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Water heaters are one of those household necessities that you don’t fully appreciate until it stops working. When it fails, your supply of easily accessible hot water is gone. That means you can’t bath, unless you’re a fan of cold showers, or wash your clothes and dishes. Even cooking becomes more of a chore.

A water heater should last several years but it won’t last forever. Replacing a water heater is a major purchase and you need to make sure you buy a model that meets the needs of your family while offering the best energy efficiency. Here is a basic guide to buying a new water heater.

Adequate Capacity

Make sure the water heater you select has enough capacity to keep your family supplied with a sufficient amount of hot water.

Water heaters come in a variety of sizes. Two people should be able to get along fine with a forty gallon water heater. For a family of four, a sixty-gallon water heater may be the right choice. Obviously, a larger family needs a larger water heater. This varies depending on whether or not you have a tank or tankless water heater. The Dept. of Energy offers an online calculator that will help you determine which size tank will best meet your household’s needs.

Recovery Rate

Capacity isn’t the only consideration when it comes to ensuring your family has an adequate supply of hot water when they need it.

Another important factor to keep in mind is the water heater’s recovery rate. This is the amount of water that can be heated in an hour. The rate depends on both the capacity and type of water heater you purchase.

Energy Efficiency

One of the best ways to save money on your energy bill is by purchasing an energy efficient water heater.

Water heaters are available in a variety of fuel types ranging from electric and natural gas to geothermal and solar. Compare fuel prices to determine which type offers the most savings. Different types of water heaters are more energy efficient than others. Every water heater is required to carry an EnergyGuide label which makes it easy to compare the energy efficiency of different water heater types. An energy efficient model can use as much as fifty percent less energy which is substantial when you consider that hot water is one of the biggest energy expenses in most households.

Warranty

It isn’t a question of if your water heater will fail, but when. There is no worse feeling than checking your warranty after your water heater fails and discovering that it has expired a few months earlier.

A typical water heater warranty ranges anywhere from three to twelve years. Choosing a water heater with a good warranty is the best way to avoid this costly discovery. Make sure the warranty covers parts and labor. Keeping in mind that the maximum life expectancy of a water heater is about fifteen years, the best course of action is to be proactive and purchase a new water heater before your current one fails.

Turning off the water to your house is an excellent insurance policy against water damage. This may sound like the kind of busy work that you might find on an overprotective homeowners checklist but when you consider how much damage a leaky pipe or appliance can cause it is time well spent. All it requires is knowing where the main shut-off valve is located, usually either near the water meter or in the basement, and closing it whenever you are going to be away from home for any length of time. Once it’s done, any problems that may occur while you are away will be minor compared to the flood that could be waiting for you upon your return. Some homeowners will turn off the water to every individual appliance and fixture in the house but merely shutting off the main water valve is just as effective and takes far less time.

Here are some reasons why you should turn off the water to your home before leaving on vacation.

Water Heater

It isn’t a question of if your water heater will fail but when. While you are away on that once in a lifetime vacation, isn’t the ideal time for it to happen. By shutting off the water, you can, at least, minimize the damage. Rather than a waterfall, the leak will be confined to only the amount of water in the tank, which is typically fifty gallons. You’ll still have some water damage but nothing on the order of the catastrophe that you would otherwise be facing. Some water heaters do have a “vacation mode” setting which will drop the water temperature while you are away but that does nothing to mitigate flooding.

Leaky Or Broken Pipes

Leaks are relatively easy to catch when you’re at home but if you are going to be gone for a couple of weeks even a minor leak could be big trouble. Again, the idea is minimizing the amount of water that is available if something leaks or fails. If you live in a colder climate and are planning to be gone for a few days turning off the water is standard procedure since a burst pipe could leave your home a disaster area. Draining your pipes is also a good idea when leaving your home empty for an extended winter trip.

Appliances

Leaking appliance hoses are a major source of water damage. This is normally the result of leaking hoses. Unless you regularly inspect and replace your appliance hoses, you probably have no idea what kind of condition the hoses on your dishwasher, washing machine or refrigerator are in. Replacing rubber hoses with more resilient steel hoses is one of the best ways you can protect your home from appliance leaks and the havoc they can cause. Just like leaky pipes and failing hot water heaters, there’s never a good time for a water hose to break but when you are away from home is the absolutely worst time for it to happen. Shutting off the main water valve won’t prevent a hose failure but it will limit the damage.

Depending upon the area of the country that a person resides in, there may be a severe shortages of water. However, in other parts of the country, the water supply may be relatively plenteous. Regardless to the circumstances and the conditions, manufacturers are developing new technology that is designed to save on the water supply. Some of the more commonly known involves the development of different types of water saving fixtures. Therefore, when a homeowner is looking to make repairs, renovations or build a home from ground floor, they should always be familiar with the types of water saving fixtures on the market today prior to making any new plans or changes.

Typically, when a homeowner begins their research, they may quickly discover that there are wide variety of different sites that provide this information to people who need and want it. Since more people are looking to go green in their homes, they will look for the best fixtures that they can find to save on their utility bills. Regardless to the type of project that they are working on, it is essential for everyone involved to search for the different fixtures and features that will meet a specific criterion. To that end, here’s some of the top requirements that people should look for today.

Look for Fixtures that can save money in specific areas of the home

The kitchen, bathroom and the laundry room are three areas in the home that requires the use of a lot of water on a daily basis. Even when a family member is doing something as washing their hands, water consumption over time can become a problem. Therefore, manufacturers have already begin solving a significant part of this problem by designing auto shut off mechanisms. By using these kinds of features in bathroom areas, the owner can save money over time since it automatically conserves the amount each time. The same automatic mechanisms are included in water heads, sinks, toilets, and urinals.

Look for Features that Identify Water Savings and Cost Savings

Because these fixtures are made by different manufacturers who also produce different models and standards, it is important to remember that not all water saving fixtures and features are the same. In fact, based on the actual design, they can differ greatly from one to another. More importantly, the buyer should make sure that they choose the water saving fixtures that promise higher savings. For instance, the best products will disclose how much the fixture will save them over a period of time. Therefore, people can choose the ones that will provide the greatest savings on their utility bills.

Look for Features that meet National Efficiency Standards

It is also important to note that some states and federal agencies will offer various kinds of benefits to installing these fixtures in homes and offices. To take advantages of these savings and tax breaks, it is essential that the homeowner buys fixtures that meet specific national efficiency standards like the LEED rating system.

Few things inspire as much dread in a homeowner as the thought of flooding. In a matter of minutes, a few inches of water can ruin everything you’ve worked for. You feel helpless. The good news is you can reduce the likelihood that you will become a victim of flooding. Just keep an eye out for the most common causes of this household disaster. Here are five reasons your home might flood.

Broken/Cracked Toilet Bowl

Cracks in a toilet bowl usually manifest themselves as a dark line that may look like a harmless scratch. Don’t let appearances fool you. If a crack is developing in your bowl, it’s only a matter of time before you have a leak. You need to act fast to avoid serious damage to your bathroom floor. The best course of action is to replace the toilet with a new one.

Broken Pipe in Slab

This can be one of the most expensive problems to fix. When it isn’t addressed, the foundation of your home could become unstable and make your entire home dangerous to inhabit. Unfortunately, due to the location of the pipes, it can be difficult to catch this type of leak in its early stages. The best way to determine whether you have a broken pipe in your slab is to pay attention to your utility bill. If the bill seems out of line with your water usage, there’s a good chance you have a hidden leak somewhere.

Clogged Sink Drain or Appliance Drain

A clogged drain can be more than a nuisance. This is an easy problem to prevent and a costly one to pay for later. Whether it’s a sink, dishwasher or washing machine a buildup of debris is the cause of most clogged drains. It’s not a pleasant job but taking the time to clean out poorly performing drains is a chore that can save you big in the long run.

Old Home – Weak Broken Pipes

It’s a fact that water pipes corrode and weaken over time. If you live in an old house with outdated plumbing it could happen at any time. Old pipes leak and burst which in turn can leave your home flooded. Nobody likes to spend the money required to replace the plumbing in an old house. But, if you consider the alternative it’s money well spent.

Water Heater

Hot water heaters have a nasty habit of failing and filling your basement with water. Often, it seems to happen shortly after the warranty expires. But, it’s not a good idea to wait to replace a water heater until it has exceeded its “lifetime”. This is otherwise known as the manufacturer’s warranty. Not having the right size water heater can contribute to premature failure. Having hard water doesn’t help either. If you are fortunate enough to be at home when the problem occurs, turn off the water to the hot water heater. The shut-off valve is usually located on top. Then get ready to shell out the cash for a new water heater.

If you see rings in your bathtub, spots on your dishes or buildup around shower heads and faucets, your home is probably using hard water. Don’t feel alone. 85% of the homes in the U.S. have hard water. While it doesn’t pose a health hazard, and in some instances may actual contribute a small amount of our daily dietary requirement of calcium and magnesium, hard water can be a costly problem. Here are 4 problems caused by hard water.

Higher Energy Bills

It takes more energy to heat hard water, and since water heaters can account for up to 25% of a home’s monthly heating bill, you can see how quickly this can add up. By some estimates, hard water can increase your energy bill by as much as 29%. You can make your water heater more efficient by installing a water softener. A water softener absorbs potentially harmful minerals in your water and prevents them from being introduced into your pipes and appliances.

Mineral Build-up

Hard water contains a higher concentration of minerals than soft water which can build up inside water pipes, faucets, and shower heads. This build-up can significantly reduce the interior diameter of water pipes, particularly hot water pipes, and cause water flow problems. In addition, these mineral buildups can increase the frequency and severity of clogs. This added stress on your water pipes can also result in breaks.

Laundry

Hard water presents a number of issues in the laundry room. For one thing, clothes washed in hard water tend to come out looking dingy and harsh feeling against your skin. Fabrics do not react well when exposed to the high levels of calcium and magnesium that are found in hard water. Clothes washed in hard water will break down quicker as fibers are weakened. If you want your clothing to retain its vibrancy and stay in your closet longer, you should invest in a water softening system. You will not only save your clothes from unnecessary damage but you could cut the amount of detergent and hot water you use since more laundry soap and higher water temperatures are needed when you are washing clothes in hard water.

Hair and Skin

If hard water is tough on clothes, imagine what it’s doing to your skin and hair. The minerals in hard water make it more difficult for detergents to break down which is why clothes don’t look clean and dishes have spots. The same is true for soaps and shampoos. Not being able to get all of the soap or detergent rinsed off can leave a residue causes itchy skin and rough, dull looking hair.

Wear and Tear on Appliances

Hard water leaves household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines operating less efficiently and in some cases can actually reduce their lifespans by half. When your appliances aren’t performing up to expectations mineral buildup, passed on to appliances via water pipes, is often the cause of the problem. These minerals can damage components and increase the need for service calls. When you weigh the cost of a water softening system against the need to replace expensive household appliances earlier than expected, you can see the value in switching to soft water.

Whether it’s the shower or the kitchen sink, few things are as annoying as turning on a faucet and getting a trickle instead of a healthy flow of water. Not only is low water pressure a nuisance it could be an indication of more serious plumbing issues that need to be addressed. Sometimes, depending on your handyman skills, you may be able to correct the situation yourself. otherwise, you may have to rely on a professional. Here are 3 reasons your water pressure might be low.

Buildup In Pipes

Over time mineral deposits left behind by water can greatly reduce the diameter of your pipes, restricting the flow of water. While this buildup doesn’t pose a health risk it will continue to cause low water pressure until it is resolved. The good news is that it’s not always necessary to replace the pipes. Chemicals can often be used to break up the deposits and clean things out. Removing showerheads and faucets and giving them a thorough cleaning may also correct the problem. If neither of these measures takes care of the issue then it may time to call a plumber.

Leaks

Not only can a leak cause serious problems in terms of water damage and mold, it can also be responsible for low water pressure. A leak can prevent water from flowing throughout the house equally which can result in low water pressure in the kitchen and/or bathroom. Tracking down a leaky pipe isn’t always as simple a process as it sounds. However, there is one easy way to determine if you have a leak. Turn off all the faucets inside and outside your home, as well as the sprinklers, and then write down the number on the water meter. Check it in a few hours to see if the number has increased. If it has, then you’ve got a leak. The usual signs of a leak are wet spots on ceilings and walls or floors and walls that are bowed or spongy. Provided you have some basic plumbing knowledge, you may be able to replace the damaged pipe yourself.

Corrosion

Corroded pipes are a common problem in older homes with steel or galvanized plumbing. After 15-20 years, corrosion can begin to set in which can reduce a pipes flow capacity by as much as 70 percent. In addition to being a leading cause of low water pressure, it can also weaken the integrity of the pipes which could lead to leaks, further exacerbating the flow problem, and cause water damage to your home. Typically, the solution involves replacing the existing plumbing with PVC. This is not a quick fix nor is it inexpensive if you aren’t able to do the work yourself. There are some things you can do to make your low water pressure a little less irritating until you are able to afford to have your house re-piped, including installing flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets. This won’t actually improve the water flow but it will make the problem less noticeable when your showering or using the sink.

Are you having issues with your water pressure? Contact Davis Plumbing for a Free Estimate!