Every homeowner should locate their main water shut-off valve and know how to use it.
There are two types of main water valves: the gate valve and the ball valve.
The gate valve is recognized by its round handle that must be turned a number of times to open or close the valve.
The ball valve is recognized by its single handle that needs to be turned ¼ turn or 90 degrees, to turn the water on or off.
City Wide Plumbing can tell you about the condition of the main water valve in your home and replace it if necessary.
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- Water Heater Shut-off Valve
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- Toilet Shut-off Valve
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- Sink Shut-off Valve
Bradford White’s newest addition to their Ultra High Efficiency line of commercial gas water heaters is the eF Series® which now includes a 100-gallon capacity with 399,999 BTU’s. This model offers a phenomenal 518 gallon first hour delivery and a fully condensing design recovering at 93% thermal efficiency.
These efficient water heaters are also available in 60-gallon capacities with 125,000, 150,000 and 199,999 BTU’s and in 100-gallon capacities with 150,000, 199,999, 250,000 and 300,000 BTU’s. All eF Series® models feature remarkable thermal efficiency ratings as high as 99.1% and offer installing contractors the ability to vent unbalanced the equivalent of up to 120 feet utilizing 3″ ABS, PVC or CPVC piping or 170 feet utilizing 4″ ABS, PVC or CPVC piping.
The ultra high efficient eF Series® water heaters also offer the end user a quiet operation and beneficial features such as the Hydrojet® Sediment Reduction System, a cleaning system that helps extend the life of the water heater.
Call City Wide Plumbing now for a free estimate. 480-966-8795.
Plumbing Tip
If your water heater tank is leaking it needs to be replaced. You cannot repair the tank. Please do not try to use duct tape or epoxy to temporarily repair the tank. Call a licensed Arizona plumber to have it replaced immediately and save yourself from thousands of dollars’ worth of flood damage. Also if you notice rust on the bottom and it’s not leaking, yet… you just might want to call a plumber to replace your water heater. Estimated life of a water heater in Arizona is 6 – 8 years for electric and 10 – 12 for gas. Keep in mind there are different factors which could increase or decrease longevity.
Here at City Wide Plumbing we do our best to do our part in reducing, reusing, and recycling. We only install energy star rated water heaters, recirculation pumps and use low flow toilets, faucets and fixtures. We also recycle any old and broken material. Not only do our efforts help keep trash out of the land field, it also helps out customers save money.
The following are some additional tips from the EPA’s WaterSense Program.
Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) WaterSense program encourages Americans to check and replace leaky plumbing fixtures and sprinkler systems, helping households save more than 10,000 gallons of water per year and as much as 10 percent on utility bills.
“Easy-to-fix household leaks waste more than 1 trillion gallons of water annually nationwide, which is equal to the amount of water used by more than 11 million homes,” said EPA Acting Administrator for the Office of Water Nancy Stoner. “We’re not just wasting water; families also lose money from leaks with higher utility bills. That’s why Fix a Leak Week is so important, and why we encourage everyone to take a few simple steps that add up to make a significant positive impact.”
In just 10 minutes, businesses and homeowners can:
- Check winter water bills and fixtures for water waste;
- Twist and tighten pipe and hose connections; and
- Consider replacing broken or inefficient fixtures with WaterSense-labeled models.
If winter water usage for a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, it’s likely that the home has a leak problem. Here are some easy tips:
- Check toilets for silent leaks by putting a few drops of food coloring in the tank at the back and, if after 10 minutes, color shows up in the bowl before flushing, it may be time to make an easy repair and replace the flapper.
- Check outdoor hoses for damage from winter frost and tighten connections at the water source.
- For in-ground sprinkler systems, a professional certified through a WaterSense-labeled program can inspect sprinkler heads and pipes for signs of leakage and help homeowners maintain an efficient system and healthy lawn.
- Check additional plumbing and outdoor fixtures for leaks. They may just need a quick twist or pipe tape.Learn more about fixing leaks, find a certified irrigation professional, or search for WaterSense labeled plumbing and irrigation products: http://www.epa.gov/watersense.
It is important to know where your water shut off valves are located. You also need to make sure that the valves are in proper working order. Internal shut off valves are usually located behind toilets, refrigerators, wash machines, under kitchen and lavatory sinks, and above water heaters. If any of those items malfunction you can quickly shut off the water to isolate the problem and have a lower risk of water damage. There is also a main water shut off valve located outside on the main service riser. If the valves inside are not working or you can not locate the valve you can shut off the water to the entire house. Some town homes, condos, or apartments may not have service riser shut off valve if this is the case or if the valve is not working you can call your local water company emergency line and have them shut off the water at the meter.
Call your local plumber for a location and inspection of your shut off valves. Also test them regularly, after time the valves can corrode and freeze.
Leaking pipes inside or underneath the concrete of a house’s floor or foundations are called slab leaks.
What are signs of a slab leak?
- Hear running water, when no water should be running.
- Warm or hot spots on the floor
- Cracks in walls or floor
- Mildew, excessive moisture under carpet, or musty odor
- High water bills
What to do if you think you have a slab leak?
Call a plumber who specializes in leak detection or a locating professional to pinpoint the location of the leak using thermal imaging, pipe locating, and sound equipment.
If a leak is detected, how does a plumbing professional repair it?
One option is to jackhammer the floor and repair the leak in the ground. A plumbing professional will take up some tile or carpet and jackhammer the concrete to reach the leaking pipe. They will then cut out the bad section of pipe and solder a new one in place, and most companies will rough patch the concrete. It us up to the homeowner to replace any tile or carpet but some home owners insurance will cover this type of repair.
A second option is the reroute the line. This is where a plumber will run a new line from through the walls and attic to eliminate the leaking pipe in the ground. Most plumbers will only reroute one line unless you would like to re pipe the entire home. This option does cause some damage to the drywall and most insurance companies will not cover this type of repair.
We have hundreds of satisfied Apache Junction Arizona customers, winter visitors, and out of state customers with property in the East Valley and Metro Phoenix. City Wide Plumbing is licensed, bonded, and insured. Call 480-966-8795 and we will help.
Our plumbers get many work opportunities due to the constant plumbing maintenance on winter vacation homes in the EastValley and Apache Junction. Our plumbers provide their services to commercial office buildings, hotels and residential homes.
Need a referral for another type of contractor? We have names and phone numbers of tile setters, flooring contractors and air conditioning contractors that we have used for many years. This way you can hire contractors you can count on!
Before You Call for Service:
- Plan the best time for reoccurring smells or banging – it’s always frustrating if the problem doesn’t happen when the plumber arrives.
- Locate any of the original paperwork or get the information off the appliance to help identify the model and part numbers so theplumber can come prepared.
- Group plumbing problems together and make one call.
When Calling for Service:
- Tell them, to the best of your knowledge, exactly what’s wrong when you talk to the office.
- There are thousands of brands and of thousands of different parts, a plumber can’t be expected to carry them all. So, provide as much information as you can (i.e., size, part, model numbers and previous history etc.).
- Make sure you give the dispatcher all of your information, gate codes, unit numbers, cell phones. Nothing is worse then when a tech in at the gate and is not able to reach you.
- Don’t expect a quote over the phone. Yes sometime the issue is straight forward and you can get an average cost, but you have to remember the person on the phone can not see the problem and they usually are not a plumber. Free in home plumbing estimates.
Before the Plumber Arrives:
- Remove or restrain pets from area. They maybe sweet and friendly to you but they may not like the stranger coming through the door.
- Empty cabinets and sinks where work is to be performed.
- Clear a path to water heater or crawl space entrance.
After the Plumber Arrives:
- Explain what you see as the problem and everything that has been done previously. This will speed the work and lower your plumbing bill.
- Ask for a quote, you should always know what to expect before the plumber starts the job.
Before the Plumber Leaves:
- Inspect the work to ensure what you expected was done. Make sure everything every thing working properly.
- Ask questions about this or future projects.
No Hot Water!
The number one reason Chandler Heights homeowners replace their water heater is when their existing water heater stops working. There are a number of reasons water heaters stop working: if the problem is with the actual heating unit or controls, repairing the water heater may be possible. However, if the water heater is significantly damaged or the tank itself is leaking, water heater replacement is the only option. Cold showers are no way to start the day!
The End is Near!
Avoid the icy cold inconvenience of having your water heater fail. Water heaters have an expected useful life of 5-7 years for an electric water heater and 8- 10 years for a gas water heater, actual performance varies with family usage, water quality, environmental conditions, and a number of other factors. If your home water heater is over a decade old, you’ll want to start thinking about water heater replacement.
Save Energy, Save Money
Water heater technology has evolved significantly over the years. The big, old heavy water heaters we remember from our grandparent’s basements is yesterday’s news! Today, water heater manufacturers are leading the way with units that are extremely energy efficient. Environmental pressures are growing more intense every day: every little bit we can do to save the planet helps! Additionally, the less energy you use to heat your home’s water supply, the lower your utility bill is going to be. That means extra money in your pocket
All Of Our Arizona Plumbers are Licensed and Bonded. Why do we think you should know this?
There are many times in this down economy that we as home owners in the Tempe Arizona area try to fix things we don’t know very much about just to try and save some money. Unfortunately, we don’t always save money because we may end up messing things up more than before we started. So if I’m not going to do it myself, why should I hire a licensed contractor? Can’t I save money by hiring an unlicensed contractor? Read what Karim says from his article “Should you hire Joe the Plumber?”
“There are a number of reasons that are in your best interest to hire a licensed contractor:
1) Permits and Regulations: Every municipality and state has varying laws and regulations that must be followed – this is especially important when dealing with building structures, electrical, gas and plumbing; a licensed contractor works with these regulations daily, and knows what work is regulated, and requires permits and inspections. Doing work without permits is illegal, and may affect your insurance or worse, the resale value of your home or the safety of yourself and your family.
2) Unsatisfactory Work: If you hire a contractor without license, you may have no recourse if you have a grievance with their work, or worse if they cause damage. In many states, there are laws, dispute resolution processes or other mechanisms that protect consumers IF the contractor is licensed and insured.
3) Insurance: Aside from being licensed, insurance is another critical aspect that a consumer should consider before hiring a contractor. Some states require insurance before they will issue a contractor’s license – others don’t. In any event, it’s pretty simple – if a worker is injured while working on your property and the contractor doesn’t have insurance, you could be liable to pay for injuries and rehabilitation. Depending on the size and nature of the work, the other piece of the puzzle to consider is whether the contractor carries commercial general liability insurance – it’s not required, however, it will cover damage to your property by the contractor in that unfortunate circumstance. And remember to ask for copies of the insurance certificates.”
There’s no perfect answer to this question, but generally speaking hiring licensed and insured contractors will generally result in a better outcome with less headache and more protection for you, the consumer, in the event something goes awry. So, before starting a project, familiarize yourself with relevant state and municipality regulations, do your homework on potential contractors’ insurance coverage and make sure to independently verify your contractor’s license. A little bit of homework goes a long way! see full article here.
Welcome to City Wide Plumbing and Service Company’s Blog.
City Wide Plumbing and Service Company is a full service plumbing company located in Tempe Arizona and has served both residential and commercial customers in the East Valley for over thirty years.
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