It’s one of modern life’s most underrated pleasures: a nice, warm shower. And all we have to do is turn a knob. Nobody has to haul sloshing buckets of water up the hill Jack-and-Jill-style. No one has to heat up the gallons of H2O in a whistling teakettle to draw our bath. No Robison Crusoe affair has to be cobbled together out of bamboo and coconuts. You just crank the handle and streams of piping hot water rain down. Very civilized.

And it’s all thanks to a 20th-century contraption known to us as the hot water heater. Plus, something called indoor plumbing. But your hot water heater may be working overtime, and this can adversely impact your energy bill. The average life of a hot water heater is 10-15 years. After that point, an old hot water heater starts to work against you. Take a moment and check the date on yours. If it is older than this, it may be time to replace it.

Here are some ideas on what to look for in a new, energy-efficient water heater:

Going Solar

A solar water heater could cut your energy bill 50-60%. Just one problem. It’s likely your priciest option. That being said, people who have solar heating systems rave about them. Why? They don’t run on gas, propane, oil or electricity. They run on sunshine. And in these days of global warming, that is one energy source we’re going to have plenty of. Solar water heaters can be used in any sort of climate and can be installed easily in most homes. The complete solar water heater system consists of one or two storage tanks and a solar collector. Another benefit is the federal government is offering more and more tax credits for all things solar. So the price will adjust downward.

Going Tankless

Another energy-efficient solution is the tankless or “instantaneous” hot water heater. This space-spacing device has no storage tank, which means more room in the kitchen pantry for the paper towels. The tankless design reduces the amount of standby energy loss that you get with your standard storage-style heaters, so from the git-go you are saving money. Typically, tankless water heaters provide hot water at a rate of two-five gallons a minute. This means you can run the dishwasher while taking a shower without the hot water turning cold on your backside. For households that use 40 gallons or less each day, tankless water heaters can save you significantly on your total energy bill. They are reported to be anywhere from 24% to 34% more energy-efficient than your conventional tank water heater.

Going Old School

Okay, if purchase cost is your driving factor or if you just like having that big rocket ship-looking tank next to the Cheerios,TM then the standard tank hot water heater is the way to go.

You can make it more energy-efficient than the clunker you are replacing. First of all, look for that big yellow Energy Guide tag. The most important thing to check out is the Energy Factor (EF). This rates how much of the fuel’s energy actually makes it out of the showerhead. The most efficient models will have an EF of around .63 or higher. An electric hot water heater should have an EF of .96.

Wrap it up. I’ll take it.

Another smart way to save energy is to wrap your hot water tank. It will only take a second to throw a fiberglass blanket around your new or old hot water heater. But don’t stop there. Wrap the hot water pipe with some of that foam sheath stuff to further reduce heat loss. Heck, while you’re at it, wrap the cold water inlet pipe to the tank. This step alone will save you plenty on your energy bills.

And after you have replaced and insulated your new hot water heater, celebrate in the best way we know how. Take a nice, hot shower. Sweet!

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ConsumerReports.org is a good place to go if you want to see some space heater reviews. You have to be a member to get all the details, but you can always count on Consumer Reports to tell it like it is. You may not even need Consumer Reports, if you do some of your own investigating. You will find that your best space heater is the one that does the job that you want it to do.

Look for certain things when shopping for a space heater. First decide what you want to use it for. If you are looking to heat a garage, or outdoor work room, you might look for a heater that has a fan to spread the warm air. A small radiant heater will be perfect if you just need a heater to keep your legs and feet warm.

Portable space heaters work well when you want to heat up just one room. Most space heater reviews will tell you which appliance is best for heating up a room quickly for a short time or heating a room consistently for a longer period. During cool fall days you might just want to get the chill out of the air and you don’t want to turn on your entire central heating unit. A portable space heater works well in those situations.

Be careful when using a space heater. Some of the older electric heaters will get VERY hot to the touch. Keep them several feet away from flammable things like curtains. Do not try to dry clothes on them and do not allow children to play near. Make sure your heater has the UL listed stamp on it. Look for a heater with an automatic shut off switch in case if falls over. It is not safe to leave an electric heater on while sleeping.

With propane heaters there is the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You should only use a propane heater outdoors unless it specifically says it is safe to use indoors. As a propane heater runs, the oxygen in the air is depleted and carbon monoxide is created. Since the oxygen in the air is lessened, the carbon monoxide easily enters the body’s blood. With increased exposure the victim can lose consciousness and die.

Almost all heaters give off the same amount of heat. What you look for and what space heater reviews describe are the differences in convenience features, safety features and the way the heat is directed. Don’t worry about price because you can get a good space heater in any price range. There are some great, inexpensive heaters – the best is not always the most expensive.

Water heaters are dependable appliances that just fail when ignored for long periods of time. Constructed with only a few working components, they seldom cause problems. Yet, they do fail after some years of service and have to be replaced. They are relatively inexpensive as far many household appliances are concerned. If your water heater isn’t working as well as it has in the past, you may want to troubleshoot it by looking at those components most likely to fail.

One sign of an impending problem is a water leak. It had to come from somewhere, and there aren’t too many options. One possibility is that the water heater‘s thermostat or heating elements are leaking, which isn’t very likely.

Possibly the T&PR valve, which releases overheated water is leaking. If the water heater’s thermostat malfunctions, the Temperature and Pressure Relief valve discharges overheated water. The valve protects the water heater by releasing overheated water down the discharge pipe. If the thermostat isn’t the problem, consider the tank.

Check the water temperature for the proper setting. It shouldn’t be set too high. A safe setting for hot water is 120 degrees F. A moderate temperature setting won’t create enough internal pressure to open the T&PR valve.

Once you’ve ruled out the T&PR, the water temperature and pressure, the next step is to check the bottom of the water heater for pinhole leaks. After discovering where the leak is coming from, your tank may require replacing. Consider buying the most energy efficient model you can afford.

The temperature control on a gas water heater could be a problem, as well. In a gas water heater, a thermocouple device controls the pilot light and the water temperature. An inadequate amount of hot water, or warn water instead of hot water, is a sign that the thermocouple isn’t functioning as it should. Thermocouples can be replaced, but if you are unsure of how to do it, consult a qualified technician or a licensed plumber.

With an electric hot water heater, there are heating elements and a thermostat that can cause problems. Typically, these units have an upper and a lower heating element, either of which is likely to fail. Remember to secure the source of electrical power before testing or withdrawing a thermostat. Thermostats are usually more reliable, but they too can fail on occasion. You may want to consult with a service technician or plumber at this point, due to the presence of an electrical shock hazard.

In review, this article presented some easy to follow steps for troubleshooting a gas or electric water heater. Always keep safety in mind when working on your water heater. Hazards around gas and electric hot water heaters include electrical shock, scalding and fire. Unless you are comfortable working around these hazards, consider calling a qualified service technician to service your heater.

I hope this article provided you with the knowledge and understanding you were looking for. You will find more Practical Home Repair articles at Practical Repairs.com

Swimming Pool Leak
Is your swimming pool leaking? Have you lost gallons of water over a few hours? Inground swimming pools that are leaking could be leaking from many different sources. If you are losing gallons of water at a time you can immediately rule out evaporation or normal splash out and use. A easy tip to see if it is just evaporation is to fill a bucket with water, place it on a step in the pool with the water at the same level of the pool. If both are losing water at the same rate than the problem is just evaporation, but if the pool is leaking faster you have a swimming pool leak.

Pump Leak
A swimming pool filter pump allows for the recirculation of water by using a series of suction ports to pull water from the pool and pump it through a filter and heater. Plumbing can have improper sealing as well as small pressure leaks when turned on or off. If the pool is constantly losing water at all times, it is less likely that you have a pump leak however your swimming pool can have more than just a single leak.

Pipe Leak
An underground pipe leak will require excavation to fix. A series of dye testing will allow you to see where the water is being sucked from most rapidly and give you an idea as to where the broken or leaking pipe may be. Before excavating and attempting to fix a broken pipe yourself contact a professional as new more recent inventions have solved underground pipe leaks to prevent excavation.

Pool Liner Leak
A vinyl pool liner needs to have water in the pool at all times. If there are tears in the liner a pool will leak quickly. The dye test allows for you to see where cracks are in the liner quickly. Immediate action is necessary as the earth beneath the liner will wash out quickly from the leaking water. A large piece of plastic covering the area will help to slow the leak down. The water pressure will help to hold the material in place. Contact a technician for immediate help as the pool may need to be drained completely. If you are looking for a local pool service technician visit our website, Los Angeles Pool Leak Detection.

Did you know?
Heating water is the second largest consumer of energy in the home, second only to heating the house itself!

Be Green – $ave Green and Green Your Weekend!
Insulate Hot Water Pipes for Energy Savings
Insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2 degreesF-4degreesF hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing for a lower water temperature setting.

You can reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10degreeF reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3%-5% in energy costs.
Although some manufacturers set water heater thermostats at 140degreesF, most households usually only require them set at 120degreesF.
>>You also won’t have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or showerhead, which helps conserve water.

Insulate all accessible hot water pipes, especially within 3 feet of the water heater. It’s also a good idea to insulate the cold-water inlet pipes for the first 3 feet.
Foam Pipe sleeves foam are the most commonly used insulation. Match the pipe sleeve’s inside diameter to the pipe’s outside diameter for a snug fit. Place the pipe sleeve so the seam will be face down on the pipe. You can purchase foam pipe sleeves around $1.00 each.

Insulate Your Water Heater Tank for Energy Savings
Unless your water heater’s storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%-45%. This will save you around 4%-9% in water heating costs.
If you don’t know your water heater tank’s R-value, touch it. A tank that’s warm to the touch needs additional insulation.
Insulating your storage water heater tank is fairly simple and inexpensive, and it will pay for itself in about a year. You can find pre-cut jackets or blankets available from around $10-$20. Choose one with an insulating value of at least R-8.
Statistical Resource: US Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

For more tips on Greening Your Weekend, Tune into www.Home&YardRadio.com with the Fixie Chick, Saturday at 10am on 950 am
-The Fixie Chick