The Importance of Insulating Your Water Heater System
Is your water heater system insulated? If not, you could be wasting time, money and energy. An insulated water heater system reduces heat loss so you don’t have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or shower head. This helps conserve water. Also, insulating hot water pipes raises water temperature 2ºF–4ºF, compared to uninsulated pipes, allowing for a lower hot water temperature setting.
Additionally, insulating your water heater system reduces the average household’s carbon dioxide emissions by 52 pounds per year. Every 10 percent reduction in water temperature results in a 3-5 percent reduction in energy costs.
Types of Insulation
The most commonly used types of insulation are pipe insulation wrap, called pipe sleeves. They’re typically made with polyethylene, neoprene foam or fiberglass. Pipe sleeves are assigned with an R value, which is a measure of how well insulation keeps in heat. The higher the R value, the better.
Precautions
It’s important that all accessible hot water pipes located within 3 feet of the water heater are insulated. However, be careful that a fire hazard isn’t created by having something insulated that was not meant to be insulated, or by installing flammable insulation near a high heat source.
Also, make sure the pressure relief valve is not insulated. It’s typically mounted on the top or the side of the hot water heater. This valve is a couple of inches high, has a small lever on top of the valve, and has an overflow pipe coming out of the side and down to the floor.
If you have any questions about the insulation of your water heater system, or you have general questions about water heaters, give us a call. At Barker and Sons plumbing in Orange County, we’re happy to give you our two cents if it will save you a few cents every time you run your faucets.
There’s Still Time to Take Advantage of 2011 Energy Tax Credits
Looking for ways to make your home more energy efficient AND save on 2011 taxes? You’d better act fast! If you make certain home improvements before the end of this month, you can still claim a federal tax credit before they expire.
Water Heaters: The federal government offers a tax credit incentive of 10% or up to $300 of the cost of a new tankless water heater or gas or propane water heaters with an Energy Factor (EF) of at least 0.82, or a thermal efficiency of at least 90%.This tax credit also applies to heat pump water heaters with an EF of at least 2.0.
Insulation: The government offers a tax credit of 10% of the cost, up to $500, for certain types of insulation and sealing materials. The credit does not include installation and labor costs. It includes attic insulation, like batts and rolls, as well as air-sealing items such as weather stripping, caulk, house wrap, and foam sealants.
Doors: This tax credit applies to 10% of the cost of insulation exterior doors. The tax credit also applies to storm doors. They must meet Energy Star requirements.
Windows and skylights: Replacing the windows with Energy Star labeled items can earn you a tax credit of 10% of the cost up to $500, but the window credit is capped at $200. This credit doesn’t include the cost of installation and labor.
New air conditioning and heating systems: An energy-efficient central air conditioner, electric heat pump can earn you a credit of $300. A high efficiency natural gas, oil or propane furnace can earn you $150. If you just need a main circulating fan, it’s a fax credit of $50. Remember, not all Energy Star certified products qualify.
Keep in mind, there’s an overall cap of $500 for energy efficiency tax credits for the combined fiscal years 2006 through 2011. So if you have claimed this credit in the past, it counts toward the $500 cap. However, it doesn’t affect the $1500 limit available for 2009 and 2010. So, for example, if you claimed $200 in 2008, you can only claim $300 in 2011; if you claimed $900 in 2009, you cannot claim any more credit. Luckily, a new bill was introduced in the U.S. senate in November that could help continue these tax credits into 2016. The fate of the bill has not yet been determined, but we’ll keep you updated.
Wondering how you can make your home greener and possibly take advantage of these tax breaks? Give us a call. We can help you identify ways to make your home greener. We provide energy efficient Orange County plumbing installations such as tankless water heaters, solar water heating systems, water-saving shower heads and faucets, and low flow toilets. As licensed Green Plumbers, we are passionate about conserving energy and promoting a greener community.
Plumbing-Safe Cleaning Tips
Everyone loves clean bathrooms and kitchens. Just look at the number of cleaning products available nowadays! At Barker and Sons Plumbing, we’re not only experts on keeping plumbing clean on the inside, we’re also experts on keeping kitchen and bathroom fixtures clean without damaging plumbing.
Toilet cleaning tips
Avoid “In tank” toilet cleaners, as they usually contain chlorine liquid that can wear away toilet flappers and other parts in the tank. (Some newer flappers are made to be chlorine resistant, but it’s still risky to use in-tank cleaners with these.) It’s better to use a toilet brush and scrub the bowl once a week. However, if you have stains that can’t be cleaned, try dropping a couple of denture cleaning tablets in the bowl and let them fizz for a while. You can also pour two cups of vinegar into the bowl and let it sit for an hour. For hard to remove stains, fill the bowl with vinegar and let it to sit overnight.
Cleaning lime scale from faucets
Lime is the chalky white mineral deposits from hard water that, over time, can damage sinks, toilets, and tubs and make soap scum harder to remove. To get rid of lime stains from a faucet, soak a rag or paper towel in vinegar and wrap around your faucet, keeping it in place with a rubber band or hair clip, for about a half hour. Brass fixtures, however, require special care.
Cleaning brass faucet fixtures
First, if you’re not sure your fixtures are brass, put a magnet against it. If it sticks, that fixture is not brass. Wipe brass fixtures daily with a soft cloth. If stains occur, don’t use ammonia, rubbing alcohol or silver polish. Instead, dampen a soft cloth with water and a little dish detergent or gentle hand soap and wipe. For stubborn spots, use a small amount of vinegar diluted in water. Then rinse with cool water (to keep the vinegar from damaging the fixture’s lacquer) then wipe dry with a soft cloth. When considering a brass polish, first test it on an inconspicuous area to be sure the polish won’t damage the fixture’s lacquer.
Cleaning shower heads
If you’re shower head is clogged with mineral deposits or mold, use a thin wire or paperclip to clear any major clogs and scrub it with an old toothbrush.Then, remove the shower head and place it in a container filled with warm white vinegar. Soak for 15-20 minutes. If you can’t remove the shower head, submerge it in a small plastic baggie filled with 2-3 inches of white vinegar, making sure that the faceplate is completely covered. Use a rubber band or tape to keep it in place and soak it 15-20 minutes. After soaking, rinse the shower head with warm water. Repeat these steps, if necessary.
Keeping drains clean
First and foremost, avoid store-bought drain products like Draino! Using it, even on occasion, is not only ineffective, but can harm your pipes! The chemicals in Draino can eat away at the pipes interior surface and can eventually burn a hole through the interior of the pipes or can make them brittle enough to crack. Instead, it’s best to avoid getting drains clogged by keeping hair and food scraps from getting into drains in the first place.
However, if you have a stubborn slow drain or clog, give us a call. One of the professional tools we use for cleaning clogged drains is a commercial-grade,non-caustic, friendly bacterial solution that naturally digests oil, grease, and food wastes into water and carbon dioxide. It’s called BioOne – a “hungry bacteria” that is perfect for clogged pipes and safe for septic systems in Orange County. You can learn more about this effective, safe product in our previous blog post on BioOne, or give us a call at Barker and Sons Plumbing in Orange County. We’re always happy to help!
Myths and Facts About Tankless Water Heaters
When you figure that hot water usage in American households consumes between 15 and 30% of a home’s energy demand, it’s important to know the facts when considering a new water heater. Among your options are tankless water heaters. There are many misconceptions about tankless heaters, so we thought we’d debunk a few:
Tankless water heaters don’t work as well as a regular tank water heater.
In reality, while most 40-gallon tank water heaters have a 35-45 minute recovery rate and can produce about one gallon of hot water per minute, some tankless water heaters can produce 3.3 – 7.5 gallons per minute. So in a half hour cycle, a tankless water heater can produce 115.5 – 262.5 gallons, considerably more hot water!
I may not have the space for a tankless system
Tankless hot water systems can be installed indoors or outdoors. They can be mounted on walls, and they are surprisingly compact. Using electronic (not open-flame) pilots, they can be placed in closets and other small areas that would not not accommodate a conventional hot water tank. Some systems have a compact electric recirculating system and tank, which can be placed on the floor or suspended from a wall.
A tankless hot water heater can’t provide enough hot water for an entire household.
An endless supply of hot water may be hard to imagine, but the technology in tankless units is specifically designed to provide a full and constant flow of appropriately heated water for an entire household.
Tankless water heaters heat the water to dangerous levels.
False. Tankless systems are actually safer to operate since they heat the water to only slightly above the level of intended use.Tank-based water heaters typically must overheat the stored water so that it will remain hot, even as the in-flowing cold water mixes with it. Tankless systems are also designed to keep out-flowing water at a constant temperature.
Tankless water heating systems cost more to operate.
Tankless water heaters have an initially higher outlay of cash compared to a traditional tank water heater. However, when you factor in the lower operating costs and longer (20 year) service life, tankless systems can save their owners a substantial amount of money. They require less maintenance, and nearly every component can be individually replaced without replacing the complete unit.
All tankless water heaters are covered by a 2011 tax credit
Actually, there are 3 types of water heaters covered by the tax credit, provided they meet Energy Star efficiency requirements: Gas, Oil, and Propane Water Heaters (including tankless); Electric Heat Pump Water Heaters; and Solar Water Heaters. Water heaters NOT eligible for the tax credit: Electricstorage tank and electric tankless water heaters.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what type of water heater to install in your home. We install several kinds of water heaters, so if you have any questions or like to know more about tankless, solar, or traditional tank water heaters, we’d be happy to help. Just give Barker and Sons plumbers in Orange County a call.
Request Appointment
• Immediate Response
• Guaranteed Service• Family Owned & Operated
• Residential & Commercial
Online Savings
Simply print and present
to your service technicians.
See Coupons.714-466-9565
Location / Service Areas
Serving Orange County and surrounding areas for over 28 years! 
What Our Customers Have to Say
"Thank you for the work you did on our home. Your guys were neat, clean, and very nice to work with...
Read More.Connect with Us
