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R_B Plumbing and Heating Natural Gas Installation

Why Spring is Perfect for a Natural Gas Installation

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With all the hoopla over heat pumps this winter, and your cooling options for summer, you’ve probably already turned your attention to the better weather.  I know that we have!  With the focus on electric heating for inside your home, you may have a natural gas service to your home and now also have less or in some cases, nothing to do with it.  Natural gas is still the most efficient and least expensive form of energy for your patio – not to mention convenience.  And there are so many things that we can do with it! So many options in the marketplace to create outdoor rooms and atmosphere.

First up, some space planning. What will your outside space do for you? Will it be an extension of your living room? A covered area, with a TV and a fireplace? In that case, you might hang your patio heaters from the roof.  Or will it be an intimate lounge space with a luxurious moon bed with tiki torches for atmosphere. You might plan a circle with a fire pit, or a fire table for an al fresco dining experience.  My favourite outdoor room set up is definitely the outdoor kitchen.  This is as much because I love to be outdoors as because in our family it’s traditionally been a male dominated task meaning I don’t have to cook!

No matter what your design choices and style aesthetic, you’re sure to find a natural gas appliance to make your new patio space welcoming, warm, and efficient!

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R&B Plumbing and Heating’s Top Natural Gas Recommendations

Natural Gas Fireplaces

These framed or frameless kits can easily be installed to look like a feature or built into a privacy wall.  They offer both ambience and heat and come in a variety of sizes and looks.  They will have weather protected switches and stainless steel burners, built to last.  Check out this outdoor room fireplace by Montigo

Natural Gas Patio Heating

In my opinion, this is the best return on investment for your patio.  It extends the season, and your living space, and permanently installed heaters can increase the resale value of your home.  You can have all the outdoor appliances you like but if it’s too cold to enjoy, that’s not as good.

There are several types of natural gas heaters on the market and freestanding ones are simple so I’m going to tell you about your permanently installed options.  We install Calcana infrared patio heaters.  The advantage of infrared is that it’s not trying to heat the air, but it heats the objects beneath it.  This reduces the wind chill factor.  They come in various lengths and sizes  for either a residential or commercial application.

Natural Gas Tiki Torches

These can be strung in a line that’s buried along the yard for a nice trail, or strung along a railing, these can often be teed together to make a string, although the cost of the pieces can add up.  A few in a small space can have a large impact, and a certain romance!  They are also widely available.  Just be sure to pick one that’s for natural gas rather than canisters or propane if that’s your fuel of choice.

Natural Gas Fire Pits

These are a standalone version of a campfire come in endless different styles. With a spark-free flame quality they are often able to be used in places with a fire ban. We often install these with the feeder line under the patio so there’s no trailing hoses to trip over or to spoil the look.

Natural Gas Tiki Torches

Pulling up a chair around the table with the flames dancing down the centre of a dining table can create a candlelight ambience that won’t leave you scraping wax (or going to IKEA for more candles – because we all know you never come out of there with just candles!)

For the firepit and fire tables you’ll often see them advertised with a cupboard that will hold the propane canister.  The propane canister won’t be needed with the natural gas hook-up since you’ll be running off of your house feed.  Re-purpose that extra furniture or sell it!  But first, make sure the one you choose can be converted or used with natural gas.

Natural Gas Barbecue

The natural gas barbecue!  Oh, what an invention!  Maybe it’s just me but changing out and refilling propane bottles is not my favourite thing.  While barbecuing with natural gas certainly is. Barbecues that have the conversion kits are much more readily available, and the entire out door kitchen series by Kerrisdale Lumber is an example of how many features can be incorporated into your outdoor space.

Or if you’re looking for something closer to home, Johnstone’s has an outdoor natural gas kitchen package.

 

TIP: Make sure when you buy a gas patio appliance, furniture or feature, that it has a natural gas set-up or conversation kit available.  With the prevalence of propane as the patio gas for many years, you may have to work a little bit harder to find one with a natural gas ability.

Questions homeowners think about before running planning a natural gas installation

  • How many gas-powered appliances do you expect to connect on your patio?
  • What sort of permit will you need, and will you need a permit for each of the future appliances you want to connect?
  • Will R&B Plumbing and Heating manage the conversion of the propane appliance to natural gas? (YES!)
  • How can I tell if my Natural gas service needs to be upgraded?
  • Can my old appliances be converted?
  • Are the R&B Plumbing and Heating technicians certified installers with a natural gas license?  (YES!)
  • What maintenance can I expect for any of my patio natural gas items and features that I want?
  • How soon can you supply and install my natural gas patio line and accessories?
 By having as much detailed information for yourself and our R&B technicians ahead of time, we’ll be able to give you better service and peace of mind.

Book Your Natural Gas Installation Today

We’re an outdoor loving population here on the Westcoast, so a little investment in your outdoor space this spring, will extend your season long after Labour Day.

Connect with us to find out more, or to arrange a free estimate for our natural gas services.

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How to Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

How to Avoid a Plumbing Emergency

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How will you know when your water heater bursts, your sewer backs up, or something has chewed through a pipe to cause a flood?  Most times, we find out by stepping off the last basement step into a pool of water.  By then the water has moved through your lowest level and started seeping into real property and you’re probably about to get onto a first name basis with your insurance adjuster.  Is there a better way?  You bet!  We’ve got a product that will be watching for your plumbing emergency, and what will alert you that your water needs to be shut off!

40% of homeowners will experience a flood in their lifetime and 60% will experience some type of burst pipe. Often times these pending disasters have been brewing for weeks without their knowledge.  Plumbing emergencies rarely happen when we’re looking, and typically don’t make enough noise to draw our attention.

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What’s the cost of a flood?

The cost of a flood is high.  First there’s the deductible. My policy has a water damage deductible of $2500.  Not to mention, many policies, if you read the fine print, have an extensive list of limits and exclusions.  Let’s remember as well, that when you have a loss you’ll have increased future insurance premiums.  My friend calculated that their water loss cost them $15,000 above what the insurance covered.

For as little as $1250 for a basic installation (as this blog is written!), you can get an emergency water shut off system.  There are several on the market, but the one we prefer is Popular Science 2018 winner, Flo by Moen.

FLO by Moen (3/4″) Backed by years of product development and industry leading technology, Flo by Moen detects and stops leaks. From your toilet, shower or faucet, to the pipes in your foundation and behind your walls, this smart water valve monitors all of them so there’s no surprises on your water bill or catastrophes when you come home from vacation.

  • Monitors your daily usage.
  • Allows the user to set water consumption goals.
  • Real, human telephone support if you need assistance with set up or operation.
  • Texts, emails or phones the user when an alert is triggered.
  • If you’re on vacation (Attention all you Snowbirds) and no amount of water use is expected, set the system to “AWAY” to ensure any break is not attributed to use; someone running a bath, for example.
  • Integrates with home automation systems (Alexa, Google).
  • FloProtect App subscription with enhanced features is $5USD/month.
  • Available locally through R&B.

The Flo is great for the engaged and passionate water police, but also doesn’t complicate the app with these extras unless you want to buy the subscription. We like that it has some excellent options for those who are less tech savvy as well, like the real person factor and the Snowbird Switch.

Why Use an Emergency Water Shut Off System

The advantages of any emergency water shut off systems go further than just preventing loss. They can also give you eligibility for reduced insurance rates with typical discounts of 5-10%.

How to Choose the Right Unit (and avoid the cost of emergency plumbing)

The good news is this, there is no bad decision unless you decide not to make the choice! Emergency plumbing services are stressful and costly at the best of times. Avoid emergency situations before they arise by taking preventive measures to protect against flooding and leaks.  To get a free estimate for your home and protect yourself from damage and inconvenience, contact us today.

CONTACT R&B FOR MORE INFO

For more information on what an annual service and safety check actually entails, call R&B today.  And if you’re a recipient of our quarterly newsletter, be sure to look for your discount offering.

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Carbon Monoxide Detectors

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Why is it that when faced with the expense of an annual safety check and furnace or boiler service that we’re so reluctant to spend that money?  Is it because we can’t see or measure the results?  Categorizing those few hundred dollars into ‘discretionary spending‘ rather than “necessity spending” may seem like a perfectly justifiable thing to do until we consider the consequences.

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Carbon Monoxide poisoning.  It’s invisible.  Undetectable.  If we notice, it’s because we’re sick or things are dying. Or we’re dying.  Its roulette of epic proportions and often we don’t even know that we’ve bet. Health link BC has a lot to say about it and way down at the bottom is a message about CO detectors.  They are the last line of defense and not a substitute for all the other things you will want to do first.

 

The most common source of carbon monoxide inside the house in our region is from a failing furnace or boiler.   There is no shortage of sources that detail how important it is to be getting annual service and safety checks, as strongly recommended by Fortis BC, and the GAS SAFETY BRANCH of BC.

 

CO Detectors should be the last resort.  Once it gets to the point where your carbon monoxide detector is triggered, it’s often too late for options like repair.  The annual safety service will identify parts that are heavily loaded with carbon, starting to disintegrate, reducing the cleanliness and efficiency of the burn and adding build up on all the ignition parts.  If this is ignored year after year, and it’s discovered by the triggering of a CO detector, then there will likely be far too much to repair.

 

Spending money on service is often avoided since it doesn’t produce obvious results like haircuts or grocery shopping.  The truth is, your family has the option to become aware that the levels of carbon monoxide might be increasing long before they become dangerous.  This is because flue gasses, one of the items that are checked during a service, can be acted upon long before they might vent into the home.

 

Now if you have a carbon monoxide (CO)detector that’s great. Their purpose is to ensure that gas fired appliances are running at safe combustion levels and not producing excess carbon monoxide that is accumulating inside the home instead of being fully vented.

Do you and your kids know what it sounds like?

If your children are anything like ours, once they get involved in a game, there could be a police siren right next them to them and they would tune it out.  They are usually confident it doesn’t apply to them.  Even the noises that do apply to them don’t seem to matter, like ringing phones, minute timers etc., but they do know what the smoke alarm sounds like and what to do about it.

With the CO detector it should be the same.  Carbon monoxide units all have test buttons on them and its good to press and hold that button for at least 15-30 seconds to really impress on their minds that this pattern of sound is important.  The next test should be, can they hear it from everywhere in the house?  If not, it would be good to establish a list of things for the babysitter to check after she puts kids to bed and before she starts texting for the evening.  Write it down.

 

Now that they know what it sounds like, do they know what to do if they hear it?  Is it an emergency?  Always.  Resist the impulse to push the reset button because everything seems fine – or worse unplug it.  And remember, carbon monoxide detectors are calibrated to go off before the average adult would experience symptoms.  Children are much more susceptible.

CONTACT R&B FOR MORE INFO

For more information on what an annual service and safety check actually entails, call R&B today.  And if you’re a recipient of our quarterly newsletter, be sure to look for your discount offering.

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Error Code 33 on Carrier Furnace – What You Can’t See

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Error Code 33. On a Carrier furnace, it means restricted air flow, and I’ll never forget it. It can mean other things, but in this case, it didn’t. There really was a problem with air flow. We know that now of course, but at the time it was baffling.

I’m going to tell you a story. And I shouldn’t, because it was a lumpy path to success. After all, what company wants to showcase a failure? Nonetheless, I am going to tell you a story about a time when we got it wrong, despite being Carrier Dealers, factory-trained to service, install, and repair Carrier furnaces. Even with years of diagnostic and heating repair experience, we made a mistake.

Aren’t we invincible?

This happens to every business, no matter how hard we try. It happens no matter how much education and training, or tools and equipment we provide to our employees. Humans are…well, human. Sometimes it would be more convenient if we weren’t.

Andrea P. called us with a “no heat” complaint. “No Heat” is a common call that we receive this time of year. This one was right around Halloween actually, in 2013. She had three small children and her furnace had simply stopped working. We arrived and diagnosed a failed secondary heat exchanger. The parts were ordered, and we scheduled for the replacement of them. Any number of days without heat is always inconvenient and uncomfortable, but parts were scarce, and it took almost a month to get them delivered to our shop and return Andrea’s home.

Error Code 33

The replacement went well. It was a big job – around 6 hours, and essentially involves completely dismantling the furnace to replace a major component, the secondary heat exchanger. Once the technician was done and had it all back together, he fired (lingo for started) the furnace. It ran normally and after he checked everything over, he left. The next day, it faulted with error code 33. We returned and rechecked all the settings and tried again. Same code. After being reset, it would start normally with all settings and readings within range, and then for no apparent reason, it would fault out. It was weird. One might even say it was spooky.

Our technician Mike, had been with R&B for several years and was well versed in replacing heat exchangers. The original problem and diagnosis (readings/ carbon monoxide levels / gas pressure / visual inspection) had all been clearly defined using the Carrier template; the problem had been the heat exchanger. Before we changed the heat exchanger, the error code was not 33. So, why were we getting it now?

Error Code 33 Wouldn’t Quit

Mike called Carrier Tech Support which is a call centre of uber experts – like Steven Hawking knows about theoretical physics – who not only have nearly endless documentation and databases at their disposal, but also the latest updates, product notices, and bulletins that might be published by the manufacturer on a particular model, serial number range, or warranty issue trend. All manufacturers have a technician support portal for this purpose. The Carrier representative walked Mike through each part of his process, checking all the diagnostics again. The manufacturer recommended some additional replacement parts, and we replaced those too. On paper, the problem was solved… except that it wasn’t. Error code 33.

Days passed. Hours were spent noodling on what could possibly be wrong. Mike and R&B Owner, Rob put their heads together and the two spent a significant amount of time going over everything again. Mike even spent his own personal time researching and trying to figure it out. You might say it was haunting him!

R&B Wouldn’t Quit

Somewhere along the line, Mike located an exploded schematic of the inside of the unit which he compared to the list of parts we had received from the manufacturer. There was a part missing: The cold air baffle. It’s the type of part that is integral to the correct running of the furnace, yet so benign as to go unnoticed. The cold air baffle is a part that’s actually attached to the secondary heat exchanger. When you take the old one out, that baffle comes out right along with it, like a dust cover on a book (if it were glued on). It seems extraneous and a replacement book that arrives without a dust cover reads the same. The new heat exchanger didn’t have this piece on it, and there was nothing to indicate that it was required.

What Mike was supposed to do, was take the cold air baffle off (regardless of condition) and attach it to the new heat exchanger. He didn’t know that because this incredibly specific quirk was only applicable to a small percentage of a particular range of serial numbers in the Carrier series. We’d simply never come across it before.

When we called the supplier to order the part, they commented on how unusual it was for us to ask for one. The manager had never sold one before. But for $33.60, the part was ours and another six hours later, the furnace was running fault free. That knowledge cost 10 days, 16 hours of additional diagnostics and repair, and countless hours of frustration for our customer and confusion for us.

What You Can’t See

So, why am I telling you this story? Experience comes from making mistakes, and we learned from that, but that’s not the point. Here’s the important part. It’s not that we’re not going to make a mistake, it’s that if we do, we’re going to stand behind the work. For Andrea, we kept going back, kept trying to find solutions, kept at the job long after any profit had ‘ghosted’. We had provided a workmanship guarantee and we honoured that. That’s why I’m telling you this story. I’m proud to work at a company that doesn’t give up.

I’m happy to say that Andrea is still an R&B customer. Maybe she didn’t love the discomfort, but what she remembers is what we did about it. It’s possible that this winter you’ll be faced with a major heating repair, or a heating system replacement. You may be wondering about brand or price, but what’s really important is what you can’t see – hence the title of this blog. For Andrea, what she couldn’t see (aside from the restricted air flow!) was the peace of mind that came from ultimately being taken care of. She never had to worry that we weren’t coming back, and we promise that same thing to you. When you choose a company to trust for your heating needs, choose one that sells more than just what you can see. Choose R&B.

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Burner-OUT : How Old Do You Think I Am?

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Is it burner out?  Let’s see…Do you want to guess my age?  People usually say 40 years, sometimes 50, and those young punks say 20, like that’s supposed to be old!  Actually, I’m 5.  Shocking, right?  So, how come I look like I blew up?

For those of you who are new to the world of getting your heating appliance serviced, I’m here to tell you from unfortunate experience, what it looks like when you don’t.  

What’s Changed?

I was factory installed in 2015, as part of a project to bring hot water heating to my homeowners in West Vancouver.  On that day, I was shiny, bright new silver.  My body was perfect – uniform and trim, perfectly aligned with rings as crisp as any.  Now, I’m sort of slumped over. I have a large hole in my side. I’m misshapen, and the worst part is that anytime someone touches me, a few more bits crumble off.  Even in my current job as an admittedly sub-standard, waterless flower vase, I continue to flake and disintegrate at an alarming rate.  If anyone knocks me to the floor I’m finished.

What am I?

If you haven’t guessed yet, I am a burner from a natural gas boiler.  Every year my owners should have had the entire heating appliance serviced as recommended and supported by Fortis BC with their appliance service grants.  My former owner would have saved $50 this year.  Instead his bill was in the thousands as years of neglect meant an early end to the life of the entire boiler cabinet.  Cleaning the burner (me!) is one of the important steps that are completed while performing this annual maintenance.  

What should you do?

It’s important to be aware that not all annual service providers are created equal.  The equipment necessary to check for an efficient air to gas burn ratio (a combustion analyzer) and measure the proper gas pressure (a manometer) are expensive to buy and have to be re-calibrated every year.  The company providing this equipment to every technician, for every service demonstrates a passion for both the environment and the safety of my homeowner which I would have appreciated benefiting from!  

Your Environment and Safety

Yes, I said environment and safety.  You would think that the only risk to the homeowner who doesn’t faithfully book this annual service was the risk of carbon build-up and component destruction: The truth is, it goes much further.  Did you know that when I’m burning improperly it results in fuel not being properly burned fully, causing higher consumption and pollution into our atmosphere?  Not only that, but the emissions from a poorly calibrated heating system mean higher levels of carbon monoxide in the flu vent. That leads to such a high risk of household danger that if I hadn’t blown up, I would have been ‘red-tagged’ and shut down in accordance with the BC Gas Safety Branch safety requirements.

High Danger Signs

  • Pilot light outages and/or yellow or wavering burner flame 
  • Continuous or intermittent odor 
  • Booming noises upon start-up 
  • Dying house plants 
  • Condensation on the inside of the windows   

The Favour

Do us both a favour.  Do your burner, ignition module and spark igniters a favour.  Do your family and the earth a favour.  Get your system checked this year, and every year.  

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Propane Tank Empty Again? It’s Easily Preventable.

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Is your propane tank empty again and in need of a refill? High natural gas bill after someone left the barbecue on? There’s an easy solution to stop this from happening again.

The Anticipation

Summer’s finally here. If you’re like us, that means there’s something fresh on your mind: Barbecue season. Sitting on a patio surrounded by good people, with the smell of tasty grilled meat in the air. Relaxation at its sunny finest – unless there’s a snag.

The Horror

How many times have you been all prepared to grill and chill, only to discover someone (we’re not naming any names) left the gas on?  The propane tank is now heartbreakingly empty!  Cue a panicked rush to go replace the tank.  It’s inconvenient.  Even if you’re fuelling your barbecue through a natural gas line and not a tank, there’s a cost associated with it.

The Solution

Do you ever wish there was some sort of device that solved this issue and prevented embarrassing mid-barbecue misadventures?  Wouldn’t it be perfect if there was also a company that could quickly and easily install it for you? The good news is, there’s an easy fix, and we’re right here. R&B can install an automatic BBQ shut-off valve that functions on a timer.  It will simply cut off your gas supply after a set amount of time without any human assistance. That way, you have one less thing to worry about. The added bonus is that if you like to leave the barbecue on to burn off the grill, you can just set the timer, relax, and enjoy the rest of your evening.

R&B is all about peace of mind. So, while you’re putting delicious perfectly grilled meat on to your plate, why not take remembering to shut down the gas supply off of it. We can install one of these for $295 plus tax, and you’ll never have to worry about forgetting to turn off your gas again. Click here to contact us or call 604-980-1369 and we’ll have you grilling stress-free in no time.

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Air Purification, & Top 5

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Air purification is among the five new things you need for your home. Ready to hear about the latest and greatest and why you need it now? Read on!

Sometimes we choose to add a little something special to our wardrobes or our house decor but when was the last time you spent money on your lungs?  Was the last time you thought about it at the height of the last fire season? Last week I was already hearing reports of smoke and if its going to be anything like last year, get ready for another smoggy one.  

Now more than ever, air purification is becoming important to homeowners. In this month’s blog air quality improvement is just one of the five featured items that R&B recommends for your home. 

One of the perks you get when you use a company like R&B is the geek factor.  Rob and his crew are truly interested in educating themselves not only on what new products are out there, but also on what actually works in real life, and what’s going to be a great choice for our customers.  Improve your quality of life. Lower insurance rates. Install damage control for when things don’t quite go as planned… Rob and his team are looking out for you!

The 5 R&B recommended items are:

iWave Air Purifiers

The newest in air purifier technology, the iWave is a device that installs easily onto your existing forced air heating / cooling  or HRV system.  As the air passes over the equipment, the ions that are produced will attach themselves to pathogens, allergens, particles, smoke and other odours in the air. This allows them to become more effectively trapped by your existing air filters. And that improves the air quality of the entire household.  

Sinope Emergency Water Shut-off System

This device will sense unplanned water egress from pipes (FLOODS!) and automatically shut off the water coming into your house to help contain the water damage and property loss. Not only will having an automatic water shut off save your belongings, but also many insurance companies will offer a discount if one is installed. Over time, this device will pay for itself.

Automatic Safety Shut-off Timer for Your Barbecue

How many times have you left your barbecue on all night?  You’re not alone.  In fact the oversight is so common that we now offer an automatic shut off timer.  An easy way to save some money, and gain a little peace of mind.

Surge Protectors

We protect our computers and smart TV’s and those are often just for entertainment.  So, why don’t we also protect our heating systems which can be so much more critical to our quality of life?  R&B is now installing surge protectors to protect your furnace or boiler from those power surges that can overload control boards and burn out expensive components – not to mention leave you without heat or hot water! We know you’ll appreciate your HBO much more if you’re warm.

Earthquake Gas Shut-off Valves

The name says it all.  When there is an earthquake there is a danger of a break in the gas line. This puts your home and family in potential danger unless your gas is shut off. This automatic valve will take the guesswork out of “Should I, or shouldn’t I?”. When an earthquake hits and the shakes are powerful enough to compromise your gas line it activates a shut off valve for your safety.  

Bonus item for IBC boiler owners only: The IBC portal allows us to monitor your system remotely if needed. It will alert us to any error codes that may affect your system.  It allows you to remotely control your boiler and all the things it manages such as the pool heat, or your driveway melting system.

Watch for upcoming blogs containing all the details for each product. I’ll review how they are installed and the benefits for you.  Heard enough?  We are now booking iWave air purification installations for June.  Don’t wait until you can’t breathe, call for your free installation estimate today.  

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Water Hammer – Ask an Expert

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When things go ‘bump’ in the night, or even in the day, it can be disconcerting if you don’t know what’s causing it.  One R&B customer has experienced this in the form of a phenomenon in her plumbing called water hammer.  Here is her letter to our R&B Ask an Expert Series.   Her letter, might be short but it’s direct:

Dear Rob,

How do I fix an issue with my pipes knocking when I run my washer?

Signed, 

Knock, knock, Go away!

Dear KKGA,

If you don’t have master plumber and R&B expert Rob Blaksic to ask, ‘Banging in the pipes when the washer is on’, are actually great key words to find the answer to this question.  Don’t go to Google though, you have a local expert right here!

What is it?

Banging in the pipes can be caused by a few different things, but the most common is something called ‘water hammer’.  

What Causes Water Hammer?

When water is turned on and off suddenly, the inertia that has built up exerts its energy on the pipes that surround it, causing them to physically move in the wall.  That’s the bang or ‘hammer’ sound that is heard.   One of the most common place that this happens in washing machines during the rinse cycle as water is added to a load.   Water hammer happens more in houses with high water pressure.   

What will make it stop

Checking the house pressure reducing valve (PRV) or water pressure, and then installing or replacing the hammer arrestors on some key appliances will do the trick. 

Water arrestors by their design are an addition to the pipe.  A little air chamber that extends perpendicular off each that is sealed off from water.  When the water moves suddenly in the pipe that air chamber absorbs the shock.  As they get used though,  over time they wear out  making them ineffective.  

The bad news

Letting it go and leaving it untreated is a bad idea.  The movement of the pipes will increase and the wear and friction on the pipes will lead to leaks. Not to mention, it’s noisy.

The good news

Water hammer is not expensive to repair. The arrestors themselves are usually in the $50 range and it’s a basic service call to put them in.  The house PRV will have to be checked, but overall, it’s less expensive than most plumbing repairs and better for your appliances as well.  

Consider putting them on your dishwasher and on your clothes washer for sure, but also any quick closing sudden on / off solenoid valve too.  

Why it suddenly started or what makes it worse 

Your pressure reducing valve (PRV) is installed on the incoming water line of every home and reduces the psi of the city pressure down to a household pressure.  This little devil is also a ‘wear item’ and as they begin to age over time the water pressure in the home will begin to increase, causing the water hammer effect to either start or become worse.  It can also cause homes with no water arrestors and no issues in the past, to suddenly have issues.  If this sounds like your experience, then you should probably start with a test of your PRV.

In Summary

Banging of the pipes is usually a very simple fix and one that should be addressed.  Remember to also ask your favorite plumber to look at the potential for underlying causes such as from the PRV.  

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Natural Gas Barbecue Conversion – How to Save Money!

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Every year as we enter patio season at R&B we receive many phone calls for estimates to convert propane-based patios to natural gas by installing a supply line to the area. These enable homeowners enjoy the space using barbecues, patio heaters, and fire pits that run on natural gas.  

When you’re considering changing over to the convenience of natural gas on your patio, chances are you’ve already begun enjoying your outdoor space with some of those common appliances.  Instead of replacing those appliances with new, there is a way to save money without compromising your existing quality: Barbecue Conversion!

Keep the Quality You Already Paid For 

As a recent convert myself, I can tell you that the bulk of the expense was originally going to be in the purchase of a new natural gas barbecue.  Even at Costco, that was going to double the cost of running the natural gas line.   Want to know a secret? There’s a less expensive way!

I was lamenting that I was about to sell my current Jackson Grills table top barbecue on Craigslist for a fraction of what I paid for it, when I started talking with Rob about barbecue conversion from propane to natural gas.  It turns out that under the right condition, it’s a very inexpensive, and accessible way to go.  

The Internet Provides

My current unit, although a few years old, is made of marine quality, stainless steel.  The condition was very good too as I hardly ever used it.  I disliked the wasteful, little disposable propane canisters so I never bought them.  I decided that rather than replace it, that I would try and purchase a barbecue conversion kit for it.  

On the bottom of the barbecue I found the model and serial number. A quick trip to the internet gave me the email of a local company in Abbotsford.  There I found resident expert, Roly Patrick. Senior Customer Service Technical Advisor is his official handle, but it could be shortened to Grill-Guru. Roly knew exactly what I needed and gave me the part numbers and cost by return email. He could ship them out the same day.

The Road Trip

Did that seem a little too easy for you?  I thought so too.  So, I wrapped my Jackson Grill in a heavy blanket and stuffed it into the trunk of my car like a mobster disposing of a body. I took it for a ride out to Concorde Distributing in Abbotsford.  There, I met Roly in person and was witness to the epitome of going above and beyond in customer service.  

Roly set my propane barbecue on the counter and started to take it apart. He named all the parts as he went, and talked about care.  He brought out a wire brush from the back and showed me how it should be used to clean all the parts beneath the grill surface. This to ensure there was no build up on the protective plates that distribute the flame and heat.  Next he showed me how to take those off and see the burner beneath.  He inspected that and pronounced it in excellent condition.  

There was a tiny bit of gentle admonishment as he pointed out how I had failed to properly clean the entirety of the inside of my treasure, before he quietly asked if I knew how to install the barbecue conversion kit. I didn’t.  

The Installation

The next thing I knew, Roly was explaining how to do it, as he was doing it and I certainly wasn’t about to stop him! I left there with a fully converted natural gas barbecue and a receipt for $136.00 which was far lower than the $500 it would have cost to replace the entire appliance.  

Even though I was advised that with a few simple tools I could have done this on my own, I do not have the confidence or know-how to be converting my own propane barbecue to natural gas, full stop.  If Roly hadn’t done it, I would have asked one of my technicians to do it for me.   They do it all the time as part of the natural gas patio service we offer at R&B, if the parts are on site.  

When I got home, I quickly and easily connected it to my barbecue box and we had shish kabob for dinner.  For less money and effort than you would have thought, you can too!  

Here’s a tip for you

It turns out that my trip to the distributor was unnecessary in the sense that I could have just have easily ordered my barbecue conversion parts on line – although then I would have missed the Roly experience.  No matter how you get the parts, my recommendation is that you ensure that you have the conversion kit on site when R&B comes to route your natural gas line to your patio, and they can install the parts for you.  

While I’ve got your attention here are some other common questions you may need answered.

Are there conversion kits for patio heaters and fire pits? 

Yes, Lowes.ca is just one of several places that sell a universal kit that they advertise can be used for converting any fire bowl, fire table, fireplace, or fire pit from liquid propane to natural gas.  “for use on units that run 50,000 BTU or less” – getting a licensed gas-fitter to install the parts is also recommended on their website.  

Is there such a thing as a hose extender or will I need to buy a whole new hose?

Yes, if you want to move your barbecue to a new location that is farther from the barbecue box than your hose will reach, you can buy a hose extender for about half the cost of a new hose, depending on how long you need it to be.  Keep in mind that any places where there is a join will have the potential to leak so make sure that your existing hose is in excellent condition.  

How do I recycle my old parts?  

The parts that you take out when you do your barbecue conversion can be dropped off in the metal recycling area of the North Shore Transfer Station. Old barbecues need to be dropped off at the transfer station and disposal fees will apply.  

The Final Word

The best part about the entire experience of converting my propane barbecue to propane, aside from the huge cost savings, was how easy it was.  If you’d like more information about what it would cost to bring natural gas to your patio, call R&B today for your free estimate.

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Top Ten Ways to Prevent a Clog

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As promised, here is our follow-up to our Ask an Expert question on using enzyme products.

R&B’s top 10 list for preventing a clogged drain.

  1. Don’t have kids. Ok just kidding, we love kids, but they are by far the most common culprits.  The number of Hot Wheels and other children’s toys we’ve removed from toilets is far greater than the number of toothbrushes!  The lesson is, mind what you flush.  It should usually only be things that will disintegrate in water. 
  2. Men, this one is for you. Don’t pour bacon grease (or any other grease that’s solid at room temperature) down the drain.  I don’t know why people keep doing that!  Running hot water down with it doesn’t always work either because cools as it travels and eventually it’s all going to congeal somewhere.  Maybe you get lucky and it’s not until it’s gone far enough… And maybe you call R&B!
  3. Use a basket strainer and compost.  The worst clogged drain we ever had (and remember, I should know better) was when I put a raw chicken breast down the garburator. It took my poor plumber husband an hour and two trips to the shop for different pieces of equipment, to clear it.  This story actually became a blog series which you may like to read
  4. Try not to wash hair down the drain. In the bathroom, hair is the biggest culprit. It gets caught on the strainer and then catches all kinds of goop from shampoo to toothpaste, slowly adding up.  Gross as it is, you can use tweezers to pick the hair out of the drain when it starts running slowly.  It’s like a gruesome iceberg.  It looks like very little from the top but when you pull the whole thing out its significant.
  5. I’m going to say this one even though we’re an eco-minded, environmentally cautious population for the most part… Don’t pour or clean drywall putty, grout or most commonly, paint down the drain.  This includes cleaning brushes and rollers – it’s surprising how much paint they hold.  Here’s a tip, if you’re going to paint again tomorrow, don’t clean it, wrap the roller in plastic and put it in the fridge.  
  6. This one is for my mother.  You get more bees with honey than you do with vinegar – same goes for preventing clogged drains.  Vinegar seems to cut grease clean well, and if you freeze it half and half with water first you can run it around in your garburator to clean that too, instead of it just running through and down the drain.  The baking soda followed by vinegar approach to clean drains has limited success but DIY sites seem to like it.  R&B doesn’t recommend any other ‘maintenance’ where you periodically pour things down the drain.
  7. If you do have a waste disposal unit, use WAY MORE water than you think you should.  Running cold water for a long time and letting the garburator run and run is how it’s done.  Running cold water will help ensure it doesn’t over heat.
  8. Also with the waste disposal rules, there is a “Never, Never” list.  Never, never put certain things down the garburator:  Banana peels, mango stones, and egg shells are the three biggies, you can Google yourself a list, but I’d add expired, raw chicken breast just based on my own personal experience.
  9. Hot water, not boiling can be used to flush and prevent clogged drains.  This is great if you’re doing dishes by hand.  Our teenagers actually help us out with this one when they insist on doing dishes under a running hot water tap (although it’s a frustrating waste of water since a full sink getting drained works just as well). The reason we don’t use boiling water directly from the kettle is that it’s actually at a higher temp that ABS pipe is rated for.  This opens the door for a chance (from a technical aspect) that you could damage your pipe.
  10. If your washer drains into a laundry sink, invest in a lint trapper to catch those fibres (and stray socks!) 

When you break these rules, and you will if you’re human, please do not use chemical drain cleaners.  Here are a few tips to try yourself before you call us.  For kitchens try a toilet plunger.  For bathrooms, you can also try a shop vac to clear a clogged drain.  For both of these to be effective, be sure that you have a tight seal!  If you have a snake, and know how to use it, go ahead.  If those fail you need us, and R&B will be there.

While you are here, why not check out this 30 second clip on some of the best tools for fixing a clogged sink. Who knows, it could save you a whole lot of time, money or headache.

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