Category Archives: hot water

How to Keep Your Hot Water Running Smoothly Throughout the Holiday Period

a man taking a hot water shower during holidays.

As the holiday season approaches, it is important to ensure that your home is prepared for the increased demand for hot water. With the arrival of guests and the need for more frequent showers and baths, it becomes crucial to keep your hot water running smoothly throughout the holiday period. In this article, we will discuss some practical tips and strategies to help you maintain a consistent supply of hot water during this festive time.

Perform Routine Maintenance

Before the holiday season kicks in, schedule a routine maintenance check for your hot water system. A professional plumber can inspect your system, identify any potential issues, and make necessary repairs or replacements. This preemptive measure will help prevent any unexpected breakdowns and ensure that your hot water keeps flowing uninterrupted.

In addition to professional maintenance, there are a few simple tasks you can perform yourself:

  • Flush the tank: Sediment buildup can hinder the efficiency of your hot water system. To flush the tank, turn off the power supply, connect a hose to the drain valve, and let the water run until it appears clear.
  • Test the pressure relief valve: The pressure relief valve ensures that excessive pressure doesn’t build up in the tank, which can be dangerous. Test the valve by lifting the lever and allowing some water to escape. If it doesn’t release water or if it leaks continuously, it may need to be replaced.

Insulate the Pipes

One common issue during the holiday season is the heat loss experienced by water pipes as they transport water to different parts of your home. By insulating your pipes, you can minimize heat loss, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the time it takes for hot water to reach faucets or showers.

You can easily insulate your pipes using foam or fiberglass sleeves. Measure the length of the pipes in need of insulation and cut the sleeves accordingly. Wrap the sleeves around the pipes, ensuring a snug fit. Pay particular attention to pipes exposed in unheated areas such as crawl spaces or attics.

Set the Right Temperature

Setting your hot water system to the right temperature can not only ensure a steady supply of hot water but also save energy. The recommended temperature for most households is between 120°F (49°C) and 125°F (52°C). This temperature is considered safe for daily use while preventing any risk of scalding.

During the holiday season, it is common for households to increase the temperature setting due to the higher demand for hot water. However, it is essential to find a balance between comfort and energy efficiency. Adjust the temperature setting based on the number of guests and their hot water needs, but avoid excessively high temperatures that can waste energy.

Time Your Water Usage

Managing water usage during peak demand periods can help ensure that everyone in your household has access to hot water when needed. Consider implementing a schedule or rotation system for showers and baths, allowing time for the water system to replenish between uses.

If you have a dishwasher or washing machine, try to run them during off-peak hours. This way, you can avoid competing for perfect water temperatures with other household members who may need it for personal use.

a new water heater installation that is tankless.

While tankless water heaters have a higher upfront cost, they offer long-term benefits such as energy efficiency, space savings, and an endless supply of perfect temperatured water.

Consider a Tankless Water Heater

If you find that your hot water system is consistently unable to meet the demands of your household, you might consider upgrading to a tankless water heater. Unlike traditional storage tanks, tankless water heaters heat water on demand, providing a continuous supply of hot water without the need to wait for a tank to refill.

While tankless water heaters have a higher upfront cost, they offer long-term benefits such as energy efficiency, space savings, and an endless supply of hot water. This type of system is particularly advantageous during the holiday period when hot water demand is at its peak.

Wrapping it Up

By following these tips, you can ensure that your hot water system continues to run smoothly throughout the holiday season. Remember to perform routine maintenance, insulate the pipes, set the right temperature, time your water usage, and consider upgrading to a tankless water heater if necessary.

With these strategies in place, you can provide a comfortable and enjoyable experience for both your family and your holiday guests, ensuring that hot water is readily available whenever needed.

The Expert Guide: Proven Techniques for Preventing Sump Pump Failures

Proven Techniques for Preventing Sump Pump Failures

Sump pumps systems serve as reliable protection against basement flooding in your home. Sump pumps stand as the last line of defense in a home’s flood protection systems. If floodwaters somehow make it past the home’s other flood defenses and into the basement, the sump pump will remove the water.

The best thing about sump pumps is they do their work without supervision. The float helps the sump pump detect the presence of water inside the sump pit. It will automatically switch on the motor to pump the water out and turn it off after the sump pit is emptied. This automatic feature is what makes sump pumps so effective.

But this feature is also why a sump pump may fail without notifying you. Because the sump pump runs itself, you will typically assume it will take care of any flooding that happens during a storm. If the sump pump has failed, you will have no way of knowing. What often happens is you will wake up to a flood in your basement.

As Dawson Property Management team says sump pump that fails in this manner defeats the entire purpose of having a sump in your home. But thankfully, there are steps you can take to make sure this never happens to your home. In this post, we cover the different things you can do to keep your sump pump from failing and how you can keep your home safe even when your sump pump fails.

Techniques for preventing sump pump failure

These tips are divided into two categories; preventative steps that rely on proper maintenance and preventative steps that rely on a backup system. Both of these strategies are necessary because they complement one another.

a professional plumber making repairs.

Part one: Prevent sump pump failure with proper maintenance

The way to prevent sump pump failure is by regular inspection and proper maintenance of the system. Since sump pump failures happen without warning, scheduled inspection and testing can help to uncover hidden problems. Below are the common issues to look for when inspecting and maintaining your sump pump.

Stuck float

If there is a lot of water or debris inside the pit, the float switch can get stuck. Depending on whether the pump is off or on when this happens, the motor will either not power on at all or it will run continuously. To prevent this problem, keep the pit clean and keep the float clear of all potential obstructions.

The sump pump loses power

This mostly happens as a result of power outages, faulty wiring or human carelessness. Checking the sump pump regularly is the only way to detect electrical problems. Later in this post, we discuss steps you can take to keep your home safe during a power outage.

Faulty check valve

The check valve ensures that discharged water does not re-enter the sump pit. If this happens, your sump pump motor will overwork and burn. A bad check valve will make strange noises which can be detected during inspection. If it is damaged, the check valve should be replaced at once.

Clogged discharged line

The sump pump will be unable to pump water to the discharge point if the discharge line is clogged. Things that may clog the discharge pipe are debris and rodents. Installing a mesh on the end of the discharge line and cleaning the sump pit will help to prevent this problem.

Clogged sump pump

Sump pits accumulate a lot of debris because surface runoff often picks up a lot of dirt before it enters the sump pit. This debris can get into the sump pump and keep it from working. To protect your sump pump, install a cover over the pit, and clean it regularly.

an alarm installation.

Install an alarm

A sump pump failure alarm will alert you if the water inside your sump pit gets too high. If, despite your best efforts, any of the above problems happen, this early-warning system will save you.  

Part two: Prevent sump pump failure with a backup system

A backup system adds a second layer of protection to your primary sump pump. There are two types of backup systems.

Redundant sump pump

You can install a secondary sump pump. The likelihood of the two sump pumps failing at the same time is very low. With this system, your home is protected even when your primary sump pump fails. The only limitation with this option is both sump pumps will fail if your home suffers a power outage.

Battery-powered sump pump

This is a secondary sump pump system that runs on battery power. It will power up if the electricity supply to your home is interrupted. If the power goes out during a storm, your home will be safe from flooding. 

Finally, at least once a year, you should get a local plumber to do a thorough inspection of your sump pump system. Experts can detect budding issues that you are not aware of, make repairs on your sump pump, and also give you advice that will save you a lot of money.

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