Plumbing System & Equipment – Prevent a Large Repair Bill this Spring
Colorado spring has arrived – what should you be looking for this season in order to prevent a large repair bill to your plumbing system and equipment?
The plumbing system in your home consists of the parts to the most used product in your home: kitchen sink, water heater, toilets (Water Closet as we say in the industry), outside faucets (silcocks), etc. We take their use for granted until they break without notice, or so it seems. Let’s take another look:
The kitchen sink faucet is the most used device in the home and because of this wears down with repeated use of the faucet or spray hose. One of the first signs of wear is that you may notice that you are not getting the same amount of water from the faucet. This is easily resolved by unscrewing the aerator on the end of the spout and cleaning out the debris that has accumulated over a long period of time. If the sprayer does not work any more, then you may need to replace the spray head or diverter part (depending on the make and model) so that 100% of the water is diverted from the spout to the spray hose when you need it to.
Water heater – If you have replaced the heater in the last 18 months, then you should have been drawing off 5 gallons of hot water from the drain valve located on the bottom of the heater. If you have not maintained this chore and you are beyond the 18 months, don’t start now because it would result in a plumbing service call to replace that valve because it will not turn off. Minerals plug up the drain valve and cannot be easily dislodge if you have not flushed them out regularly. You may also want to look at the flame on the heater just to see if the blue portion of the flame is 1 12/” to 2” tall. If the flame does not meet this criteria, do not try to make any adjustments with the heater fuel or air intake. Please leave that to a professional.
Water Closets(i.e. Toilets) – The internal parts of the toilet consist of a ballcock or fill valve as well as the flush mechanism or flush valve. Due to constant wear and tear, the flush valve or flapper valve usually needs to replaced every 1 ½ to 3 years. The quality of the water in your system will break down the rubber on these valves and cause the tank to leak water ever so slightly at first until it gets very noticeable. The result is that it can waste hundreds and even thousands of gallons of water before noticed and corrected. How can you tell if your valve is ready for replacement? You can tell by touching the rubber flapper valve. If it is very spongy and rubs off on your fingers very easily, then it should be replaced. Once replaced, you can test that your repair has worked by simply putting some food dye in the tank and not use it for 30 minutes. If the flapper valve is the correct type and size, then you will not see any of the food dye going from the tank to the bowl. However, if you notice that the food dye color is leaching into the toilet bowl you will know that your repair was incorrect or your flapper valve was the wrong type or size.
Outside faucets – We will soon be able to start using the outdoor faucets for lawn and garden use. If for some reason you did not take off the hose in time for the first hard freeze, then you may have a split outside hose faucet (freezless silcock). Be very careful when you go out to start gardening in early spring because if there is a split valve, it will flood your home inside while you are outside in the sun enjoying the good weather. The way to find out is to have someone outside turning on the water at the same time you are inside opposite the outside faucet and listening for the spraying noise which is very easy to detect by listening and watching to see if the floor starts to get wet.
If you see the water on the ground the stop and turn off the faucet and then call you local plumber for this repair. If you let this leaking faucet run for an hour or two while you are outside you will come back to a flooded home and a lot of work cleaning it up.
These are some of the most common problems or concerns that you SHOULD have regarding the plumbing system in your home. So, an ounce of prevention …… If you have any questions, please give Kimmel Service a call in Denver at 303-952-8668 or Summit and Eagle County at 970.328.6001 for some quick, free and easy advice.
Tom D’Agostino, Service Manger
Kimmel Service
Denver, Summit County and Eagle County Colorado
Some truths and myths about Tankless Water heaters
You may be aware that there has recently been a lot of talk about tankless water heaters as the optimal choice for homeowners instead of the conventional water heater. Because of the advertising for this product, it naturally raises a lot of questions and requests for this product.
Let me start by making a few things clear about tankless water heaters. Tankless water heaters are not a new product, but they are relatively new to the USA. They have been used in Europe for at least 35 years or longer. We often get questions and calls from customers asking us to advise them on what water heating system to choose for their homes or businesses because they have heard that tankless water heaters are the better choice. Often, I will get a call from a customer asking for a price for a particular brand of tank less water heater. My first question is to ask why the customer wants a tankless water heater because the product may not be right for them. Many are surprised that I would state this because they have been told by a friend, co-worker, relative, etc. that the tankless water heater is the answer to all of their hot water needs and is extremely efficient. This is where my teaching background comes into play. Let me explain the good, bad and limitations of almost every brand of tankless water heater.
THE GOOD -
1. They are a wall hung water heater and do not take up much space.
2. They make hot water efficiently.
3. They make hot water on demand instead of storing hot water in a tank.
THE BAD –
1. The venting of these heaters can get very expensive if you are not on an outside wall. The stainless steel flue pipe and fittings are special to each manufacturer and costs can be very costly.
2. They can only produce a given amount of hot water which can be many times less than what you need in your home.
3. They have no reserve tank when there is more than one use of hot water in your home at the same time.
4. When you exceed the gpm (gallons per minute) capacity of the heater, guess what, everyone needing hot water gets a reduced amount to use and no one is happy at that point.
5. They lime up (develop mineral deposits) inside the narrow tubes after a few years of use. The copper tubes inside begin to lime up and restrict the passage way which in turn reduces the amount of hot water it produces and increases the cost of producing the hot water because the flames have to heat through the ever growing mineral deposits that adhere to the copper tubing.
6. The tubes eventually plug up and you need to delime the heat exchanger, replace the heat exchanger or the entire device, eventually. Efficiency has fallen off dramatically when the minerals start to build up and the rate of mineral buildup increases dramatically once the process starts.
Now, let me clarify that a tankless heater has its purpose and uses. You may only want a small amount of hot water in a location that is far away from the central heating plant. Since these tankless heaters often have a zero clearance to combustible materials, they can easily go into a closet area and serve a single bath. However, that still does not prevent the minerals from plugging the copper waterways. If the usage is low and the demand is controlled, these products generally perform as advertised.
On the other hand, if you live in a home with growing children or teenagers and the hot water usage is hard to calculate or you already know that you have higher hot water demand, then it is time to look at some serious options. Did you know that the conventional tank type water heater technology is such that you can produce hot water at 96% efficiency which is higher than most tankless water heaters? Also, the tank is super insulated and will not lose the btu’s stored in the hot water very easily. If efficiency is what you need, tankless water heater are not necessarily the best option. If quantity of hot water is what you need, tankless water heaters may not do the trick for the price paid, if the requirements are large. You can produce the hot water that you experience with a tank style water heater by using tankless water heaters, but you may be installing two or more tanks in parallel or series in order to get your hot water needs satisfied and then the price goes up dramatically. This is seldom mentioned in advertisements or from companies that do these installations.
Keep in mind that a tank type heater has stored hot water available instantly and you can also get several shower or baths taken simultaneously where you may not get that from a tankless heater without having one large or several heaters tied together. If you are looking at cost (and most people are) we recommend that you look at the high or ultra high efficiency water heaters on the market today. And as a bonus to using these heaters, they may qualify for the Federal Tax credit of up to $1,500 in addition to giving you a large amount of hot water at a very reasonable price.
I have touched on the basics of tankless vs. tank type water heaters but there is much more to discuss. Please give me a call and I can help you size the tankless heater if you desire or I will offer you some options and give you the pros and cons for each. Our advice is free, so give me a call and let’s chat.
Tom D’Agostino, Service Manager
Kimmel Mechanical, Inc.
Tel # Denver 303-800-3781 or Summit and Eagle County 970.328.6001
Why you should upgrade your appliances
“Why should I spend money now to upgrade my furnace/water heater/boiler/swamp cooler/air conditioner?”
I am sure you have heard all of the reasons why it is important to change these older appliances RIGHT NOW, but let me review the obvious reasons and then give you a few compelling ones you may not have heard:
Let’s begin with the reasons you may already have heard:
1. Federal tax credits up to $1,500.00
2. Utility rebates direct to you in the form of a check.
3. Life safety because the old appliance may be leaking toxic gases in your home
4. Increase efficiency (and a reduced energy bill every month)
5. Peace of mind knowing you do not have to wait for a disaster before you changes out the appliance.
These are the top five reasons that you may have read in your newspaper, on a radio ad or on an advertising piece you have received in the mail.
Let me tell you why I feel it makes sense to upgrade or buy better quality appliances as soon as you can. First, now that more energy efficient appliances are becoming more affordable, the cost of putting in an 80% efficient appliance often is about the same as a 95% one. If there is a financial incentive to put in the better quality, you may get a longer life out of the new one than you would otherwise and for close to the same price.
A singular point not mentioned in any discussion about a conversion from old to new is very basic: upgrading to better and more efficient equipment simply adds to our everyday comfort. We live in our homes year in and year out and we rely on that equipment for consistent hot water, regular heating and cooling. Being comfortable in our home is found in the simple yet important things like the temperature being controlled better with the new furnace or boiler system or the hot water temperature is consistent after the third shower in a row by family members. Today’s equipment gives us better heating and cooling and more consistent hot water than we have ever had in the past which is a valid reason alone for making the upgrade. Yes, there are brands that claim to offer certain performance and may not perform as well as those claims in actual use, but do your research and check out what are proven brands and models are available and you can enjoy better “creature comfort” than ever before. One of the free services that I can provide to you through Kimmel Service is help in guiding you to the best appliances and equipment that meet both your budget and lifestyle needs.
When we install a higher quality piece of HVAC equipment and tell the customer the benefits (and differences) from their previous equipment they are amazed and pleased. One of the first comments that customers tell me is that they have been living in a cold or warm house for so many years that this will be a pleasant change. They of course want to save money but often they will think “now that I have a furnace which puts out better heat at a lower price, I will move my thermostat up a few degrees and not pay any more money”. This is a common misunderstanding, but you have not studied you’re your new furnace or boiler can do for you without turning up the thermostat.
I encourage the customer to some time reading the literature for the equipment and talking to the experienced technicians or company managers so the customer is aware what it takes to get superior comfort at a better that expected utility bill and to make the best selection.
Also, did you know that adding a humidifier can actually lower your thermostat temperature? Yes, you can feel just as comfortable at a lower temperature if the humidity level in your home is increased. We experience a two to four degree drop in temperature when you raise the humidity level in your Colorado home.
If you have any questions or want input and guidance regarding your upcoming purchase of new appliances or equipment, please feel free to give me a call.
Thanks,
Tom D’Agostino, Kimmel Service Manger, Denver 303.952.8668 Summit & Eagle County 970.328.6001
Gas Water Heater Specials
We are currently offering 2 specials on installed Gas Water Heaters to our Colorado customers.
50 Gallon Water Heater installed for $999
40 Gallon Gas Water Heater installed for $899
Call us today in Denver at 303.952.8668 or in Summit and Eagle County phone us at 970.328.6001.
Water Heaters and How They Age
When we get calls from homeowners regarding their water heaters, often the reason for calling is that they report getting less and less water from their tank type heaters. There are two issues involved when I hear this complaint. First, the temperature of the water in the main drops in the winter, so it takes more energy to make the same amount of hot water in colder months than in the summer. But the most common reason for this problem is that their heater is getting filled up with mineral deposits.
How do minerals get into the heater and why are they accumulating? The best way to answer this is to begin by explaining how water heaters work. The tank is typically a steel tank with fiberglass liner that was sprayed inside the tank as part of the manufacturing process. The function of the fiberglass liner is to help protect the steel tank from rusting prematurely, but the liner will eventually wear out and the tank will begin rusting.
This process begins with the burners. The burner is at the bottom of the tank and there is a sensor in the tank which measures the temperature of the water and turns the burners on and off. Keeping the heater at the lowest possible temperature to meet your needs is very economical, and also lengthens the life of the heater. When the burners fire up and the tank is producing the desired hot water, you are also driving out the dissolved minerals that are in suspension in your water. The quality of water can vary greatly here in Colorado, and if you do not have some type of water treatment equipment (we will discuss choosing these in a future blog) then these minerals within the water will drop out of suspension when you exceed 138 degrees and begin building up. When the minerals turn back into solids, they become heavier than water and float to the bottom of the heater tank. When the flames from the burners hit the bottom of the steel tank, the metal attracts the dissolved metals and minerals and eventually clings to the tank and become a growing mass of solid matters. This solid matter usually contains calcium, iron and other components mixed together.
If you do not flush out the tank from the drain valve from the very beginning when the tank was new, then don’t start after the solid masses have accumulated. The reason is that these solid particles will clog your drain valve and you will have to call your plumber to replace this clogged valve. If you have the situation where the heater already has accumulated mineral deposits, one way to deal with this it to turn your heater temperature as low as you can (approximately 120 degrees) to keep your heater functioning as long as possible.
If you hear gurgling noises coming from your water heater tank, this indicates that the minerals have now accumulated to the point that little pockets of water have been caught within the mass of minerals and they are flashing to steam. When you hear this, it is a good indication that your water heater is failing. When this situation occurs, the heater now has to work harder and harder to provide the hot water to meet your needs. This can also make your gas bill rise as the efficiency of the hot water heater diminishes. If your water heaters has been in use for 10 – 12 years, most often it is at this point of mineral buildup and decline.
When you notice these problems, please call me at Kimmel Mechanical so we can help you select a state of the art water heater to replace the old one before it fails. Call Tom in Denver, Colorado at 303-952-8668 and in Summit County or Eagle County Colorado at 970-328-6001 – it will be my pleasure to work with you and help you resolve your water heater issues and keep your home running smoothly.