Fall is one of the two “shoulder seasons” the come between more intense weather. It’s during these times people often investigate replacing important comfort appliances. Often it’s replacing the heater or the air conditioner, but the water heater is another vital part of home comfort that will eventually need to be replaced. The water heater does much more work around the year than any furnace or air conditioner, since it has to operate almost every single day, and all that wear and tear accumulates until the unit has to be replaced. And, maybe, this is the fall when you need to replace yours?
Ken Neyer Plumbing, Inc. Blog: Archive for the ‘Water Heaters’ Category
Is This the Fall When I Should Replace My Old Water Heater?
Monday, October 29th, 2018The Case “For” and “Against” the Heat Pump Water Heater
Monday, August 6th, 2018
First off, we think heat pump water heaters are a great option for a homeowner to consider when it comes to shopping for new water heaters in Hamilton, OH. But we also understand that heat pump waters heater are not the ideal choice for every home and every situation. There are “cons” to go along with the many “pros” of this technology.
In this post, we’re going to lay out—as fairly as possible—the case “for” and “against” installing a heat pump water heater as an alternative to the more conventional electric water heaters that use electrical resistance. You can find out more details, as well as schedule service to install a new residential water heater, by calling our office.
Should I Worry If My Water Heater Is Rumbling?
Monday, June 25th, 2018
If you’re asking this question, we know what’s probably running through your mind under that slightly concerned exterior: “Oh no, is my water heater going to explode?”
The answer is, “No.” Well, we can’t guarantee that 100%, but the fear of a water heater explosion is based on old steam-powered boilers and not reality. Your water heater isn’t a boiler—the water temperature isn’t being raised to the boiling point, and even the boilers used for home heating are boilers today in name only.
But that rumbling and knocking sound you hear from the water heater tank is cautioning you that something is wrong with the system. We recommend you call us for water heater services in Hamilton, OH so we can investigate. We can determine quickly the source of the sound and what can be done to correct the problem.
Sizing a New Tank Water Heater
Tuesday, April 10th, 2018
You’re in the market for a new tank water heater. You either want to replace the aging water heater currently in your home, or you’re moving in a new home that doesn’t have a water heater yet. Whatever the case, you’ll have plenty of questions about buying a new water heater. A major one is how big the water heater needs to be. Too small, and your household won’t receive sufficient hot water. Too big, and you’ll have a massive energy wasting appliance on your hands.
You shouldn’t worry about making the choice. Properly sizing a tank water heater is something to leave to plumbing professionals. They’ll make the calculations to determine the size and type of water heater to meet your family’s hot water demands without draining your bank account.
What to Do When You Don’t Have Any Hot Water
Tuesday, February 13th, 2018
One of the more unpleasant surprises you can have when you get up in the morning, ready for a new day, is to discover you can’t get any hot water in your shower. The new day is going to have to wait, because you may have an emergency on your hands with your water heater.
Let’s take a look at what you can do about that loss of hot water. It might be a simple problem—or you may need to call our water heater repair experts.
Your Water Heater Works Harder in Winter
Tuesday, December 19th, 2017
When you think of heating systems in your home during winter, which one comes to mind first? Probably your furnace (or boiler, or heat pump)—whatever system provides warmth to the rooms to keep you and your family comfortable. This is the time of year when the heating system does the majority of its work.
Your water heater, however, also takes on a larger workload in winter. You may not have thought about this, because the water heater works 365 days a year. But there are a number of factors that place more stress on the water heater during winter. We want you to know this, because it means you’re more likely to need to call our plumbers for water heater repair in winter.
Do Tankless Water Heaters Need to Be Sized?
Monday, September 18th, 2017
How do you determine how large a storage tank water heater you need for a home? The sizing job is something you’ll need to have an expert plumber handle, but the basics of sizing this type of water heater is something anybody can understand: the more hot water demand there is in the house (usually because of the number of people in the household), the larger the storage tank itself needs to be.
But what if you’re planning to install a tankless water heater for your house? As the name indicates, a tankless water heater doesn’t have a storage tank at all. Instead, it applies heat to water as it moves through the unit via a heat exchanger. The water is heated as it is needed (or “on-demand,” which is another name for this type of water heater). So, does this mean there isn’t any need to size a tankless water heater because one size fits all?
Some Considerations about Tankless Water Heaters
Monday, September 4th, 2017
The fall is the best time of the year to replace a water heater that’s showing signs it’s coming to the end of its service life. Fall is generally a slower time of year for plumbers and heating experts, making it easier to schedule the service, and you can spend some extra time making the choice.
“Wait, what choice?” you might ask. The choice of what type of water heater you want to have installed. There are more options today than the standard storage tank water heater, including the heat pump water heater and the increasingly popular tankless water heater. The tankless models are the subject of a lot of scrutiny because they offer many potential advantages, but they also make people a bit nervous because they’re unsure if a system that heats up water “on demand” (i.e. only when there’s a call for hot water at one of the taps or appliances) will end up meeting their needs.
Does Corrosion on My Water Heater Mean It’s Done For?
Monday, July 24th, 2017
Corrosion: the gradual destruction of metal due to a chemical or electro-chemical reaction to the environment. Or, to look at a case you’re probably more familiar with, metal that rusts because of the presence of water. There are different types of corrosion, but when we’re talking about a residential water heater, it’s the corrosion that occurs because of the mix of oxygen and water in contact with metal.
A water heater is designed to resist corrosion through a number of methods. The interior of its hot water tank is lined with glass. A pressure relief valve on the top of the tank allows for an air cushion without allowing air into the tank itself. A component called the sacrificial anode rod that runs through the tank draws the forces of corrosion to it so that the rod corrodes rather than the rest of the tank.
However… yes, a water heater can start to corrode. If you notice corrosion on your water heater, does it mean the system has to be replaced?
Time to Get a New Water Heater? Here’s How You Can Tell
Monday, May 29th, 2017You never want to get caught without hot water for your home. It can mean going without showers and baths, and it also will bring a halt to a number of basic, everyday chores. In fact, you’ll never realize just how much you rely on your water heater through the average day… until you suddenly don’t have a working water heater!
The best way to prevent a busted water heater and a major emergency is to know ahead of time the system is starting to fail. You’ll then be able to contact our water heater professionals and arrange to have a new system installed.