Extending the Lifespan Of Your Home Water Heater With Regular Maintenance

Traditional Tank-Style Water Heater Maintenance

Traditional tank-style water heaters should last for many years. However, over time sediment and rust can accumulate, reducing the operating efficiency and shortening the lifespan of your water heater.

To keep your conventional water heater working reliably and lasting longer, follow these regular maintenance steps at least once a year:

• Drain the water heater tank annually to remove sediment and rust buildup. This is particularly important if you have hard water. Attach a garden hose to the drain valve at the bottom of the tank. Ensure the opposite end of the hose is placed outside, in a sink or near a floor drain. Be careful, as the water can be extremely hot and cause burns. If you are not sure of how to flush your water heater, call Grand Lake Plumbingm. We'll advise you on the best way to drain your particular hot water heater.
• Inspect the outside of the tank for leaks and rust.
• For gas water heaters, check the exhaust flue to make ensure that air is escaping outside by striking a match near to the bell housing. The smoke should exit out the flue.
• Check the relief valve by placing a bucket underneath the extension pipe and turning the valve to the open position. Water should flow freely when the valve is opened.
• Make sure the thermostat is set to between 120 and 125 degrees Fahrenheit. We recommend not setting the water temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit if you have have young children.
• Always keep a pan under the water heater tank to make it easier to spot leaks.
• If you have a gas water heater, check the pilot light flame to ensure it is burning blue and steady.

Tankless Water Heater Maintenance

Tankless water heaters offer an energy saving alternative to conventional tank-style water heaters with the water only getting heated when it's needed. Because there is no storage tank to heat, you'll never run out of hot water as long as the unit is been properly sized for your hot water needs.

Like traditional water heaters, tankless water heaters need to be maintained properly to operate at peak efficiency and to realize their cost savings over conventional water heaters. So, spending some time on maintenance yourself — or calling Grand Lake Plumbing for regular maintenance — will ensure that you are taking advantage of all the benefits of your tankless water heater.

1. Check and Clean the Screen Filter
Periodically inspect and clean the filter located on the water inlet side of your tankless water heater. It's best to have a licensed plumber do this job. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, please learn the correct procedure before attempting this task. Never use chemical solutions to clean your water heater, since it will enter your drinking water. Vinegar is a safe, effective cleaner.

2. Flush the System
To prevent the a harmful buildup of lime and scale, flush your tankless water heater periodically. Grand Lake Plumbing can help you flush your water heater. As noted above, please be sure to flush it with vinegar and not chemicals that could contaminate your water supply.

5 Advantages of Radiant Floor Heating

Radiant floor heating offers many advantages over other forms of heating. Here are just a few of the advantages.

Energy Efficient

Radiant heat is like being out in the sunshine. You can be more comfortable at a lower air temperature.  This lower air temperature will save you money on your energy bills.

The sensation of comfort is caused by a combination of air temperature and radiant energy that equals the body’s energy needs.  When you receive a greater amount of radiant energy, you will be equally comfortable at a lower air temperature. The sensation of radiant heat allows you to keep the air temperature – and your heating bills – lower.

Cleaner and More Healthful

Radiant heating does not blow dust, dirt, bacteria and viruses around your home. Unlike forced air systems, radiant heat will not dry out your respiratory system and leaving you vulnerable to infection. Radiant heat is ideal for people with asthma and other upper respiratory ailments.

Child Friendly and Safer

With radiant floor heating, there are no dangerously hot surfaces for children to come into contact with...and no floor vents to drop those crayons into!

Unobtrusive

With no vents or unsightly metal grates, you can't see a radiant heating system, it's completely hidden underfoot. But you can certainly feel it, and it feels great!

Simple and Reliable

Radiant heating systems are simple. Unlike more complicated forced air or electric heating systems, there are fewer parts that need service or maintenance. A radiant floor heating system is virtually maintenance free and will provide many years of reliable, comfortable heat.

With EPIC snowfall in Grand & Routt County this winter, is your home's sump pump up to the task of keeping your crawl space and basement dry?

Steamboat Springs received over 430 inches of snow this winter! ... and the wettest time of year is just around the corner. All this water can keep your home's sump pump working nearly continuously to keep your crawl space and basement dry.

As mechanical things go, we don’t think too often about our home's sump pump. It’s hidden down under home, out of sight - out of mind. But the reality is, your sump pump is often one of the hardest working pieces of equipment in your house.

The cost and inconvenience of a sump pump failure can be high

A submersible sump pump removes water year round, and when snow runoff or heavy rains hit the water pump works extra duty keeping your crawl space from flooding. Most Steamboat Springs homes with crawl spaces or basements have a sump pump to aid in drainage. Here are a couple of things to consider:

1. Sump pumps are mechanical and will eventually fail.  The most common reason for failure is the sump pump switch.
2. If your sump pump fails during a rain storm, your basement can flood in a matter of minutes.
3. Basement flooding can ruin your furnace, water heater and other mechanical and electrical devices.
4. Sump pumps should be checked for proper operation a couple of times per year – pour some water into the sump pit until the submersible pump cycles. This is usually an easy process and only takes a couple of minutes.  Don’t wait for a failure during a rainstorm to find out your sump pump doesn’t work.

Again, all sump pumps eventually fail, so you should protect your home with a battery backup sump pump.  If you have a finished basement, a battery backup system is essential.

Our experience has been the basic systems tend to fail when you need them most.  While you don’t need to spend a fortune, you will find that for a few extra dollars you can get a good quality battery backup sump pump. These systems give you an extra measure of defense. They not only protect your belongings in case of a power failure, but automatically kick in should your primary water pump fail.  

Grand Lake Plumbing offers a variety of quality sump pump and backup sump pump system. These systems provide around the clock protection.  Grand Lake Plumbing can help you determine which sump pump system is right for your home.

Don't let last winter's epic snowfall lead to flooding in your crawl space or basement. Call for a complete sump pump check-up today.

Grand County CO Sump Pump Sales, Installation & Repair

970-627-3441

Routt County CO Sump Pump Sales, Installation & Repair

970-879-1504

Inside your home, frozen pipes can be downright dangerous! Don't take a chance and wait for the problem to fix itself.

Water expands when it freezes (and pipes don't) so a frozen pipe can lead to a broken pipe, resulting in thousands of dollars in damage.
Call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating and avoid the mess and expense frozen pipes can cause. We'll fix it right and show you how to keep it from happening again.

Colorado winters can be harsh and we all depend on our furnace or boiler to  keep us warm and comfortable. Most of us don’t give our heating system a second thought . . . until it stops working.
No heat? Call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating. We’ll respond quickly. Our skilled technicians will arrive with all the tools, materials and experience to service, tune up, or repair your furnace/boiler. Our technicians are expertly trained and service all makes and models.

 

Preventing Frozen Pipes: Tuesday December 28, 2010

This week we are expecting very cold weather. State Farm Insurance states that an average of a quarter-million families have their homes ruined and their lives disrupted each winter due to water pipes that freeze.

Bursting pipes occur when frozen water causes a pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to extreme cold. To keep water in your pipes from freezing here are some suggestions.

Before the Cold Hits:

     1) Insulate Pipes: pipes that are in the crawl space or attic are most susceptible to freezing. The more insulation you use, the better protected your pipes will be.
     2) Seal Leaks that allow cold air inside where pipes are located. Use caulk to keep the cold out and the heat in.
     3) Disconnect garden hoses and drain water from pipes leading to outside faucets. This will reduce the chance of freezing a pipe inside the house.

When the Cold Hits:

     1) Keep cabinet doors open to allow warm air to circulate around pipes. Very important if you have any pipes on exterior walls.
     2) Set the thermostat in your home no lower than 55* F.

If Your Pipes Freeze:

     1) If you turn on your faucets and nothing comes out, leave the faucets turned on and call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating.
     2) If you detect that your water pipes have frozen and burst, you need to turn off the water at the main shut-off vale in the house.
         (Make sure everyone in your family  knows where the water shut-off valve is and how to open and close it.)
     3) Never try to thaw a pipe with an open flame. You may be able to thaw a frozen pipe with warm air from a hair dryer.

Call Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating and avoid the mess and expense frozen pipes can cause. We’ll fix it right and show you how to keep it from happening. We want you and your loved ones to stay safe this winter.

Welcome to the new Grand Lake Plumbing & Heating Blog!

Here you will find regular articles on new heating and plumbing technology, as well as energy saving tips that will help you maximize your energy dollars.

To get started with our series we'll be talking about energy audits.

What is an Energy Audit?

An energy audit is a series of tests designed to help to identify where your home is leaking energy and how well your heating & cooling system are working. It helps to identify which areas of your home are not performing as well as they could be to prevent energy loss.

How Do I Get An Energy Audit For My Home?

There are companies that you can hire to perform an energy audit. There may also be low cost energy audit assistance programs in your community. The Colorado Governor's Energy Office (GEO) offers Free Energy Efficiency Upgrades, including a comprehensive energy audits, as part of its income based services programs.

Can I Do An Energy Audit Myself?

Many homeowners choose to do their own energy audit. You will save on a contractor's fee, but your work may not qualify for incentives.

For information on do-it-yourself home energy audits, visit: www.energysavers.gov