Wednesday, February 29, 2012

How old is my Water Heater?

Few ever think of their water heater until it starts leaking. There are two dangers with this way of living:
  1. Water heater leaks usually cause a huge mess, damage floors, walls and all your important stuff you've stored in boxes in the general location of your water heater; this damage costs a lot of money to clean up, and permanent loss of personal property.
  2. You're now out of hot water until you get your water heater replaced. This causes you to just get a new one fast without giving any thought to quality, length of warranty, type of water heater, present and future needs, energy conservation and cost.
So what's the solution?


First, find out how old your water heater is. Get a flashlight and glasses if you need them.  Look on the front of the water heater and you'll find a label with the serial number, model number, gallon capacity, etc. Find the serial number. The first 2 digits will tell you the month and the next 2 digits will tell you the year it was made. For example, if the serial number is:119237485-b, the first 2 digits signify November and the next 2 signify 1992, so it was made in November, 1992. If you're still not sure you can call the manufacturer (brand name) of the water heater. There will be a phone number on the water heater so you can call them. Give them the serial number and they will tell you when it was made.


Next, if it is over 12 years old, start doing research now to figure out what kind of water heater you would like to replace it with. Call around see what's available. Check on prices. If you want something special, it will most likely have to be ordered, so you won't want to wait until your current one starts leaking. Be proactive.


If your water heater is over 15 years old, it's now time to do something about it. You know how these things go. Your water heater will go when you go out of town, and you'll come back to a flood and the mess I described above.


Call me if you live in the Atlanta, GA area and I'll give you lots of useful, free advice.
Visit my website at www.plumbsmart.com or Facebook Plumb Smart, Inc. Are you a member of Twitterville? Then follow Plumb Smart there for quick tips!

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Introduction: How to be Plumb Smart

Welcome! My name is Paul, and I'm a Master Plumber and owner of Plumb Smart, Inc. Our company has served the greater-Atlanta, GA area for nine years and now we're expanding our services to customers and visitors online. You can also find us on Twitter (@plumbsmart_inc) and Facebook: Plumb Smart, Inc. Our website is currently under construction, but should be ready soon.

This blog was created to provide tips, advice, and information on plumbing products, common problems, and simple procedures for repair. Occasionally you'll also read posts about my garden, latest fishing expedition, political rantings, books I'm reading, and more. If you have any plumbing-related questions, please post them in the comments sections and I'll do my best to answer them.

I hope you find this blog educational, informational, and enjoyable to read. Thanks for stopping by.

That's me (left) and Pete (the other Plumb Smart plumber) standing in front of one of our trucks.