified to work on your air conditioning system. If you hire him to work on your air conditioning and he screws it up, very likely, then it's your fault. You should know better than this.
I'm not knocking handymen here. They are very useful for those odd jobs arouns the home. In fact we actually have one who is properly licensed and insured and we use him to repair those problems that occurr from time to time on jobs that we perform. Occasionally one of the workers will put his foot through a ceiling or will scratch a wall. We are human and things do happen from time to time. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
The problem with ducting
Ducting is the other major loss in a new installation. It gets hot in the attic and many service technicians choose to ignore the ducting because of that. It turns out that the majority of ducting in homes here in Southern California is undersized. There is a very good reason for it. The Uniform Mechanical Code only sizes ducting for heating-not cooling.
The UMC states that the size of the ducting need to be 2 squares of free air movement for every 1000 btus of heating. That means that 75,000 btu heater needs a round duct that is equal to or greater than 150 squares of cross sectional surface area. Using pi () we find that a 14 inch duct is 3.14 x 7 x 7 = 153 square inches. More than big enough. Well a 75kbtu furnace can have up to a 4 Ton drive blower (48,000btu of cooling) and cooling btus require 6 square inches of free air per every 1,000 btus of cooling. 48 x 6 = 288 square inches of cross sectional surface area. Using pi again we find that the minimum duct size to operate that 4 Ton unit is 18” ducting. Ducting only comes in even numbered sizes above 10 inch in diameter.
If your ducting is choking down your air system, you are paying for air conditioning that you are not receiving. A Ton of air is between 350 and 450 cubic feet of air per minute. The ideal in this area of the country is close to 400 cubic feet per Ton. Areas with higher humidity use a smaller amount of airflow and areas of desert use closer to the 450 cubic per air figure.
Virtually every study ever perform on heating and cooling btu loss in ducting has concluded that about 35% of all wasted btus in a heating and cooling system come from undersized, broken, restricted or improperly installed ducting. Have your ducting checked out every year and save a bundle on utility bills as well as increasing your comfort ratio.
Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Is one brand of equipment better than another?
Yes and no or perhaps it depends. Is one car brand better than another? It depends on the purchaser. Do you want a BMW, Cadillac or do you preferr a Yugo or Isuzu. That probalby wasn't fair to Isuzu, sorry. The real problems typically come from an unprofessional and untrained installation. The issue with the cheap units isn't that their cheap, it's that the people putting them in are cheap and are skipping every step they can to save money on the installation. It really is true that only the most welathly homeowners can afford the cheapest installation. That's because they can pay for a replacement again and again. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
My new air conditioner seems to run all day long and it still will not cool my house comfortably. Why?
There are several possible reasons. Among them are a lack of airflow due to an undersized, broken, or restricted duct system. The system may have too much Freon in it, overcharged. Do your lights dim when the outdoor unit turns on? Did you get a permit? If you didn’t, get a city permit and an inspection now. You can purchase the permit yourself and when the inspector comes to your home, he or she will write a list of problems. You can then call the company that installed the system incorrectly to fix it, pay for the permit and then stay for a re-inspection. If they refuse, you can file with the Contractor’s State License Board and have the mater settled in arbitration. It is free to you, just little leg work. The majority of systems that are installed without inspections are installed wrong and these systems generally do not cool and heat as well as they should and they cost you much more to operate. If the air conditioner was recently installed and never has worked properly, the chances are that it's too small to handle the heat load of your house or a very poor installation. Unfortunately, many air conditioning companies today cut out the necessary first step of running proper heat load calculations on the home prior to sizing the equipment. If you have purchased a unit which is too small to handle the load the only thing to do is replace it with the proper size unit. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
I have a new air conditioning system, but it's still too hot upstairs. What can I can do about it?
This is a common problem with two story homes. Heat rises and cool air sinks. Zone control installation to redirect air to the correct areas can help to alleviate this problem. Installing a variable speed furnace to continually move the air in the home (only about ¼ of the maximum of your blower) can even out the temperatures. We recommend a variable speed motor because it only uses about as much electricity as a 40 watt light bulb when it is in recirculation mode. A standard blower assembly running full speed 24-7 can cost as much as $100 a month to operate.
You could also have a restriction in the ducting system. We can usually camera the system and find out what the problem is. Often times the problem is merely a disconnect duct or a damper that has fallen shut.
Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
What size of air conditioner do I need for my house?
Air conditioners are rated in btus, British Thermal Units, with 12,000 btus equaling 1 Ton. This phrase comes from the days when ice was used for cooling. One ton of air conditioning is equal to the amount of heating you would get from one ton of ice melting in a 1 hour period. There really is no such thing as “cooling btus” as it is a process of transferring heat. In cooling mode, your air conditioner transfers heat btus to the outside air leaving cooler air in your home. Contrary to what most service technicians perform, proper sizing is not done based on the square footage of the home, such as one ton of ac for every 500 square feet. Such rough rule of thumb guesses do not allow for important variables. My only question to those technicians that guess at the size of the system in the home is: “Are you going to guess on how to properly install the system as well?”. The proper size can only be determined from the results of a heat load calculation on your home. The calculation takes into account the area of exposed walls, the glass area and whether it's single or dual pane, the insulation levels in floors, walls, and ceilings, any exterior or interior shading and the volume of the home in cubic feet. We use a method of calculation called "manual J" which was developed by Air Conditioning Contractors of America, we are members, and this is the only approved method by all major building codes for sizing heating and cooling systems. We use an abbreviated form for this (we don’t have a lot of the structural and surfaces that the rest of the nation does) and this process takes about 45 minutes to accurately size a system, faster with your help measuring. Yes, sometimes the system does come out to be 500 square feet a Ton, but generally, that figure is a little oversized.
Proper size is critical to you and your families comfort and savings on your energy bill. Oversized units cost much more to operate and short cycle so much that your house may become humid and uncomfortable. Undersized units run all day long and still don't cool the house. Make sure you get the right size. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
How much will it cost to install a new air conditioner?
It is impossible to quote a price without first checking conditions at the job site. We simply cannot determine what the price will be without this first step. Price will be dependent by the size, SEER rating, and location of the new unit as well as whether or not the existing furnace, electrical panel, and ducts are suitable for air conditioning or if they must be replaced, repaired, cleaned or altered for the new installation. We will not charge you a single penny to come out to your home and give you a free written estimate and that proposal will be customized to your situation, your needs and wants, your family’s needs and wants and your home’s heating and cooling capacity. In almost all cases, the proposal is written up for you on the spot with no waiting to receive it in the mail.
Over the last 15 or so years their have been many innovations in the heating and cooling market. Many of the items that can make our lives more comfortable today did not even exist 10 or 15 years ago. When air conditioning first started entering the home in numbers in the early 1970’s it was merely a box added to a heater that had cold air spewing out of it. We know better now and the options are vast. Your furnace and air conditioner is now a home comfort system capability of regulating humidity, purifying the air and maintaining multiple temperatures and conditions across many zones in your home. There are a lot of questions to ask before we can come to a system that best suits you.
Beware of the company that gives you canned speech and a price over the phone to change out your air conditioner and be ready to be disappointed when they come knocking. These are bait and Switch contractors that seemingly “find things” in addition to the original contract when installing. These “things” send the price skyrocketing and if not approved for the installation, lead to a box that heats and cools rather than a home comfort system. Noise, comfort and utility bills all seem to be compromised by the bait and switch contractor. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Do I need a permit to install a new air conditioner?
Yes. Whether you live in the city or the county, a house, condo, townhome or mobile home a permit is a legal requirement. The issuance of a permit usually involves making a drawing of the property showing the location of the air conditioner, some cities require engineering sound calculations to keep your neighbors happy and then taking this to the building department along with an application. The fees for this vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Permits are usually issued the same day. After we complete your home improvement and you star enjoying your investment, we call for an inspection and set up an appointment with the city inspector. The inspector actually works for you, the homeowner. They make sure that the system safe, up to code and meets the installation requirements as set forth by the manufacturer of the equipment. When the job is completed and safe the inspector will sign off the permit. Some companies illegally do these jobs without a permit and when they are busted, the homeowner gets the fine, not the contractor. Here at the Empire Family of Services, we take care of obtaining the permit, take care to install your new home comfort system properly and take care to ensure that that your home improvement passes muster with the city. We do all of this so that your new home comfort system takes care of you and your family for many years to come in a trouble free efficient and cost effective manner. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Since my new air conditioner was installed, our electric bill has skyrocketed. We don't even use the air conditioning very much and are only running it for a few hours at night. Is something wrong?
Yes. New air conditioners should cost you about one half as much to run as an older unit. They come with Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratings (SEER) of 13 as a minimum and go as high as 20+. The older machines had ratings down around 6. This means that if the air conditioning portion of your electrical bill was $200 before the install, the new portion should be 6 divided by 13 times 200 or about $92 saving you over $100 a month.
If your energy bill has skyrocketed there probably is a problem somewhere in the system. Upon installation a new air conditioner must be tested and have the refrigerant charge accurately adjusted. These are not preset by the factory as every job site has different conditions. North Carolina Alternative Energy Corp. found that 90% of the units they tested exhibited some sort of energy wasting problem, 50% had an improper refrigerant charge and 40% had inadequate airflow. Proper installation of the air conditioner and testing of the system as a whole is crucial to performance and energy savings.
In the order of most problematic first with the installation of a new system:
1. Improper Freon Charge. 10% under or overcharge equates to a 20% reduction in efficiency.
2. Ducting undersized, broken or restricted. 35% of all wasted btus in heating and cooling systems are lost from the ducting.
3. Oversized air conditioners. This cause short cycling (on-off) rather than on the majority of the day. When an air runs for a longer period of time it removes moisture and adds to the comfort ability in the home.
4. Improper installation. Lack of clearances around the outdoor unit restricting airflow to the cooling coils. Undersized or over length copper lines to and from the outdoor unit to the indoor unit.
If you are going to have a new system installed, don’t you think you have it installed properly. Protect yourself and insist upon a permit. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
My air conditioner is not cooling. Why?
It could be any of a number of following problems:
1. Low Freon or Puron. An A/C system requires a certain amount of Freon or refrigerant to cool properly. If low, it works less efficiently and does not cool well.
2. Dirty condenser coils-- The condenser or outdoor unit is like the radiator in your car. If you blocked the radiator in your car the engine would overheat. The condensing coils cool the high pressure Freon vapor (hot gas) after it leaves the compressor so it can condense into a liquid (that’s why it’s called a condenser). If the condenser is full of grass, ivy, leaves or debris, air flow through the unit can become and overheating occurs. The coils must be kept clean and this is one of the purposes of an annual tune up.
3. Broken condenser fan motor. This fan should come on and remain on when the A/C system is operating. If the outdoor unit sounds like it’s operating, but no air is coming off it, turn it off as you have a serious problem. If the fan motor, motor relay, capacitor or wiring is defective, the motor will stop working. This causes a dramatic pressure increase which can damage the compressor and send your electric bills through the roof.
4. Air and moisture contamination -- For the refrigerant inside the system to do its job properly, it must not be contaminated with air or moisture or the wrong type of Freon. These items are not compatible with the compressing system and they reduce the amount of cooling output. You cannot tell if the Freon system is contaminated without attaching a set of Freon gauges. The Freon is typically contaminated when the high side needle on the gauges fluctuates back and forth more than a couple of pounds. Moisture in the system can cause ice stoppages in the Freon at the indoor coil which can cause high Freon pressure and damage the compressor. The wrong type of Freon can cause oil separation and premature destruction of the compressor. Contamination is either through a leak on the suction side on the Freon lines (the large copper line) or through poor service practices.
5. Electrical problem. Fuses, wiring, circuit breaker or 24 volt control problem.
6.
Is your thermostat set correctly? We get many calls each year from homeowners that set their thermostat to on under the fan control. That switch is not for air conditioning. It is for fan blower control in the home. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
What is SEER and why do I need to know about it?
SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio.
SEER stands for seasonal energy efficiency ratio. The higher the number, the more efficient the machine is. The SEER rating is often found on the yellow sticker attached to newly installed condensers.
The federal standards changes in January 2006 and the minimum SEER that can be manufactured is a 13 SEER. There are now machines whose efficiencies can reach up to 20+ SEER making the use of air conditioning much more affordable. There is a considerable amount of mislabeling going on by the manufacturers so be careful. If a unit is labeled “High Efficiency” don’t take it for granted. That is not an industry term that is defined. High efficiency labeling really means absolutely nothing. 13 and 14 SEER machines are average, minimum SEER and only a single step above minimum SEER yet many manufactures label them with the High Efficiency tag. Make sure that you find out the SEER of the HVAC machine that your contractor will be installing for your home. Using a lower SEER can cost you a lot of money during those hot summer months.
The SEER rating is the Btu of cooling output during a typical cooling season day divided by the total amount of energy consumed in watts. SEER = BTU ÷ Watts
For example, a 60000 Btu air conditioning unit (5 Ton), with a SEER of 6, operating for a total of 1200 hours during an annual cooling season (Southern California average) would provide an annual total cooling output of: 60000 Btu × 1200 = 72,000,000 Btu of cooling on average during the year
With a SEER of 6, the annual electrical energy usage in watts would be about:
72,000,000 Btu ÷ 6 = 12,000,000 Watts (this is watts used for the entire year)
If the electrical charge per watt is 14 cents (it can go as high as 27 cents currently) the bill for the air conditioning is $1680 for the year. This does not include the indoor fan motor as that must be added into the equation to figure the true total amount.
Since most system that we replace are a little more than 10 years old and, after dirt, grime, wear and tear set in the are about 6 SEER that is what people are paying.
Just what can you save by replacing your system? Using the same figures above we can calculate out a predicted savings in electrical use using this formula:
6 ÷ New Seer × 1680 = predicted new bill 13 SEER = $775 for a yearly savings of $905 14 SEER = $720 for a yearly savings of $960 15 SEER = $672 for a yearly savings of $1008 18 SEER = $560 for a yearly savings of $1120 20 SEER = $504 for a yearly savings of $1176
THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT: BOTH THE INDOOR & OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT MUST BE MATCHED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE THE RATED SEER.
So what does this really mean? If you currently changed out your old 6 SEER system and replaced it with a new 20 SEER Ultimate system over the next 10 years of usage you would save about $11,760 in utility bills on just the outdoor unit. This is without the scheduled increases in electric rates. There are several already approved and the electric company asks for increases nearly every year and sometimes more than once a year. There is more…
What about repairs? Would it be safe to say that you will pay on average at least $200 a year in repairs for your existing system? Some years it would be nothing and other years it could be substantial. As these units get older they do tend to break down more often. Your savings comes in here because every system that we install comes with a free 10 years parts and labor guarantee that states just so long as we are allowed to maintain your unit each year we will not let you pay a single penny in repairs. This guarantee is in writing on the agreement. Doesn’t that mean that you will save another $200 a year in repairs for the next 10 years? Doesn’t that add another $2,000 in savings? That is now $13,760 in savings.
What about your rebates? There is a $1,500 tax incentive and a $200 gas company rebate currently active. Add those to the savings and the savings amount jumps up to $15,460 for this ultimate system. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
What about your gas savings on the new furnace?
These Ultimate system require a special furnace. Did you know that if you are currently running a standing pilot furnace it could be as low as 60% AFUE. AFUE stands for annual fuel utilization efficiency. AFUE is directed compared to money. A furnace that is said to have 60% AFUE means that for every one hundred dollars of gas burned by that furnace that forty dollars of it is wasted up the flue. How do you feel about walking over to your thermostat and turning the dial up to forty dollars wasted through your chimney? You are only going to save a couple of hundred dollars a year in gas usage with a high efficiency furnace, but we need to add this in to the equation to find out the true cost of the system.$200 a year at 10 years usages is another $2,000 in savings.
So, just what are you waiting for? Replacing that old, worn out dangerous hunk of and air conditioning and heating system now will net you at least $17,460 over the next 10 years. I just don’t know to put this any more clear. If your system is more than 10 years old you should replace it whether or not it’s broken, whether or not it’s running and whether or not it does a good. You need to replace it because your utility overpayments are going to pay for your new system.
It isn’t going to cost you hardly anything. Call now 2 1-877-247-6426. Stop procrastinating, act now. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
How can I cash in on the government rebates?
We are here to help you and we'll start you down the right path to maximizing your tax incentives and rebates. In the meantime you can do some of your own research for your projects by visiting some of these links. Here are some helpful websites that enable you to maximize your rebate potential:
Do you need to hire a reliable electrician? We are the right electrician for the job. We have a vast array of knowledge journeyman electricians to assist you in every aspect of your electrical needs. We work on the smallest outlet to the largest free standing panels. No job is to big or to small. We have the expertise to perform the job correctly the first time, affordably, safely, on time and under budget.
Some of the residential services that we can provide you are:
Appliance Circuits, oven, refrigerator, stovetop, washer, dryer, freezer, disposer, garbage compactor Breakers and Fuses, air conditioner, heater Ceiling Fan Installation / Maintenance, remote control and conventional Code Corrections, City Inspector got you down? Don’t worry. Data / Communication Lines, computers, phones Dedicated Computer and AC Circuits, clean power Electric Water Heaters Exhaust Fans, whole house fan, attic fan, bathroom fan Ground Fault Interrupt Circuits, kitchens, bathrooms and outside High-Tech Troubleshooting, circuit tracing Hot Tubs and Spas, Jacuzzis, jetted bathtubs Lighting Design & Maintenance, reading lights, decorative lights, security lights Motors, fan motors, blower motors, garage door openers Remodeling, whole home rewire, subpanels and main panel replacements and upgrades Outlets and Circuits, plugs, lights, Christmas outlets, switches Security & Landscape Lighting, wash your walls with light Service Panel Upgrades, 200 amp to 400 amp, subpanel Single & Multi-Family Home Wiring, copper rewiring to suit your needs and safety Smoke Detectors, hardwired and battery operated Surge Protectors, single circuit and whole house surge protector Track and Accent Lighting, adjustable and fixed, can lights, down lights Transformers, single voltage and multi-tap, HVAC, doorbell, security
Some of the commercial services that we can provide you are:
1 phase – 3 phase 1 phase/3 Phase Circuits 120 volt through 480 volt Air Conditioning upgrades Ballast/Lamp Replacing Cat 5 Cabling Data / Communication Lines HID Lighting and Control Isolated Computer Circuits Lighting Design Motor Controls/Lighting Contactors Motors Outdoor/Parking Lot Lighting Panel upgrades Sign Repair Specialty Receptacles Tenant Improvement / Remodeling Transformers Troubleshooting Twist Lock Receptacles Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Over the years what we have learned about what people want is that people want peace of mind. They want to know that when they choose us as their comfort provider that we’re going to deliver exactly what it is that we say we’re going to deliver. That there’s no chance that you’re taking a risk, that there’s no chance that you could be making a mistake in choosing us, that there’s no way that you can lose in choosing us to perform these services for you today. Because of this need for Peace of Mind we offer rock solid guarantees. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
100% Satisfaction Guarantee*
What our 100% satisfaction guarantee says is that if you are not 100% satisfied with what we’ve performed, then we’ll make any modification necessary, any modification required, to gain your 100% satisfaction, up to and including replacing the equipment or refunding your money, all of your money. It’s not just our goal, 100% Satisfaction; it’s your right as a consumer. If you’re not satisfied, were not satisfied.
Home Comfort Guarantee*
What our guarantee says is that on a minus 10 degree day, your home will maintain, plus or minus 3 degrees of 70 degrees. That’s right, we put it in writing on the invoice. On a 95 degree day, your home is going to maintain, plus or minus 3 degrees of 75 degrees. We are the only company in town that guarantees that our systems will do exactly what we say.
No Lemon Cooling Guarantee*
If your compressor, the main component is your A/C, fails two times in the first 5 years we are not just going to replace that compressor with a new one, something just about every company does, we are going to remove the complete outdoor condensing unit and replace it with a brand new complete unit. No one deserves a lemon.
No Lemon Heating Guarantee*
If the heat exchanger or firebox fails in the first 10 years we will replace the entire furnace for you at no charge. No shipping, no handling, no waranty and no labor charges whatsoever. This includes code required upgrades. No charge means absolutely no charge. No other company offers this rock solid guarantee.
Property Protection Guarantee*
If anything is accidentally damaged, a professional will repair it. We’re not going to be driving down to the Home Center parking lot and pick up someone to bring to your home. You will have a properly licensed, a properly insured and properly bonded professional perform the repair. Once the repair is done to your satisfaction, then and only then do you have to make your investment in your new Home Comfort System. With a guarantee like this do you think that we will be sloppy or do you think that we’ll Treat your Property Carefully? We're the only ones making this kind of guarantee.
365 Day Test Drive*
We want you to test drive your New Home Comfort System through all four seasons to make sure that it meets and exceeds all of your expectations. You’ll be using your new Home Comfort System through the cold and clammy winter season, you’ll get to drive through the sneezing, sniffling asthma season, spring, you’ll get to cruise through the hot and muggy "I can’t sleep at night" summer season and finally your going to be able to triumph through the cold and flue season, fall. After you’ve passed through all of these seasons only then do have to make a decision. If you're not satisfied with the performance of the system, if for any reason or if for no reason whatsoever you are not satisfied with this system, give us call and we will refund 100% of your investment and we’ll give you interest. Why do you think no other company will give you this type of guarantee?
10-10-10 Guarantee*
If we perform the maintenance on your heating and coolng system for the first years then you will have no out pocket repairs costs whatsoever. If anything breaks, we'll fix it or replace totally at our expense. You may never pay for a repair again. Isn't that peace of mind.
On Time Guarantee*
Calling The Empire Family of Services, Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical, is easy and On Time. If we don't make our appointment time because of us, your minimum service fee is waived. The minimum service call is free. You shouldn't have to be left out in the cold or the searing heat because of your Home Comfort Company. We're Always On TIme, Guaranteed.
SEER Guarantee*
At The Empire Family of Services, we are confident in our system design skills, the equipment we offer, and the quality of our installations. We guarantee that we will design and install your new air conditioning or heat pump system in accordance with the requirements of the Air-conditioning & Refrigeration Institute’s Standard 210/240. Your system will be designed with a matched coil giving you a certified combination engineered to achieve the manufacturer tested SEER rating. Certified combinations are required for any applicable utility rebates. We will install the equipment, can test the air flow, and we will charge the refrigerant levels to operate in accordance with the manufacturer's design specifications. This guarantee reflects the unusual commitment to engineering detail, diligence, old fashioned craftsmanship, workmanship, and pride we put into every Home Comfort System we install. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Electrical Surge Protection
Surges are sudden and unexpected spikes in voltage that travel throughout your home or office electrical system. Some surges come from within your own home or office, such as turning on a vacuum cleaner or turning on a hair dryer. Other surges come from the incoming power lines. Many of these come from damages dealt to the system such as; power pole breakages, lines being crossed in high winds, lightning strikes and electric utility switching. Surges can also affect your home and office through cable televisions and telephone wiring.
These surges can destroy expensive electronics. The average home now has more than $20,000 worth of electronics in it that are vulnerable. Televisions, stereos, phone systems, alarm clocks, stoves, ovens, computers, printers, routers, dvd-dvr players and even refrigerators. You should have a whole house surge protection system to provide financial protection from these surges. The inexpensive power strip-type protectors provide little to no protection. Extend the life of your valuable electronics and safeguard your home from an electrical surge. Give us a call today and receive your free in home no obligation estimate. You and your family deserve to be protected. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Electrical Safety
Be safe is about noticing hazards and eliminating them before someone gets hurt. Keeping your eyes open and aware of the following danger signs is imperative:
Blowing fuses
Circuit breakers that routinely trip
A burning smell whenever an appliance is operating
Feeling a tingle or slight electrical shock when touching any electrical appliance
Discolored switches or outlets
Warm switches
Warm electrical cords
Flickering lights or uncontrolled dimming
Frequent bulb burnout. Light bulb burnout is a sign that the fixture is getting too hot and is unsafe.
Sparking when you plug in or unplug an appliance.
Outlet that don’t work. Don’t ignore that non functioning outlet. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Electrical Outlets are a major source of problems
Outlets should be installed close enough together so that you never need to use an extension cord in your home for lights and appliances.
Bedroom should be equipped with arc fault breakers help to prevent fires
Never cut the grounding leg off an cord to accommodate an ungrounded system
Replace all ungrounded outlets and ground them for safety
Protect small children from shock by installed plug protectors at each outlet
If your hairdryer is tripping the GFCI, chances try the dryer in another GFCI. If it trips that one, get a new hair dryer. If is doesn't, give us a call and well come out and find out what the problem is. You could have a bad connection behind the plug or the GFCI portion of the outlet failed. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Extension cords
Overloaded extension cords and faulty electric cords are major causes of fires each year resulting in injuries or death
Cords are never to be installed under carpeting
Extension cords are not to be used on a permanent basis. Temporary use only
Refrigerators, freezers and compressors are not to be plugged into an extension cord
Electric heaters consume lots of electricity. Do not use an electrical cord Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Fuses and Circuit Breakers
When circuit breakers trip their usually is a problem. Fix the problem or call for help. Do not simply reset it.
Never bypass a fuse with a piece of copper or a penny. Fuses are safety devices.
Never increase the size of fuse to stop a problem. Exceeding the amperage rating of the wire can cause a fire.
Circuit breakers and fuses are safety devices. They usually trip or blow out because of too much heat. The heat is normally from a loose or corroded connection.
Circuit breakers wear out like anything else, but it normally takes a very long time. They can start malfunctioning due to loose or corroded connections. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Ultimate Service Agreements - Enjoy the Benefits Of A Service Plan
Peace of mind:Automatic inspecting, adjusting and cleaning of your electrical service keeps them operating at peak trouble-free efficiency. Potential problems are spotted before they cause trouble.
Investment Protection: Your agreement price cannot be raised during the effective dates. Prices will not be raised for following renewal periods, without first notifying you.
Preferential treatment: Our Ultimate Service Agreement increases the reliability of your electrical service, but should you need emergency service, you will receive front of the line red carpet service.
Competency: A competent, trained dependable staff of experts analyze your electrical needs. We work with you to schedule your service calls when convenient.
You can trust us:Our skilled electricians are fully trained, we are licensed and insured for your protection. You can rely on us and our reputation to give you fast, dependable and affordable service.
Computer recording and organization: Here at Empire we will maintain complete records of all maintenance and repairs performed by us. You will always receive a fully written company for your records as well.
At designated intervals, we will come to your home and perform the following
Home: Inspect to current code status.
Main Electrical Panel: Inspect and test all circuit breakers for proper operation. Re-torque all electrical connections.
Perform current load test on each main feed line and balance load when required.
Lighting: Inspect and test all indoor and outdoor lighting for proper operation.
Smoke Detectors: Inspect and test, replace up to two nine volt batteries free of charge.
Electronic Appliances: Inspect for surge and lightning protects.
Electric Receptacles: Inspect and test for proper polarity, opens, shorts and grounds.
Ground Fault Interrupt: Inspect and test safety shutdown operation. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
What Does This Mean To You? Safety:
Electrical connections that are attached with the proper torque reducing the chance of an electrical fire.
Properly working Ground Fault Circuit Interruptors (GFCI) work to protect you and your family from electrocution hazards.
Ensuring that you have the proper wires sizes for the electrical load helps to prevent short circuits and electrical fires.
Ensuring all smoke detectors are functioning properly gives you and your family advanced warning in case of a house fire.
Main panels and sub panels needs to be periodically serviced. The heat from the connections and the vibrations from the electricity flowing through them can loosen the connections up. We have the proper equipment to achieve the rated torque of your panel. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Reliability:
We will ensure the correct voltage is supplied to your major appliances, thereby extending the life of your appliance.
Verifying that maximum wattage requirements are not exceeded will extend the life of your dimmer switches.
Electronic appliances (TV’s, stereo’s, VCR’s, computers, etc.) which have surge suppression and are connected to a properly grounded, polarized receptacle will have a greater survival rate during lightning storms. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Efficiency
Balanced current loads at your main electrical panel help to minimize power consumption and thereby reduce your operational cost.
Ensuring your fluorescent bulb and ballast are properly matched and in good operating condition will reduce power consumption, humming, and light flicker. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
My lights dim when when the A/C turns on?
Dimming lights is a sign that a problem is occurring. If they only dim when the A/C is on you should us come out and check your air conditioning system and electrical system. This could be caused by a system that is overcharged with Freon, has loose connections or is being fed by low voltage power.
Occasionally the power feeding into the home is the culprit. If it is really hot, the voltage drops coming into the home and can cause this. This can also lead to burning wires, blown fuses and tripped circuit breakers. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
How do I find a short circuit?
Short circuit tracing requires specialized tools and knowledge. We can trace the broken circuit using tone locators to identify where the problems lies.
This is basically a process of elimination. We will open outlet after outlet up until we find the source of the problem. This includes checking out the circuit breaker and the main panel.
Problems in home wiring, like arcing and sparking, cause more than 40,000 home fires each year. These fires claim over 350 lives and injure 1,400 victims each year. An electrical safety device for homes, called an arc fault circuit interrupter or AFCI, is designed provide enhanced protection from fires resulting from these unsafe home wiring conditions.
GFCI and AFCI are not the same. Arc fault breakers sense a short circuit in a device plugged into them. They also sense a short in the cord when it arcs from the power wire. These are now required in bedrooms.
Fires are the result from unintended electrical arcs in circuit wiring and many of these cannot be detected by standard circuit breakers. Arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) detects arcing faults and opens the circuit to stop the flow of electricity. What is an Arc fault? An Arc fault is a discharge of electricity between two or more conductors. This is a short between two wires or between two powers in an outlet. The reason that a normal circuit breaker will not always trip is that it thinks the situation is normal. If you short circuit the power wire to the neutral wire you are in effect simply using electricity just the way a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner or other electrical device does. Unless the amount of power drawn exceeds the nameplate on the circuit breaker, it doesn’t think anything is wrong. So an Arc fault can continually use electricity generating sparks and heat and causing fires without the breaker ever tripping.
Arc faults occur for many reasons and some of those are worn electrical insulation or damaged wires, damaged appliance cords (the one under your bed that you never look at and that the frame is sitting on) and older equipment, loose or corroded electrical connections, dirty or worn receptacles, neutral leads pinched or improperly spliced to a grounded metal box, wet connections or conduit, shorted wiring, wires or cords in contact with vibrating metal (air compressors, furnaces, fans), overheated or stressed electrical cords and wires (that 20 year vacuum cleaner), or driving a nail into a wall and having it inadvertently hit a wire (most common with stucco). The possibility of arcing grows as a home ages since age and time will add significantly to the possibility of these conditions occurring. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
What is Security Lighting?
Outdoor lighting is an inexpensive way to add the elegant finishing touches to your outdoor landscaping design and can also increase the value of your home. There are many types of outdoor security and decorative lighting available for homeowners. One of the best ways to ensure a securely lit outdoors is to install motion detectors, light sensors, and timers that turn the lights on and off at preset intervals and when there is activity in the area. More types of security lighting, such as porch lighting, wall washing and outdoor garage lighting are not as effective, but do add to the overall beauty and security of your home.
Security lighting have been proven as an effective deterrent to intruders and vandals and having The Empire Family of Services install this type of lighting for you and your family can not only add security and safety to your home, but can often decrease your home owner insurance payments. Consult your insurance agent and discover what kind of savings you can achieve by installing home security lighting. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
I ordered some light fixtures. Will you install them?
Yes. We install homeowner supplied fixtures everyday. Give us a call for a free estimate.
The motor pump for my pool doesn’t work. Do you work on them?
Yes. We work on pool pumps, pool heaters, underwater pool lights. We have a full electrical department, a full heating department and a full plumbing department. One of the reasons more people choose us to be their home repair company is that only a single phone call is all that is needed to fix the majority of items in the home that have challenges. Give us a call today and find outr what you have been missing. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Can I change my 2 prong plugs with 3 prong plugs?
Yes, but you must follow a set procedure. Many devices require grounding and that is the prong that your two prong outlets are missing. If you change out the outlets you must label each one indicating that you cannot plug a motor driven device into it. Of course, the proper way to replace them with safety in mind is ground each and every outlet. Grounding the outlet to box is a requirement if the box is metal, but the box must not be acting as the ground for the outlet. In short you must run a wire all the way back to your panel or to a cold water source for grounding. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Do circuit breakers get old and wear out?
Yes, but probably not the way you think. Circuit breakers are not designed to be turned on and off like a switch. This will wear them out rapidly. I have broken brand new breakers by just flipping the breaker on and off while driving down the freeway on my way to install them.
Electricity pulses and the amount of electricity or current traveling through the circuit breaker can vary. Loads are not perfectly balanced and these things cause the wires to vibrate. This vibration causes the screws that hold the wires to the breakers to loosen. Loose connections cause heat buildup and that heat buildup can destroy the breaker over time causing nuisance tripping and causing a fire hazard.
If your breakers are tripping it is a sign that you have a problem and that problem could be big or small. The longer that you wait to have that circuitry looked at and evaluated by an electrician the more likely that the problem will grow in size. Don’t put off that minor electrical repair and allow it to grow into a big expensive one. Give us a call now and find out why more people choose us as their home and business electricians.
Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Why are fuses on my air conditioning system blowing?
Fuses blow for a variety of reasons. The most often cited cause is excessive amperage or current draw through the fuses. This is however a myth. While excessive will certainly cause the fuse to blow it is not the reason most often the cause. Fuses for heating and air conditioning are “slow blo” or “dual element fuses”. A 5 ton compressor will draw, on a normal 80 degree day, about 18 amps of electricity continuously and can draw up to about 27 amps at about 115 degrees outside. The fuses are typically 60 amp fuses. Therefore, if your air conditioner is running for hours and the fuses blow, it was not from excess amperage, it was from heat.
If your air conditioning system blows the fuses immediately upon start up, say within 10 seconds, then the problem is almost certainly from a direct short in the compressor and the problem is from excessive amperage or current. Let me explain why. Your compressor, the heart of your air conditioning system in the outdoor unit, is a very large motor. When this large motor starts it draws a lot of electricity. A 5 ton compressor can draw upwards of 145 amps of electricity for a couple of seconds on start up. If the compressor does not start, it continuously draws that amperage until something gives way. That something is either the fuses or the circuit breaker. Once the compressor hits about 50% of its rpms its amperage draw drops dramatically and will be well below the fuse and circuit breaker threshold. Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top
Safeguard your home and ensure that everything is done correctly, is safe and is installed up to the manufacturers specifications. Obtain a city permit. We areproperlylicensed, insured and bonded and we will take care of the permit process.
The inspector works for you, the homeowner, not the contractor. He will make sure that your home is safe. The only reason that i know of to not have a city inspection is to cut corners and skimp on materials and labor.
You don't want to pay full price for a job halfway done do you? Believe when I tell you that there are alot of corners that can be cut. There are alot of materials that can be skimped on and there are many places where labor to perform the job properly can be cut. All of these things are done to make a larger profit on the job and are done all at your disadvantage.
Contact Us or call 1-877-247-6426 or go to Questions or go to Top and you'll receive the finest quality service possible. You deserve nothing but the best.
About Us
We are a family operated second generation buisness. We branched off and started the Empire Family of Services in 1992 and today have expanded into all the cities of Orange County, about 1/2 the Cities in Los Angeles County and a few of the Cities in Riverside County.
My name is Jim and the little girl (often mistaken for a little boy) is Stephanie. The Empire Family of Services first opened their doors for business in 1992. The family has been in the service buisness for over 50 years and I thought it was my time to take over the reins. I worked out of our family home in Garden Grove. My wife joined the company a few months later. The company grew rapidly. The company is truly run as a family organization. Most of the time I spend my time managing employees and corporate day to day activities, although on occasion I still go into the field to resolve unusual job site problems. What makes the job interesting is the people. Having great employees and working for great customers makes it a joy to go to work each day.
Construction companies fail at a rate of 1 in 5 every year during a normal economy. This is second nationwide only to restaurants as a category. Only 1 in 20 construction companies, service and repair or new construction, will make it to the 20 year mark. This is according to the United States Chamber of Commerce.
Memberships:
Airtime 500
California Chamber of Commerce
Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors Association (Past President)
Quality Service Contractors
Service and Repair Roundtable
Better Buisness Bureau
California League of Homeowners
National Fire Protection Association
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
Certifications:
Backflow
Comfort Certified
Confined Space
CSST-TRAC Pipe
Customer Service University
Duct Cleaning
EPA-HVAC
Flowgard-CPVC
HDPE Underground Gas Systems
HDPE Underground Sewage Systems
HDPE Underground Water Systems
HVAC-High Efficiency Applications
Home Improvement Certification-CSLB
Journeyman Electrician
Journeyman Plumber
Trench Shoring
Underground Boring - Tenchless Technology
Variable Speed Technology
Awards:
PHCC Local Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractor of the Year 2003
Top Ten National Financing Dealer 1996-2008
PHCC National Heating Cooling Contractor of the Year 2008
We are your heating - cooling - plumbing - electrical and indoor air experts. Give us a call and find out why more choose us as their repair professionals.
Safety & Security. Employees go through criminal background checks.
Honesty and Competence. Comfort Certified and trained constantly.
On Time & On Budget. On time or the minimum service fee is free.
Bathtubs, Jetted Tub, Jacuzzi Tub, Whirlpools
Are comfortable in your home and business through all four seasons? The allergy plagued sniffling and sneezing season, Spring, the hot and muggy you can’t sleep at night season, Summer, the back to school cold and flu season, Fall and the ice cold dry chapped lips and hoarse voice season, Winter. Are you paying a mortgage and not enjoying your investment? We can help. Even the most expensive home can be very uncomfortable and can make you miserable if your indoor air environment is too hot, too cold or just plain dirty
conditioners regardless of brand. We can repair any brand of air conditioner. We can repair your air conditioning system, or we can install an upgrade for you and lower your cooling bills by at least 30% guaranteed. Our seasoned professionals will listen to you and cater a system that suits you and your family perfectly. They will help you choose a new heating and cooling system that will be the best for you, the best for your family and will be the best for your finances. We are here to help. You can count on us to give you the helping hand that you need.
Home Comfort System is determined by the initial installed investment, but by adding all the expenses, including; initial investment, monthly utility payment, maintenance and cost of breakdowns. Installing an engineered matched compete package will always save you money while giving you comfort and peace of mind.
we find that a 14 inch duct is 3.14 x 7 x 7 = 153 square inches. More than big enough. Well a 75kbtu furnace can have up to a 4 Ton drive blower (48,000btu of cooling) and cooling btus require 6 square inches of free air per every 1,000 btus of cooling. 48 x 6 = 288 square inches of cross sectional surface area. Using pi again we find that the minimum duct size to operate that 4 Ton unit is 18” ducting. Ducting only comes in even numbered sizes above 10 inch in diameter.
Before adding Freon:
't a handyman fix my a/c?
at size of air conditioner do I need for my house?
ow much will it cost to install a new air conditioner?
out it?
ut your gas savings on the new furnace? 
We are here to help you and we'll start you down the right path to maximizing your tax incentives and rebates. In the meantime you can do some of your own research for your projects by visiting some of these links. Here are some helpful websites that enable you to maximize your rebate potential:
Property Protection Guarantee*
ical Surge Protection
Fires are the result from unintended electrical arcs in circuit wiring and many of these cannot be detected by standard circuit breakers. Arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) detects arcing faults and opens the circuit to stop the flow of electricity. What is an Arc fault? An Arc fault is a discharge of electricity between two or more conductors. This is a short between two wires or between two powers in an outlet. The reason that a normal circuit breaker will not always trip is that it thinks the situation is normal. If you short circuit the power wire to the neutral wire you are in effect simply using electricity just the way a hairdryer or vacuum cleaner or other electrical device does. Unless the amount of power drawn exceeds the nameplate on the circuit breaker, it doesn’t think anything is wrong. So an Arc fault can continually use electricity generating sparks and heat and causing fires without the breaker ever tripping.
. More types of security lighting, such as porch lighting, wall washing and outdoor garage lighting are not as effective, but do add to the overall beauty and security of your home.
Yes. We install homeowner supplied fixtures everyday. Give us a call for a free estimate.
Fuses blow for a variety of reasons. The most often cited cause is excessive amperage or current draw through the fuses. This is however a myth. While excessive will certainly cause the fuse to blow it is not the reason most often the cause. Fuses for heating and air conditioning are “slow blo” or “dual element fuses”. A 5 ton compressor will draw, on a normal 80 degree day, about 18 amps of electricity continuously and can draw up to about 27 amps at about 115 degrees outside. The fuses are typically 60 amp fuses. Therefore, if your air conditioner is running for hours and the fuses blow, it was not from excess amperage, it was from heat.
County.
