Tips for Choosing a New Water Heater

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Understanding how much energy this appliances consumes does not simply mean choosing the least expensive model to offset your utility costs. Here are just a few tips for choosing a new water heater that will safe you money for may years to come.

What Factors Should I Consider?

The most important thing to consider when it comes to the water heater is your water consumption. It doesn't make sense to purchase a larger unit when you have a family of two using the water. Pay close attention to the size of the family, your water usage needs, and how often you run appliances that consume water.

Then you can choose the water hater that is most efficient for the water consumption, and has a high enough energy rating to safe you money throughout the year. The more efficient the water heater, the longer you can expect less energy consumption, resulting in lower bills.

How Often Does it Need Maintenance?

Just like your car, you need to have this appliance checked at least twice a year to ensure it is running properly. The inside of the water heater contains many components that will affect the way it performs.

If the heating elements are not working properly, it will take significantly longer to heat the water, resulting in your utility bills to skyrocket. Cleaning the system will eliminate the sediment deposits that lead to clogged lines and restricted water flow.

Can I do the Repairs Myself?

Never attempt to repair the water heater yourself, always call in your local plumbing professional. The heating elements within the tank are highly sensitive and can easily become further damaged if not worked on by a professional.

The plumbing technician can easily spot signs of trouble when doing his annual maintenance check, being able to save you tremendous amounts of money in costly emergency repairs from a failed unit.

The professionals not only have the equipment to make necessary repairs more efficiently, they have the experience to be able to identify a potential problem while it is only a tiny repair.

Doing some research on a new water heater for your Arlingtonahome? Call The Plumbing Dr.aat (703) 525-9280atoday, and get the proper insight on your new water heater choice.

Fall seemed to last forever this year, but fall is finally slipping away. Now, winter is approaching and you wonder if you?re ready to battle the low temperatures and high heating bill costs that lie ahead. It?s time to make sure your home?s heating system is ready and to check for any crevices that need re-sealing to hold in that precious warm air. These normal thoughts will help you keep your home comfortable and your heating bill manageable for the winter.

But, you should also think about your water usage. You already know your home?s heating will increase, but did you know your hot water usage increases as well?

According to the US Dept. of Energy, heating your water is the second largest expense in your home.

Luckily, there are several ways to keep your hot water usage to a minimum during the cold months. Here are 10 tips to minimize the heating bill by improving your water usage:

A long, warm shower at the end of a hard day can feel amazing. But, if you take extended showers day-after-day then you can expect to see significant increases in your hot water bill. One way to make it easier to shut the water off is to make sure your bathroom door is closed, which will help you keep as much warm air in the bathroom as possible.

If you prefer taking baths then you may want to start by switching to showers. On average, it costs more to run a bath than it does to take a shower. If you already take short showers then you can take that a step further by turning the water off while you?re not directly using the water (lathering, shaving, etc.) These changes may not seem like a big deal, but they?ll make a difference over the course of several months.

Your home?s hot water heater is set to a default temperature when it?s installed. But, you probably don?t use it at it?s highest temperatures. One way to save is to lower that temperature setting to a temperature that works for you. For every 10 degrees you lower the setting, you?ll save around 4% on your hot water bill. If you lower it too much, just dial it up a bit until you settle on the perfect temperature. You may even find that you can lower it more during the warmer months.

If you?re like most people, your hot water heater has a pilot light (or a small flame) that stays lit all the time. This allows your hot water heater to deliver heated water to your bathrooms, kitchens and more on demand with little delay. However, if you maintain a fairly regular schedule, you can take advantage of a hot water heater timer. The timer will allow you to turn the pilot light on when you use it and off when you don?t. For instance, if you normally sleep from 11pm to 7am, without waking up, then you might set the pilot light to turn off and on around those times.

If you have an older hot water heater then you may want to look into installing heat traps on the pipes that connect to the unit. These areas around piping tend to allow cold air in and will make your hot water heater work harder. Newer units tend to have better protection but it?s worth checking, especially for older hot water heaters, to make sure you?re getting the most from your equipment.

Start lowering your heating bill costs today!

Don?t let your heating bill get the best of you this winter. Take proactive measures to keep your costs down while staying warm. These tips may not seem like a big deal, but if you add them up over time, you?ll notice a big difference in your hot water bill. If you want help identifying more ways to get the most from your heating system and to save money this winter, contact the plumbing experts at Robinson?s Plumbing today.

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Simple Bathroom RemodelingaIn HoustonaIncreases Home Values

Remodeling your home to improve it?s function or market value doesn?t have toabreak the bank. And, upgrading the most frequently used spaces can improve the entire feel of the house. aThe trick is to identify the problems and find the most cost-effective solution. Home Improvement Pages recently published an article including ideas to make those bath room remodeling upgrades count and done efficiently.a

According to the article, ?with a little DIY elbow grease and the help of the right trade professionals, you will probably find that you don?t have to wait until you win the lottery to turn your home into your castle again.? or simply modernize your bathroom or kitchen.aOne of the reasons people procrastinate bathroom remodeling is because they are worried about the cost, these tips can help save you money.

Houston Bathroom Renovation Cost Can Be Kept Low With The Right Plumbing Upgrades Planned In Advance

Top 5 Budget Reno Tips

Budget Reno Tip 1: Paint

We?ll start with paint because there is no cheaper and more effective way to renovate than with paint. Just repainting the walls the same colour will freshen the rooms up, but that?s not renovating with paint. If you want to make real home improvements with paint, consider some of these possibilities before you head off to your paint supplier:

• Top interior designers recommend choosing colours according to the mood you want to create. Blue and green are soothing colours, while those in the yellow-red spectrum are psychologically uplifting.
• Choose a predominant existing colour in your room (such as your floors) and choose wall colours to complement them.
• Turn a bland wall into a feature wall with a contrasting paint colour or wallpaper.
• For functional fun in children?s rooms, paint part of a wall or the inside of the bedroom door with blackboard paint.

Budget Reno Tip 2: A New Bathroom on a Budget

If your bathroom needs renovating, but you?re on a tight budget, these inexpensive bathroom makeovers may be all you need:

• If your bathtub and vanity sink are scratched, faded, stained or scratched, don?t despair ? repair. Call a local bath & basin resurfacing expert and make them look like new again for a fraction of the cost.
• Replace your old shower screen with a modern frameless shower screen to modernise the room and make it appear much larger.
• Simple and inexpensive bathroom accessories like heated towel racks, a new anti-fog vanity mirror and a new shower head can make the bathroom feel so much more luxurious.

Budget Reno Tip 3: Budget Kitchen Renovations

Kitchen renovations can be real budget-busters, but they don?t need to be. Consider these budget kitchen reno ideas:

• Reface your kitchen with new door fronts, drawer fronts and exposed panels. A good kitchen renovation company will be happy to supply you with what you need and you can probably install them yourself.
• If your kitchen really needs replacing, look into DIY flat pack kitchens. They are easy to assemble, easy to install and much cheaper than custom kitchens. Flat pack kitchens offer high quality materials and fittings, so you needn?t sacrifice quality to save money.
• Add a new splashback to go with your newly refaced kitchen and give the kitchen a whole new designer look on a budget.

Budget Reno Tip 4: A Budget Home Office that Works

If you work from home or catch up on work in the evening or on weekends, you need a space you can call your own and focus on your work without distraction. Is it worth it, though, to add on an expensive extension to your home or is there a cheaper way? If you?re renovating on a tight budget, join the growing number of Australians who are dedicating space to a pocket office. All you need to create a pocket office is a designated work space and a little privacy.

If you need more space than a pocket office affords or need a private space for working with clients, look into the products offered by pre-fabricated shed suppliers. Today?s sheds aren?t what they used to be and you can have them fitted out to be as stylish and comfortable as you like.

Budget Reno Tip 5: Get Some Help in Your Garden

Nothing enhances a home?s appearance and value more than a beautiful, healthy garden. Most of the time, gardening can be a DIY project, but if yours looks like it could use a little TLC, hire an expert garden maintenance person to give you a hand until it?s back in shape again. For a more radical, yet still cost-effective garden makeover, hire a garden designer and turn your garden into a magical wonderland.

Before you finalize your garden design, think about ways you can get even more pleasure and value out of your garden and your home by bringing the outdoors in with new window treatments and doors. For example:

• Replace your bedroom window with French doors and style a private garden for your personal enjoyment.

• Replace your sliding glass patio doors with wider opening folding doors.

• A new patio can be as good as a new room and is a lot cheaper. If you already have a patio, look into the new types of patio screens, windows and doors that are available. You?ll be amazed by how much more you will enjoy your patio when it?s protected from insects and the elements.

The Right Bathroom Fixtures aAnd The Right Houston Plumbing Contractor Can Make The Project Much Easier

Call Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical at (713) 812-7070 today. We can help you complete all of your home improvements and upgrades to plumbing during a bathroom remodeling project a breeze and as soon as possible.

For more articles that will be helpful in your home improvement projects visit our blog atahttps://www.abacusplumbing.net/alans-blog/a

About Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical:

Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical is a full service residential contractor that has been serving the greater Houston area for over 50 years. Abacus is a member of the Greater Houston Chamber of Commerce and has an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau of Houston. Abacus is licensed and insured and offers 24/7 emergency service. To learn more about Abacus Air Conditioning, Plumbing & Electrical, visitawww.abacusplumbing.net or call (832) 554-9951(832) 554-9951. License Numbers: Alan O?Neill M-20628 | TACLA29370E | TECL 30557 a

Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical services the greater DFW area including, but not limited to: Houston, Humble, Baytown, Bellaire, Conroe, Katy, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands and more. Check out Abacus Plumbing, Air Conditioning & Electrical reviews or see Abacus A+ BBB to confirm Abacus is a company you can trust.

If you are a sewer contractor and you have recently landed a big contract for a municipal, county or state sewer lining project, congratulations! But do you have the equipment or are you spread too thin to cover the job and turn it around on or ahead of time? Let us just say:

Why is Express such a great partner for contracts for pipe lining in Sacramento? Well, besides the fact that we have the best team of CIPP experts on one team, we also have an outstanding tool box. In it, you?ll find we have state-of-the-art equipment that will make your job easier. And make landing that next contract, and the next one after that, and the next one after that?.easier, too! How does that sound?

In an earlier post, we talked a bit about our impressive fleet of CUES sewer TV trucks. Yep ? we are extremely proud of those and we know that contractors relish the opportunity to use them. But we also have Vac-Con Equipment that will save your customers money. So let?s take a look at why Vac-Con is perfect for pipe lining in Sacramento, or pipeline cleaning.

The Advantage Of Vac-Con Equipment ? Flexibility For Large Trenchless Solutions

As you know, there are times when you can impress cities, counties and states by informing them that they don?t have to perform an all-out manhole-to-manhole pipe lining rehab. Sometimes an industrial cleaning is the ticket. Saving a city like Sacramento on pipe lining is sure to bring you repeat business. Here?s how Vac-Con equipment can help you secure future contracts:

• Vac-Con designs every sewer cleaning machine with the operator in mind. With all machine functions handled from a single operator?s station. These cutting-edge machines user friendly and a boon to contractors.
• Vac-Con trucks never sacrifice safety, so contractors never have to worry about on-site accidents due to poorly designed equipment. Vac-Con features the industry's best safety hardware.
• Vac-Con performance is second-to-none. Powerful, precise, our Vac-Con equipment features a 3-stage centrifugal compressor, 27" Corten steel fans, 2-engine design and Hydrostatic Blower drive.
• Ideal for removing stones, bottles, cans, grease, sludge, and other debris from sanitary sewer and/or storm drain lines by the flushing action of high-pressure water. Again, you can really impress the city sewer and water department by saving them money on trenchless pipe lining in Sacramento.

When Sewer Cleaning Isn?t Enough, Rely On Express For Expert Pipe Lining In Sacramento

Not only do we have the greatest heavy machinery like Vac-Con and CUES CCTV Vans, we also exclusively use pipe lining products by Perma-Liner like Top Gun Manhole-To-Manhole technology, Ditch Witch directional boring and other industry-leading products.

If you need to sub-contract a major job and be sure that it?s done with precision and on time, then call Express! We perform top notch Sacramento pipe lining, industrial sewer clean up and just about any other heavy duty municipal, county and state sewer rehab jobs imaginable.

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Join us at the
Richmond Home & Garden Show
March 1 ? March 3, 2013

Join Robinson?s Plumbing Service at the Richmond Home and Garden Show, this weekend at Richmond Raceway Complex. We?ll be giving away some fun (and useful) items so look for our booth in building 2, booths 38 and 39.a Our plumbing technicians will be there to discuss your kitchen and bath remodeling projects and any other plumbing issues you may have.

The Home & Garden show starts at noon on Friday, March 1, 2013 and runs through Sunday at 5:00 pm. We hope to see you there!