Keep Up With Water Heater Upkeep

Let's face it. Tank-style water heaters require very little maintenance. Technically, you can just put 'em in and forget about 'em for twelve or fifteen years. But if you want them to really last as long as they're designed to last - and work most efficiently while they're at it, it really does pay to do a bit of simple upkeep.

And when it comes to water heater maintenance, sediment is the thing. Sediment builds up over time in water heater tanks. It just does. If it builds up too much it can make your water heater less efficient. If left too long, it decrease the life span of the tank.

But you can periodically get rid of accumulated sediment by draining your water heater and flushing the sediment out of the tank - and the good news is this maintenance job is something you can do yourself.

A once-a-year 'drain & flush' will maximize a water heater's lifespan and keep it operating at its best. All you need is a garden hose to attach to the tank to drain the water away. Then just follow these simple steps:

1. Shut off the heating element for the tank. If you have an electric water heater, turn off the breaker at the main panel. If it's a gas heater, turn the thermostat to the "pilot" setting.



2. Turn off the water supply to your tank. Most likely there is a shut-off right at the tank (on a copper pipe running into the top of the tank), but you may need to turn off the main water supply to your house.



3. Attach a garden hose to the bottom drain valve on your water tank and run the hose to a drain or out a door.



4. Turn on a hot water faucet in your home to ensure a vacuum doesn't form in the lines.



5. Return to the tank and open the drain valve near the bottom of the tank. (**The valve on the side of the tank, near the top, is a pressure relief valve. Leave it alone.



6. Check the color of the water coming out of the tank. At first it will likely be rusty or dark - that's the sediment you want flushed from the tank. After a few gallons have drained, the water should begin to run clear.



7. Once the water runs clear, close the drain valve on the tank then turn off the hot water tap in your home. (Really, remember to shut that hot water tap off or you'll be refilling the water heater for a long long time.)



8. Turn the cold water supply back on to the tank and allow it to fill.



9. Turn the power or the gas supply back on to the water heater once the tank has filled with water.

If you do decide to drain your own water heater, remember the water is definitely hot enough to scald you. Be careful, watch your eyes, and wear gloves for protection.

Also, it's a good idea to read the manufacturer's instructions and warnings on your tank before you begin. Water tanks vary, and on some it's possible for the heating element to burn out if there is no water in the tank.

So pretty simple. Of course if it does seem a bit intimidating - or you just don't have the time - it is something Boden Plumbing can take care of for you. Just give us a call.

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This is information we've posted here before, but it bears repeating. Simple home maintenance saves money, appliances and fixtures over time.

What's That Rotten Egg Smell in My Water?

INFO FLASH:

It's not common, but it's not exactly unusual either - a stinky rotten smell in your house's tap water, usually on the hot side but sometimes on both the hot and cold water sides. We have it happen most often for our Napa customers who are on well water, but folks in Sonoma Valley experience it on occasion as well.

What's that all about?

Well, there are a couple of possible reasons for a rotten egg smell emanating from your water supply: a reaction between sulfates in the water and bacteria and/or a problem with the anode rod in your water heater. Fortunately, there are realtively simple things you can do to address the problem.

Would you like to know more? Read this helpful article at The Clean Water Store: How to Eliminate Water Heater Odors, and then just give us a call if you have any questions. We're here to help.

Boden Plumbing - Napa 707-255-8155 or Sonoma 707-996-8683.

Periodic plumbing inspection and maintenance pays dividends

No one really wants to call the plumber. (We know, we know. It's understandable so we try not to take it too personally.) Just like no one likes to go to the dentist for a periodic check-up and cleaning - or make that appointment for a yearly physical. And we're all too busy to remember the regular oil change and tune-up for our vehicles.

But if we're honest with ourselves we know that regular inspection and maintenance can pay off big time over time.

The plumbing system is a major component of your home. The disruption to daily activity when a major failure or mishap occurs is always significant, but most plumbing problems don't develop overnight. They can almost always be detected months or years in advance.

Regular inspection can detect leaks from the various fittings and connections - both in the water supply and waste disposal systems - before a major failure or water damage occurs. And you might be surprised the problems inadequate or excessive water pressure can cause. When was the last time you checked the water pressure at your home?

Besides periodic inspection, regular cleaning and maintenance is also key. Fixtures kept clear of mineral and soap build-up operate properly - more smoothly with fewer obstructions. Taps and shower heads hampered by too much build-up can be more difficult to shut-off completely, which can lead to you applying too much pressure to get those annoying drips to stop. Threads are stripped, more drips ensue. It's not a good scenario.

So simple steps when repairs and maintenance are still simple in scope - put it on your calendar. Do your own walk around - or call us to schedule a home inspection. Go ahead and replace leaking toilet parts and faucet washers and cartridges when you first notice an issue. As we're always reminding people, those drips really do add up!

For our customers who like to formalize maintenance and save some money with us on repairs, we do have a customer assurance plan. We call it the 'No Drips Club'. You can read more about it here: Why Not Join the 'No Drips' Club?

So just a piece of advice: check your plumbing system every once in awhile - but regularly - and avoid unnecessary damage and mishaps with proper maintenance. It's always best to be able to plan for major repairs or replacements ahead of time. Sudden failures and disruptions to service never happen at the most convenient time. (It's Murphy's Law.)

Have questions or need advice? Call us! We're here to help. (707) 996-8683. Or stop by the office to chat. We're right on Broadway across from the high school.

Baby, Call the Plumber!

Bah bah bah bah BABY.
Don't forget to call Boden Plumbing!

Plumb Like an Egyptian

Did you know that rich and distinguished ancient Egyptians were honored with plumbed-in lavatories in their tombs? We suspect these might actually have been a temporary convenience afforded the builders left behind to seal the tomb from the inside, however.

And here's another one: Copper - the principal material used in modern plumbing work - is the same thing Egyptians used 3000 years ago to lay their own pipe. It only took us a few millennia to come up with PEX - a flexible, and less expensive, alternative.

Ok, now dance.

Steve Martin, King Tut



And The Bangles, Walk Like an Egyptian

Application deadline for new CTE Scholarship is May 10, 2011

Boden Plumbing is pleased to sponsor the new CTE scholarship for shop students graduating from Sonoma Valley High School -- and we wanted to remind everyone that TOMORROW IS DEADLINE DAY!

Yes, Sonoma Valley High School graduating seniors wishing to continue their education in a technical field have a new opportunity to secure funds to help pay for school thanks to a new scholarship fund being offered through the school.

The new Career Technical Education (CTE) Shop Scholarship, sponsored by us, Boden Plumbing, will be awarded to a Sonoma Valley High School senior graduating in June 2011. Applicants must have taken at least one shop class and have plans to enroll in further studies at a technical school, a 2-year college or a 4-year college in a related area of study.

While the CTE program at Sonoma Valley High School has seven areas of study, the new CTE Shop Scholarship is specifically for students of the shop classes – metal, wood, or agriculture mechanics.

Terry suggested offering a scholarship to this group of students and is pleased to encourage young people to develop their technical skills and expertise and consider a career in a technical field.

Students are encouraged to contact their shop teacher for more information or check the Sonoma Valley High website for more information. Follow the links to the correct page and you should find a copy of the application materials to download.

And remember, the deadline for applications is May 10!

What You Can Do to Protect Your Drinking Water

It's National Drinking Water Week, and it's worth pausing for just a moment to show a little appreciation for the clean water you do have and to consider what more you can do to keep it that way.

The vast majority of water on earth is sloshing around in the salty seas. A very small portion is available for human purposes. In fact, just 2-3% of the earth's water is fresh water and about two thirds of that is tied up in glaciers and the polar ice caps.

The small proportion that's left is found in ground water (0.68%), surface water (0.011%) or in the atmosphere (0.04%). And that surface water? Think freshwater lakes - like Lake Baikal in Russia and the Great Lakes in the U.S. They account for a lot of it. So frankly, when we talk about available fresh water, it's important to realize there is a limit. And fresh clean drinking water? That's even more of a rare commodity that you might imagine.

So do be grateful for what you have.



Because it is an essential yet finite resource, maintaining an adequate supply of clean drinking water is certainly something to consider on this the occasion of National Water Week. Not wasting what we do have is part of what we need to do. Protecting the quality of that finite supply is perhaps even more important.

Just check out the amount of small print in the above image from a U.S. EPA poster on safe drinking water. (You can find the full readable version - and even order a copy of your own - here.) That's a lot of small print, a lot of things to consider, but here are just a few ideas to get you started:

Avoid the use of chemicals in the garden and in the home whenever possible. Whether they find their way into the groundwater, a nearby stream or river or are flushed into the public sewer system, chemicals are not what you want to have finding their way into the water supply. And it's all connected. See: Non-toxic Home Cleaning Alternatives

Consider the food you eat and the impact your choices have on water quality. Not only is agriculture by far the largest user of freshwater, agricultural waste and runoff is a major source of water contamination. Can you switch to more organic produce? Eat grass fed, or at least pasture raised, beef? Lobby for sustainable agriculture in your watershed?

Dispose of old, expire or unneeded medicines properly. Prescription drugs in the water supply is another weird and wonderful thing to be aware of. Bottom line: never, ever, ever dispose of medicine down the toilet. Period. The Sonoma County Water Agency (SCWA) has a safe medicine disposal program - find out what you can do with medicines at www.safemedicinedisposal.org. See also: Drugs in Your Drinking Water?

These are just a few ways you can help to keep our limited supply of drinking water clean and safe. Want to know more about protecting the drinking water supply? Visit the EPA website for more information - and figure out one thing you can take action on this week.