A Homeowners Guide To Water Heater Services
Warm water is more than just a luxury. It helps you keep your dishes clean, makes showers pleasant, and ensures that you can do your laundry. If you find yourself without hot water, life around your home gets a little more complicated. Of course, your water heater doesn’t have to stop working entirely to disrupt your daily routine. Even minor failures caused by age or wear and tear can make your water heater work less effectively than it should. Luckily, there are water heater maintenance experts ready and willing to help you get your unit back into working order. Steve’s Plumbing, LLC, has served residential homes in Lynnwood, WA, for several years. If you’re having trouble with your water heater or want to get ahead of potential damage, our team can help you out. Beneficial Water Heater Services Your water heater keeps a lot of the appliances in your home running. When it comes to servicing your unit, the team with Steve’s Plumbing is just as versatile. For every abrupt change in temperature, discontented rumble, or necessary installation you have on your hands, our team has the tools to make the related work as simple as possible. That’s why our services include: Plumbing inspections Water heater maintenance Water heater repair Water heater replacement Our years of experience make us one of the best water heating teams serving Lynnwood, WA. If you’ve been Googling “plumbers near me,” you can trust our team to walk you through the services that will suit you best. Installing a New Water Heater Moving into a new home can be as jarring as it is exciting. Once you’ve settled in—whether it’s a new construction home or an older residence—you’ll need to make sure that all of your amenities work as efficiently as possible. If you have a fixer-upper, new construction, or older home on your hands, you may want to consider installing a new water heater. The team at Steve’s Plumbing can help you browse through some of the best water heaters on the market today. Choosing the Best Water Heater for Your Home There’s more than one type of water heater available on the market. Some of the most common ones used in Lynnwood, WA, residences include: Storage Tank Water Heaters Whether you’ve lived in an apartment or home, you’ve seen a storage tank water heater. These traditional water heaters rely on the aforementioned tank to heat the water inside of your home. This water ends up preheated and contained within the tank, making it easier for your water heater to deliver near-immediate warm water to any faucet in the house you want to use. Unfortunately, storage tank water heaters have their limits. Because the unit only stores enough hot water to fill its tank, your water can abruptly go cold. Your water heater will also need to take its time to replenish, which means that you may not be able to do another load of laundry or even finish your hot shower without waiting. Even so, the widespread availability of storage tank water heaters makes them appealing for homeowners. Tankless Water Heaters As the name suggests, tankless water heaters don’t have traditional tanks. Despite this design, tankless water heaters can actually push significantly more hot water through your home than standard units. If you have a large family or anticipate doing a lot of day-to-day chores around the house, the tankless water heaters capacity is one of its best selling points. The tankless water heater also tends to use less energy than its more traditional peers. If you’re in the market to cut down on both your water and your energy bill, you can discuss tankless water heater installation with the team at Steve’s Plumbing. Water Heater Repairs Water heater repairs and plumbing maintenance go hand in hand. When you have a problem with one, you’re likely to have a problem with the other. With that being said, there are some forms of damage that are unique to your water heater. As your unit gets older and more worn, you may find yourself dealing with: An ineffective temperature and pressure relief valve Sticking valves Damaged gaskets Leaks from your water tank or plumbing Frayed electrical wires Inefficient fans and filters Poor water pressure No matter what kind of problem it is that you’re dealing with, rest easy knowing that the team with Steve’s Plumbing can help. After an initial inspection of your water heater, we’ll let you know what kind of damage you’re dealing with and how we can best bring your heater back into working order. Common Signs of Water Heater Damage Age and excessive use work together to wear your water heater down. While regular water heater inspections can help you get ahead of the most common types of damage, there may still come a point where you’re taken by surprise when your water heater fails. To get ahead of the worst water heater failures, keep your eyes peeled for early signs of damage. You’ll know it’s time to invest in water heater repairs if you find yourself dealing with: Cool or cold water Unusual thumps or other strange noises Rusty water Inconsistent water pressure Rattling pipes These problems do more than make your home less comfortable to live in. Some of them, like the presence of rusty or dirty water, can even compromise your family’s health. If you notice something amiss with the quality of your water, don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Steve’s Plumbing. We can offer emergency services to get your water heater back up and running again. Inspecting Your Water Heater and Your Plumbing Steve’s Plumbing offers water heater services outside of installations, maintenance, and emergency care, too. If you want to learn more about your water heater’s overall condition and get ahead of potential damage, you can schedule a water heater inspection. Water heater and plumbing inspections let professionals get a better idea of what weak spots—if any—your unit may have. After an inspection, our team
Repair Or Replace Your Water Heater
Water heaters-like car batteries, offensive tackles in football, and a lighting crew in a theater—are generally not thought of until a problem arises. Homeowners will eventually confront this issue and it is important to know how to spot a faulty water heater and what to do if that occurs. If you turn on your shower and are hit with a rush of icy cold water or the water has a foul smell to it, that typically points to an issue with your water heater. Now, the question is: are you in line for a water heater repair or full-on replacement? If you are dealing with a conventional storage-tank water heater coming near the end of its 10-year life, replacement is the way to go. Accordingly, water heater replacement can save you hundreds of dollars over the life of the unit. This is especially true of the newer water heater units that manufacturers sell these days since they provide greater efficiency levels. What Other Signs Point to Faulty Water Heaters? If your water heater needs repair, how would you know? There are other signs that will key you into your decision regarding replacement or repair. Some people have water heaters only a couple of years old that begin acting up and there are ways to determine whether you should go with a water heater replacement or water heater repair. Some of the characteristic elements of a faulty water heater are: Hot water not working • Insufficient hot water • Odorous smelling water • Unusual noises coming from unit • Leaks from the water heater • Pilot light issues Also, if you notice that you must adjust your shower dial more to get the same temperature of water, then you might have an issue as well. This means that your water heater has less energy efficiency. Due to the lack of efficiency, the heater now works in overdrive to deliver your hot water, further driving up your energy bills. Nobody wants that! For most people, their water heater takes a large chunk of their total energy bill, so it is wise not to let this inefficiency fester. Next, you need to determine whether the heater is just old, or you need to go ahead and undergo a water heater repair. Common Water Heater Repair Issues Water heaters are not complicated mechanically. If you use a conventional tank water heater, then cold water will flow into the tank and receive heat from an electrical agent or gas burner. The temperature is held in balance by a thermostat that keeps it between 120 to 140 degrees. Then, pressure develops in the tank with the rising water heat. By turning on the tap, pressure releases hot water out of the faucet. Given how simple the process is, only a handful of issues can trigger a repair: A valve sticks to something Your thermostat breaks Burner or heating material fails The circuit breaker for your electric heater trips The pilot light on the gas water heater flickers out However, if your tank is more than 10 years old or if it is having an issue with leaks then you may need to consider water heater replacement. If you ever have any of these issues, the best thing to do is call your local plumber and have them investigate it for you. Even though a plumber can provide regular maintenance to your water heater, unplanned repairs occasionally happen, which requires that you hire an expert. As such, trying to fix the issue by yourself can further complicate things with the water heater. You don’t want to make a simple fix for a plumber turn into a more complicated situation. Choosing the Right Water Heater Replacement To tank or not to tank? That is the question if you decide to replace your water heater. If you determine that water heater replacement is the best option moving forward, then the next step is determining whether you would prefer a tank versus a tankless water heater. Tank storage is the most common choice for residents; however, more and more people are deciding to use tankless storage. First, tankless water models allow you more room as they are smaller, and a tankless water product will not ever deplete of hot water. Additionally, a tankless water heater can cut your energy bill in half compared to a standard water heater. A 50 percent reduction in energy costs can go a long way in saving money for a family. The reason you save so much money is that there is a flow monitor that registers once you activate the hot water. Once you turn off the hot water, the water heater stops running, which will in turn save your energy bill. One downside to tankless water heaters is that they have run on a limited flow rate, which translates to not being able to engage in several different activities that involve hot water. Tank water heaters generally are cheaper to install and for the most part carry less up-front costs. They typically store up to 80 gallons of hot water. However, once a tank water heater runs out, you must wait for your water heater to fill up again. Also, your tank can leak as well. The decision between a tank or tankless water heater is up to you. Furthermore, contemporary water heaters tend to consume less energy than older water heaters. Water heaters today have foam insulation between the tank and its outer shell, which helps retain heat better. To re-iterate, tanks are more cost-friendly upfront, while tankless water heaters generally perform more efficiently. Other Costs Associated with Water Heater Replacement It is important to recognize that setting up a water heater should be done by a professional. Also, there are additional local building codes that require the following: Water heater mount Type or size of vent system Drain pan under your heater Supply pipes As previously mentioned, having a tankless water heater is more costly for the upfront installation, which
Reasons To Go Tankless For Your Next Water Heater
Water heaters are essential for today’s modern homes. Unfortunately, they are appliances that also need frequent replacement. Even with regular maintenance, care, and attention, water heaters only last about 10-12 years on average. In areas with hard water, this lifespan can be further reduced. After a replacement or two, you may start to wonder if there is a better option than the standard tank out there for supplying your home with hot water. Luckily, new water heater improvements have made it easier than ever to install, maintain, and enjoy residential and commercial water heating systems through a tankless design. This alternative may not work for everyone, but there are several advantages that can make it worth it to switch. Here are a few reasons why you should consider a tankless water heater for your next upgrade. 1. Saves Space. One of the biggest concerns with standard water heaters is the space requirements for installation. The larger the tank, the larger space you will need for storing it. Even if you wanted to upgrade your 30-gallon tank to a 50-gallon tank to better accommodate your family’s needs, you may not have the space needed to fit the larger model. Tankless designs are smaller, more compact, and are usually fastened to a wall near your other utilities. This makes them ideal for homes with limited space, apartments, and townhomes. With the extra space, you may now have enough room for a water softener to keep your appliances safer from mineral buildup and preserve the lifespan of your new water heater. 2. Safety. Unlike traditional water heaters, tankless water heaters do not have standing water in them, thus ensuring the water they are producing is free from rusty contamination which can be present in old traditional water heaters. Not only will the quality be better but you will not have the same hazards associated with traditional waters when they break, such as flooding and the associated risk of electrical shock while servicing a flooded room. 3. Efficient Operation, Cost-Effective. Typical tanks use energy to heat the whole tank of water constantly, so you always have hot water on demand. A tankless model only heats water as it is needed, so it isn’t wasting energy heating water that is just sitting there. This not only helps tankless models achieve energy efficiency ratings but also helps you save money on your monthly energy bills as well. 4. Endless Supply of Hot Water. Because tankless heaters heat water on demand, you don’t have to worry about the hot water running out in the middle of a task. A tank could take hours to reheat enough water for showering after you ran a load of laundry and washed dishes. With tankless, there is no downtime while you wait for the supply of hot water to return. 5. Longer Lifespan. While standard tanks may last up to 12 years or much less depending on the mineral content of your water, a tankless design can last up to 20 with regular maintenance. Mineral buildup is still possible with a tankless heater, but it is much easier to clean and rid the appliance of minerals than a tank. Tankless heaters don’t typically form rust either, so they don’t have as much of a risk for developing leaks and causing extensive flooding in your home when it does reach the end of its life. 6. Easy Maintenance. Like a tank, a tankless will require yearly professional tune-ups to maintain its efficiency and preserve its lifespan. Regular and yearly maintenance will not only extend the life of your unit, it is also included for Diamond Club members when you have Steve’s Plumbing supply and Install your tankless unit. Yet another benefit of letting Steve’s Plumbing do the work for you! Before you rush out to call a “plumber near me” for a tankless upgrade, understand that installing a tankless model may cost a bit more than replacing your standard tank. There are various capacities of tankless on the market, so be sure to choose one that will meet your specific needs. A properly sized tankless heater can be a great addition to a home in today’s modern age.