Ben Franklin Plumbing

Signs it is Time to Replace a Hot Water Heater

Hot water heaters begin to deteriorate after 5 years of use. Gas water heaters last 8-12 years and electric hot water heaters last 10-15 years. Trying to get more than that out of a hot water heater could increase the risk of a system failure. That could result in having to take a cold shower in the not too distant future or something more damaging like severe water damage. A hot water heaters life can be extended by performing regular maintenance. Here are the top signs that a hot water heater needs replacing.

1. The most obvious way to tell that a hot water tank needs to be replaced is if it is leaking. If there is a pool of water around the tank or a water leak is visible.

2. If your hot water in the house is coming out rust colored. This would indicate the interior of the hot water tank is significantly deteriorated.

3. There isn’t enough hot water for showers.

4. The sacrificial anode rod doesn’t have any metal left on it.

5. Visible rust on or around the tank

6. Electric bills are higher than usual

7. Not getting as much hot water as you use to.

While these are the most typical signs that a hot water heater needs to be replaced, there may be unique circumstances that are creating the symptoms. It is best to consult a certified plumber. If your hot water tank is 10 years old or older it may not be worth the expense of fixing it.

The problem with traditional hot water heaters

The same basic technology has been used to heat water for over 100 years. The original tank design which is still in use today was developed in the 1890’s. Standard hot water tanks are still nearly the same technologically as they were when they first entered the market. While they have proven to be versatile and can maintain performance over a period of 8 years or more there are a couple of limitations they have not been able to overcome:

Inefficiency- Hot water heaters continually produce hot water. The problem with that is that you are consuming energy nonstop which keeps your utility bill rising. It is also producing hot water you will never use. A typical home spends 25% of its energy for hot water. The bigger the water heater the more energy you are using.

Unpredictable breakdowns and deterioration- After 5 years of use the anode rod in a hot water heater starts to deteriorate and sediment starts to build in the base of the hot water heater tank. After 10 years the anode rod is usually fully deteriorated and large amounts of sediment has calcified in the tank. At this point the system is deteriorating and operating inefficiently increasing the cost of heating water. Because the system is deteriorating from the inside out, it is difficult for even professional plumbers to know when the system will give way. When it goes it could be in the form of a slowly diminishing hot water supply or a complete shutdown of the hot water supply. It could manifest itself as a small leak or a one of large magnitude. Scalding water escaping from a water heater could also present a physical threat to your family.

Several new hot water technologies have emerged in residential hot water supply recently. 3 of them have proven themselves as viable alternatives to traditional hot water heaters. They have been tested and proven for reliability, durability and energy savings, They include:

Solar Hot Water Systems
Tankless Hot Water Heaters
Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters

Make sure whatever replacement you get for your hot water heater is Energy Star rated. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing carries the best of all of these lines. Each type of hot water system carried by Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has its own benefits and optimum conditions for use. Call us or contact us for a hot water system evaluation today!

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing services all of Orlando and its surrounding areas including Eustis and Clermont.

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing in Central Florida announces Solar Services

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing is adding to its solar hot water products and installation, solar pool heating systems and solar attic fans. According to Orlando Florida Ben Franklin owner Bill Heichel, “this is a service our clients have been asking for. Our customer is becoming more interested in helping the environment and saving money on their energy bills. These services will provide just that!” Benjamin Franklin Plumbing has had a successful track record with their solar hot water systems and these solar products are a natural extension of those products.

For more information about solar hot water systems click here
For more information about our solar pool heaters click here
For more information about solar attic fans click here.

Drain Cleaning

Having a clogged drain is bad enough. It is worse when you have to call your plumber to unclog the same drain twice. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing we use heavy duty equipment to make certain when we clean a drain it is clean for years after the service. Our equipment is powerful enough to cut through roots but will not damage your pipes.

As with all of our services, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing guarantees is workmanship. For more information about Benjamin Franklin drain cleaning call or click here.

Learn how to read an Energy Guide sticker on your hot water heater and other appliances to compare products before you buy!

Although the bright yellow Energy Guide stickers have been affixed to major appliances for 30 years now, most consumers have no idea what information is on the stickers and that understanding what is on then can save them money.

Approximately 1/3 of an average household electricity bill is from heating water. Making a good choice when purchasing a hot water heater can save a substantial amount of money over the life of a hot water heater. Understanding the Energy Guide is a good way to learn what to expect from a new hot water heater.

Information on all Energy Guide labels is pretty much the same for all appliances but since water heaters is what we know best, that is what we will use as a model. All Energy Guide labels have the same 5 pieces of information:

1 Manufacturer name, model number and type of appliance. This information is directly under the word Saver on the upper right of the sticker.

2. Type of appliance. In this case a Water heater and the size 57 gallons in this case. This is directly under the word Energy. Make certain when you are comparing hot water heaters that the gallons are equal or you will have skewed results.

3. This number represents the expected annual energy use of the appliance. The number is measured in kilowatts per year (kWh/year) and the lower the number, the more energy friendly the appliance is. This information is in the box directly in the middle of the label.

4. The black bar in the middle contains important information about how this hot water heater compares to others for energy efficiency. The arrow for the most energy efficient hot water heaters will be on th far left of the bar and the least energy efficient will be on the right (like this example.

5. The dollar figure at the bottom of the sticker ($162 on our example) is an average cost per year of the product. This is a nationwide average. The numbers in Central Florida will vary. Below that is a figure the estimate is based on.

For more information on specific types of hot water heaters Click below:

Solar hot water heaters
Tankless hot water heaters
Heat pump water heaters
Hot water heaters

How we detect the location of Hidden leaks

Leaking pipes can cost you hundreds of dollars a year in wasted water costs. If you suspect a leaking water pipe it is important that you call Benjamin Franklin Plumbing because fixing a leaking water pipe should only be done by a licensed professional.

Here is how a Benjamin Franklin plumber would search for hidden water leaks:

1. The plumbing technician will isolate the leak first. He will determine if it is indoors, under the concrete slab, or outdoors. He then will determine the gallons per minute leaking, by taking water meter readings.
2. If the leak is outdoors he will use sophisticated sounding devices with probes to narrow the leak to within 1’.
3. Dig and replace damaged pie.
4. If the leak is indoors under the slab, the procedure is a little more involved. He will first determine if it is hot water or cold water leaking. Then using the latest technology he will use a leak detector that can pick up the slightest sound from many feet away. If the leak is very small he may hookup nitrogen to the pipes to give the leak a more specific sound. Once the leak is narrowed to an area within 1’ft he will drill a small hole to verify the location of the leak.
5. Bust a hole in concrete floor and replace damaged pie.
6. Or give option of replacing damaged pipe above the floor.

This is how all plumbing technician should pinpoint a damaged and leaking pipe. If your plumber doesn’t incorporate these techniques consider calling Benjamin Franklin Plumbing today!

Battelle Memorial Institute, a renowned independent testing and research facility revealed that water softeners can save a significant amount of money and energy in your home.   Not only do they keep showers and faucets unclogged, they found that softeners help preserve the efficiency of water heaters and other major appliances.

Did you know that a gas storage water tank that is operated on softened water can maintain its original efficiency rating over a 15 year period where if hard water is used it can cause as much as a 48% loss of efficiency in water heaters.

In electric water heaters, up to 30 pounds of calcium carbonate can accumulate overtime due to hard water.  The heating element will go out faster because of the build up because of the increased operating temperature of the heating element.

When an indoor gas tankless heater is used with softened water, they maintain the original factory efficiency rating over a 15 year lifetime.  With hard water the study showed that tankless heaters failed to function after 1.6 years because of scale plugging in the downstream plumbing.

Showerheads and faucets on soft water did very well through the study.  They maintained a full flow and worked nearly as well as they did the day they were installed.  Showerheads on hard water lost 75% of the flow rate in less than 18 months.  Faucets on hard water didn’t keep the specified 1.25 gallons per minute flow rate because scale collection of the strainers.

The State of Florida’s Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program is set to go into effect 4/16/10.

The State of Florida will roll out rebates for consumers who purchase Energy Star Certified appliances between 4/16/10 and 4/25/10. The State rebates will be a flat 20% off of the retail, pretax price of the appliance and will not exceed $1500. An additional $75 will be awarded to the consumer if they provide proof that the old unit was recycled. Retailers who replace in the old appliances can provide the verification.

The following appliances qualify for the rebate:
Tankless water heaters
Room air conditioners
Refrigerators
Freezers
Clothes washers
Dishwashers

The State has allocated only $17.6 million dollars to the program and though it is scheduled to last 9 days it will last until the funds are depleted. Two other States with similar programs used up their funds in one day! Consumers must buy their appliance on or after April 16 through April 25, 2010. The application must be submitted by May 9, 2010. You will have to fill out an application at a retailer like Benjamin Franklin Plumbing or online.

We recommend that if you want to take advantage of this rebate you do so as close to April 16 as you possibly can so that the available funds for this program haven’t dried up.

If you would like more information about the State of Florida Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program Contact us or call 1-877-689-9660. Benjamin Franklin Plumbing “The punctual plumber”.

With everyone trying to squeeze the most out of their paycheck in these difficult times, it is difficult to understand why people are willing to let money go down the drain, literally.

Having a leaky faucet an old 1.2 gallon toilette, or worse a leaking toilette, a 1.5 gallon per minute showerhead wastes a precious resource and costs homeowner significant amounts of money.

Examples:
Faucet dripping in a sink at the rate 1 drip per second 3,153 gallons per year
1.2 gallon per flush toilet in lieu of 3.5 GPF 13,432 gallons per year
1.5 gallon per minute showerhead in lieu of 3.5 GPM 29,200 gallons per year
Leaky toilet filling every 5 minutes wastes 52,560 gallons per year

Total gallons of wasted water in 1 year- 98,345 gallons per year

That would equal over $25 per month on a water bill in Central Florida or $300 per year
The above usage is based on a 4 person household.

Please help conserve our water and don’t let it go down the drain.

A poorly installed pipe or fixture that leaks could result in thousands of dollars repairs. Is your plumber qualified to handle your plumbing issues and do they have the resources to fix issues that could result from sloppy workmanship or bad parts? There are several things you can do to protect yourself from hiring an unqualified plumber.

Make sure they are licensed. If he doesn’t have a license number that starts with CFC or RF then he isn’t.

Have him give you a copy of his insurance Including workers comp and liability. You don’t want him to drop a wrench and throw his back out picking it up without insurance to cover both mishaps because if he doesn’t your homeowners insurance will be paying for it.

Have him show a copy of his Guaranty that is covered by a second party (like U-WIN). If he goes out of business so goes your guaranty.

When you schedule the call ask if background checks are done on the plumbers.

Make sure you get a price upfront. DO NOT let him charge you by the hour or you will be paying for a lot of “supply House” runs and cell phone usage.