Sizing a Tankless Water Heater for Your Addison Home

February 6th, 2012

Tankless water heaters are gaining popularity among Addison homeowners because of their on demand hot water supply and space-saving design. Although they are more expensive than traditional tank water heaters, on demand water heaters are more efficient, reliable, and easier to install and maintain. Before choosing to install a tankless water heater, however, you will have to decide which size will meet your hot water needs.

Rather than storing hot water in a tank, the tankless models heat the water with individual units located near the application where hot water is needed, such as a shower or washing machine. For larger homes, some of these smaller units cannot heat enough water for several applications running at the same time. You can also install a single tankless water heater for the entire house, or separate ones for appliances that use more hot water.

Finding the proper size and type will depend on the flow rate—measured  by a GPM (gallons per minute) number—that each fixture needs. Every application has a standard flow rate that must be added up in order to calculate the hot water demands for your entire home. For instance, if someone is using a sink with a 1.5 GPM at the same time another person is running a shower with a 2.0 GPM, the flow rate for the tankless unit would need to be at least 3.5 gallons per minute. You will have to add up the flow rate for all the applications in the house to get the minimum GPM figure for your tankless water heater.

In addition to flow rates, tankless hot water heaters are also measured by how much the water temperature needs to rise as it moves through the heating unit. You can determine the temperature rise for each application by subtracting the temperature of water coming in from the desired temperature going out. Once you add those together with the overall flow rates, you will know which tankless water heater can handle your overall hot water needs.

Before you buy an on demand hot water heater, it is best to talk to a professional plumber. While the flow rates and temperature rise for most household appliances are fairly standard, these numbers can vary because of several factors that plumbers are trained to calculate. Size is not the only factor to consider when shopping for a tankless water heater. Fuel type and efficiency should also be factored in to your purchase, which is another reason to talk to a licensed plumber.

If you aren’t sure what type or size of tankless water heater is right for your Addison home, call Dial 1 Plumbing to speak with one of our professional plumbers. We are always glad to offer our expert advice so that you can meet all of your hot water needs in the most efficient way possible.

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How to Extend the Life of a Water Heater in Desoto

February 3rd, 2012

To avoid having to pay for replacing your water heater in Desto, your best course of action is to take care of the water heater you have. Many homeowners forget about this simple part of household maintenance, probably because water heaters are so often out of sight that we take them for granted. For a simple start on water heater maintenance, try this three-step annual routine:

1.     Lower the temperature on your water heater to somewhere between 115 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This is more than adequate for all household functions, and it will keep the water heater from overheating. Locate the knob on your unit (refer to the manual or manufacturer website if you have trouble) to dial it down. You’ll never notice the difference in temperature, but your water heater will have to work less and your energy bills will be lower.

2.     Test the temperature and pressure valve by lifting the valve lever part of the way up, then allowing it to snap back into place. This should be followed by a gurgling sound as water is briefly released from the tank into the drain tube. If not, the valve may need to be replaced.

3.     Flush the tank on a smaller scale. Rather than doing a full flush of the water heater, you can do a smaller one in much less time. To do this, just put a bucket under the drain valve and release the valve. When the bucket is full, close the valve back up and drain the bucket outside or into a sink. This will help get rid of sediment, but takes much less time than draining the whole tank.

It is also recommended that you get a plumber to inspect your water heater on a regular basis, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. This three step plan is a good interim measure, however, and it only takes a few minutes each year.

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How Much Water Does a Leaky Faucet Waste in a Dallas Home?

February 1st, 2012

Home owners in Dallas know that a leaky faucet is obnoxious for more than one reason. It represents a growing problem that will cost you money on your water bill, but it can be avoided with a little plumbing maintenance. Beyond all of that, it wastes a lot of water, putting undue stress on the environment. But, how much water does a leaky faucet actually waste with out some easy plumbing repair? It may not seem like much, but when added up over a period of time, that leaky faucet’s impact can be fairly substantial.

Okay, so a single drip every couple seconds may not seem like a lot of water. But, think about it this way. If you let your faucet drip every day, twenty four hours a day, it is definitely going to add up. Imagine what would happen if every faucet in your home was dripping or every faucet in your neighbourhood. It would not seem like such a small amount of water anymore.

In terms of how much water is actually wasted, it is impossible to tell for certain. After all, every drop of water from a faucet is a different size and falls at a different rate. But, for the most part the water coming from a faucet (according to the US Geological Survey) is between 1/5 and 1/3 of one milliliter. Using those calculations and 1/4 of a milliliter as an average, the USGS estimates that roughly 15,140 drips from a faucet equals one gallon of water.

It may not seem like much. After all, fifteen thousand drops is a LOT of drops. But, if your faucet dripped once every second every day, all day, it would only take four and a half hours to reach one gallon. Every day you would waste 5 gallons of water or 2,082 gallons per year. That is 10% of the average water used by a standard 3.5 gpf toilet on a daily basis. Now, imagine what happens if you have more than one drippy faucet, or if your bathtub leaks which will drip more water at a time or if the leak is larger than the average size.

In short, the cost of a leaky faucet may not seem like much, but as time passes, it can really add up and if it is not taken care of, the cost will only grow as the leak gets bigger and potentially new leaks start in other faucets of your home. Do not let it drip forever – take action now and cut down on the environmental impact you have, as well as your bill.

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Bathtub Drain Plumbing: Things Dallas Residents Should Know

January 30th, 2012

When Dallas residents think of clogged drains and plumbing problems, we most frequently think of toilets and kitchen sinks, but one of the most common drains to cause problems in a home is the bathtub. To avoid drain problems and to help fix any problems that might crop up, here are some tips for how to handle your finicky bathtub drain.

  • How the Bathtub Drain Works – A Bath tub drain works the same as the other drains in your home with a simple trap that ensures the safe transfer of water out of your home and blockage of sewer gasses from getting into your home. The drain itself is frequently open with a small crack – roughly a quarter inch – beneath a larger drain plug that can be lowered when you fill the tub. While the space is not large enough for objects like a bar of soap to enter, it is plenty large enough for hair, soap scum, and other small objects from a bath or shower to enter and start clogging that trap.
  • Cleaning the Drain – To cut down on how much hair and gunk actually gets into the drain you should take off the entire drain mechanism once a week and remove any excess hair. You should also use some form of wire device like a bent coat hanger or scrubber to reach in and remove any hair you can reach. There are specific plumbing devices to help with this as well, but a hanger works just fine assuming you do not have a heavy clog. It is also a good idea to run boiling water through your drain once every week to clear out any soap and hair build up. While most soap is water soluble, it can create a thick, greasy clog when combined with hair. Hot water can help to remove it before a clog occurs.
  • If a Clog Occurs – If a clog does occur, you should use the hot water method along with a plunger to try and clear out as much of the clog as possible. Avoid chemical use at all costs. Bathrooms are usually small rooms and even with the fan on, the fumes can be dangerous and the chemicals caustic on your pipes and tub. Baking soda and vinegar often help for small clogs, but otherwise, you should move on to a snake for physical clog removal.

If you have a clog deeper than the snake can reach or that you simply cannot affect with the tools listed above, it may be necessary to call a professional who can track your clog into the pipes and find where the root of the problem is. It might be just too deep in your drainage pipe or it could be a completely different area of your plumbing system.

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Tips from Frisco Plumbers: Why Dry Toilets Occur and How to Fix Them

January 27th, 2012

Under normal circumstances in Frisco Texas, after you flush your toilet, the tank and bowl both fill back up with water, preparing it for the next use. The water from the tank is what flushes into the bowl when you push the handle, so if it is not filling properly, then the toilet will be dry.

This problem is troublesome, but not uncommon, and can be remedied with light plumbing maintenance. Below are a few possible causes and solutions for this issue.

The first place to look is the water supply to the tank. If it has been inadvertently turned off, then obviously the tank will not fill. This is akin to the troubleshooting section of your old VCR manual, where it tells you to make sure the power cord is plugged in. It may sound silly, but it never hurts to check the most obvious and easily fixed of the possible causes first.

Another possibility that is very easy to fix is that the ballcock inside the tank has jammed at the top. Inside your toilet tank is a rubberized bulb connected to an arm. This bulb floats in water and controls the intake valve on the toilet tank. So, when the water level reaches a certain depth, the ballcock floats and closes the valve. However, if the ballcock is jammed in an upward position, it would keep the valve closed even if the tank is empty.

In this case, it may just be a matter of pushing the ballcock past the jam and then making sure it moves up and down freely. That alone may fix it.

A third common cause of the dry toilet problem is a clogged intake valve beneath the toilet. These valves can become clogged and then not allow water through, especially in systems with hard water or particularly old pipes.

If this is the problem – or if it is anything besides one of the two simple fixes described above – the best solution is to call a plumber. A professional can correctly identify the source of the problem and perform the necessary repairs. It’s likely not going to require any plumbing repairs, but it’s best to entrust the job to a pro.

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Tips on Unclogging a Floor Drain From Dallas Plumbers

January 25th, 2012

Wondering down into the basement only to realize that your Dallas home’s floor drain has backed up is never a fun event. This is not a problem that will solve itself and you want to get it under control as promptly as possible. While there are definitely an abundance of  ways you can attempt to unclog a floor drain on your own, and there are quite a few potentially complicating factors to consider.

First, you should confirm that no one in the house turns on any running water for anything until the drain has been cleared. The floor drain in your basement is almost always the final stop in the plumbing for all of the drainage used in your house, and so any running water anywhere above will ultimately cause more water to back up in the basement. Of course, if you cannot use any running water anywhere else in your house, so it is even more essential that you are able to unclog the floor drain swiftly.

If you happen to own a snake, this may be the best option to try first. However, it can be a bit difficult to get the snake to make the sharp turns prevalent in these type of drains not long after the pipe descends below the floor. That is not to say that it cannot be done, but be aware that you will need to make sure the snake turns the corner before it will be useful to you at all.

People who do not own a snake may still be able to take care of the blockage without hiring a professional plumber like Dial 1 Plumbing. But first you have to locate the problem. Depending on the layout of your drainage system, this may be easier said than done. You can also make a pretty big mess if you open up various sections of pipe looking for the blockage, so be attentive and make sure you have something in place to catch the runoff and debris that may come out of the pipes when you open them.

You may also run into trouble if the blockage is really outside of your house in the larger sewer line that runs to the street. Unclogging a drain with this type of problem is commonly a job for a licensed specialist and there is very little you will be able to complete on your own.

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Tips From Frisco Plumbers On Eliminating Odors from a Garbage Disposal

January 23rd, 2012

Chances are that you have a garbage disposal in your Frisco home, as many people do these days, and you most likely consider it an essential portion of your household equipment. Unfortunately, it is not abnormal for odor problems to occur with a garbage disposal. This is undoubtedly an unpleasant dilemma, but fortunately it can typically be quickly and effectively remedied.

The fundamental cause of garbage disposals’ unpleasant smell is that they hold on to bits of food and other items that should get washed away. This is very common, and the quick and easy fix is to keep it from becoming a bigger problem is for you to clean your garbage disposal every few weeks.

For a more hands on cleaning approach, you can turn your garbage disposal off and dismantle any removable pieces and clean them with soapy warm water. It is important that you confirm your garbage disposal is off and remains off as you scrub it. This is a great way to take care of a garbage disposal scents, but it will not keep it from coming back.

It is also not always necessary to get in there and deep clean your garbage disposal on a regular basis. Instead, you can carry out a few less intensive procedures to help keep your garbage disposal smelling great. No matter what cleaning method you use, it is also important to remember to keep your water running any time you turn your garbage disposal on and for about thirty seconds afterwards. This can go a long way towards ensuring that food does not build up inside.

One of the reasons that garbage disposals seem hard to clean is because you cannot use many of the more common household cleaning supplies on them. Harsher chemicals can damage or erode parts of the garbage disposal, potentially requiring other plumbing maintenance to be performed on your system later on. Fortunately, there are actually a lot of products that you probably have around your house already that can make cleaning your garbage disposal and getting rid of the unpleasant odor a quick and easy chore.

One good organic approach is to slice a lemon in quarters and put it down your garbage disposal together with some baking soda. Once the two ingredients are down there, turn on the water and then let the garbage disposal run. Leave it running until you are sure the lemon is gone, that way you can be sure the smell will be gone as well.

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Sachse Plumbing Installation Question: What Are High-Efficiency Toilets?

January 20th, 2012

Everyone has a toilet in their Sachse home. In fact, you probably have more than one. And you probably do not give much thought to the type of toilet you have. After all, a toilet is a toilet, right? Well, there are actually several different types of toilets, and while they all get the basic job done, there are reasons to favor one type over another.

One such distinction falls on what are known as high-efficiency toilets. These toilets use significantly less water than standard toilets on each flush, thereby saving you money on your water bill every time you use them. No toilet on the market today is permitted by law to use more than 3.5 gallons of water per flush. High-efficiency toilets, by contrast, generally use between 1.6 gallons and 1.1 gallons.

That might not seem like a huge difference, but just think about how many times in a day someone flushes the toilets in your home. That will add up fast. Installing a high-efficiency toilet can save you as much as 12,000 gallons of water a year. And depending on the size of your household and the number of toilets you have, that figure could be even higher.

Of course, a lot of people shy away from high-efficiency toilets because they are concerned about performance. It seems unlikely to them that a toilet that uses so much less water could work effectively all of the time. The truth is, though, that many high efficiency toilets work even better than conventional ones at clearing the bowl in one flush. And high efficiency toilets do not clog any more than regular toilets. In fact, they often do better in that area as well.

Another thing to bear in mind is that toilets last for a long time. This means that the toilet in your home could be quite old. Toilets made before 1980 use much more than modern toilets are allowed to use per flush. Some of them actually go through five gallons or more of water each time you use them. By replacing an older toilet with a new, high-efficiency model, you will be setting yourself up for some significant savings on your water bill each month.

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Midlothian Plumbing Repair Tip: Common Causes of Plumbing Noises

January 18th, 2012

Under ideal conditions, you would hear nothing from your Midlothian home’s plumbing system except the sound of running water when you turn on the tap. Unfortunately, that is not always what actually happens. In fact, your plumbing can make all types of funny and sometimes alarming noises for no reason that you can easily discern.

For instance, one common plumbing noise sounds like a hard knock or hammer blow. This usually occurs when you turn off a tap and can be rather alarming. Sometimes you can even feel the reverberation of the impact that caused the sound. But why is this happening? Usually, this “water hammer” noise is the result of the dramatic shift in pressure in the system when you suddenly stop the flow of water from a faucet.

This sudden stop creates a kind of shock wave, which then travels back through the pipes and causes the loud knocking sound that you hear. This is easily fixed with a device that is known as a water hammer arrester. These devices help to dissipate the force of the pressure shift and can keep the noise from occurring at all.

There are also all kinds of whistling, squealing and squeaking noises that your plumbing can make under certain circumstances. These types of sounds are often caused by a worn out washer somewhere along the line that is having trouble regulating the flow of water. It can be a little difficult to pin down the source of these noises sometimes, especially if they occur no matter which faucet is turned on. But with a little hunting and trial and error you can usually track down the source.

Rattling sounds are also common and generally occur when your water pipes are not well secured to a rigid surface. If this is the case, the force of the water running through the pipes can cause the pipe to vibrate, creating the sound you hear as it bangs against whatever solid surface is nearby. For problems like this, simply securing the pipes in place better can put an end to all of your rattling issues.

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Happy Martin Luther King Day from Your Dallas Area Plumbers!

January 16th, 2012

Happy Martin Luther King Day! Take some time today to think about how you, like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., can serve your community. There are hundreds of things you can do to make the world a better place, from helping a neighbor to volunteering for your local homeless shelter. Everyone doing a little bit of extra service can make a big difference!

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