Was it just a coincidence that on the fourth night of the eight-day holiday of Passover which relates the story of how God rained 10 plagues on Egyptians to force them to let the enslaved Jewish people flee we were hit with a plague of our own?

It was around 10 Thursday night when we discovered that we had no hot water. Our hot water tank had gone kablooey, and water was leaking out on the basement floor. Our second tank had died a few years ago, so we were out of luck looking at Easter weekend.

I called our trusty plumber, Dwight DeBow. Then a miracle occurred (not as spectacular as the parting of the Red Sea for the Jews to leave Egypt): Dwight answered and said hed see us at 7 a.m. Good Friday.

He found that not only was the tank broken, but so was the valve to turn off the water so the tank can drain. The answer: Get a new tank and haul out the two old ones.

The old hot water heaters were power venters, Dwight said, which vent the gas byproducts outside via a 6-inch diameter sheet-metal stainless steel pipe.

The new hot water heater holds 50 gallons and vents outside with a 3-inch PVC plastic pipe (made of polyvinyl chloride, more effective than traditional materials).

Its a higher-efficiency hot-water heater, Dwight said, adding that this option was $1,000 cheaper than replacing the type of tanks we had.

The new tanks also are safer, he said, because if the low-temperature PVC pipe venter fails, the safety valve shuts off the pump immediately. The old style can start a fire if that happens.

I dont understand it all, but Saturday Dwight and two men removed the old tanks, redid wiring, put in the new Rheem tank, billed us $1,860 (about $1,000 for the tank, the rest labor. Oy!), and we took a shower.

Shopping for a hot water system

Visit link:
New hot water heater brings flood of information

April 22, 2014 Updated Apr 22, 2014 at 12:51 PM CDT

The Minnesota Department of Commerce

The Commerce says this 44th annual Earth Day is a call to action for Minnesota communities and residents to rekindle their passion for a cleaner environment.

There are many celebrations planned across the country as part of Earth Day; however, many organizations are shifting focus to encourage everyone on planet earth to treat every day as Earth Day to build a cleaner, more sustainable future for the world.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will support Earth Day this year with an event at its Washington, D.C., headquarters that aims to reduce our environmental footprint.

The event will stress using resources, such as energy, more efficiently. Displays will feature energysaving tips, electric vehicles, recycling, and more.

Commerce urges Minnesotans to implement measures to reduce energy use. Here are just a few steps you can take to make a difference on Earth Day and save energy:

-Get an advanced energy assessment - A home energy assessment, with advanced diagnostic equipment, will evaluate the performance of your home and the safety of mechanical systems to determine what energy improvements are needed.

-Seal air leaks - An enormous amount of energy is wasted when inside air (either heated or cooled) escapes to the outside through leaks in attics, walls, windows and doors.

-Check mechanical systems - Water heaters, air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, gas fireplaces and ventilation systems should be inspected regularly to keep them operating efficiently and safely.

Read the original here:
How to make every day Earth Day

Improperly Installed Water Heater Flue
T N Services LLC. proudly provides HVAC services to the North Georgia area including: Atlanta, Canton, Woodstock, Marietta, Cumming, Alpharetta, Jasper For m...

By: T N Services LLC.

Continued here:
Improperly Installed Water Heater Flue - Video

Traditional Water Heaters Come in Two Main Types

Traditional or storage hot water heaters are typically either gas or electric powered and come in a variety of sizes. Power source generally varies by geography. For example, in Oregon and Washington about forty percent of homes have electric powered heaters while in Northern and Southern California the vast majority of water heaters are gas powered.

Both residential gas and electric water heaters come in a variety of sizes but the most common are:

The majority of homes have a 40- or 50-gallon tank with the 50-gallon tank being the most common. Larger tanks such as a 66- or 80-gallon tank are usually only used for very large homes or for homes that have a large hot tub or jacuzzi.

It is possible to upsize or downsize your water heater. Customers are often interested in installing a larger tank if they have recently installed a hot tub. When upsizing to a larger tank, we will ensure that your entire system is installed safely and typically this will entail increasing the size of the vent on gas water heaters. Larger tanks emit a larger volume of carbon monoxide and as a result, must have a larger vent to operate safely.

We can also check space requirements with you over the phone to ensure a larger tank will fit. Occasionally, a customer will choose to downsize their tank as 66- and 80-gallon tanks are often more expensive than more common 50-gallon tanks. We do not recommend downsizing from a 50-gallon tank to a 40-gallon tank, however, as 40-gallon tanks are typically comparable in price.

There are a also a variety of smaller tanks used for special applications such as an under-sink water heater, sometimes called a lowboy. Small 2-, 4-, 6-, 20-, 25- and 30-gallon tanks are sometimes used as supplements to your water heater system or used as application-specific tanks. Tanks of this size can be useful for a single sink or in same cases, are used as an additional heater for a recirculation system. Tanks of this size, however, are typically only available in electric-powered heating systems.

Typically, there are four measures of how a hot water tank operates:

Efficiency rating is a measure of the percentage of heat transfer from the energy source to your water. Standard electric tanks range from 88-95% efficiency while standard gas tanks range from 55-65% efficiency. Electric tanks allow for higher energy transfer because they heat your water with heating elements that are submerged in the water, while gas fired tanks are heated from below through a gas burner.

Despite higher efficiency ratings, typically electric tanks are more expensive to operate as the cost of electricity is higher than the cost of gas to heat your water. So, while heat transfer is more efficient in electric tanks, this does not mean your overall energy usage is less in an electric water heater. Because of this, many utility companies and governments often encourage residents to use gas heating if choosing between gas and electric.

See the original post here:
Traditional Water Heaters Installation & Repair

I see its been more than a month since we had a lesson in Homeownering 101.

Lets fix that and some other stuff.

Flood prevention

It had never occurred to me that everyone didnt do this until a co-worker asked a few years ago whether I thought she ought to install clear plastic covers for her basement windows.

She was getting water in her basement and figured that would solve the problem.

Maybe, but the solution turned out to be simply cleaning the fallen leaves and debris that had formed an impermeable floor in her window wells.

Nuff said.

Ounces of prevention

The occasional buffing with paste wax will help deter rust from ruining the surfaces of your stationary power tools: table saw, joiner, band saw, drill press, etc.

Slick tables also are safety features. Wood slides across them easier, which keeps you from forcing the wood through the blade.

Here is the original post:
Once more back to school

State-Of-The-Art High Efficiency

Let us introduce you to our new lineup of high efficiency water heaters and water heater systemsbetter designs, bigger energy savings than ever. What else did you expect from State?

When it comes to building durability into a product, nobody does it like State. In fact, we've tested our water heaters in some of the most hostile environments and under the toughest conditions to make sure they last longer and provide many more years of hot water. Our components are manufactured to stricter standards. And we've developed enamels that flex with extremes of water temperatures to ensure a longer product life.

The State Warranty Check app for plumbers and contractors puts water heater warranty information in the palm of your hand.

Click here for more

State water heaters are professionally installed by local independent plumbing contractors.

Find a local installer

iCOMM Elite utilizes the latest technology in commercial water heating that allows us to interact with, proactively manage, and monitor your State water heaters for you.

Click here for more

Read more:
Water Heaters | State Hot Water Heater Systems

Kitchen Sink Install 5 of 15 Installing sink Faucet, basket strainer and more
http://www.plumberx.cm This Kitchen Sink install video would be more or less a Make do video, the old Sink was already removed. I just had to come in and install a ...

By: Claude Taylor

See original here:
Kitchen Sink Install 5 of 15 Installing sink Faucet, basket strainer and more - Video

I see it's been more than a month since we had a lesson in Homeownering 101.

Let's fix that.

And some other stuff.

It had never occurred to me that everyone didn't do this until a co-worker asked a few years ago whether I thought she ought to install clear plastic covers for her basement windows.

She was getting water in her basement and figured that would solve the problem.

Maybe, but the solution turned out to be simply cleaning the fallen leaves and debris that had formed an impermeable "floor" in her window wells.

'Nuff said.

When you're washing your windows this spring (you are, aren't you?), check your screens for tears. It doesn't take much room for insects or even mice to slip through.

Minor tears in old-fashioned steel screens and more modern aluminum mesh can be patched by weaving little patches into place from the same materials. A few dabs of clear nail polish will seal vinyl screens.

For major damage or simply because the patches may look unpleasant remove the screens and replace the material.

Link:
HouseWorks: Once more back to school

24 Hour Emergency Plumber Saint Petersburg FL CALL 727-258-5900
24 Hour Emergency Plumber Saint Petersburg FL CALL 727-258-5900 Professionals serving St Pete We can help Insured, Bonded, Licensed. Call for a free es...

By: PublicWeal

Follow this link:
24 Hour Emergency Plumber Saint Petersburg FL CALL 727-258-5900 - Video

Hundreds of angry water customers jammed a rare Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC) meeting in Payson Friday to complain bitterly about steep proposed increases in the water rates for eight Rim Country communities served by Payson Water Company (PWC), formerly owned by Brooke Utilities.

Residents of Gisela and Deer Creek dominated the testimony, pleading with the three ACC commissioners to reject a company request for a 138 percent increase in average bills.

The rate plan would charge a base rate of $23 a month. People would then pay $4 per 1,000 gallons up to 3,000 gallons, $7.66 per/thousand for the next 7,000 gallons and then $9.62/1,000 gallons for anything above 10,000 gallons per month.

Monthly use averages about 3,000 for the whole system, but varies wildly from one community to the next. Meads Ranch residents average 851 gallons a month while Gisela residents average 6,874 gallons a month.

Gisela and Deer Creek residents mostly complained about that tiered rate structure. Residents of Mesa del Caballo, East Verde Estates, Geronimo Estates and other communities had different complaints.

Mesa del Caballo residents worried about those big increases on top of hefty charges to hook up to Paysons Blue Ridge pipeline.

Other communities like East Verde Estates worried about the additional imposition of water hauling charges when supplies run low in the summer, which could triple their bills.

View post:
Angry pleas for rate hike relief