FAQs
At Village Plumbing, Air & Electric, our Houston area plumbers and HVAC contractors are here to provide the installation, repair, and maintenance help you need. We know our customers often have questions about service or maintaining their equipment. Here are answers to common questions to help you understand how we can help.
HVAC FAQs
When Should I Schedule HVAC Service?
We recommend having your heating and cooling system serviced twice a year—once in the fall and once in the spring. Scheduling a tune-up lets us prepare your system for the season and avoid breakdowns. It also helps prevent expensive repairs and increase system lifespan.
How Do I Know Whether to Repair or Replace My System?
An HVAC technician can tell you if it’s worth repairing an air conditioner or furnace. Repairs are often worthwhile unless your system is near 15 years old and the cost of fixing it would be 50% of its value or the cost of a new system. If you’re not getting effective heating or cooling, the system stops working, or is significantly damaged, consider replacement.
How Often Should I Change My Air Filter?
This is something you can easily do yourself. In general, you should check the filter every month, and replace it if it’s dirty or clogged. If your home isn’t as dusty, consider changing the filter every two or three months.
What Are the Benefits of Lennox HVAC Systems?
The benefits of Lennox® Precise Comfort™ Cooling technology include more even temperatures, lower humidity, and improved energy efficiency. An icomfort Wi-Fi® thermostat uses minute adjustments to stay within 0.5℉ of the set temperature. Plus, the compressor speed and output of the XC 25 air conditioner can be set in increments of 1%, between 35% and 100%, for precise comfort.
How Much Will My New AC Cost?
A new HVAC system is an investment. The exact cost varies based on numerous factors, including the type of AC, the unit’s size, and whether you need updates to ductwork or your electrical system.
What System Size Do I Need?
It’s very important to choose the right sized system. Otherwise, it won’t run efficiently and can require more repairs. Size depends on your home’s square footage, the type/condition of ductwork, number and size of windows, and the type of insulation installed. Local climate is also a factor.
How Long Will My AC/Furnace Last?
Most home HVAC systems last from 10 to 15 years. With regular maintenance and proper use, some systems last longer. If you start seeing major problems after 10 years, a replacement can save you in the long run, especially considering the higher efficiency of modern systems.
What Are the Benefits of Duct Cleaning?
Duct cleaning involves removing dust, pollen, chemicals, animal dander, and debris. It can improve airflow, reduce strain on your A/C system, and prevent mold, bacteria, and viruses from accumulating. Allergy symptoms may be reduced and the health of your family may improve.
How Does Duct Sealing Improve Efficiency?
In addition to restricted airflow, poor sealing can affect HVAC performance, efficiency, and indoor air quality. A significant amount of conditioned air can leak out. Duct sealing addresses all these problems, and lets us find design flaws and other issues to fix.
Why Is Maintenance So Important?
There’s an old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Maintenance can prevent A/C and furnace breakdowns, improve efficiency, and lower utility bills. It can also avoid the pitfalls of neglecting a furnace, such as inconsistent heat, expensive repairs, and the risk of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. In short, maintenance improves safety and saves money.
Plumbing FAQs
Should I Repipe My Home?
If you have galvanized or copper pipes installed prior to 1970, it is a good idea to replace them. Deteriorating pipes can leak and affect water quality. We can prevent flooding, mold, and property damage by using high quality materials that are strong and corrosion resistant.
How Do I Know I Have Leaking Pipes?
Signs of leaky pipes include low water pressure, restricted flow, discolored walls and ceilings, and water damage. You might see or smell mold and mildew. Over time, leaks can increase water bills, cause structural problems, and trigger respiratory issues due to mold and high humidity.
Why Do I Need a Plumber to Unclog Drains?
People often use plungers, drain snakes, or worse, liquid drain cleaners, to try to unclog drains. Even if these methods work initially, they’re often not a long-term solution. Our Houston plumbers use the latest techniques to clear out drains, including mechanical augers and water jetting.
How Do I Stop Pipes from Clogging?
Don’t pour grease or oil down the drain, and rinse away any grease from dishes with hot water. Run your garbage disposal with cold water and, if you don’t have a disposal, use a drain strainer. When flushing the toilet, only flush waste and toilet tissue. If you have a septic tank, have it pumped out every two or three years.
What Is Backflow and How Can I Prevent It?
Backflow is a backup of sewage caused by a drop in water pressure or when higher pressure fluids shift towards areas of lower pressure. A backflow preventer, attached directly to water pipes, ensures water flows in one direction—away from your home. We can install backflow preventers and even test them to determine if there are issues to fix inside or outside your home.
How Do I Get My Water Heater To Last Longer?
If you’re lucky, your water heater can last up to 12 years or so. Scheduling regular maintenance can get more life out of your system. From minor repairs to flushing the tank of sediment and minerals every year, our technicians provide high-quality service.
Is Excavation Necessary to Repair a Sewer Pipe?
Traditional methods of sewer repair involve tearing up yards. We use trenchless sewer repair methods in Houston that save time and money while minimizing disruption. Specialized linings are used that harden in place and can last for decades.
How Do I Protect My Plumbing from Tree Roots?
Tree root intrusion is a common cause of sewer line damage. It can be addressed by removing the trees affecting pipes or installing a root barrier around new trees. Other methods include camera inspection to detect invasive roots and hydro jetting that can cut through roots and other clogs.
Can You Improve My Insulation?
Village Plumbing, Air, & Electric specializes in blown-in insulation. It can quickly improve HVAC efficiency and helps pipes retain heat as well. We use cellulose insulation made of recycled paper, and fiberglass insulation that’s more cost-efficient and fire-resistant.
Is My Plumbing Issue Considered an Emergency?
You can call us 24/7 when multiple drains clog up, a pipe is leaking, or bursts. A flood is definitely an emergency, whether it occurs inside or outside your home, as it can quickly lead to mold, bacteria growth, and structural damage.
Service FAQs
Do You Offer a Maintenance Plan?
Yes, our Village Partner Plan is available for one annual fee. It includes A/C and furnace tune-ups twice a year with complete inspections. A whole house plumbing inspection is provided once a year as well. In addition, members save up to 10% on all our services, and pay a reduced emergency and holiday fee. You’ll even automatically receive service reminders and can schedule an appointment at the most convenient time.
Do You Offer Financing?
Our financing plans give you flexibility in paying for a new air conditioner or a plumbing overhaul. Pay over time with low interest rates, no down payments, and promotional specials. You can replace or upgrade equipment sooner, and avoid paying high repair costs.
How Else Can I Save?
Village Plumbing, Air, & Electric takes pride in helping customers save with flat-rate pricing, generous discounts, and special offers. Check back often for coupons on air conditioning, heating, and plumbing services.
Is an In-Home Visit Always Necessary?
If your HVAC or plumbing issue isn’t an emergency, we can schedule a virtual service call. Request your appointment online, receive your confirmation, and a customer service representative will reply to confirm the call. A technician will discuss the issue via FaceTime or Zoom and, if necessary, provide an estimate and schedule a repair or replacement visit.
Do You Offer a Warranty?
We include a 90-day warranty on water, drain, fixture, and gas line repairs and a 1-year parts and labor warranty on water heater replacement. New plumbing installation warranties range from 1 to 25 years depending on the equipment. For HVAC repairs, parts and labor are covered for 1 year, and a 10-year parts/2 years labor warranty is included with HVAC system replacement. Individual HVAC equipment is covered by a 5 year parts and 2 year labor warranty.
What If I’m Not Satisfied With Your Equipment, Repairs, or Service?
A 100% Satisfaction Guarantee applies during the first year after we provide equipment or service. We also provide an Equipment Size Guarantee (taking full responsibility equipment is correctly sized and installed) and a No Surprises Guarantee (the price quoted is the price you pay). Our technicians also respect the condition and privacy of your home as part of our Customer Service Guarantee.
