Category: Home Improvement

How to Take Care of Your Water Heater

How to Take Care of Your Water Heater

Water heaters play a vital role in our home. We use hot water for a shower, run a load of laundry, or wash your dishes, and a lot more. It is one of the most used electronic items since it involves the use of water; it is necessities in our home. Since it is one of the most used, we need to make sure that it is well taken care of. If you want to extend the life of your water heater, we need to make sure that we drain the tank to flush out sediments that have settled to the bottom of the tank.

Here is how to drain a water heater with or without a drain valve:


Turn off the Gas or Electricity While Cleaning

Always follow the manual. If it’s gas, turn the gas control to the “Pilot” setting. If it’s electric, switch off the circuit breaker and disconnect the electrical power supply.

Shut off the Water Supply

Switch off the cold water supply valve to the water heater. It might involve manually turning off your main water switch, depending on your water system.

Turn on the Hot Water

Turn on the hot water from any faucet to prevent a vacuum from working and flow air into the water heater, letting it drain easier.

Attach the Hose

Put a hose to the drain valve and run the hose. If you notice any leaks, use pliers to tighten the hose. If the water heater is located in the basement, it might need a manual pump attached to the hose – and another hose flowing from the pump to the drain.

Drain the Water Heater Tank

Turn on the draining plug and let the water flow until it stops. If you prefer to use a gallon, be prepared to empty it frequently. Be cautious when you are draining the water. Make sure to sufficiently cool down the water to prevent any accidents.

Flush the Tank

Flush any remaining debris from the tank by reopening the cold water supply. Turning it on and off several times can help stir up lingering residue. Be mindful because water will flow out at a rapid rate when you reopen the water supply.

Turn off the Water Heater Tank Drain Valve

Once the water runs clear, and you no longer see sediment coming from a hose, disconnect the hose and close the tank drain valve.

Fill the Water Heater Tank

Open the cold water supply. Switch on hot water faucets on all fixtures to remove air bubbles. Turn off each hot water spigot once the water resumes normal flow.

Power up the Water Heater

Follow the instructions to relight your heater. These are often found both in the manual and on the heater itself. Be sure to fill the heater with water before turning back on the electrical and gas connections, or risk damaging the heating element.…

Hiring a Professional Plumbing Company for Emergency Services

Homeowners often need the services of plumbers to resolve water and drainage problems in and around their homes. There are plumbing situations like leaking pipes, clogged drains, lack of water pressure, non-operational toilet flushes, and many others that call for immediate attention. To be sure you stay ahead of any such impending drainage emergencies, it is essential that you hire a certified plumbing company that offers prompt emergency services to their clients all year round.

Poor drainage installation or repair can make you spend even more on re-fixing it. Therefore, it is imperative that you conduct thorough research on the certification and qualification of the company you are hiring beforehand.

 

Licensing

Every qualified plumber is expected to have a license to operate within a specific area. Both gas pipes and Waste drain pipes can pose safety and health risks in case they explode or malfunction as a result of poor work. That’s the main reason the government agencies demand that every plumber should have the proper knowledge and work experience.

Hiring a certified company is one of the best ways to ensure you’re being served by a professional since the company will only hire qualified and experienced individuals for the job. Also, a company is best suited for emergencies since they have enough technician to handle multiple cases simultaneously hence eliminating any inconveniences.

 

Pricing

Plumbers who offer fixed rates for various plumbing packages tend to be cheaper. They are also reliable since they are in a position to provide free quotes which enable you to estimate your expenses in advance. Choosing a company that charges fixed prices allows you to operate within your budget.

 

Modern Technology

A plumbing company should use the latest technology, especially when solving intricate plumbing problems. One of the technological devices that have revolutionized the plumbing industry is the CCTV drain inspector who is one of the many tools that any severe plumber must have.

Plumber’s Specialization

Plumbers are usually trained to deal with either commercial and residential installations or both. If you need a plumber to handle repairs at your business premises, you should probably hire one trained to handle commercial facilities. However, you should prioritize in hiring a person trained in both fields because they have more experience and knowledge. Again, hiring a reputable plumbing company is the simplest way of ensuring you have access to a team equipped with the knowledge and experience required to get the job done.

Operating Hours

Plumbing emergencies are always frustrating because they happen mostly on holidays, at night or during weekends. This is the time when you need your plumber the most, and it will be disastrous if your company does not offer 24 hours services to cater for emergencies. This is especially beneficial for business persons who need their plumbing issues fixed quickly so that their businesses can resume the following day.

Response Time

Emergencies call for emergency responses and plumbing is no different. When hiring a plumber, make sure they are highly …

Choosing the Best Plumber

If you have a plumbing problem, the natural thing that will come to your mind is finding a good plumber to help you fix. Unfortunately, finding the best plumber is not always that easy because every plumber will do anything to create the impression that they are the best. This is why it is important that before you hire a plumber, you do your due diligence. The following are some of the factors that you should always consider if you need quality plumbing services.

Certification

This might sound obvious but the truth is that many homeowners do not even think about it whenever they are looking for quality plumbing services. Homeowners who do not consider this factor tend to forget that it is actually what distinguishes between reliable and inexperienced plumbers.
Plumbers are expected to bear certifications that show that they indeed have the desired skills.

First, ensure that they have certifications from a plumping institution. This is meant to show you that they indeed have the skills that you will need for quality services. Other important certifications that they must have include licenses and insurance cover.

Experience

Another critical factor to consider before hiring a plumber is the experience. While it is possible to find fresh plumbers who are capable of doing a good job, the truth is experienced plumbers never disappoint. A good explanation for this is that they have been in the business long enough to learn from their mistakes. This, therefore, means that if you work with them, you can be sure that silly and costly mistakes will never be made in your project.

Time Conscience

Some plumbing problems can be very dangerous if not handled first. They can cause you a lot of damages and if you do not want such a thing to happen, then you will need to focus on choosing a plumber who is time sensitive. One of the best ways of identifying such plumbers is reading reviews and getting to understand that perspective of other people who have used their services before.

Equipment

You also need to find a plumber who is well equipped. This is important because it will not only ensure that you get quality services but also ensure that you save time looking for someone else to do the job for you. Sometimes it can be quite disappointing when you have to look for more than one plumber to solve the same problem.…