Hot Water Heater Maintenance for the Winter

Winter is still a long way off but the end of summer is a good time to start tackling cooler weather maintenance tasks. One of my priorities is to do a thorough check-up of my hot water heater to ensure I don’t have issues when I really need it. 

Major appliance maintenance might seem complicated, but if you haven’t had issues in the past, a simple check-up and clean-out can really help your hot water heater run more efficiently while lengthening its life. 

As a water heater operates, it collects sediment that can cause decay if left in the tank over time. Drain your water heater at least twice a year to get rid of any buildup, which will prevent corrosion and increase the machine’s energy efficiency. I like to do this in the fall and early spring, before and after the busy season.

First, turn off the unit and give it plenty of time to cool down. Then, using a garden hose and pump, drain the water into a bucket. If the bucket becomes filled with brown, sediment-tainted water, continue to refill and drain your heater until the water looks clean again. When you’re in the clear, you can disconnect your hose and turn the unit back on.

Keep your water heater at a steady 120 degrees and lower it down if you’re planning on leaving the house for three days or more. For every 10 degrees that you decrease the temperature, you’ll save five percent in energy costs.

Insulate the tank and pipes with fiberglass. For the tank, fit a fiberglass blanket using foil tape, but be sure not to cover any valve or pipe openings. For the pipes, you can use fiberglass wrap or foam insulation. By adding a layer of insulation to your water heater, you’ll keep the warmth from escaping into the air and you’ll protect the machine from condensation in the warmer months. 

If you have a valve that’s leaking, make sure that the fittings are nice and tight. If anything is loose, you might have to replace the valves or fittings. You can find the parts you’ll need at a local hardware store – just don’t forget to shut off the water before fitting them!

Remember, working with electric or gas appliances can be dangerous. If you’re not familiar with how your unit operates or if you’re not comfortable with this kind of work, contact a plumber for a routine maintenance check.  Just keep in mind that service pros are busier than ever so you’ll want to book an appointment now to get in before the season kicks off. 

The average lifecycle of a water heater is about eight to twelve years and they can cost anywhere from $300 for an electric tank system to well over $1,000 for a tankless energy efficient natural gas appliance. If you’re in the market for a new machine, do your research and make sure you maintain it regularly to ensure that it will go the distance. 

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

A Quick Guide to LED Lightbulbs

Lighting can make or break the mood and functionality of a room. If it’s too dim, you’ll be stuck squinting and turning on extra power sources that you probably don’t need. If it’s too bright, you’ll feel like you’re in a grocery store or a shopping mall. With LED lighting, it can be tough to know what to buy to ensure that your lightbulbs function the way you need them to. But once you get the hang of it, making the switch is a no-brainer as the energy efficiency and longevity of an LED bulb pays for itself over and over again. Here is what you need to know to add this little improvement to your spring project list.

The first thing you’ll want to think about is whether you want a cool or warm hue in various rooms of your home. Light is measured in degrees Kelvin and the brightness of light bulbs mimic the brightness of the sun. To give you an idea of what this means, the sun is at its brightest at around midday when it measures a very bright, white-blue light that tops out at about 6000K. A morning sunrise or afternoon sunset will be a warmer or more orange hue and will measure in at about 3000K. Generally, 4000k is considered neutral.

So how do we convert that sunlight to inside light? If you’re used to incandescent bulbs, you’re probably thinking about wattage. But contrary to popular belief, wattage is actually the measure of energy a bulb uses as opposed to its brightness. To measure brightness you need to consider lumens, which will help make the conversion easier. As an example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb creates 800 lumens of light, but an LED bulb that produces the same amount of brightness only requires 15 watts.

So after figuring out the math, how do you choose the right bulb for your home? If you’re a 9-to-5er, chances are that you’re home a lot more often when the sun is coming up or going down, and you’d probably be more comfortable with LED lighting that replicates a warm glow. This is especially true in relaxing rooms like bedrooms and living rooms. In these cases, I would suggest no more than 4,000 lumens. If you work from a home office or do a lot of cooking, these rooms require brighter light, so 6,000 lumens of light or greater might be more appropriate. 

It’s also worth noting that many LED light bulbs come with dimmer settings which can be very helpful in controlling light so long as your current fixtures are set up for it. I’d also keep an eye out for the ENERGY STAR logo when shopping for LED lights. While many manufacturers offer serious energy efficiency claims, ENERGY STAR actually tests and certifies the ones that offer the best products in the market.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Make Sure Your Water Heater Keeps You Warm

We’ve had a relatively pleasant winter so far this year, but as we all know, a sudden cold spell in February or March can make it feel like spring will never come. With a few more months left of winter, now is a great time to make sure your water heater is working the way it should. Here is what you need to know.

As a water heater operates, it collects sediment that can cause decay if left in the tank over time. Don’t let this happen to yours. Drain your water heater at least twice a year to get rid of any buildup, which will prevent corrosion and increase the machine’s energy efficiency.  To do this, first turn off the unit and give it plenty of time to cool down. Then, using a garden hose and pump, drain the water into a bucket. If the bucket becomes filled with brown, sediment-tainted water, continue to refill and drain your heater until the water looks normal again. When you’re in the clear, you can disconnect your hose and turn the unit back on.

Keep your water heater at a steady 120 degrees and lower it down if you’re planning on leaving the house for three days or more. For every 10 degrees, you decrease the temperature, you’ll save five percent in energy costs.

Insulate the tank and pipes with fiberglass. For the tank, fit a fiberglass blanket using foil tape, but be sure not to cover any valve or pipe openings. For the pipes, you can use fiberglass wrap or foam insulation. By adding a layer of insulation to your water heater, you’ll keep the warmth from escaping into the air and you’ll protect the machine from condensation in the warmer months.

If you have a valve that’s leaking, make sure that the fittings are nice and tight. If that doesn’t work, you might have to replace the valves or fittings. You can find the parts you’ll need at a local hardware store – just don’t forget to shut off the water first!

Remember, working with electric or gas appliances can be dangerous. If you’re not familiar with how your unit operates or if you’re not comfortable with this kind of work, contact a plumber for a routine maintenance check.  

The average lifecycle of a water heater is about eight to twelve years and they can cost anywhere from $300 for an electric tank system to well over $1,000 for a tankless energy efficient natural gas machine. If you’re in the market for a new machine, do your research and make sure you maintain it regularly to ensure it will go the distance.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.