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Things to Look for When Purchasing a New Water Heater

A water heater is a major purchase for most Covina homeowners, so it’s very important to get it right the first time to avoid the hassle and expense of replacing it.

There are a lot of different things that can factor into the decision, and they aren’t always obvious to people who don’t have much experience working with heating equipment.

Choose the Right Tank

Most people opt for a traditional tank for their water heater, but that isn’t the only choice. Traditional tanks have the advantage of being cheap to install, but they can take up a lot of floorspace in a garage or basement.

Tankless options are available that can hang on a wall and take up less space, but they usually cost more to install and they need good ventilation. A hybrid options is also available.

It can get pricey, but it heats water faster than the other options and tends to have a longer lifespan. Tankless and hybrid options only heat water as it is needed, so they can save on energy use.

Energy Source Matters

Most water heaters rely on electricity. Depending on where you live, other options might be available and they can offer their own advantages. Solar energy is cheap, but it isn’t always available.

Geothermal power is also cheap, but getting it set up in the first place can be a major undertaking. Fossil fuels can also power a heater, and they can be a good choice in places with unreliable power cables or as a backup for when the power goes out during a natural disaster.

Size Matters

Choose a water heater that will give you all the water that you need, but don’t go for one that is much bigger than that. Larger heaters require more space and more energy, which drives the cost up.

Water use tends to be fairly consistent within a household over time, so doing a little research to determine your Covina home water heater needs before you choose a water heater can save a lot of money in the long term.

Most people use one water heater for many years before it gets replaced, so even a small increase in efficiency can lead to significant savings over the heater’s lifespan.

If you need an expert to service your water heater in Covina, CA, then call Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer at (626) 962-0885.

Leaking Houses – 3 Most Common Reasons

All houses contain complex systems of energy, HVAC (heating, venting, air-conditioning), and plumbing. These systems are usually hidden behind wall studs, routed throughout the floors joists and above the ceiling rafters. When these systems fail, then disaster quickly ensues.

Specific Plumbing Defects

Plumbing defects can be one of the most significant dangers for a living space because of water leaks. Water is routed throughout a La Habra home in both fresh and effluent streams – incoming and outgoing, fresh and dirty.

The source or destination does not matter when there’s a leak because any break in the system is a disaster! Wall are destroyed.

Electrical fixtures are ruined. Carpets are drenched. Furniture needs to be replaced. Water leaks are no simple fix!

But what causes leaks? Why do leaks occur? Three main issues result in water leaks. First of all, other than brand new living units, most have several different types of plumbing technology.

Various Pipes

Older pipes were made from earthenware or black iron. Newer plumbing material is generally made of plastic. Copper still remains one of the most used materials in plumbing, but it fluctuates due to the price. These materials have unique properties and unique methods of joining them together to route water throughout a living unit.

These joints, especially in the case of joining two dissimilar materials (copper and plastic, for example) are where most leaks occur. Older materials simply wear over time, and develop slight fractures that will expand under pressure.

The Process of Leaks

Secondly, the quality of water also impacts leaks. Hard water buildup in the line decreases the size of the plumbing tube through which the water is flowing. Water lines can become like a clogged artery; with increased buildup comes increased pressure.

Over time, caked residue in the form of calcium or magnesium hardness ions, will further increase the pressurized system. For this reason, it is helpful to know the condition of your La Habra water and utilize softening resources if necessary.

Finally, sudden jolts to any plumbing system can cause slight fractures which turn into leaks over time. Bumping any faucet, external or internal, will jolt the entire line, especially in the case of older materials.

The rigid feed line will vibrate is jolted at the faucet. Sudden opening and closing of valves under high pressure will also cause unwanted pressure on a system. Like a car that slams on the breaks is a faucet that shuts off immediately instead of gradually.

Are you sensing that you might have a leak in your La Habra home? Call Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer today at (626) 962-0885, and get a professional on the job right away.

Plumbers Recommended Technique Of How To Unclog A Sink

Clogs In Sinks

Having clogs in your Whittier sink is nothing new, especially since sinks are used on such a regular basis. It’s possible that a person may wash their hands or use the bathroom sink up to 10 times a day or more, depending on everything they do at the sink. Even a kitchen sink can get a lot of use, and this means clogs may eventually happen.

Kitchen sinks can even be more of a problem because of the fact that a lot of them have a garbage disposal unit, which can help to clog the sink over time. Those with a bathroom sink may see clogs due to toothpaste use, soap use, body oils, hair and more.

A kitchen sink can easily clog because of the food that goes into it, especially since many choose to pour used cooking oil down the sink, and the oil may eventually harden around the walls of the drain, causing a clog. Whatever the reason is for a clog in the sink, there are ways to get rid of it.

Techniques That A Plumber Would Recommend

There are some good ways to get rid of a clog, and a plumber would recommend certain techniques to those who want a clog free sink.

One thing that is recommended is to fill a sink partway with water and to cover the drain with a plunger, and start plunging the opening of the sink. Eventually, any clog that’s in the drain should come up, but if it doesn’t, then try the next step.

There should be a P-trap, which is a pipe that’s shaped like a U, and if this is unscrewed, then it should contain all types of foods, hair, grease and more, and this should be cleaned out.

If the sink is still clogged, then a snake might do the trick. A snake can only go down so far, so it’s unlikely that a snake will work if cleaning the P-trap hasn’t gotten rid of the clog.

It may be necessary to use chemicals, but please know that chemicals can be damaging to pipes, so instead of taking advice from a plumber, it may be best to get a plumber out to your Whittier home.

The Plumber May Need To Do It

Everyone wants to do plumbing work themselves to save money, especially when it comes to unclogging the drain, but it may be necessary to get the plumber to do the work themselves to make sure it’s done properly.

Need assistance with your clogged Whittier, CA sink? Give Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer a call today at (626) 962-0885 and we would love to help.

3 Ways To Detect A Water Leak Within Your Home

Check The Toilet

Many homes have leaks they don’t know about until the water bill has reached astronomical levels or if water has piled up in a certain area that hasn’t been checked in a while. One particular area to check for leaks in a West Covina home is in the toilet, which can easily leak for many different reasons.

Toilet leaks are easy enough to check, all that’s needed is to take the top of the tank off, and use food coloring in the tank.

Only a few drops of food coloring is necessary, and wait up to half an hour to see if the food coloring can be noticed or seen inside of the toilet bowl.

If no food coloring is seen in the toilet bowl, then you don’t have a leak in the flapper, but make sure to check all the toilets in the home for leaks and not just a single toilet that you may suspect is leaking.

Check The Water Meter

Water meters are an excellent way to check for leaks in the home, especially since it should keep track of all water usage in the home. If you know how to check your water meter, then you can use the meter to figure out where there is a leak if there is one at all.

Even if you locate a leak using the water meter, it doesn’t mean you won’t need a plumber to fix the leak, it just means that you’ll be able to pinpoint the leak for the plumber, making their job that much easier.

Shut off the valve for the water meter, and make sure to check on the water meter right afterward. If you still see that the meter is turning, then it means that a leak is likely between the house and the meter. Depending on if you have a leaking valve or not, it’s still possible that a leak may be inside the West Covina home.

Shower Head

A shower head can be leaking, and it may not seem like a big deal, but it’s likely to cost you money. If a shower head is left leaking for one week, it can easily leak gallons of water, which then will cost even more money over time.

Usually, a shower head will be leaking to where you can see it, so simply check the shower heads for any leaks while they are turned off.

Have you detected a leak in your West Covina, CA home? Call Daniel Cordova Plumbing, Drain & Sewer today at (626) 962-0885 and get the best experts on the job.