Jul
28
Whether you are in the process of buying a water heater because of an emergency, or are looking to upgrade before the emergency happens, wouldn’t it be nice if you could save money in the process?
One of the ways Colorado is helping out its residents to become more efficient every day is through rebate programs. The Colorado Governor’s Energy Office is offering rebates to homeowners who purchase and install certain energy efficient appliances, heating equ8ipment and weatherization materials.
To be eligible for the rebate, you must uninstall and recycle the old equipment, and properly install the new equipment that meets the standards. Rebates are good on equipment purchased after April 19, 2010, and while funds are available.
To learn more about the rebates available to you, visit Recharge Colorado.
May
27
Do Energy Star Ratings Really Equate To Efficiency And Savings?
Filed Under Ask A Plumber | 1 Comment
The Energy Star rating program was introduced in 1992 as a joint effort between the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Energy as a labeling 
program designed to identify and promote energy efficient products. Through this program, you can find products that will help you save money, protect the environment, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program originally started out by rating computers and monitors, and quickly expanded to major appliances, lighting, home electronics and much more – over 60 product categories now offer products with an Energy Star rating.
Now several news reports are questioning how the Energy Star program labels products, and whether the rating is truly effective in helping you pick out energy efficient products and appliances. ABC shared a recent undercover investigation in which the General Accountability Office submitted four fake products, all of which received the Energy Star rating.
Part of the controversy was the way Energy Star awarded its ratings. In the past, in was a self-submission process that awarded the ratings without review – it relied on the company submitting to do its homework. That will now change. All products sent to the Energy Star program from now on will actually go through a review process before being awarded with the rating.
Does that mean you should avoid the program? No, for many of the products do still adhere to the guidelines and offer you savings in both cost and for the environment. And in the future, because of more rigorous testing, you will see a savings.
Just be aware that some products on the market may not have everything they say – ask questions and do your homework before buying. Or ask your green plumber – they work with products every day and can advise you on the best products on the market today.
Feb
25
What Do I Do If My Water Heater Drain Valve Is Leaking?
Filed Under Ask A Plumber, Hot Water Heaters | Leave a Comment
“I was in my basement the other day and noticed my water heater drain valve is leaking. What do I do now? Does that mean I need to replace my water heater?”
With this type of question, there are a couple of answers that are possible.
First, how old is your water heater? If it’s just a year or two old, don’t panic. It may be covered under warranty – check with your warranty guidelines and follow what it says. If your water heater is an older model, then there are other things to consider before you determine if you need to replace it. 
Is it the valve that is leaking, or does it appear that the tank is leaking? Leaks can signify a variety of problems. If it’s just an occasional drip around the valve, the valve itself may need to be replaced. As a plumber, I’ve replaced hundreds of valves, and can usually assess the situation and make the correction quickly.
If however the leak is bigger and seems to be coming from more than one location, you may have a bigger problem. The tubing may be split or have a hole, and need replacing. Or the tank itself may be rusting out – in which case there is nothing you can do but replace the water heater.
Jan
29
Should I Replace My Water Heater At A Certain Age?
Filed Under Ask A Plumber, Hot Water Heaters | Leave a Comment
“My water heater is 8 years old, and lately I’ve noticed it takes longer for the hot water to appear, and it never really seems to be all that warm. Is that a sign of needing a new hot water heater? Should I just replace it rather than have a plumber out to repair it?”
The average life of a water heater is 10 to 12 years, so you may still have life in your water heater. But of course it’s impossible to know without actually looking at the water heater itself.
In many cases, people notice a drop in the water temperature this time of year. With the cold Colorado nights we’ve been having since November, your water heater is having to work overtime to keep hot water available for your family.
Beyond the cold weather, you may also be experiencing mineral deposit buildup in your tank.
Tank water heaters have a steel tank with a fiberglass liner that prevents it from rusting prematurely. The water heater has a burner and a temperature sensor located at the bottom, which keeps the water at the temperature you set. As the burner turns on and heats the water, its also separating dissolved minerals from the water, and allowing them to accumulate back down at the bottom of the tank.
Here in Colorado, we have different qualities of water, depending on which part of the city you live in. So the amount of mineral accumulation will vary greatly. If you haven’t flushed these minerals out in awhile, that could potentially be your problem. The more sediment you have, the more your heater will have to work at heating the water.
If you hear gurgling noises coming from the tank, it may be a sign of heavy accumulation of sediment. Water may be getting trapped in the sediment, and be turning to steam as the water heater continues to work. The harder it works, the more it’s costing you in efficiency and in your gas prices.
At 8 years old, you still may have a few years of life, depending on the true problem. Our plumbers can service your hot water heater, and give you the best course of action for fixing or replacing your system.
Jan
15
Top 8 Reasons To Call A Plumber
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When should you call a plumber?
That’s a question many homeowners face when they attempt to do home maintenance themselves to save money, yet aren’t quite sure of the steps to accomplish each task. Here’s a list of 8 calls we receive regularly from homeowners.
1. Clogged sink. What do you do when a bottle of drain cleaner doesn’t fix the problem? We’ve helped 
many homeowners with problems located deep in the pipes.
2. Flooding. While you may be able to spend several days trying to clear a clogged drain, flooding is a problem you must act on immediately. It could be as simple as a clog, or something more serious like a broken pipe.
3. No hot water. It could be a simple fix, or require replacing the water heater – no hot water especially in the heart of winter isn’t something you can ignore.
4. Water around hot water heater. When a hot water heater starts to leak, its usually because of a cracked tank. Its time to replace the water heater.
5. Overflowing toilet. The last thing you want is sewer water inside your rooms. The quicker you fix the problem, the less cleanup you’ll have.
6. Gas lines. Whether you’re installing a new fire pit in the back yard, or putting in a new gas range, only someone experienced with gas lines can guarantee your safety.
7. Home repair. If a faucet has been dripping for a while, knowing it needs to be fixed and having the time to do so are two different things. We help many homeowners fix up even the smallest of problems.
8. Remodeling. Maybe you’ve wanted to redesign a bathroom. Or maybe you’ve purchased a new toilet and faucet for the bathroom. As a plumber, were happy to install anything you’ve purchased, and help you give your house a fresh new look.
Dec
29
Colorado Hot Water Heater
Filed Under Ask A Plumber, Hot Water Heaters | 1 Comment
“Living here in Colorado, what’s the best hot water heater for me to put into my home? My current water heater is 10 years old, and I want something energy efficient, maybe even green. I’ve been reading a lot about tankless water heaters; what’s the best choice for me and my family of four?”
Great question, and one that I hear quite a bit. Search 
anywhere online, or read any of the home improvement magazines and you’re sure to find an article on tankless water heaters.
Tankless water heaters don’t use a tank. Instead, they heat the water on demand. So instantly people think they must be more efficient because hot water isn’t stored for future use. When you need hot water, you simply turn on your hot water faucet and out will come hot water. Unfortunately that isn’t the case.
When you turn off the faucet, water stores in the pipes between the faucet and the tankless system. That water still must empty out the next time you turn on the faucet, before the hot water runs through. Depending on where the tank is located in your home, and where you turn on the faucet, it can take multiple seconds for the water to travel on its journey.
Tankless water heaters also have trouble keeping up with large demands of hot water at one time. If you regularly require hot water in more than one place at one time (such as for laundry, dishes, and a shower) you may require more than one tankless system to keep up with the high demand.
If you are in the process of selecting a new hot water heater, talk to your local plumber about your options, and what features are most important to you. He can share with you many ideas on conserving as well as having ample supply of hot water for your families needs.
One option that I always recommend to my clients is the hot water circulation system. Instead of having to drain off the cold water that is stored in the pipes between uses, a pump sends the water back to be reheated, giving you an instant supply of hot water. You conserve thousands of gallons of water over the course of a year simply by not having to let the water run to warm up.
Typical tankless hot water heaters cost considerable more than traditional hot water heaters with a tank, so recouping the costs can sometimes be difficult, especially if you have to put in more than one. By installing a traditional hot water heater with a tank and a hot water circulation system, you can still “go green” by conserving water, and have the added bonus of instant hot water – the best of both worlds.
If you’ll be installing a new hot water heater soon, be sure to use my online coupon for an instant $50 off any water heater installation.
And enjoy the rest of the Colorado winter!
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- Quality 1st Plumbing website - Quality 1st Plumbing website
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