Can One Roof Vent Serve a Water Heater? A roof replacement is a good time to rethink old plumbing and venting. One homeowner had a 13-year-old, 40-gallon gas water heater. The heater sat inside a small hallway closet. The closet measured about 27 inches by 23 inches. It also had a tight door with little… Continue reading Can One Roof Vent Serve a Water Heater?
Tag: heater
Water Heater Valve Seeping? Check This First
Water Heater Valve Seeping? Check This First A seeping pressure relief valve on a water heater should never be ignored. That small drip may look harmless at first. But it can point to pressure trouble inside your plumbing system. It can also mean the relief valve is worn out. The valve is often called a… Continue reading Water Heater Valve Seeping? Check This First
Rust Ring Around Water Heater? Act Now
Rust Ring Around Water Heater? Act Now A ring of water around a water heater is never a good sign. Rust drips near the tank also need attention. You may still have clear water. You may still have plenty of hot water. That does not mean the tank is healthy. Many water heater problems start… Continue reading Rust Ring Around Water Heater? Act Now
Water Heater Flex Line Leak? Fix It Fast
A leaking water heater flex line can stop a simple job fast. This is even more frustrating when the old lines worked for years. In this case, the leak is at the water heater nipple heat trap. Both the hot and cold flex lines are leaking there. The other ends seal fine on the 3/4-inch… Continue reading Water Heater Flex Line Leak? Fix It Fast
Dripping Water Heater Union? Read This First
A small drip near a water heater can feel harmless. But old galvanized pipe can change that fast. This home has a water heater installed in 2019. Now the hot side dielectric union is dripping. The leak is about one-quarter to one-half pint daily. The house is 98 years old. It still has 3/4-inch galvanized… Continue reading Dripping Water Heater Union? Read This First
Tankless Heater Temp Swings? Check This First
A tankless water heater should give steady hot water. When the temperature jumps, something is not right. This homeowner has an A. O. Smith tankless unit bought in 2020. The heater is set to 120 degrees. Yet the display sometimes shows 100 degrees. At other times, the outlet water jumps to 138 degrees. That is… Continue reading Tankless Heater Temp Swings? Check This First
Best Water Heater for Solar and Big Baths
Adding solar panels is a great time to rethink hot water. This is even more true in homes with mixed heat systems. Your setup is not simple, but it can work very well. You already have a 50-gallon indirect water heater. It is heated by a propane boiler during part of the year. In winter,… Continue reading Best Water Heater for Solar and Big Baths
Tankless Heater Roaring? Check This First
A new tankless water heater should not cause immediate concern. But loud intake noise, high gas consumption, and fluctuating water temperature can occur after a poor setup. One homeowner had a new A. O. Smith 95% efficient tankless water heater installed. A licensed plumber did the work. Right after the install, problems started. When a… Continue reading Tankless Heater Roaring? Check This First
Hot Water Smells Like Oil After New Heater?
You paid for a brand-new Bradford White water heater. It was recommended by your plumber. Two workers installed it. The unit also needed a fuel conversion. It went from propane to natural gas. Right after the install, the hot water smelled like oil. The smell is now faint. But it is still there. That can… Continue reading Hot Water Smells Like Oil After New Heater?
Should I Use Brass Unions for My Water Heater Installation?
Question: I’m installing a new 50-gallon Bradford White gas water heater. The heater has typical dielectric steel nipples with heat savers. I’ve heard of issues with steel and brass dielectric unions. I was thinking about using solid brass non-dielectric pipe unions threaded onto the tank’s steel nipples, then adding a 6-inch brass nipple and stainless… Continue reading Should I Use Brass Unions for My Water Heater Installation?