We’re hosting a “Happy Hour” Open House on Thursday, May 30 and we want you to join us! The event goes from 4:30-7:30. We will have door prizes, raffles, drinks and light hor d’oeuvres. Plus, we are excited to showcase our new facilities designed to better serve San Diego!

Our Office: Before

Our Office: After

We want to meet you and also provide you the opportunity to meet our staff. If you have ever wondered who is taking care of your plumbing, heating & air conditioning and restoration & flood needs, our Open House will introduce you. It’s also a great time to see how we operate, ask us questions and get to know Bill Howe, because we want to get to know you, too!

Bill & Tina Howe: Moving in

Please join us for a great time with food and drinks and a lot of fun!

 Everyone is welcome! Just R.S.V.P. and join the fun!

Once again, our San Diego plumber, Bill Howe, announces his BIG GIVEAWAY! Like past giveaways from our San Diego HVAC and plumbing company where winners received passes to Sea World, an iPad2, a 2-year membership to 24-hour fitness, and more, this giveaway is something that potential winners do not want to pass up. For those of you who are not aware how our giveaways work, every three months, Bill Howe Plumbing, Heating & Air and Restoration and Flood Services chooses a winner through a random number generator to award the grand prize. And this next giveaway for one lucky winner includes the Fuji FinePix S4500 Digital Camera. Plus, if that wasn’t amazing enough, this winner will also receive a $100 Visa gift card to spend at their discretion.

Along with HD 720p videos, a 30x optical zoom lens, as well as a 3-inch LCD screen, this Fuji camera is perfect for any individual who wants to capture life’s moments. This quarterly giveaway is simply our way of giving back to members of the local community that have brought us so much success and a way to thank our loyal and satisfied customers. The giveaway is completely free and easy to enter. Simply, follow one, or all, of the steps below.

• Like Bill Howe’s Facebook Page

• Follow us on Twitter 
• Sign Up for our monthly newsletter

• Write an honest review about us on our Facebook Wall or Review Page

That’s it! After all entries have been received at the appropriate deadline, a Bill Howe team member will choose one winner. Then each drawing is recorded by one of our San Diego plumber or HVAC employees and published on the website, inviting winners to participate in the drawing process. Winners will be announced in the video, on Facebook, Twitter, and Bill’s blog. The winner has 5 days to claim his or her prize before the prize is turned over to another winner.

For more information or questions regarding our giveaway, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-Bill-Howe (1-800-245-5469).

Don’t let this chance slip by and most importantly good luck from all of us here at your local leading San Diego HVAC and plumbing company!

As you might recall, back in October 2005, the California Energy commission established new requirements for HVAC systems throughout the state. The requirements stated that ducts inside residences must be tested for leaks whenever a central air conditioner or furnace is installed or replaced.  Additionally, any ducts found to be leaking 15% or more were required to be repaired in order to reduce leaks.

However, these 2005 requirements allowed for several exemptions including:

1. Homes in specific coastal climates.
2. Systems having less than 40 feet of ductwork in unconditioned spaces like attics, garages, crawlspaces, basements or outside the building.
3. Ducts constructed, insulated or sealed with asbestos.

As a result, numerous San Diego heating and air systems evaded the new requirements. But, as of  January, 2014, San Diego HVAC systems that previously avoided the changes to California’s HERS Ratings will no longer be exempt. This coming year, all residences, regardless of location, ductwork size and construction, will need to submit their systems to testing whenever their central air conditioner or furnace is installed or replaced.

This update to the rating is actually beneficial since ensuring your ductwork is not leaking in excess can reduce both your energy consumption and your electric bill. At Bill Howe, we have an expert team of San Diego HVAC technicians that can help test your homes’ ductwork. Additionally, our specialists can repair faulty and leaking ducts resulting in a much more efficient system and compliance with California’s new state law.

At Bill Howe Heating & Air, we have the knowledge, skill and expertise to make certain that your system is running at peak performance. And, no job is too large or too small for our heating and cooling technicians.

So, whether your ductwork is going to be in need of testing as a result of the upcoming HERS Rating update, or you simply want to ensure maximum heating and cooling efficiency, you can trust Bill Howe Heating & Air. We can have a highly skilled technician at your residence in no time.

For more information or to schedule an appointment  with one of our highly skilled San Diego heating and air technicians, give us a call at 1-800-Bill-Howe (1-800-245-5469).

Our HVAC Division Manager Explains the Importance of Duct Cleaning

Q: What exactly is a ducting system? What components are involved?

A: Duct cleaning is the process in which dust and/or debris, along with other allergens and particles, are cleaned/removed from the inside of your home’s or business’s HVAC air ducts.

Q: Does every HVAC system have ductwork?

A: No, there are different types of heating and/or cooling systems for both homes and business.

Examples: Wall heaters, floor heaters, radiant electric heating, radiant hydronic heating, Ductless mini splits, and PTAC units (window/wall type). All these types of systems do not use air ducts; an easy way to find out if your home has air ducts would be to look for multiple supply registers on the floor, walls, or ceilings, this means you have forced air  heating and/or air conditioning with air ducts.

Q:  How often do you recommend cleaning the ducting system?

A: Air ducts should be cleaned every 2-3 years, sooner if you or anyone in your home or business has allergies, asthma or pets. Indoor contaminants may include: dust mites, tobacco smoke, household mold, chemicals, airborne allergens, bacteria, animal dander and carbon monoxide. These contaminants are then circulated throughout your home or office and affect the health and comfort of you, your family, or your employees.

Q: Is there a better time of year to clean ductwork?

A: Yes. The best times of the year are before the heating and cooling seasons begin, such as fall between September & October before you start your heater for the season. And, during spring between March & May before you start your A/C unit for the summer season.

Q: What are the benefits of duct cleaning?

A: The benefits of duct cleaning are that you will be breathing cleaner fresher air, which will help with allergies and/or asthma, less dust on your furniture and linens, extending the life of your HVAC equipment and it makes your system work more efficiently.

Q: Does regular maintenance and cleaning save on energy costs?

A: Yes! A clean well-maintained HVAC system & duct work will work smoother, quieter, and can improve efficiency by up to 21%.

Q: Are there safety hazards involved with not cleaning the duct work?

A: Yes. According to the EPA, indoor air is found to be up to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air. Air duct cleaning can remove airborne contaminants such as bacteria, fungus, mold spores, pet dander and pollen which may help to alleviate allergy and asthma symptoms.

Q: What does the process involve? Is it different in homes versus condominiums or commercial buildings?

A: Different contractors use different equipment and different cleaning methods. BHP uses a push/pull and scrub method. The way this works is we use a rotating bristle brush which scrubs the inner walls of your air ducts, while simultaneously using compressed air to push all debris forward. A Hepa-filtered, high powered commercial vacuum is then used on the opposite end to pick up all the loose debris. All registers are removed from the wall, floor or ceiling and the rotating brush is inserted through each supply box to ensure all ducts are properly scrubbed.

Q: How long does it take to properly clean ducting?

A: This whole process takes up to 4-6 hours to complete for a single system, which includes either replacing the air filter(s) or cleaning them if you have an electronic air cleaner or electrostatic air filter, and we also test run your HVAC system. Larger homes and or homes and business with multiple systems will require additional time.

Q: Can anyone clean ducting, or do you have to have specialized training?

A: Yes, with the right equipment and expertise, but you should always hire a professional to do it right and guarantee the system has been properly cleaned.

Q: How much does it cost to have your ducting cleaned?

A: This depends on the size of your HVAC system, BHP charges $550.00 for up to 10-registers supply/return, and $45.00 for each additional register. Our work comes with a 90-day warranty; if you are not satisfied, we’ll come back and re-clean your air ducts. For your place of business pricing can vary; call 1-800-BILL-HOWE to schedule a free  on-site estimate.

Q: Does Bill Howe offer any maintenance programs for just cleaning the ductwork?

A: Yes, again this depends on the size of your HVAC system. With a home visit by one of our HVAC experts, we can create a duct cleaning maintenance program catered to your needs.

Did you get a chance to attend the Spring Harp fest in March? It was quite a success, with over 1000 people in attendance! There was great food, Great Music and it was 100 percent free and family-friendly! 

Rod Piazza put on quite a show, as did the rest of the all-star line-up of Southern California’s best in Blues Harmonica. The event was held at Harry Griffen Park in La Mesa, California on a beautiful March Saturday. The program began at 11:30 AM and the “harmonic” sounds of the Blues could be heard until the evening hours. All the proceeds go directly to programs in San Diego putting harmonicas into schools supporting music and the arts in education. For more information, please contact us.

Next year you can expect an extravaganza even more elaborate and entertaining than prior years! If you came out to support us, we sincerely thank you. Hope to see you again next year!

Tom Safreed, Bill Howe Plumbing & Spring Harpfest 2013