Gayle Bass, The Click Chick with 92.3 KTAR FM Radio will appear live in our booth at the Home & Building Expo.  Gayle is not only a radio star, she is a great friend who will make you laugh, make you wonder, and give you a new place to review on the Internet. Come meet Gayle and win lots of free plumbing services and prizes.

Gayle Bass,with KTAR always offers many helpful websites, funny websites and places to find answers to your most asked questions.  Tune in to hear her fresh fun segments every weekday morning at 6:45am, 7:45am and 8:45am or you can click on KTAR Click Chick anytime.

Gayle Bass, The Click Chick

Come and meet Gayle Bass our very own KTAR’s celebrity at Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber’s home show booth on Saturday September 11, 2010 from 9-11am at the Phoenix Convention Center.  Click here for more information on the home show.  She can’t wait to meet all of you in the Rosie On The House Quarter.

The first 10 people that become a fan on our FACEBOOK PAGE will get free tickets to attend the home show.  There you will also have a chance to win a Remote Control Benjamin Franklin Plumbing Truck.

Win A Big Ben Blue Remote Control Truck

Gayle Bass and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing are a great team.

Click Chick Gayle Bass & Chris Stanfield Recording at KTAR

 Here, Chris Stanfield and Gayle Bass record our newest radio commerical together. Please listen to KTAR to hear what great things they are wanting to share with you. 

It is just as important to the Click Chick,  like many homeowners here in the valley to chose the right service company to service her plumbing and water treatment needs. 

That is where we come in, we have been protecting Gayle’s safety and plumbing system in her home with our plumbing and water treatment service for over 1 year.

Gayle Bass, The Click Chick stated “Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber not only always shows up on time, but they took the time to improve my home to allow me to enjoy life much better,  I had no idea some of these (plumbing) things were available.  They always treat my dog wonderfully and have showed me where my main water shut off is and how to work it, if I need it in an emergency. They found a way for me never to wait for hot water in my shower ever again and now I have the best flushing toilet, too. I had no idea that all toilets were NOT the same. I’m so happy I never have to worry about my guests using my plumbing. Now, I know it will work right everytime. They’re really is a plumber you can count on!  Benjamin Franklin Plumbing are the experts, they know water treatment and what works best for me.” 

If you have not tuned into listen to Gayle on KTAR, I promise you will love what she has to share, Tune in and judge for yourself. 

Thank you for reading my blog, I hope to see you at the home show. Please come back and look for more helpful plumbing tips and don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook!

Hard Water, Smelly Water, Bad Tasting Water, Scaly Water.   Does any of this sound familiar? Every city near Phoenix Arizona is ranked nationally as having the hardest water in the country.  Water Quality Reports show hard to very hard readings throughout Maricopa County.  Here are a few city’s water hardness reports: 

• Mesa  2009 Water Quality   Avg 10.4  gr/gal in the city, 17.1 gr/gal in the East Zone
• Avondale 2009 Water Quality  21 gr/gal
• Phoenix 2010 Water Quality  10-18 gr/gal
• Tempe 2009 Water Quality  9.9-13.3 gr/gal
• Gilbert 2007 Water Quality 2.3 – 18.7 gr/gal
• Chandler Water Quality  5-20 gr/gal
• Scottsdale 2010 Water Quality 12-20 gr/gal

According to the US Geological Survey water hardness classifies anything over 7 gr/gal as hard water and over 10.5 is very hard water. Water softeners and other treatment systems are important for our health and to extend the life of our home’s plumbing system.  Our experience is that most homes in the valley test at 15 gr or higher.   

Don’t Miss Our Water Photo Contest Below to WIN $100.00 CASH!    

Bath Tub Fun

Test your knowledge:    

1. If I have a water softener, I’m protected?    T  or   F
2. If I’m OK with having hard water, there is no reason to have water treatment?   T  or  F
3. If I have a water softener, I’m protected from the Chlorine our cities add?   T  or  F
4. If I have a drinking water filter, nothing more is really needed? T or F

If you answered True to any of the above questions, let me explain why False may be the correct answer in your home. 

1. Congratulations on having a softener, but more importantly, how do you know it is working correctly to reduce the hardness of the water regularly?  Water hardness should be tested regularly with proper testing supplies to be sure it is always working properly.  The system should be the correct size for your home.and not every system fits every home.  If your softener is  mis-matched for your home, although it seems to be working, you could be wasting a lot of water, energy and the money.
2. Having hard water is more trouble for you and your investment than you may be aware of.  It is not just a personal preference choice to have water treatment when you live in the Phoenix area.  One of your biggest investments in life is your home, which includes faucets, shower doors, pipes, a dishwasher and other important appliances, etc. Hard water will make all these items wear out much faster, cause them to work harder, possibly use more energy and force you to spend more money on cleaning and soap products. With a water softener you won’t have to work as hard trying to keep your home clean and faucets working properly.
3. Having a water softener sized right and working properly, will NOT protect you and your family from the high levels of chlorine in the city water.  It takes something else called a whole house filter installed correctly to remove the chlorine in your water.  According to the Water Quality Association Press Release Dated May 17, 2010 says “Home water treatment is a proven final barrier against many harmful chemicals.” Untreated water is known to cause cancer, allergies, eczema, breathing concerns, and many other health issues.
4. Having a drinking water filter, is great, but it will not protect your pipes and fixtures from deteriorating quickly. 

As fully trained plumbers we know your home plumbing system and your water treatment best, this includes what you can’t see and what you can.  It is a full system with many items attached together that makes everything work optimally.  Over the last 25 years we have personally witnessed home repairs that wouldn’t have occurred with a proper water treatment system installed.  We are here to protect your investment with our fully trained experts in water treatment, we help you just as we would want our own mother serviced.  Who else would you want to get advise from?    

Are you looking for a TRUE GREEN WATER DESCALER, to help with the white calcium deposits on your fixtures and pool?  We recommend EASYWATER, no salt used, no discharge of water and it can also work with water softeners to increase their life too.     

WIN OUR PHOTO CONTEST:  Send in Your Cutest Water Photo by August 31, 2010.  Do you have a cute one that that shows off your pets, children or car? Then enter to Win $100.00 CASH!    

Do you have friends with some cool water photos, share this with your friends.    

Submit your photo to eastvalleyservice@benfranklinplumbing.com, by submitting this photo you grant us permission to post it on our Facebook page and share it on our home show September 10-12th, 2010.  To win include your name and your contact information. Phoenix area homeowners over age of 18, are eligible to win.    

You still have time to enter the Apprentice contest too and win many prizes including 100 grand at www.win100grand.com      

Watch for my upcoming Blogs on better cleaning suggestions and more great contests.

Water leaks are common and many leaks outside your home are easy to spot.  If you or your neighbor has a hose bibb leaking, an outside valve or a sprinkler puddling water in the yard, you can be impacted in more places than your pocketbook.  I understand everyone is busy and a small water leak may not be the top priority, but a small leak outside can bring on more serious problems and affect the health of you and your family.

One Mosquitoe Can Make You Sick

                                                                                                                  Not only will you have a high water bill and waste our precious water resources here in Phoenix, but puddling water can be a breeding ground for mosquitoes. ProBest Pest Control’s blog share’s the importance of why you don’t want to attract mosquitoes around your home. 

• West Nile Virus has been reported right here in our Arizona backyard, this year.  On July 30, 2010 Stephanie Russo with The Arizona Republic and AZ Central  reported West Nile Virus claims 2nd life in the East Valley.
• Once you fix the water leak, ProBest Pest Control can eliminate the danger of anyone catching this virus around your home.

West Nile is a very serious virus and we all must help to reduce the risks in our neighborhoods.  We must watch for and get rid of standing water around our own homes and neighborhoods quickly to minimize the danger and  to keep this virus from spreading.

The Center for Disease Control offers some safe helpful tips to protect yourself if you find yourself around mosquitoes.

We have focused all our efforts in the last 26 years of service to the valley trying to keep people safe.  This time of year it is important to watch the rain water that collects around the neighborhood, the pool water that doesn’t stay maintained and the plumbing leaks that continue to run.  It is each of our own responsibility to help out.

Through the end of August 2010, we will help you fix that leak just mention this blog and we will give you $50.00 off the repair and help keep you healthy and safe.

Watch my next blog for a more great helpful plumbing information and a chance to win a $25.00 Starbucks card.

Arizona is offering round two of the AZ Appliance Rebates program for homeowners who install a New Solar Hot Water Heater System.  Solar water heaters are a great way to save on utilities and work well in the Phoenix AZ area.  As of today the AZ Appliance Rebates had over $1,100,000 available to homeowners wanting to install an Energy Star rated Solar water heater.

Curtis with New Solar Water Heater

Our Phoenix utility companies still have money for rebates, plus the Federal and State Government incentives remain in place.

Do you feel a little hot these days?  Why not use that free sunshine to heat up your hot water all year long?

In my prior blog on Solar Water Heaters you can read the details about what the utility companies are offering in rebates. 

I have listed the differences in the Solar Water Heater options available to heat your water in my blog on May 8, 2010.  Still need more?  How ’bout this list?

Top Ten Reasons to Go With Solar Hot Water:

1. Save money on energy bills while energy companies increase their rates.  The sun can heat hot water for free.
2. More rebates equal more savings.  Get your slice of the pie  to change over to  a Solar Hot Water.
3. Right now we have great Solar Hot Water products that will offer you the most flexibility and look great on your roof.
4. We have a reliable, low maintenance solar water system that will work  on 90% of all Phoenix area homes.
5. Arizona gives us the most sunny days in the nation, year round.  If you have a house here, shouldn’t you take advantage of it?
6. Arizona is one of the top states offering rebates to help homeowners pay for their new Solar Hot Water Heater.
7. Going Solar is simple and you will not notice any water temperature delivery difference when installed by our professional service techs.  What you will notice is your utility bill savings.
8. Solar Hot Water works with both Electric and Gas water heaters.
9. You may use the same water heater you have currently, if you want.
10. HOA’s cannot prohibit installation of a Solar Water Heater Panel on your roof.

Thank you for reading my blog, I hope this has helped, don’t forget to look into solar hot water soon.  We expect the rebate money will go quickly and suggest you schedule a consultation.  Request your  free quote (available to all homeowners that mention this blog post before September 1, 2010), call us at 602-485-1111.

Look for my upcoming blogs on:

How to clean your toilet best.

Craziest Photo contest.

Plumbing is often overlooked in preparing your home before heading out on vacation.  Plumbing should be a priority, just as you prepare your ac unit or your pool before leaving. 

Don CeSar Beach Resort, St. Petes Beach, FL

I’m sure you know someone who has shared a painful water leak disaster story occuring while they were away. Having a mess on your hands and missing work is no fun. We want to help you avoid an unhappy ending to a great vacation and coming home to water damage or mold surprises. 

Most insurance companies will tell you that their number one homeowner’s claim is water damage and the top 3 items that cause these claims are:

• Washing Machine Valves or hose failure
• Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water System that gets older and the lines break
• Sink or toilet valves breaking off and leaking

All of these plumbing problems can incur a high amount of damage when no one catches the leak quickly.  Don’t become part of these statistics.

Here are a few helpful plumbing tips for your home located in Gilbert, Scottsdale, Glendale, or any other town in the Phoenix metro area. 

Top 10 Plumbing Tips Before You Leave on Vacation: 

1. Turn off your plumbing main shut off  valve to your plumbing system.  There will still be water in the water system, but no more will enter into the system while your gone.  Please be sure the plumbing main shut off valve is working properly. Only turn it off  if nothing needs water around the home while your gone. Don’t forget your pool fill or any pumps you may have that need water while your away.
2. If you can’t turn off your main plumbing shut off valve. You can shut off individual valves under your sinks, behind your toilets, at the Reverse Osmosis unit, behind the refrigerator and behind the washing machine.  But only turn off the valves that are in good working order. 
3. If you turned off your plumbing main shut off valve, this is still a good time to look at all your shut off valves and supply lines under your sinks and toilets to be sure none are wet or leaking before leaving.
4. If you have plumbing behind your refrigerator, pull the refrigerator out and check to be sure nothing is wet or corroded.
5. Look all around your water heater and water softener, to be sure  you see no wetness or water leaking. These also have their own shut off valves, that can be turned off to lessen the chance of water damage.  
6. If the water heater is in good condition, turn the thermostat to vacation on a gas water heater. On an electric water heater turn the  breaker off at your main electrical breaker box, to avoid wasting energy for heating water while your gone.
7. Add water to all drains, and BioBen, if you have it, before leaving to keep them wet and avoid odors when you return.
8. Walk around the outside of the home, make sure nothing is leaking before you leave the house.
9. If you have a drinking water system, make sure your drinking water system is newer, as older lines on these units  crack and break and are often the culprit causing water damage in many homes. Some of these systems can be turned off indivdually at the valve under the sink to lessen the possibility water damage. 
10. Have someone come in and walk around the home to check that nothing has broken or continues to run while your gone.

During the visual review of your plumbing system before you leave, none of your plumbing system should be corroded or wet, some plumbing parts will appear ok until you touch or shut them off.  All  parts of your plumbing system should be in good working order, able to be turned on and off without breaking, and problem parts should be replaced.

Older plumbing system can fail anytime.  But when you’re gone for consecutive days and something does break it will cause far more damage than when you’re home, able to spot and stop the break quickly. 

When you return home, remember what areas of your plumbing system you turned off and turn them all back on.  Please know that once water is turned back on you will get some bursts of air… that is normal.  Don’t get too scared from the blasts. It startles me every time even though I know it is coming. Leave the water run until the air blasts stop. 

We want you to enjoy your vacation and come home with great memories to share with your family and friends (not the story of how you found water damage and broken plumbing upon your return). 

If you feel uncomfortable reviewing your plumbing system, mention this blog, and we’ll provide you a free home inspection.  To help prevent broken plumbing and water damage while your away,  just call us at 602-485 -1111. And if you need a good plumber you can count on while you’re away please keep our number handy, we are here 24/7 to help in any plumbing emergency. 

Upcoming Blogs: 

* Cutest Photo Contest 

*Best Way To Clean Your Toilet

Drains are great when they drain efficiently.  But when they don’t, life can become more stressful and less comfortable.  Have you ever stood in a shower with the drain open and find the water is rising to your knees?  While brushing your teeth, does water fill the entire sink with dirty water?  Why does this happen? 

The more that goes down the drain, the more clogged drains you will have.  The more you chose to put down your bathroom drains, the more important regular maintenance is needed to keep them running smoothly and better smelling.  

Have you seen the ad for Turbo Snake?

It promises you can clear your drains easily, watch this video clip and see if you think it passed the challenge. Our Dallas Benjamin Franklin Plumbing put this the Turbo Snake to the test. See how it did before you try to use it. 

If you have slow running drains, you don’t always have to call a Gilbert Plumber to clear them. If you’re handy and don’t mind working around pipes, there are a few things you can do regularly when they get real slow.  

If Your Bathroom Drains Are Very Slow:

• You can take apart the curved pipe (the P Trap) under the bathroom sink and clean it out, it may smell really bad, so be ready with a good garbage can close by with a lid.  The first time I saw the inside of my bathroom sink drain, I was shocked at what had piled up in there.  Clearing the P trap will help the sink drain run smoothly again. 
• Your bathtub or shower drain can be cleared out with a very powerful shop vac  hose tightly sealed around the drain area opening, (you may need to take off the drain stopper or strainer).  Once it is sealed well around the drain, turn the shop vac on and hold it tightly against the drain opening until you can feel nothing more being pulled up from the drain.  It should pull out hair and soap that have built up and stuck near the top of the drain line area.   

How To Keep The Bathroom Drains Running Smoothly:

• Use a biodegradable drain maintenance product such as BioBen monthly, my past blog will give you more information on this product.  It will eat away the hair and soap scum stuck to the pipes regularly, so you don’t have to open up the pipes or hire a Chandler Plumber to clear them out  when they get worse.
• Cover your drains, with proper strainers to only allow water to pass through.
• Don’t let other things go down the drain if you can.

The Most Common Items That Will Slow Your Bathroom Drain System:

• Hair, long or short, overtime it gathers in the pipe and will stick to the pipe, the inside of the pipe will get  smaller and smaller making water to run very slow down it.
• Soap, hair or makeup products will stick together in the pipe and make the drains slower and smell.
• Small Plastic Caps will get caught in the soap or hair sticking to the pipe or elbows of the pipe only able to allow a very small amount of water to drain at a time.
• Q Tips or toothpicks falling into the drains may allow slowing intermittently, sometimes they will allow more to go by and other times the drain will seemed more clogged. 
• Dust and dirt build up over time allows the pipe to have a smaller opening and only allowing a small amount of water to drain at a time.
• Don’t flush things down the toilet unless you know your toilet or drain. Learn more about this in my prior blog Toilets vs Tampons Friends or Foes? 

A Hint That Can Save You Money:

Keep the toilet lid closed, here is a photo of a cell phone that fell in a customers toilet.

Look for my upcoming blogs on:

How To Prepare Your Plumbing System For Vacation!!

Funny Photo Contest

Clogged drains in your home can be prevented.  It’s really quite simple with this plumber’s secret.  If you are tired of clogged drains we have a safe and easy solution …BioBen.  BioBen is a biodegradable drain maintenance product so safe that you can eat it, but most of all it’s safe for all sewer lines and septic systems and is stamped Designed for the Enviroment by U.S. EPA.

The BioBen Process:

“BioBen’s friendly bacteria eat away at greasy slime buildup and odorous residue, leaving your pipes and wastewater systems in top condition all year around when applied on a routine basis. It’s safe for both human handling and the environment.”

Are you tired of asking someone else in the house to clean out the slow drains or hate the smell of your drains?

Now you can easily do it yourself with BioBen, even if you don’t feel like you’re handy around the house.  If my sister can keep her drains clear with this, everyone can.  I say this with the most respect for my sister and love her dearly, but I also see how much happier she is now that she keeps those clogged drains away. 

Top 10 Reasons To Use BioBen:

1. Your tired of calling a plumber to clear your drains, even though you really like them.
2. You know that grease, oil or fat products is washed down your drains regularly.
3. Hair and short shaving hair is washed down the drain every day.
4. Hair spray or gel are washed down the drain.
5. Soaps or make up is rinsed down the drain line regularly.
6. Laundry lint or dust  from the air build up in the laundry drain pipes and need to be cleared out.
7. Food products are rinsed down the drain.
8. Your drains are in need of rebuilding up friendly bacteria that every day household chemicals destroy.
9. It is designed to work with plumbing and septic systems, it has met the EPA’s DfE challenge.
10. It is a proven GREEN friendly formula that works!

Bathroom Sink Drain with no BIOBEN

This is what was found in a customers bathroom drain after 3 months of no treatment, can you imagine brushing your teeth everyday with this in the drain below?  But you don’t have to worry or feel sick about it, JUST USE BioBen!

What Forms Does BioBen It Come In?

• Liquid Form
• Dry Granules
• Commercial Grade Auto- Dispensing System

But You say, I Just Use The Over The Counter Drain Cleaners Like Liquid Plumber, Why Change?

1.  The number one reason, these over the counter products usually are used after a clog  or slow drain have occurred, where as BioBen keeps the clogs and slow drains away when used regularly.
2. Most products over the counter are not safe to be around kids or animals. Please be sure to read the labels. I have had customers tell me how they hurt themselves using some of these products.
3. They can be very harmful to the pipes, plumbing fixtures and the environment. 
4. If you’re not sure why the drain is slow or clogged, these chemicals can worsen a clog depending on how it adheres to the particles in the drain.  Sometimes a minor clog can turn into a very tough hard as cement type of drain clog that will take  professional help to clear.
5. One bottle or jar will last most homes 6 full months of use. 
6. Use the same product for a number of needs, like bad smelling disposals and avoiding slow drains or clog.
7. 100% Guarantee by Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber.
8. Easy to get, your local Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber can ship it or deliver it to your home.
9. BioBen is a safe quality product.

It’s not to late to enter win up to 100 grand with Trumps Time Is Money Sweepstakes, read more about it in my prior blog.

Need help with your plumbing, let us help you, just mention this blog and get a free BioBen..Expires 7/30/10.

Upcoming Blog Topics:

* How to easily clear a really slow shower drain, yourself.

*Cutest photo contest.

Win $100,000 or other great prizes with Benjamin Franklin Plumbing

Your local Phoenix, Gilbert, Scottsdale and Glendale Plumber, will give away up to $100,000 in cash in Donald Trump’s  “Time Is Money Sweepstakes”.  As the plumber who cares about your time, Benjamin Franklin, The Punctual Plumber can’t wait to see who wins.   To enter the Sweepstakes visit www.BenFranklinPlumbingAZ.com.  Many more prizes, including Trump trips to New York, Las Vegas and Canouan Island Resort are also being given away weekly and monthly.  Be punctual so you don’t miss out on any of the prizes.

Thought maybe sweeptakes offers like this are fake?  Not this one, as I have paid into it, Me… Linda Stanfield, your local Chandler plumber, and even participated in putting this together.  This sweepstakes is BIG and pays out handsomely.  A sweepstakes with real life prizes that are guaranteed to make the winners happy… one of those winners could be you.  Enter Today and everyday for more chances to win!

Why Enter?

1. Chance to win 26 Weekly prizes

• $500 Visa Gift Card
• $500 Spa Package
•  Retail Store Cards and many many more prizes

    2.  Chance to win 6 Monthly prizes

• A Backyard Hot Tub Party
• $10,000 in Ivanka’s Jewelry
• Kitchen Makeover 
• Fly Free for 1 year and many more

      3. 1 Grand Prize -$100,000 Cash Prize

• Easy to enter
• Get a bonus entry for referring a friend

Rules, yes every sweepstakes must have rules so please review them here. 

You must Enter to Win… What are you waiting for?  And tell all your friends as they could win too!

Watch all The Celebrity Apprentice shows on NBC TV or on-line at www.NBC.com.

By now you have probably heard about Solar Rebates from utility companies drying up or rebate amounts being reduced in Arizona.  Unfortunately the reporting has caused confusion since “solar” in most news reports is about “electrical” solar panel systems.   The solar water heater and solar electric panel rebates are separate programs in the Phoenix area utility companies.  This is good news if you are considering a Solar Hot Water System. 

Electrical Solar System:

Some words used for electrical solar systems include Solar Panels, Photovoltaic or “PV” panels, this type of system is  used to run electrical energy in the home or business, etc. 

Hot Water Heater Solar Systems:

Solar Hot Water systems include words like active or passive solar hot water systems.  Each of these systems are better defined in my prior blog called Solar Hot Water Heater options.

Currently both Phoenix utility companies, SRP and APS are still offering great rebate dollar amounts for Solar Hot Water Systems.  SRP still supports both solar water heater rebates and solar electrical rebates.  The rebates have rules and dates in order to qualify.  The dollar amount of the rebate for solar hot water heater systems are calculated by the efficiency of the system being used.  Review the  links for the most up to date current rebate amounts.

APS Solar electrical and Solar Water Heater rebate information can be found by clicking here .  Like SRP, they use SRCC  ratings to calculate the solar hot water heater rebate amount.

SRCC Rating is the rating that solar hot water and swimming pool systems receive from The Solar Rating and Certification Corporation, an independent rating program that tests and certifies each solar hot water heater system to let us know how efficient one is over another.  Our utility companies use these ratings to calculate the rebates.

Please don’t believe the media stories heard around Phoenix, telling you that there is no more help for any solar here.   Phoenix still has monetary support so you can save on Solar Hot Water Heater Systems, but don’t procrastinate as they will eventually run dry too.  Please remember that most of the media alerts lately have been referring to Solar Electrical System Rebates dwindling quickly.

If you liked this information and would like to receive future articles automatically, please subscribe to the Phoenix Plumber Pipeline (either email or RSS feed) by using the options on the right –>

Upcoming Articles:

How Can You Win 1 Year of Free Airfare or A Kitchen Makeover?

What Is Causing Your Drain To Run Slow?

Phoenix plumbers offer different types of solar hot water heater options.  If you ‘re looking for more information on Solar Hot Water Heater systems basics then review my past article Solar Hot Water Made Simple.   Today I  want to offer a simple way to understand the 2 common types of systems available.  It is important to know what systems are available, not just what a big box store or sales person offers.  It really is easy,  and I promise to keep the explanation simple.

Our  company has been a licensed plumbing contractor for over 25 years and we’ve worked on many systems and various manufacturers.  Some systems are higher quality than others.  Through our extensive experience, certifications and training classes we are able to provide better service to our customers and the community.   We believe that quality and reliability are #1 and have installed them where we can monitor the reliability daily – on our own plumbers’ homes and Mom’s house.  

Here are the pros and cons of a few different types of solar hot water systems to help you decide what makes sense for you home and your family.

The two most common types of systems being sold in the Phoenix area are Passive and Active systems.  Some popular model names include The Sungrabber, Radco, and CopperSun.

Active systems simply have circulating pumps and controls where  Passive systems do not. 

PASSIVE SOLAR HOT WATER HEATER SYSTEMS: (no pumps or controls)

-We highly recommend the Passive System- it truly is Solar Made Simple.

Pros: (Not in any order)

• Gives a larger amount of hot water heated by the sun, not just what  the tank gallons include
• No special hot water heater needed
• Can be installed with current water heater in home
• Can be installed with gas or electric water heater
• Can be installed on Tankless or tank style water heater
• Does not require extra water tanks,  just one
• Has back-up heater by utility, we have found even on a 60 degree day we get plenty of hot water heated by the sun for a small family
• Great for part time residents, no draining of system
• No Glycol use in system
• It can produce all your water heating needs for well over 300 days a year 
• Works on 90% of all homes in the Phoenix area
• It qualifies for city permits easily
• This type of system has been around for more then 100 years
• Units over 30 years are still working well in AZ
• No moving parts, motors or pumps to wear out or repair
• No electricity needed for pumps
• If the power goes out you still have hot water
• No exposed hardware or plumbing to mar your roof
• Homeowners findthis system easy to understand
• Little or no maintenance
• Some units have been tested to stand 20 degree tempature for 18 hours straight without freezing, (in case you live in Flagstaff or the White Mountains
• Pays for itself in 3-6 years depending on your hot water usage
• Qualifies for Utility Rebate from APS and SRP (subject to change with no notice)
• Qualifies for Federal Tax Credit
• Qualifies for State Tax Credit

The passive model we have chosen to install looks great on homes, it sets into the roof and looks like a sunlight.  Zero  maintenance investment needed as our system comes with a 10 year full warranty on labor,  the hot water solar system, water heater and water lines. That’s what I call hassle-free. 

Not all solar hot water sales people offer this unit as a choice

• Not all plumbers are trained on this unit

ACTIVE SOLAR WATER HEATER SYSTEMS: (with circulating pumps and controls)

Pros:

• It heats up hot water with sun
• Low cost up front
• Works with gas, if additional tank or electric water heater is added
• Freeze protection with a drainback tank
• Light Weight
• Qualifies for Utility Rebate – APS and SRP ( subject to change with no notice)
• Qualifies for Federal Tax Credit
• Qualifies for State Tax Credit

Cons:

• Many moving parts, possible repairs later
• Pumps needed possible repairs later
• Need two water heater tanks if on gas utility 
• Has a drain back tank to protect against freezing
• This unit will require more space than a standard water heater tank
• Some cities have more concerns – not offering permits on particular units
• Not all plumbers know how to repair or install these units
• The homeowner should budget for future repairs
• It may not increase the amount of hot water

A solar hot water heating system is a great way to heat hot water  in Phoenix.  With our utility rates continuing to increase, why not use the sun’s power and reduce your carbon footprint?  You need to know what you don’t know.  Know if the company you buy from uses subcontractors and if they do,  check who they are and what their experience is.  I actually know a solar company that has told me they pick up workers on the street when they have a solar install to complete as they don’t keep employees on their payroll.  Every owner runs their business differently.

Know who your dealing with, as the reported by The Phoenix Business Journal “Complaints Related to Solar Systems Installations” on April 19, 2010…  occurances of bad installations are increasing.

Feel free to contact us for a professional plumber to come out and review your options with a guaranteed price for your water heating needs.  Local valley wide service 877-236-1776.  Mention this blog and get a free service call for a quote.

Have  you read my past  or want to read a future article? 

Arizona cash for appliance-Tankless

Future  Blogs:

The Apprentice and Benjamin Franklin Plumbing?

Facts About AZ Utility Solar Rebates! 

How To Maintain Your Water Heater!