AC Promo Available!
  1. Home >>
  2. Plumbing & HVAC Resources >>
  3. FAQ >>

Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

Yes,  we do! We ensure you have financing options to pay a timeline that works for you through Financeit. We also work to let you know of any available rebates for you to take advantage of.

Yes we do! Vision offers HVAC maintenance plans for residential equipment such as furnaces, A/C units, heat pumps, and more.  We call this our Vision Elite Service Plan! We also service commercial clients with maintenance programs designed specifically for the size of property and amount of equipment in operation. You can find more information on our commercial services here. Maintenance plans are a great way to avoid costly repairs and ensure your system can reach its maximum lifespan.

Estimate costs will vary depending on the type of service required, the size of the job, and other factors, but general quotes are typically under $100. If you choose Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling to perform the quoted service, the quote cost is refunded and used to cover part of the work. Please contact us if you require an estimate, and we will be happy to assist. We are transparent with our quotes, and aim to be crystal clear so that there are no surprises down the road.

Yes we do! Anyone over the age of 65 can save on our plumbing, heating, and cooling products & services. Contact us for details, and to claim your discount!

We serve Kelowna including communities such as West Kelowna, Westbank, Winfield and Lake Country. Any outer areas do incur a travel charge such as Myra, Summerland, Vernon, Penticton, Naramata, Big White and many others.

We do our best to get to your property ASAP. This depends on a number of factors, including:

  • Current demand & crew availability
  • Where you are located
  • The priority of the work (e.g. flooding emergency vs. routine project)

We’ll give you an estimated time of arrival, and our aim is constant communication. Our service calls are booked in a two-hour arrival window due to unforeseen circumstances that may hold up the tech on a job prior to yours. We do our best to mitigate these situations however they do occasionally occur.

It all depends on the type of insurance coverage you have, as well as the nature of the repair. Some policies cover repairs as a result of flooding or other home/ property damage. Proactive maintenance is generally not covered by insurance. We advise to contact your insurance broker or customer service team to find out more.

We’d be happy to look at your home and help ascertain which heating solution(s) would work best in your case. There’s really no one-size-fits-all option, as each case is different with factors such as home size and configuration, location, budget and more.

Contact Us!

Toilet & Faucet FAQ

Clogged drains are not an uncommon problem in households, and in general, they are no reason to panic. This usually happens in a kitchen sink, bathroom sink, shower, or tub drain or laundry/utility room sink. In washrooms, for instance, the typical reason for drain clogs is a buildup of hair and other runoff waste. Bathroom sinks typically have a drain stopper that you can pull up. If you haven’t cleaned this in a while, chances are it will be full of hair and gunk. It’s time to give it a good cleaning and wipe it down. Put the stopper back in place and run the water. If there is no improvement in water buildup, you may have a clog further down the line. Stores sell ‘drain snakes’ at a minimal cost, and if the clog isn’t too far down the line, using the snake will do the trick and pull out hair and other debris. If that doesn’t work, the clog is likely deeper – that’s when it’s time to call a professional plumber.

*Note: Avoid using chemical ‘cleaners’ as they are abrasive and usually toxic.*

An ounce of prevention, as they say, is worth a pound of cure. Save yourself the trouble later by doing your best to prevent debris from going down the drain. In kitchen sinks, you can use mesh covers over the drain. In bathrooms, regularly clean the drains by pulling out the excessive hair or other things stuck around the drain that you can see. Then toss into the trash bin.

Small leaks can be fixed DIY, however, we recommend taking a look to see what might be causing the leak before calling us. We can get some details and, if possible, photos from you to ensure our plumber arrives prepared to fix the issue. Some older fixtures may have been discontinued or have had configuration changes, so these photos help us identify if we need to suggest alternative solutions.

  1. First, go to the water shut-off valve at or around the toilet base. Turn the valve until the water shuts off. If the toilet does not have a valve, open the tank and rig the float to stay in its position – this way no more water will flow in.
  2. Next use towels or a Shop-Vac to clean up the water that’s spilled onto the floor. Thoroughly wash all surfaces that were affected.
  3. Either reach into the toilet (wearing rubber gloves) or use a toilet plunger to try to remove the object(s) blocking the toilet.

If this doesn’t work, give us a call. A toilet overflowing could be a sign of a larger plumbing issue. The clog may be located farther down the pipes. We can diagnose the issue and resolve it promptly and professionally.

Contact Us!

Plumbing FAQ

Noise such as knocks and pings in the pipes and other sections of plumbing can be the result of many things. It could be a sign that the system has developed issues with pressure, obstructions, pipes becoming dislodged, or parts becoming broken or failing. Count on Vision Plumbing Heating Cooling to diagnose the root causes of these noises and provide an effective plumbing solution.

Do you have a back-up or overflow? That would definitely constitute a plumbing emergency, especially if there is flooding involved. Or maybe you’ve got a faucet that’s spraying water everywhere, or a burst/broken pipe or other leak that’s causing water to spread. If you can, turn off any valves to stop the water from flowing which will create more damage. These types of situations need to be addressed ASAP. We can help! Call us 250-470-9552.

Depending on the time of day, day of week and/or need to reschedule other clients, emergency plumbing services may cost more. Call us at 250-470-9552 and we’ll let you know how quickly we can be on site as well as what type of surcharge may be involved.

Many homeowners’ insurance policies cover plumbing repairs in cases of emergency, e.g. flooding, etc. Every policy is different, coverage and deductibles will vary, so we recommend contacting your insurance broker or customer service department to determine your reimbursement possibilities for plumbing services.
Contact Us!

Flooding & Sump Pumps FAQ

A sump pump that is malfunctioning could be the result of a number of things, such as mechanical failure, clogged system, failed switch or power source issue. If the sump pump is not working, you face the danger of a flood. That’s why we recommend calling us ASAP. Our goal is to help you avoid disaster and keep your home or property running smoothly.
Flood prevention comes in different forms. For those with a sump pump, it’s crucial to pay attention if any alarm is going off. Other sources of flooding are from storms, melting and other situations. Proactive inspection helps immensely. Check for cracks in your foundation. See that windows, walls, roofs and doors do not have leaks. Look for runoff that might be diverting water towards the building and divert it away.
Floods are nasty situation to have to deal with. If you have minor flooding starting to occur, best to treat it as if it’s going to get bigger quickly and act accordingly. If the flooding is bigger, act now. Do not wait. Call us ASAP so that we can get a crew to you. In the meantime, shut the power (to the affected are or to the whole building if necessary) to avoid electrocution. Find the source of the flooding and stop it if you can (e.g. sandbags outside the building). Call us to let us know the specifics and we can advise further. Don’t panic – we’re here to help.
Contact Us!

Furnace FAQ

This can depend on a number of factors, like the builder, how much the furnace is used (and under what conditions), etc. Having said that, a typical home heating system should last 15 years or more. The key is proper care & maintenance. Give your furnace some TLC and these systems can last 20 years or more. The case can be made, though, to replace an existing system with a more energy efficient one, even if it’s say 10 years old. Talk with us to see what’s right for you.

Sure, happy to help! Here are a few pointers:

  • Set your thermostat between 65F to 68F when you are at home, and less when you are away (or asleep)
  • Use a programmable thermostat to save on hydro bills by using less energy when you are asleep or away (or turn the thermostat down manually)
  • Replace your furnace filters regularly… as often as once a month, depending on number of people in the home and environmental factors
  • Get a furnace tune-up annually
  • Make certain that registers aren’t blocked by furniture or drapes, etc.

It’s generally recommended to service your furnace & HVAC system annually. What happens in an annual service? A tech (like one of our crew) will visit your home to clean and inspect all parts of the system, performing any repairs as needed (and approved by you after discussion, of course). This is a great way to keep systems working more efficiently, and it can help extend the life of your heating system greatly.

Most installations on furnaces and air conditioners are usually an 8-hour day with two technicians. You can also add humidifiers and UV lights to your system which take less time to install as individual components. 

Contact Us!