Every homeowner is eventually faced with the prospect of replacing the hot water tank at some point. Where you live determines the average lifespan of a hot water tank because of the water content. So for instance, living on the west coast means you have to deal with corrosive water because of the alkalinity.

You have a few choices when buying a water heater, the two basic choices being the traditional tank type or the newer tankless water heaters. Asking around will reveal a variety of opinions on the tankless water heater, and ultimately you will have to decide if the extra cost for this type of water heater is worth it.

From conversations I’ve had with a few plumbers the choice boils down to either the short term cost or long term savings. If you are not planning on living there too much longer then it might be wise to go with the water tank hot water heater. If you have set down roots where you live then the tankless is the better choice for long term savings.

Energy Usage

The basic difference between the two is the amount of energy needed to heat the water. Traditional hot water tanks continually use energy to keep the water at a constant temperature, whereas the tankless type uses energy on demand.

Number of Occupants

You also need to consider the number of people in the house. The tankless water heater is great if there are three or fewer people living in your home. If there are four or more people in your home then chances are good that the tankless water heater will not be able to handle the demand.

There is also the possibility that everyone will want to shower at the same time unless you have rules for when to shower. Doing laundry would have to be later in the day and running the dishwasher at the same time someone is showering will probably cause a problem. On the other hand a hot water tank can be sized up to match the number of people in your home.

So when your hot water tank pops a leak and you need to call a plumber, think about your options and do a little research online to price out the options. Knowing what you are talking about when discussing this with your plumber will tell him you are knowledgeable in this area and he will respect your choice without trying to sell you the most profitable hardware according to their connections.

Hot Water Tank Maintenance

To help extend the life of your tank, it is a good idea to flush it every couple years.  Here are the four steps broken out for you.

1. Turn Off The Water Supply

If you have an electric water heater turn off the power at the main switch.  If you have a gas heater, turn the thermostat to “pilot” setting. Using your garden hose attach it to the drain valve near the bottom of the tank.

2. Drain The Water

Turn off the water supply and drain the tank into the sewer line. (get a bucket or run the hose outside if you don’t have a sewer drain close by)

3. Flush The Tank

Once you have drained the tank, close the valves and re-fill it to flush. Drain once again and repeat until the water runs clear

4. Test The Pressure Release Valve

Wait until the tank has re-filled before turning on the power to the electric water heater. Once the water temperature has been brought back up, test the pressure-relief valve. This is a safety device designed to prevent excess pressure build-up or overheating. If the pressure relief valve is faulty, you may need to have it replaced by a licensed plumber.

Where are the best deals, and who can you trust…

As a homeowner you are sometimes faced with emergency situations like a backed up sewer and you need to find a plumber ASAP, but you don’t really know any plumbers personally, so you have no choice but to look online or in the Yellow Pages for a local plumber.

How to Find a Local Plumber At-a-Glance

One of the best things about the internet is the fact that you can quickly separate the small contractor from the bigger plumbing companies by the look of their websites. Advertising budgets directly reflect professionalism or lack of it in the look and feel of a pipefitters website. This is one way of deciding what level of service you are willing to pay for.

Where to Look For a Local Plumber in Vancouver

There are endless ways to find a plumber online, and one of the best is to search through some of your local business directories like Yelp, WebLocal, or the online Yellow Pages. These citation sites are designed for a number of reasons. Besides being a revenue model, they also help search engines like Google confirm contact information, and they are a great resource for local plumbers.

Savvy plumbers will take the time to add their details in a number of these sites to get their name out there. Just because a plumber has a fancy logo, nicely done website and some whiz-bang graphics, it doesn’t mean they are the right guys for you.

There are two basic considerations when hiring a plumber – cost and quality of work. You know your criteria, so based on that you can afford, sort them based on the look and feel of their website.

Watchdog Services

One more thing to consider is how many associations they belong to. I like to do a quick search on the BBB to see if they have a paid membership and what their customer service rating is. If you are looking for a small service provider who might be willing to work under the table then you definitely want to look at the BBB ratings. Another place to look at for ratings is the Super Yellow Pages. Almost all local business directories allow customer experience ratings, which is probably their best attribute.

Too many black market plumbers will not back up their work. Sure you might save a few bucks, but in the long run it’s a real crap shoot when it comes to quality. So you decide. Pay the proper rates and have the resources to back you up if something goes wrong. Or take your chances and save a little by forgoing the receipt.

Recommendation

We talk to local plumbers Vancouver a lot, so here’s our latest recommendation for a reliable plumbing company in Vancouver with reasonable rates.

Watch this video as Brent Alward shows you how to save yourself as much as $10,000 on un-necessary renovations by doing a little preventative maintenance.

Painting Contractors Vancouver

Focus on precision is the reason Heritage Painting & Decorating has grown so quickly on the Vancouver house painting scene. Whether the work needed is on your Heritage home, renovations or new construction… we Guarantee Results for up to 5 Years.

You might describe painting Vancouver homes as a commercial art form we take seriously. We feel the way your home is painted reflects your artistic values to a certain degree, so we’re particular about recommending the styles we do. As a Vancouver painter who cares we specialize in painting Heritage homes, but don’t let that stop you from calling if you just need the deck done.

When the concern is quality you’ll love the work we do. Feel free to call about any professional painting job you have in mind.

Count on our experienced painters to bring your decorating vision to life. We pride ourselves on delivering professional results without hassle or disruption. We use quality products and the best equipment, so you’re sure to be pleased with the results, – whether we paint one room or your entire home. Call for your free estimate today.

Vancouver Painters With Integrity

Painting contractors with integrity, Heritage Painting and Decorating are one of Vancouver’s premium painting contractors. You’ll want to show your house off to friends and family after these guys finish painting the place. Imagine the kind of transformation you’ve been dreaming about happening to your home, just like you always dreamed of.

If you were able to transform your home from the boring predictable place it is now into a vibrant exciting atmosphere just by taking extra special care to paint with purpose, do you think you would enjoy it a little more?

Having Heritage Painting and Decorating on your team is like putty in your hands when it comes to design. Tell David what you want and he will paint his way into your memory. Imagine the ideas you’ll have to consider after David guides you through your basic choices. Exciting times await you, and your newly painted home beckons.

]]> http://www.certifiedlocalpro.com/blog/reliable-vancouver-painting-contractors/feed/ 0 http://www.certifiedlocalpro.com/blog/vancouver-plumbing-specialists/ http://www.certifiedlocalpro.com/blog/vancouver-plumbing-specialists/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 20:58:20 +0000 admin http://www.certifiedlocalpro.com/blog/?p=286 Vancouver Plumbers, In Ur Town plumbing and heating provide local residents with outstanding results.

Their company started out by providing relief services to other local plumbing and heating firms, allowing them to lessen their work load and satisfy customers with fast, 24-hour service. The companies dealt with would bill their customers directly, and In Ur Town plumbing found they were able to generate a profit despite extremely competitive hourly rates.

Eventually, they decided to pass those savings directly to consumers, leaving out the middleman, and providing Vancouver homes and businesses with the best deals possible. Their certified plumbers and heating specialists continue to serve Vancouver, offering outstanding results at any time of the day or night.

So whether you’re in need of routine maintenance, have a blocked drain or toilet, or have been hit by a plumbing emergency, their journeymen will address your questions and respond to your needs. I found them to be reliable and reasonable, which is a great combination in my books.

Home improvement stores have many plumbing products in stock these days making it easier for you to estimate how much a potential plumbing project might cost.

All you need to do to figure out basic plumbing costs is go to a Home Depot or a Lowes store and price out the parts needing to be repaired or replaced. So based on that assessment, you should be able to get a really good idea how much the materials will cost.

As far as the labor is concerned, a typical plumbing rate is $75 to $100 an hour. So if this is the kind of job where you need to hire a plumber, then those are fairly good numbers to estimate the labor for the project. Try and figure out how much time the installation or repair work might take a plumber to complete, and multiply that by the cost per hour for the plumbing professional.

Most plumbing companies offer free estimates, and will come out to the work site to do that. Some companies might use flat rate pricing, but either way they should send their serviceman out to the job site for the estimate. You can decide to have them do the job for you or not based on that price. You might want to ask if there is a call out charge for the estimate before you ask them to come.

So that’s a general guide of how to estimate costs. It’s good to have a basic idea in mind in case someone is trying to take advantage of the situation and pull the wool over your eyes. If the estimate is way off the mark, it’s possible you overlooked something, in which case the plumber should explain why there’s a discrepancy.

If you need a plumber in Vancouver call In Ur Town Plumbing for a free estimate. Ask For Brent 778-829-1448

Good work Damon!

Hot water tanks need regular attention for longevity and maximum savings. When replacing hot water systems your choices are initial costs or long term savings.

Some plumbers in Vancouver prefer to specialize in one area, especially if they are comfortable with the type of work or have built a reputation for themselves. Hot water is one of those areas where theres a never ending supply of worn out water heaters. Advances in technology have made new installations or replacement water heaters a lucrative area to get established in.

If a new water heater is in your near future plans then you will probably be considering the type of heater to install. If youre planning on moving soon, then a traditional water heater with the tank and gas heat system will be more reasonable.

If you plan on staying for a decade or more and theres a number of people to consider, then the high efficiency tankless hot water system can provide endless hot water on demand. Even though tankless hot water can cost a lot more than traditional, savings can be as high as 75% by comparison.

Long term saving with a high efficiency hot water system will pay off the added installation costs in time and continue to run for years after. Utilities will not be going down any time soon so planning future saving into household expenses is always a wise move.

There are other hot water systems too like electric heat, so plan on discussing the benefits of each with your contractor to get a birds eye view of the choices. Its always good to look back on a major appliance purchase like that knowing you made a good choice.

For a great contractor resource, visit our site to find a plumber in Vancouver

I found an interesting article about how so many plumbers are busy these days because of the recent round of cold weather.  Luckily for us Vancouverites, we’ve been blessed with an exceptional warm winter this year. Something to do with the “Pineapple Express” It think they call it.

Here’s a quote from the article.

Speaking to the BBC, the body’s chief executive Clive Dickin commented that its members have been reporting that they are extremely busy at the moment, with the cold snap playing havoc on people’s homes, causing freezing pipes and resulting water damage.

He added that the increase in workload has generally been good news for professionals.

“After a period of deep recession and little work either in construction or domestic renovations this is a welcome and possibly business-saving busy period for many plumbers,” he said.

He went on to encourage homeowners who plan on thawing out frozen pipes to consult a Gas Safe Registered worker if gas is involved.

– End of Quote –

Even though we’ve had this warm spell it doesn’t mean you won’t have problems with your plumbing. I talk to Vancouver plumbers in the lower mainland all the time and they’re into their busy season too right how.

So it’s especially important to be careful if you need a plumber for something, that you take the time to do a little due-diligence if you think the bill is going to stretch your budget. Check out the BBB, talk to your neighbors and ask around. Someone you know might have a great referral.  If not you can always check out the plumbers at www.CertifiedLocalPro.com

The Vancouver plumbers listed there have all the right credentials.

If you’re thinking about saving money on your heat bill this winter, here’s a 5-step Energy Audit:

1. Take a walk around the exterior of your house and check for cracks around windows and doors where cold air can come in. Also examine brick work, stucco, siding and the foundation for any gaps. And be sure to check around gas and electric lines and plumbing, too.

2. Your next step is to get to the hardware store to purchase weather stripping, caulk and foam. The money you save on energy will be well worth the small price you pay for these materials. Then take your check list and plug those cracks and install the weather stripping. It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours depending on the amount of cracks and the size of your home.

3. Do a similar inside audit, check for air infiltration around windows, doors and switch plates on outside walls. To find air leaks use a piece of tissue on a tooth pick or an incense stick. Air coming in will make the tissue flag wave or disperse the incense smoke. Temporary caulking can be used around windows and then removed in the spring. Foam inserts behind switch plates will eliminate that infiltration problem (be sure power to switch plates is turned off when adding insulation).

4. Take your Energy Audit into the basement, attic or crawl space. Since insulation gets compacted over the years, add insulation to keep the heat from escaping. Check vents and duct work for leaks or separation.

5. Turn off the water supply to outside faucets, and even cover them with insulating material. Water damage caused by broken pipes can result in untimely, expensive repairs.

For more great tips about home renovations Vancouver, read the complete article here… http://www.homerenovationguide.com/articles/do-it-yourself-home-winterization-tips