water heater

After nearly 25 years in the plumbing & heating industry I can say with confidence I’ve heard just about all there is to say about tankless, right or wrong…most of it wrong!

In this video I go over 8 separate myths that are commonly said about tankless. With each myth I give facts and opinions based on my experience that bust every myth.

If you’d like more information about tankless check out Rinnai US

Water heater maintenance ensures hot water keeps flowing and helps you avoid cold showers. If neglected, your water heater could break down. It has safety devices that need annual testing to ensure its safety. Water heaters have pressure and temperature valves for discharging water to protect them against excessive temperatures and pressures. The valves should be checked during annual inspections for safety purposes.

Sediment buildup significantly contributes to your water heating system’s inefficiency by settling at your water heater’s bottom, making it hard to generate hot water and lessening the water available for heating. However, regular maintenance ensures your system’s efficiency. Here are five water heater maintenance tips to consider.

1.    Schedule an annual water heater inspection

Skimping on water heater maintenance isn’t good because it could render your water heating system inefficient. An annual professional water heater inspection by Williams Comfort Air or other installation and repair experts near you can help prevent significant problems.

This is because the inspection exercise allows you to identify issues before they get out of hand and get them addressed or repaired immediately, ensuring your water heater functions at its peak and reducing water heating costs. If you have a gas heater, the professional inspector ensures it’s adequately ventilated to prevent the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

2.    Drain the hot water tank

Draining a hot water tank is an excellent way to extend your water heater’s life. This eliminates sediment buildup to ensure your water heater performs more efficiently, reducing water heating costs. If the tank is neglected, the water heater may not last as long, and the heating bills may increase due to slow water heating.

Since sediment and buildup settle at the bottom of the tank, it isn’t necessary to drain the whole water tank each time. You can flush until most of the dirt is flushed out, ensuring a speedy refill process and preventing you from accidentally turning the heater on without water which could damage it.

3.    Reduce your water heater temperature

The hotter the water is in your heater, the more the elements inside of it will contract and expand, weakening them and causing them to erode or corrode. This may also increase the possibility of them wearing out quicker. Reducing your water heater’s temperatures ensures that the materials inside won’t expand or contract as much, extending its life and reducing utility bills. It also makes your plumbing last longer.

4.    Insulate the water heater tank

Insulating electric water heaters is a cost-effective way of improving energy efficiency and saving you money monthly. Water heater insulation may reduce standby heat losses by 25% to 40% while saving you around 7% to 16% of water heating expenses. An insulation blanket can help reduce heat loss in your gas water heater. However, you should familiarize yourself with the local utility company and code regulations because some may restrict insulation blankets.

5.    Replace the water heater filter

When hard water goes into your heater and starts heating up, the scaling minerals usually come out, creating a rock in the heater. This reduces the water heater’s efficiency until it eventually dies. A water heater filter keeps the hard water minerals from coming out. Replacing it regularly ensures your heater functions effectively.

Endnote

Caring for your water heater increases its longevity, enhances its effectiveness, and reduces water heating costs. Consider using these water heater maintenance tips to leverage these benefits.

A.O. Smith, a leading water heater manufacturer, has donated 200 water heaters for Waverly, Tenn. flood relief efforts. The units will be provided to flood victims who are still rebuilding eight months after storms ripped through the town on Aug. 21, 2021.

“At A. O. Smith, we are deeply committed to supporting our local communities,” said David Chisolm, vice president of marketing and customer experience. “Hot water is such a basic life necessity. We hope the donation of these units will allow this community to rebuild more quickly while lessening the financial burden. We also hope that this will inspire other companies to step forward with additional donations to assist in rebuilding the Waverly community.”

In August 2021, treacherous storms swept through the Waverly community claiming 20 lives, including several children. Hundreds of homes were damaged, and some residents have even had to purchase trailers and RVs to live in while their homes are being repaired. Of the homes that were destroyed or severely damaged, 80% of them are owned by people ages 70 or older, and most of those homeowners are living on social security wages.

“The past eight months since the flood have been incredibly difficult, but Waverly is a resilient town,” said Waverly resident, Susan Hodges. “When our family began rebuilding, we had no idea how long the process would take or just how expensive it would be. We’re grateful for the money we’ve saved by not having to purchase a water heater, but the impact of A. O. Smith’s donation goes beyond that—it’s a huge step toward making our home livable once again, and it’s raised our spirits along the way.”

FEMA helped support the community at the beginning of its redevelopment phase immediately after the flooding, but the extensive damage has continued to put pressure on homeowners. Community members have worked relentlessly to help their neighbors, friends and family in the area recover from the devastation. Hodges has two adult children living in Waverly whose houses were destroyed by the flood. She has spent the last eight months assisting them in their complete home renovations.

“The Waverly community has worked tirelessly to help neighbors and friends rebuild from this tragedy. We are so thankful for the water heater donation from A. O. Smith,” said Kaye Thomas of First Baptist Church Relief Efforts. “Water heaters are an essential item that many of our homeowners could not afford without the help from A. O. Smith. This donation truly gave the Waverly community a renewed sense of hope in what continues to be a long road to recovery. It will allow our community to continue to push forward in recovery efforts as we rebuild.”

The units were delivered to the First Baptist Church in Waverly earlier this year, and roughly 100 units have already been distributed to families in need. Distribution and installation will continue in the coming months.

We recently asked some of the major players in the phvac markets to give us their feel of how the economy, supply chain, etc. plays out for 2022. We caught up with Bradford White’s Bruce Carnevale, president and CEO, and here are his thoughts on the rest of the year and beyond.

MH: We’ve all experienced supply chain shortages, whether it’s industry related or things such as computer chips, plastics, bacon, etc., for example. Do you project a turnaround soon or within the next 6-12 months for certain materials that relate to your specific company?

Carnevale: While the supply chain issues for some materials and components is improving, for others it’s actually getting worse. In the aggregate, I think that supply chain issues will continue to impact our business for most of 2022, and for some components, into 2023.

MH: We are in the midst of some of the highest inflation rates since the early ‘80s. Do you think that higher inflation becomes a “newer normal”? Explain. 

Carnevale: No. Inflation is somewhat of a self-correcting problem. One of the many economic indicators we follow is the consumer savings rate, which was at an all-time high during the peak of COVID. It is now back to normal levels, so at some point, prices increase to the point where consumers are no longer willing or able to pay the higher prices. Demand then falls, and that puts downward pressure on prices. This will go back through the supply chain from the consumer to commodities suppliers, and I expect we will see deflation on some products driven by lower material costs. There will, however, be a “new normal” for prices because of increased labor costs. Those costs are very unlikely to adjust downward, and therefore even when commodities adjust, the total costs will still be higher than pre-COVID.

MH: In general, how do you see the economy short-term? Give a few examples of how you draw that conclusion (housing starts, commercial construction, etc.). 

Carnevale: I have concerns about the macro-economy for 2022 and 2023 and have had concerns since the beginning of 2021. I don’t see how we can’t have a significant slowdown in the economy with all of the headwinds we are facing:  Inflation, rising interest rates, energy prices, labor shortages, global instability, the politics of a mid-term election year, etc. I see the slowdown taking hold going into the second half of 2022.

MH: Where are you seeing signs of positivity, if any?

Carnevale: Clearly COVID cases are falling, and hospitalizations and deaths are significantly lower with Omicron vs. previous variants. There is hope that we are nearing the end of the pandemic phase and entering the endemic phase. 

MH: How do you as manufacturers work with customers who are dealing with longer lead times and/or higher prices? Is it a matter of open lines of communication?

Carnevale: Each manufacturer deals with it differently. Our team has communicated very openly with customers when issues arise, or even when we expect issues to arise so that our customers can have the most time and information to make appropriate adjustments in their operations. So, yes, transparent communication is the best way to deal with rapidly changing conditions.

MH: It seems that in today’s employment landscape, it’s hard to find good labor, whether it’s truck drivers, waiters at restaurants, etc. In our industry, how do we continue the fight to highlight the trades as a great career choice? 

Carnevale: Very true.  The restaurant where I had lunch this afternoon had a sign on their entrance door that read: “Every business is short on labor.  Please be kind to those who showed up to work!” That really sums up the current labor environment. 

 As everyone in our industry knows, the labor shortage was our biggest challenge before COVID, and it will continue to be post-COVID. There are many industry initiatives working to position the trades as a great career choice, and many companies in our industry are working diligently to promote the trades as well. I still believe what we are missing is a well-funded, well-coordinated public/private message with a big voice and a clear message that would connect with younger audiences. While we continue to work towards that, Bradford White will continue our initiatives, and 2022 we will be launching an entirely new foundation designed to promote our industry and attract new people.

MH: In spite of COVID, people must move on. How has your company evolved—or continued to march forward—over the past two years, and talk about any new initiatives, expansions, etc.

You’re right, organizations and individuals must move on. We have found that it is very helpful to shorten the time horizon for goals and objectives, otherwise you can really get bogged down by all the negative things happening all around you. So, whereas you might have had the monthly or quarterly goals, now you have to look at them weekly, or even daily. That doesn’t mean that you don’t still have long term, strategic goals, but rather that you shift more of your focus to just getting through each day or week. 

 From a business philosophy perspective, we, and I think most organizations are looking at supply chain improvements and diversification. I think some of the important trends will be shortening supply chains by working with suppliers closer to manufacturing operations and reviewing the risks of just-in-time inventory models versus the overall value.