Plumber Auburn

ABT Plumbing & Electric opened our doors in 2001 in Nevada City, CA and quikly became a leader in the plumbing and electrical industry in the Sierra Nevada Foothills, serving Aurburn, Ca. to Nevada City Ca.

The secret to our success is great customer service; our clients come first, all the time, every time. ABT employees are dedicated to providing our clients with the highest level of professionalism in the industry.

Our trained technicians are experts in the fields of plumbing and electrical service, staying abreast of the latest technology by attending weekly training sessions. Our courteous and professional administrative staff will promptly assist you in scheduling your service appointment.

ABT Clients' Bill of Rights:
The right to prompt, on time service.
The right to feel safe... All of our technicians undergo background checks and are drug free.
The right to know exactly how much the service is going to cost before the work is started.
The right to a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

If your feeling really handy you can probably build your own solar water heater with what you have seen on the video, but if your like me you'll want a materials list to save you having to go to the hardware store more than once. To help make it easier I have written an ebook with more information, like diagrams, plans, material list, installation instructions, etc. I have priced it so low that you'll just want it for the parts list alone. Check it out, here is a link;

DIY Solar Water Heater

You can also check out my companies web site to learn more about energy saving.

ABT Plumbing, Electric, Heat & Air

Energy Saving Tips
Print Page Email Page Follow these tips to save on energy costs
Install these energy-efficient measures:
1. Replace and recycle your old refrigerator and purchase energy-efficient models. Units only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as a new ENERGY STAR® labeled model.

2. Insulate ceilings to R-30 standards if your attic has less than R-19.

3.Caulk windows, doors and anywhere air leaks in or out. Do not caulk around water heater and furnace exhaust pipes.

4. Weatherstrip around windows and doors.

5. Wrap heating and cooling ducts with duct wrap, or use mastic sealant.

6. Install energy-saver showerheads.

7.When buying new appliances, be sure to purchase energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® labeled models.

8. Set the furnace thermostat at 68 degrees or lower, and the air-conditioner thermostat at 78 degrees or higher, health permitting. 3 percent to 5 percent more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68 degrees and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78 degrees.

9. If your old air conditioner is on its way out replace it with ENERGY STAR® labeled energy-efficient model.

10. Use compact fluorescent lamps. You can lower your lighting bill by converting to energy-efficient low-wattage compact fluorescent lighting and fixtures.

11. Replace old windows with new high performance dual pane windows.

12. Clean or replace furnace and air-conditioner filters regularly, following manufacturer's instructions.

13. Set the water heater thermostat at 140 degrees or "normal." If you have a dishwasher. Otherwise, set it at 120 degrees or "low." Check your dishwasher to see if you can use 120 degree water. Follow the manufacturer's direction on yearly maintenance to extend the life of your unit.

14. Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets. A single dripping hot water faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month. That not only increases water bills, but also increases the gas or electric bill for heating the water.

15. Wash only full loads in a dishwasher and use the shortest cycle that will get your dishes clean. If operating instructions allow, turn off the dishwasher before the drying cycle, open the door and let the dishes dry naturally.

16. Defrost refrigerators and freezers before ice buildup becomes 1/4-inch thick.
Install shades, awnings or sunscreens on windows facing south and/or west to block summer light. In winter, open shades on sunny days to help warm rooms.

17. Close the damper when the fireplace is not being used. Try not to use the fireplace and central heating system at the same time.

Dear Andrew: Do you know how to solder copper water pipes? I plan to install some new copper tubing which will replace old galvanized steel water lines. How do you successfully solder copper water lines? I'm afraid of burning my house down while using the torch. What can I do to minimize fire risks? A.M.

DEAR A.M.: Soldering copper pipe intimidates many homeowners. With a little knowledge and practice, you will get leak free joints just about every time. Not only that, if you follow some simple steps, we can keep the mileage low on your local fire department pumper trucks.

For you to solder copper tubing successfully, you will need the following tools and supplies: a tubing cutter, round wire fitting brushes, plumbers sand cloth, flux, flux brush, an acetylene or propane torch, lead free solder, and a few 5 gallon buckets. All of these items can be found at your local plumbing supply house.

Tubing cutters are simple tools that cleanly cut copper tubing to specific lengths. Use the plumber's sand cloth to clean each end of the pipe. You need to shine only about 1 inch at each end. The fitting brushes are rotated inside of the copper fittings to remove oxidation.

Open the flux container. You will see a gelatin like substance that usually contains zinc chloride, ammonium chloride, and paraffin. Stir the flux well to mix it, especially if it has been sitting in a hot area. Use a small flux brush to apply a coating to the areas of both the pipe and fitting you have cleaned. Don't get the flux in your eyes or mouth!

The pipes and fittings must be dry for soldering to take place. If water or steam is in the pipes, you can't get the copper hot enough to melt and draw the liquid solder into the fitting. You can temporarily stop the flow of water if you roll up some bread and stick it in the pipe where water is flowing. The bread will eventually dissolve and not cause a problem within the water lines.

Once you have joined the pipe to the fitting, it is time to solder. Light the torch using a match or a flint striker. You should see a flame within a flame if your torch is adjusted correctly. The tip of the inner flame produces the hottest temperatures. Apply the torch to the pipe/fitting area so that the tip of the inner flame just touches the copper. The flux will immediately begin to boil.

Within about 10 - 20 seconds, the boiling flux will disappear. At this time, touch the solder to the intersection point of the pipe and fitting. Within 1 second, the solder should begin to melt. Immediately remove the torch. If the pipe and fitting are sufficiently hot, the solder will continue to melt and be drawn completely into the fitting. The pipe will usually retain enough heat to melt the solder for 10 to 15 seconds. However, you usually need to only apply solder for 3 - 5 seconds.

Using a propane or acetylene torch around wood framed houses is a recipe for disaster. Wood chips, paper insulation backing, etc. can ignite easily. Prior to starting this project fill your 5 gallon buckets with water. Better yet, purchase a portable fire extinguisher that is made to extinguish wood and paper fires.

You can also buy at the plumbing supply house non combustible flameproof fire shields. You can place these between the copper and any combustible product as you solder. If you can't locate this product, a piece of sheet metal will do a fine job to absorb and deflect the torch's heat. Always look behind or past what you are soldering. Be sure you do not melt an electrical wire or telephone wire. You may need to dial 911!