Water Heaters:
Is Your Hot Water Adequate?
Since water heating is a thermodynamic process using an energy source to heat water above its initial temperature and comprised of parts that can fail, maintaining its hot water production is crucial to your home needs. Typical domestic uses of hot water are for cooking, cleaning, bathing, and space heating. Commercial applications include both hot water and heated water to generate steam. Water heaters, boilers and heat exchangers are the mechanical processes used to heat water for a variety of domestic and commercial uses. Water heaters come in two basic forms: tanks and tankless. Some of the more popular domestic water heaters are:
Conventional Tank Water Heaters
Most water heaters are tank water heaters which keep a cylindrical tank full of hot water in your home at all times. The typical sizes available for household water heaters that utilize a tank are between 20 and 100 gallons. When hot water is required the water is circulated to the open faucet. Conventional tanks utilize electric, natural gas, propane, oil, solar or geothermal power as an energy source to heat the water.
Electric Water Heaters
The typical electric water heater is wired to a 220-volt circuit. To heat the water, the current passes through electrical-resistance heating elements—usually two, one at the middle of the tank and one at the bottom. Power is delivered to each element through a thermostat—a switch that senses the water temperature. When the temperature drops, the switch closes to allow current flow, and it opens when the temperature reaches its preset limit. Thermostats have a dial for setting the maximum water temperature--generally between 130 degrees and 140 degrees F, or as low as about 120 degrees F for increased energy savings and scald protection.
When a hot water tap is opened, cold water enters the tank through the dip tube and the drop in temperature triggers the thermostat and element at the bottom. As the water at the top of the tank is replaced by cool water, the temperature at the top thermostat drops, and its element kicks in. When the tap is turned off, the heating elements continue to carry current until the thermostats are satisfied.
Gas-Fired Water Heaters
An alternative to electric water heaters is gas-fired, usually utilizing natural gas or propane. Instead of electrical-resistance elements, gas-fired heaters have a burner that's fed gas through a control valve and a thermostat switch. The burner is usually situated to throw a flame under the tank. The exhaust gases are vented either through a hollow core at the center of the tank or around the tank sides. Because gas-fired heaters heat the tank, which in turn heats the water, there will be more wear and tear on the tank than with electric heat. A gas-fired heater, therefore, may have a shorter life expectancy than an electric heater.
Tankless
A tankless water heater, also called instantaneous, only provides hot water as needed, saving energy and, therefore, saving you money. They are designed to heat water directly without the use of a tank and are more efficient than conventional water heaters. The primary energy sources for tankless heaters are natural gas and propane. Tankless heaters are typically more efficient than storage water heaters. The absence of a tank saves energy as conventional water heaters have to reheat the water in the tank as it cools off, called standby loss. With a central water heater of any type, water is wasted waiting for water to heat up because of the cold water in the pipes between the faucet and the water heater. This water waste can be avoided if a re-circulating pump is installed, but at the cost of electricity to run the pump and wasted energy to heat the water circulation through the pipes.
Solar Water Heaters
For some areas, solar powered water heaters are used. Their solar collectors are installed outside the home, typically on the roof or nearby. Nearly all models are the direct-gain type, consisting of flat panels in which water circulates. Other types may use dish or trough mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a collector tube filled with water, brine or other heat transfer fluid. A storage tank is placed indoors or out to collect the heated water. Circulation is caused by natural convection or by a small electric pump. At night, or when there is insufficient sunlight present, circulation through the panel can be stopped by closing a valve and/or stopping the circulating pump, to keep hot water in the storage tank from cooling. Depending on the local climate, freeze protection, as well as prevention of overheating, must be addressed in the design, installation, and operation of the water heater.
Hot Water Circulating Pump
Hot water circulating pumps are often used to circulate domestic hot water so that a faucet will provide hot water constantly upon demand. Since water is piped from the water heater through the pipes to the tap, once the tap is shut off, the water remaining in the pipes cools, producing the familiar wait for hot water the next time the tap is opened. A circulator pump insures the hot water in the pipes is always hot, minimizing the wait.
Federal Tax Credits
Federal tax credits are available for a number of home water heating improvements. If the improvements occur at your primary residence (except some instances with solar, where a second home may qualify) and are placed into use before December 31, 2010, you may be eligible to take the credit. A couple of examples include:
Tankless water heaters with at least an input of over 50,000 BTU/hour and up to 200,000 BTU/hour with a rated storage volume of 2 gallons or less and an energy factor of .82 or greater are eligible for a credit of up to 30% of the cost, not to exceed $1,500. Solar water heaters that receive at least half of their energy directly from the sun and have an OG-300 rating from the Solar Rating Certification Corporation (SRCC), and where the water is used in a residential dwelling, are eligible for up to a credit of 30% of the cost, with no limit. This credit is not available for expenses used for swimming pools, hot tubs or whole house heating. More information on available tax credits for energy-efficient installations can be found on the http://www.energystar.gov website.
Sinks
Some of the more popular styles include, but are not limited to:
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel is commonly used in kitchens and commercial applications because of the benefit between cost, usability, durability, and ease of cleaning. Stainless steel sinks will not be damaged by hot or cold objects and resist damage from impacts. One downside of stainless steel is that they tend to be noisier than other sinks, because they are made of thin metal.Enamel & Ceramic
Enamel, over cast iron or steel, is a popular material for kitchen and bathroom sinks. Heavy and durable, these sinks can also be manufactured in a very wide range of shapes and colors. Like stainless steel, they are very resistant to hot or cold objects, but they can be damaged by sharp impacts—and once the glass surface is breached, the underlying cast iron has a tendency to corrode. Aggressive cleaning will dull the surface, leading to more dirt accumulation. Ceramic sinks possess many of the same qualities as enamel, but without the risk of surface damage leading to corrosion.Plastic
Plastic sinks are generally inexpensive sinks, and are simply injection-molded thermoplastics. These are often deep, free-standing sinks used in laundry rooms and subject to damage by hot or sharp objects. High-end acrylic drop-in (lowered into the countertop) and under mounted (attached from the bottom) sinks are popular, and may also be made to form "solid surface" countertops. These sinks are durable, attractive, and can often be molded with an integrated countertop or joined to a separate countertop in a seamless fashion. These sinks are subject to damage by hot objects but damaged areas can sometimes be sanded-down to expose undamaged material.Stone
Stone sinks have been used for most of recorded history. Some of the more popular stones that are suitable for us, include; Marble, Travertine, Onyx and Granite.Glass, Copper, Concrete and Terrazzo
Glass, concrete, and terrazzo sinks are usually designed for their aesthetic appeal and can be obtained in a wide variety of unusual shapes and colors such as floral shapes. Concrete and terrazzo are occasionally used in very-heavy-duty applications, such as janitorial sinks.Toilets
Toilets are probably the most underappreciated appliance in the home, but get the most attention when they don’t operate properly. A toilet is a plumbing fixture and disposal system primarily intended for the disposal of the bodily wastes. There are two basic types of toilets: the dry toilet and the wet toilet. The wet toilet is the most common type and is used in most residential homes. The dry toilet needs no plumbing for water input or evacuation, but is often coupled with some ventilation system.
There are three parts to a toilet; the water tank, the bowl and the siphon tube.
A toilet is ready for use when its water tank is full to the brim, roughly 2 gallons of water. This is the part of the toilet that sits against the wall above the bowl. Inside the tank are refill tubes, overflow tubes, a float and a stopper. When you flush the toilet, a chain attached to the toilet handle and the stopper is pulled, and the stopper is removed from a pipe into which the tank water flows. The water from the tank is pumped directly into the bowl. Once the water is removed, the stopper goes back into place so the tank can be refilled.
Attached to the bowl is a siphon tube that curves so that it will only drain water from the bowl when it reaches a certain height. When the tank water is quickly pumped into the toilet bowl, the siphon tube overflows and the toilet automatically flushes. Then, after the water has been sucked out of the bowl, the tank and bowl refill. When the tank water level lowers the float inside does as well. When it reaches the bottom the refill device is activated, which sends water into the tank and also into the toilet bowl. More water is sent to the tank until it is refilled. When the float reaches a certain height, the tank stops filling.
New Technologies
Many of today’s toilets use advances in water delivery to add to their performance. Dual flush mechanisms combine water conservation and performance which allow the consumer to choose either a standard 1.6 gallon flush or a .8 gallon option. Power Assisted systems use small pumps to increase the pressure of the flush which in turn saves water and money over a period of time. Environmental concerns have given way to the Low Flow toilet which utilizes about one and half gallons of water per flush. These toilets are now considered standard appliances in new homes for their inherent resource savings. Although more popular in Europe and having been around since the 17th century, Bidets are making a strong showing in the United States because of the health benefits and ability to wash portions of the body that are inaccessible.
Faucets
Faucets are a very important part of the water delivery system in your home. A faucet is a generic term that refers to a valve that controls the release of liquids. The physical characteristic of faucet installations that differentiate a faucet from other like valves, is the lack of any type of a mechanical thread or fastener. Most home faucet installations used for baths, showers, sinks and basins provide separate hot and cold water valves. In which case, hot and cold water from the two valves are mixed together before reaching the faucet, allowing the water to emerge at any temperature between that of the hot and cold water supplies.
When separate faucets are used, the hot water faucet generally has the color red as an indicator, while the cold water faucet has is blue or green. In English-speaking countries, the faucets are frequently also labeled with an "H" or "C". In the United States and Canada, the hot tap is on the left by building code requirements. Frequently in faucet installation, a mixer faucet will incorporate some sort of pressure balancing feature, whereby the hot and cold mixture ratio will not be affected by changes in the pressure of one or the other of the water supplies. This helps avoid scalding or uncomfortable chilling, as when other water loads occur (such as the flushing of a toilet). Rather than two separate faucets, mixer faucets frequently use a single, more complex, valve whose handle moves up and down to control the amount of water flow and from side to side to control the temperature of the water. Especially for baths and showers, the latest designs do this using a built in thermostat. These are known as thermostatic mixing valves, or TMVs, and can be mechanical or electronic. Mixer faucets may utilize red and blue stripes or arrows to indicate which side will give hot and which cold.
General Operation
Leaky faucets are just down-right annoying. Most water faucets have an adjustable flow. Turning the knob or working the lever sets the flow rate by adjusting the size of an opening within the valve assembly, giving rise to restricted flow through the narrow opening in the valve. The flow rate is independent of the temperature of the fluid in the pipe, and depends only weakly on the supply pressure, so that flow rate is stable at a given setting.
The first screw-down valve mechanisms for faucets were patented and manufactured in 1845. Many older faucets will use a soft rubber or neoprene washer which is screwed down onto a valve seat in order to stop the flow. This is called a "globe valve" and, while it gives a leak-proof seal and good fine adjustment of flow, both the rubber washer and the valve seat are subject to wear over time, so that eventually no tight seal is formed in the closed position, resulting in a leaking tap. The washer can be replaced and the valve seat resurfaced, but globe valves are never maintenance-free. Most faucet handles on residential homes are connected to the valve shaft and fastened down with a screw. Faucets contain moving parts and they break and wear out over time.
Tubs & Showers
Many of today's bathrooms feature an assortment of shower and tub layout designs, locations and purpose. Most are conventional tub & shower combinations, while others may feature ornate separate designs with a variety of water jets, shower heads and faucet designs. Even though their designs may vary, showers and tubs are still devices that are tied to a sanitary sewer system and used primarily for hygiene purposes. They incorporate a hot and cold water line and drainage system. Shower drain repair continues to be one of the most common household clogging issues. GAC Company specialize in all kinds of tub and shower repair. Some of the more popular designs that we maintain, include:
Shower tub combinations
The most common residential configuration in today’s home is the shower tub combination. It is characterized by a standard elongated tub for prone bathing, in addition to, having wall mounted nozzles for stand-up shower purposes. These designs are especially popular if you have limited space.Stand alone shower
For those homes where space is not an issue, a stand-alone shower can be just the ticket. With framed and frameless designs that may or may not use a swinging door, stand-alone showers can be outfitted to having multiple nozzles delivering water flow from a variety of angles. Separate tub and shower installations provide greater flexibility for your bathing needs.Bathtubs
Bathtubs in the western nations are distinct in that the bather lies down in a prone position for bathing purposes. These types of baths are typically shallow and long and can either be free-standing, like those pedestal and claw-footed designs of the 19th century, or the more traditional molded units that utilize walls of the bathroom for support. Hot tubs - Hot tubs are generally large home-made or manufactured tubs full of heated water and used for soaking, relaxation or hydrotherapy. In most cases, they possess water jets that produce pulsating water movement for massage purposes. Most hot tubs are located outdoors, and are often sheltered for protection from the elements, as well as for privacy. Whirlpool tubs - Whirlpool tubs were popularized in the 1960s. Air bubbles are introduced into the water nozzles via an air-bleed pump and have been generically referred to as a "jacuzzi", since it was developed and introduced by the manufacturer Jacuzzi , as the "Spa Whirlpool" in 1968.Walk-in tubs
Walk-in bathtubs are specially equipped bathtubs that assist those with limited mobility, such as the elderly or the disabled. They either have an inward or outward opening self-sealing door. Many walk-in bathtubs are equipped for hydrotherapy and/or whirlpool features, internal safety grab bars, anti-slip floors and seats, and handheld showerheads that can also be wall-mounted to enable one to take a standing shower.Nozzles
With the newer designs in showers and tubs there are also innovations in the water delivery system. Some nozzles or showerheads contain modern sensor-operated column showers that distribute the water over a large solid angle. This utilizes less water to wet the same area and is more eco-friendly. Low flow shower heads can use water more efficiently by aerating the water stream, while some shower heads can be adjusted to spray different patterns of water.Pipes and Sewers
Water delivery systems in the home are either for domestic water or wastewater products. Our plumbers inspect, maintain and can re-pipe your lines to keep the water flowing in the right direction.Garbage Disposals
Are you in need of garbage disposal repair? A garbage disposal or food waste disposer and waste disposal unit as they are often referred is a device, usually electrically-powered, installed under a kitchen sink between the sink's drain and the trap which shreds food waste into pieces small enough to pass through your home’s plumbing system. Because this involves a mechanical piece of equipment and is ultimately tied to your sanitary sewer or septic tank system, plumbing problems may occur. At present, some forty-seven percent of the homes in the United States utilize a garbage disposal. Scraps of food comprise between 05% and 20% of the average household waste. There has been an increasingly problematic issue associated with the disposal of leftover food, as it relates to, municipal waste disposal, public health concerns, sanitation and environmental problems. If you treat food waste as a liquid (since it is roughly 65% water), then modern wastewater plants can more effectively process the organic solids, which is an environmental boost. This also minimizes the amount of waste that will eventually end up in the landfill, decomposing and generating methane gas. Methane gas is thought to be a major contributor to global warming and is some twenty-one times more toxic carbon dioxide. Some steps that you can take include:
Cleaning Your Garbage Disposer
Foul odors can occur from a buildup of food debris within the disposal. Try these steps to eliminate the odors:- Grind ice cubes and orange or lemon rinds in the disposer for about 30 seconds
- While the disposer is still running, pour a small amount of liquid dish detergent into it
- Rinse any remaining debris away by running cold water for about 30 seconds
Garbage Disposer Stops Working
In the event your disposer ceases to work, you can check the reset button. The garbage disposal has an overload protector that senses if the motor is overheating and shuts it off. If your disposer cuts off during operation, it may be this broken electrical connection. The best thing to do is:
- Turn the disposer switch off.
- Do not put hands or objects down drain.
- Make sure the appliance is plugged in securely at the outlet.
- With power switch turned off, press reset switch on front or bottom of the garbage disposer.
- Restart disposer by turning on power switch.
GAC Plumbing Company
P.O. Box 5511
Santa Rosa, CA. 95402
Phone 707-318-7077
Support: help@gaccompany.com
Information: info@gaccompany.com
