Navien Tankless Water Heaters

Navien, a Korean manufacturer of water heaters is known for making some durable tankless units. Pictured below is their flagship NPE 240A2 model which we like to install here in Santa Barbara, CA. These units are equipped with dual stainless steel heat exchangers and come with a built in recirculating pump. For this particular application, since there was no dedicated recirculating line, we installed the Navi Circ crossover valve underneath the bathroom sink that was furthest away from the unit.

Based on our local temperature rise of about 60 degrees Fahrenheit, this Navien NPE 240A2 can put out 6.5 gallons per minute, allowing 3 showers to be running simultaneously with no worries of running out of hot water.

What I also like about these units is the ability to run the 2” venting up to 75ft and the 1/2” gas feed up to 24ft.

These units come with a 5 year warranty on parts and 15 year warranty on the heat exchanger.

Remember that these units need to be serviced about every 12-18 months depending on if you have a water softener.

You can goto Navien’s website if you feel the need to look into these products more. https://www.navieninc.com/products/npe-240a2

Santa Barbara Water Supply

Thanks to Santa Barbara City’s residents conservation efforts, above average rainfall this past year and water supply diversification, SB city has experienced relief of its drought conditions.

Since the 1980s, Santa Barbara City has transitioned from receiving water via Lake Cachuma, Gibraltar, and the ground to receiving water via recycling, desalination, through conservation efforts and a state water project.

Santa Barbara’s Desalination Plant has played a key role in hydrating Santa Barbara. The plant was reactivated in 2017 and produces 3 million gallons of drinking water per day, which serves approximately 30% of the city’s demand.

source: City of Santa Barbara Annual Water Quality Report June 2019

Gas Line Replacement

Last month we had an emergency call from a client in Santa Barbara whose gas was shut off by the gas company due to a gas leak underground.

We showed up promptly and recommended to replace the line from the meter to the house with polyethylene piping since the existing metal gas line was over 60 years old and leaking in patches underground. We retrieved the necessary permits needed from the city of Santa Barbara and got to work.

Santa Barbara homeowners need to keep in mind that carbon monoxide and smoke detector combinations are required to be placed in bedrooms.

Emergency call from a client in Santa Barbara after the gas company shut off her gas due to an underground leak. We replaced the cracked metal gas line with polypipe.

Santa Barbara Water Softeners

Today we will discuss with our Santa Barbara homeowners the best practices for homes with a water softener. We recommend that every home has a Santa Barbara Water Softener, due to Santa Barbara’s hard water, which can be harmful to your pipes.

It is first important to find out which water your home is running in order to calculate the accurate amount of grains per gallon.

Groundwater: 19-24 grains/gallon

Surface water: 19-21 grains/gallon

Desalinated water: 1-2 grains/gallon

It is recommended to use potassium chloride pellets instead of sodium chloride since the sodium has its issues during wastewater treatment and is not good for irrigation.

Replace time clock controlled water softeners with a demand initiated regeneration water softener that only run water while in use.

Make sure your Santa Barbara water softener is efficient and not running at all times since this is how they are programmed to run once installed.

Gas Leak Warning Signs

Gas leaks can be dangerous, so today we will share with you 3 warning signs that will keep you and your family on alert.

1. Bad smells are lurking around inside and outside of your home. Some people claim that rotten eggs describe the odor the best.

2. Hissing sounds that are coming out of an area where gas pipes are present is a big sign, therefore call your Montecito plumber (805)694-8453.

3. Dead plants or grass standing out like a sore thumb in the middle of a green area.

If you as a Santa Barbara homeowner come across any of these Santa Barbara gas leak warning signs, then please don’t hesitate to call us at (805) 694-8453 for your Santa Barbara gas leak repair.

Drain Cleaning Tips

We all know the stress that comes with a clogged drain in the kitchen or bathroom. The Santa Barbara drain clogging puts a damper on your day to day and gets us scrambling to find a reliable Santa Barbara plumber in the nick of time. Here are some prevention tips to help your drains from clogging.

1. Mix baking soda with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and pour down the drains with hot water.

2. Do not put any food scraps or grease down the kitchen drain, even if you have a garbage disposal. These contents will join together down your drain and cause a clog.

3. Every 2 months insert at least a 20ft snake cable down your drain to clean out any debris, hairs, and gunk.