Plumber Bloomington IL – CK Brush Plumbing, Heating & Drain Cleaning – Call 309-808-3768
It’s hard to overstate how important a functioning, efficient water heater is to the daily functioning of practically any household. From cleaning laundry and washing dishes to taking showers, your water heater is an essential component of your household’s daily routine.
It’s certainly no surprise that hot water consumption is usually the second biggest energy cost for most homes. It typically accounts for approximately 18 percent of utilities. That figure suggests that evaluating hot water use and maintenance of the water heater can help the average household save quite a lot on costs.
While that bathroom faucet with a slow leak might not seem too worrisome at first, it’s the kind of plumbing issues that can steadily add up to a huge amount of wasted water that results in wasted money.
Tips on Water Heater Care and Maintenance – Plumber Bloomington IL
Following are a few useful money-saving tips relating to your water heater that can definitely keep those water heating bills more reasonable:
-Set the thermostat to lower temps. Although a lot of manufacturers set their units to 140°F, many households are actually comfortable with a setting of 120°F. Make the adjustment and then use the shower. Most likely you will hardly notice much difference. This minor decrease in temperature will not just reduce costs, but also reduces the risk of scalding while slowing the buildup of minerals and corrosion inside your water heater and plumbing pipes.
-Insulate the water heater tank. Insulating the storage tank (regardless if it’s natural gas or electric) helps to limit heat loss. Additionally, it prevents the water heater from turning on as often. Be sure to comply with the manufacturer’s guidelines, which typically caution against covering up the top and bottom of the unit, the thermostat and the burner. Call a Plumber Bloomington IL for help in adding insulation to your water heater tank.
-Heat traps. Most recent water heaters are made with a built-in heat trap. However, if you’ve had your unit for longer than ten years and it is still in good shape, installing a new heat trap is a good option. Consult with your Plumber Bloomington IL for more details.
-Use more cold water. Even though this might sound like an obvious suggestion, using cold water for the majority of your laundry (especially for the rinse cycle) as well as for basic matters such as washing hands and brushing teeth can help reduce your utility bills. In addition, there are health benefits to using cold water.
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-Fix leaking faucets. A leaky kitchen or bathroom faucet is a very common plumbing issue that homeowners will sometimes view only as a minor problem that doesn’t call for immediate service from a Plumber Bloomington IL. To the contrary, a leak doesn’t take much time to waste gallons of water and run up your bills. Call a Plumber Bloomington IL to schedule a repair of any leaky faucets in your house as soon as you notice it’s occurring. It’s a good idea to check out the outdoor faucets, too. As many as ten percent of homes nationwide have plumbing system leaks wasting more than 90 gallons per day!*
-Drain the water heater tank. It’s good maintenance to fully drain your water heater tank approximately once per year. Doing so will help to eliminate sediment that impedes the transfer of heat and eventually makes the unit less efficient. While draining the tank is a fairly easy task, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If in doubt about how to drain your water heater, call a Plumber Bloomington IL for assistance.
-Add a timer. Because conventional water heaters run continuously, it can waste a lot of electricity. Installation of a timer to shut off your water heater during the night is an excellent way to help reduce energy consumption. Plus, it can extend the service lifespan of the unit. Call CK Brush and speak to a Plumber Bloomington IL about a timer for your water heater.
-Insulate your system’s plumbing pipes. Along with adding insulation to the water heater tank, insulate sections of the cold and hot water pipes that connect to the tank, too. Besides helping to minimize fire hazards, it will conserve heat. Consequently, your system will not have to work quite so hard to heat water.
-Replace the older appliances in your utility room and kitchen. If your washing machine or dishwasher, for example, is close to or over ten years old, it’s time to think about getting new ones. An experienced Plumber Bloomington IL can install new, far more energy-efficient models for you. There are lots of new appliances available that consume less water and function more efficiently than products from even just a few years ago.
-Consider making the investment in a new unit. It’s usually a good idea to contact your Plumber Bloomington IL to schedule installation of a new, efficient water heater if your existing unit is over ten years old. An older water heater isn’t just inefficient but it may be at risk of causing irreparable water damage if it should burst or leak.
New Water Heater Installation – Plumber Bloomington IL
Planning to install a new, efficient water heater in your Illinois home? The first matter you’ll want to decide when considering water heaters is which fuel source it will use. The majority of water heaters are made to run on gas, oil or electricity.
Verify the availability of those in your location and the relative costs so you can make an informed choice. Next, you’ll need to determine if you want a conventional model or a tankless unit. Tankless water heaters are a fairly new product on the market, yet they perform quite sufficiently for many homeowners. In contrast to traditional units that keep a tank of heated water ready for use when you want it, a tankless water heater only heats water when you switch it on.
After settling on which category of water heater to install in your home, you next want to decide what size it must be in order to accommodate your hot water usage. To do that, simply estimate how much hot water your household will typically use during peak times. Then, choose a water heater that has a tank that is slightly bigger than that. A Plumber Bloomington IL can help you approximate the hot water you use and recommend a water heater that is ideal for your needs.
You do not necessarily want to install the largest capacity water heater available, because it would be more than you’ll need. Also, you would still end up paying to keep the whole tank heated around the clock. On the other hand, choosing a tank that is too small for your household needs could mean you’ll face the problem of running out of warm water when you really need it.
When selecting a new water heater for a Plumber Bloomington IL to install in your home, pay careful attention to the energy efficiency ratings of each model you look at. Particularly if you decide on a model with a larger tank, your utility bills can escalate rapidly. Picking a water heater that carries a high rating for energy efficiency – even if it costs a little more up front – is certain to provide healthy savings over its service life.
Maintaining Your Water Heater – Plumber Bloomington IL
Without regular care, your new water heater won’t be able to consistently produce hot water for showering, doing laundry or washing dishes. Inconsistently heated water might start out as a minor hassle, but it can soon become a major disruption to your household.
After installation of your new water heater finishes, the quality of the unit you choose is only part of what’s necessary to provide positive results. The other part of those results involve the installation process itself.
A quality, professional installation of a water heater can transform a run-of-the-mill unit and allow it to function at top efficiency for many years.
Conversely, a faulty installation can result in a water heater that operates inefficiently and doesn’t last as long as it probably should. To achieve a high-quality, seamless installation calls for the right equipment and the expertise of a seasoned Plumber Bloomington IL.
When it comes to the matter of how long it will take to install your new water heater that depends upon the specific characteristics of your home. In general, however, the process usually takes from two to three hours.
It’s important to keep in mind that the priority is to perform the installation correctly rather than quickly. Naturally, we avoid taking up more of your household’s time than necessary, but it’s essential not to rush the process and risk any problems later on.
Next, the old unit – which is usually quite bulky and very heavy – must be carried out of your home. Once that is accomplished, it’s time to bring the new water heater in so it can be maneuvered into its proper place. Lastly, your Plumber Bloomington IL makes the power and water connections, fills the unit with water and performs thorough testing.
*Source: Environmental Protection Agency
