FAQ
Find answers to some commonly asked questions below.
A+ Rating Services
Certified Professionals
Been In Business
Since 1986
We Offer Free Estimates
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT VISION MECHANICAL
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Find answers to commonly asked questions regarding general, plumbing, and HVAC services.
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General
Yes we do! We ensure you have financing options to pay in 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 VIP Agreement! 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.
Estimates are free! We are transparent with our quotes, and aim to be crystal clear so that there are no surprises down the road.
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)
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.
plumbing
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 Mechanical 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.
toilets & faucets
Clogged drains are not an uncommon thing in households, and in general 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 example, a buildup of hair and other runoff waste is the typical culprit of drain clogs. Bathroom sinks usually have a drain stopper that you can pull up – if you haven’t cleaned this in a while, chances are good that it will be full of hair and gunk. Time to give it a good cleaning and wiping. Put the stopper back in place and run the water. If you don’t see improvement in water buildup, you probably have a clog further down the line. Stores sell ‘drain snakes’ and the cost is minimal. If the clog isn’t too far down, the snake will do the trick, pulling 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 in a DIY manner, however we recommend taking a look to see what might be causing the leak. Then give us a call and we can get some details and, if possible, pictures from you so that our plumber can arrive prepared to fix it! Some older fixtures have been discontinued, or configurations have changed, so the pictures give us an idea if we need to suggest an alternative solution for you.
- First, go to the water shut off valve at or around the toilet base. Turn valve until 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.
- 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.
- Either reach into the toilet (wearing rubber gloves) use a toilet plunger to try to remove the object(s) blocking the toilet.
If this doesn’t work, give us a call. 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.
flooding & sump pumps
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.
Furnace
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 in humidifiers and UV Light to your system which take less time to install as individual components.
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VISION MECHANICAL LTD.
Vision has solutions and services that are right for you. Please call 250-470-9552 for help now. For other questions, please submit the form below and we’ll be in touch as soon as we can.
Unit B (108), 2280 Leckie Rd
Kelowna, B.C. V1X 6G6
