Tag Archives: water heater

Water Heater Repair: Tips On How To Lower Your Water Heating Bills

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If you have a hotel or guest house you need a water heater for the guests to enjoy hot showers. While a water heater provides comfort, it consumes plenty of power and your electricity bills can skyrocket if you don’t take measures to control it. To guide you here are measures that you can take to save your water heating bills:

Turn down the thermostat

Water heaters come preset at 140 degrees. While the water is comfortable for bathing to some at this temperature, it can be scalding to others. To reduce the risk of scalding and giving your business a bad name, lower the temperature to 120 degrees.

This temperature is high enough for the guests to enjoy a nice bath and at the same time reduce mineral buildup in the pipes and tank.

It’s easy to lower the thermostat, but if you are not comfortable with your skills, hire commercial appliances repair Fairfax to help you out.

Install low-flow showerheads

Showerheads not only reduce the amount of water that the guests use, they also save on your water bill. According to water heater repair professionals, when you install showerheads you reduce water consumption by up to 60%. You also cut your water heating bill by up to 20%.

When buying the showerheads buy them from a reputable store. Also have them installed by an experienced expert.

Drain the sediment

Just like in any other appliances, sediment reduces the efficiency of your water heater. To keep the tank running efficiently you need to drain it. You can hire a repair contractor to do the work, but if you don’t have money, do the work by yourself.

To drain the sediment you need to turn off water and power to the water heater tank and then connect a garden hose to the base of the tank. You should then let the water run out together with the sediment.

Insulate exposed water pipes

Plenty of heat is lost through exposed water pipes. Commercial appliances service providers have been able to show that by insulating exposed water pipes, water arrives in the water heater 1-2 degrees warmer.

This not only saves you time that you would have waited for the water to get warm, it also saves you energy that you would have used heating the water. All you need to do is to hire a water heater contractor to insulate the pipes. For long term service use high quality insulating material.

 

How To Insulate Your Water Heater

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Do you want to save money on your energy bills? You should undertake water heater insulation. When your water heater is properly insulated less heat is lost in the air. This results to the water getting hot fast thus saving you power.

How To Insulate The Water Heater

You should measure your water heater in order to determine the size of faced fibreglass insulation that you should buy. You should also remember to buy duct tape to attach the insulation.

You should cut the insulation into tiny strips and wrap them horizontally around the water heater. You should use the duct tape to join the insulation strips.

To be able to control the water heater even while insulated you should cut out holes for the controls and faucets. You should leave at least 2 inches of exposed area around the flue collar. You should also keep the burner access free from insulation.

To ensure that the water heater is properly insulated you should carefully tape around any unsealed edges of the fibreglass.

Once you are through you should set the thermostat between 120-130 degrees. Any temperature higher than this will overheat the wires thus damaging your heater.

Water heater experts recommend that you should place a piece of rigid insulation under your water heater in order to save more on your power bills.

Helpful tips

Although, you can insulate your water heater if you have the right skills, it’s highly discouraged that you insulate the water heater if you have never done it before. For your water heater to be properly insulated, you should hire the services of certified water heater insulation professional.

When buying the insulation material you should be cautious and ensure that you buy it from a reputable home improvement store. To buy the insulation material at a lower price you should make your purchase during the warm months of the year.

When you are installing the insulation you should be cautious that you don’t cover the flue on top. You should also avoid covering the top of the water heater. You should remember that the insulation is combustible; therefore, you should keep it away from frame sources.

In addition to installing the insulation material on your water heater you should ensure that you regularly clean your unit. When it develops problems, you should ensure that it’s fixed by a water heater repair professional.

Water Heater Repair: Taking A Look At The Common Water Heater Problems

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To keep the water in your place of work hot, it’s paramount that you have a fully functional water heater. Unfortunately, just like the other units, it develops problems that you must have them fixed as soon as possible to restore serenity in your workplace. Here are some of the most common water heater problems and how to undertake water heater repair:

Leaking pipes

Leaking pipes are brought about by many factors such as: age, loose drain valve, poor maintenance, bad plumbing, and too much tank pressure. To fix this problem you should hire a repair professional, but if you have the skills, you should do it on your own. To repair the leak, you need to shut off the water supply and the electrical or gas supply to the tank.

You should then remove all the water from the tank and fix the leak. If the valve or the system is too old, you have no way out other than to replace it.

Noises

It’s also common for the malfunctioning water heating unit to make weird noises. Commercial appliances repair professionals report that the main reason for the sounds is the collection of sediment at the bottom of the water heater. The noise comes about when the hot water bubbles up through the sediment. Due to this, you have a popping sound.

To fix this problem, you only need to get rid of the sediment by cleaning the tank. To prevent a similar problem from coming about, flush the water heater periodically. You also should consider installing a water softener in your home. Experts report that the softener tends to eliminate the sediment that builds up in the tank.

Inadequate hot water

When you are installing a water heater, it’s recommended that you install one that will give you water that is enough for your guests. In some cases, your water heater will fail to give you enough hot water. One of the primary reasons for this is the recent upgrade of your tub to a larger one. You will most likely have this problem if install a spa type of tub.

The problem is also common if you recently changed your showerhead to a higher flow model. This would cause you to run out of hot water. Another reason is the location of the faucet. If it’s located at a long distance from the water heater, you will have a problem as the water will be required to travel a long way to the faucet head. To fix commercial appliance Fairfax, you will have to hire an experienced professional.

All About Water Heater Repair

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As a restaurant owner, you can’t afford to live without a water heater. Unfortunately, the unit tends to develop problems now and then. When the problems come along, you should contact a water heater repair professional as soon as possible to fix it.

Signs your water heater needs to be fixed

There are plenty of signs you should look out for to tell when your water heater needs to be repaired. Some of these signs include:

Annoying noises: A properly functioning water heater shouldn’t make any noises; therefore, when you have one that whines, pops, cracks, bangs and makes any other noise you have a reason to worry. The unit is not only on the verge of grinding to a halt, but it also will drive your customers away. When you hear any noise regardless of how minor it is, contact a professional to fix it.

Cold water: The main reason you have the unit in place is that you want to heat the water; therefore, when it isn’t heating the water it means that it isn’t working. Contact your local water heater expert to give it a look.

Dirty water: This is common when you have stayed for a long time without cleaning your water heater. In most cases, the unit will produce rusty or brown water. On tasting the water, it will have a metallic taste. When you have dirty water coming from your tank, it is a sign that you don’t take good care of your business property and this will drive your customers away. The dirty-water producing tank is also usually on the verge of ceasing to work.

Water leakage: Is there water pooling around your water heater? The presence of water is a sign that the unit is leaking and you need to hire a commercial appliances service provider to fix it.

Other ways of maintaining your water heater

Other than repairing your water heater when it develops problems, there are plenty of other ways of keeping your unit in top shape. Some of these ways include:

Regular cleaning: Failure to clean the water heater regularly is the main reason for dirty water coming from it during shower time. To avoid this, make it a habit of opening up your heater at least twice a year and cleaning it.

Inspection: In addition to cleaning the unit, you also need to hire a commercial appliances repair Arlington at least once a year to inspect the unit and fix it. For ideal results, work with an experienced professional.