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Water Heater-No Heat

Reasons Why a Water Heater Doesn’t Make Enough Hot Water

Written by Elizabeth McGrath

Updated 11/03/19

A hand turning the temperature of a tankless water heater
BanksPhotos / Getty Images

Your water heater is a workhorse appliance that works nearly constantly. Not only does every faucet in your house depend on the water heater, but so do appliances such as the clothes washer and dishwasher. Like any hardworking appliance, the water heater is subject to a variety of maintenance issues and common problems, but one of the most common complaints is that it doesn’t produce enough hot water.

Fun Fact

The first residential hot water heater was made in England in 1868. It worked by flowing cold water through pipes exposed to a hot gas burner; the heated water would then flow into a sink or tub.

Here are some things to look for when your water heater doesn’t provide enough hot water, with suggestions on how to address the problem.

Demand Is Too High

Perhaps the most common reason for an inadequate supply of hot water is that there are too many fixtures and appliances drawing hot water for the water heater to keep up with the demand. If the problem has just appeared, some reasons why your hot water supply might be inadequate include the following:

  • Recent upgrading to a larger bathtub or spa-type tub may be requiring more hot water than your previous tub. Your water heater might not be up to the demand.
  • A new shower head that features a higher flow or that has multiple sprayer heads may be calling for more hot water. Deluxe “luxury” showers may use considerably more water than simple single-head showers.
  • A remodeling project that adds a new bathroom or larger kitchen can put a greater demand on the hot water heater.
  • Additional household members can cause hot water demand to exceed capacity. Some families find, for example, that college students returning home for summer suddenly cause a hot water shortage.
  • New large-capacity or additional appliances can also put excessive demand on a hot water heater. If you have just added a dishwasher in a rec-room bar or a new large-capacity washing machine, it should be no surprise if the water heater finds itself overtaxed.

Solutions to a Demand Problem

  • Replacing your water heater with a larger capacity model. Water heaters are available in tank sizes ranging from 28 gallons to 100 gallons. Most experts suggest a 30-gallon tank as a minimum for one or two people, a 40-gallon tank for three or four people, and a 50-gallon or larger tank for five or more people. Be aware that gas water heaters recover faster than electric water heaters.
  • Install a tankless water heater. Tankless water heaters heat water as it is needed, so you virtually never run out of hot water unless all appliances are drawing hot water at the same time. Tankless water heaters are available in both whole-house models as well as small point-of-use heaters that can be tucked beneath a sink cabinet.
  • Create a usage schedule that spreads out the hot water demand. In large families, for example, staggering shower times and running clothes washers and dishwashers late at night can improve the availability of hot water.

Incoming Water Is Too Cold

Problem

In cold-climate areas, the incoming water supply can be very, very cold in the wintertime, which means your water heater will require considerably more time to heat the water. As a result, you may feel that you’re not getting the same volume of hot water as before.

Solution

Increase the thermostat temperature setting on your water heater during the winter months. This will partially compensate for the colder water entering the tank at this time of year.

Reduced Incoming Water Pressure

Problem

It is the incoming cold water flow that pushes the hot water out to fixtures and appliances. If the water supply experiences a reduction in water pressure, this will also reduce the pressure at which hot water is forced out of the tank, making it seem like you don’t have as much hot water.

Solution

Fixing water pressure problems can be difficult because there can be several causes. In some instances, old, corroded pipes may need to be replaced with new plumbing pipes. If your home has a water pressure regulator valve, this device may need adjustment or replacement.

Water Heater Thermostat Set Too Low

Problem

In the interest of energy savings and home safety, many people set the thermostat on the water heater at a fairly modest 120 F. This is good practice, but it also means that you may be running a shower or sink faucet at the full hot position in order to get the hot water you need. This can quickly empty a water heater during peak-use times.

Solution

Set the thermostat higher—at 140 F or higher. At this setting, getting comfortably warm water at a shower or faucet will involve mixing the hot and cold water flow, which means it will take longer to use up the hot water in the tank.

Faulty Thermostat

Problem

If you notice no increase in water temperature when you increase the setting on your water heater, it’s possible that the thermostat is faulty. This is fairly common with electric water heaters, which have thermostats attached to both the upper and lower heating elements on the tank.

Solution

You should have the faulty thermostat replaced.

Faulty Electrical Heating Element

Problem

Electric water heaters have two heating elements mounted in the tank, and it is fairly common for them to wear out. Diagnosing a heating element is fairly easy. A constant supply of lukewarm water usually means a defective upper heating element, while a short-lived supply of fully hot water means that the lower heating element is probably defective.

Solution

Test and replace a faulty element. This is a fairly easy DIY project.

Sediment Buildup in Tank

Problem

If rust, corrosion, and sediment build-up in the bottom of a water heater tank, the burner or heating elements will not heat the water as efficiently, making it harder to maintain a good supply of sufficiently hot water.

Solution

Prevention—in the form of yearly flushing of the water heater tank to remove any buildup of sediment and rust that collects in the bottom of the tank.

Distance to Water Heater Is Too Far

Problem

In homes where a bathroom is quite some distance away from the water heater, it can not only take quite a while for hot water to reach the shower and sink faucet, but the hot water supply may run out rather quickly. The reason for this is that a considerable amount of hot water is being used to heat up long runs of pipes running from the water heater to the faucets.

Solutions

There are several solutions to consider:

  • Install a supplemental point-of-use water heat near the faucet. These appliances are essentially small electric tank water heaters installed in the vanity cabinet.
  • Install an instant hot water recirculating pump to keep water in the hot water lines constantly warm.
  • Insulate the hot water pipes running from the water heater to the distant faucet. This will prevent heat from being lost as it radiates off the pipes.

Faulty Dip Tube

Problem

Hot water heaters are designed so that cold water enters the tank through a dip tube that runs from top cold water inlet down through the inside of the tank, delivering the cold water to the bottom. This ensures that the hottest water is at the top of the tank, near the hot water outlet pipe.

If the dip tube becomes disconnected or broken, the cold water may enter the tank at the top, where it immediately dilutes the hot water. This results in lukewarm water and an apparent reduction in the volume of hot water.

Solution

Disconnect the cold water inlet on the water heater, remove the old dip tube, and install a new dip tube. The part is inexpensive, and replacement is an easy DIY project.

Gas Burner Is Dirty or Faulty

Problem

A gas water heater cannot heat effectively if the burner is dirty or not functioning properly. The gas flame at the burner should burn steadily with a bright blue flame. If the flame is irregular or yellow in color, it will not be as hot and won’t heat up the water in the tank as effectively.

Solution

Service the gas burner, which usually means cleaning the jets so the gas can flow freely. If the burner is cracked or badly corroded, it should be replaced.

Water Heater Is Worn Out

Problem

The average lifespan of a water heater is 8 to 12 years, and no matter how well you maintain it, eventually sediment will build up, affecting the efficiency of the appliance and reducing the available volume for hot water. If your water heater is at least 10 years old, efforts to correct a diminishing supply of hot water may be futile.

Solution

An old water heater needs to be replaced. When choosing a new water heater, make sure to choose a model with a tank size large enough for your needs. And now might be a time to consider a state-of-the-art tankless water heater.

Article From www.thespruce.com

News-Info, Uncategorized

HVAC Package Units

How a Packaged System Works

GDM_house_pkgunit

Types of Packaged Units

Packaged Air Conditioners : The compressor, coils, air handler are all housed in a single-boxed cabinet. The packaged air conditioner can also provide limited warmth by using an electrical strip heating.

  • Packaged Air Conditioners : The compressor, coils, air handler are all housed in a single-boxed cabinet. The packaged air conditioner can also provide limited warmth by using an electrical strip heating.
  • Packaged Heat Pumps: A packaged heat pump uses heat pump technology to cool and heat your home.
  • Package Gas-Electric: T The packaged gas-electric unit combines an air conditioner with gas-powered furnace performance.
  • Package Dual-Fuel: The packaged dual fuel system contains a heat pump, capable of heating and cooling, as well as a gas furnace. This type of packaged system optimizes the heating source for the conditions.

How Each Packaged System Works

Operation depends on configuration, but packaged systems typically heat and cool your home the same way their stand-alone counterparts do. The ducting with a single cabinet system is slightly different. The duct work is attached to the system rather than connecting to various components in your home.

Packaged System Air Condition Component

  • By using electricity as its power source, the unit’s internal components cycle the refrigerant.
  • Warm air is pulled in by a fan and then passes over the cold evaporator coil, cooling it in the process.
  • The cooled, dehumidified air is pushed through ducts to the various spaces inside your home.

Package System Heating Component

  • Packaged Air Conditioners: In addition to the typical cooling feature associated with an air conditioner, packaged air conditioners are capable of producing limited heat with heat strip elements. With electricity as the fuel source, the heat strips are warmed, and the air is heated as it flows over the strips.The warm air then travels through ducting to increase the interior temperature of your home. This type of heating component is mainly used in warmer climates where heat is only used occasionally.  
  • Packaged Heat Pumps: The heat pump transfers heat by reversing the refrigeration cycle used by a typical air conditioner. Through a cycle of evaporation and condensation, the indoor coils are heated, and the air is pushed over the warm coils. From there, the warmed air is blown through the ductwork to increase the temperature in the interior rooms of your home.  
  • Packaged Gas-Electric: The heating component of a packaged gas-electric system is a gas furnace. The heating portion of the system uses natural gas or propane to combust inside the heat exchanger, creating heat. As cool air from the interior spaces is pulled in through the return ducting, the blower motor then blows the air over and through the hot heat exchanger, heating the air. The warm air is then circulated throughout the home through the ductwork.  
  • Packaged Dual-Fuel: Your dual-fuel packaged system has two heating options, a heat pump or a gas furnace. When installed and configured correctly, your dual fuel system can determine whether it’s more economical to heat your home using electricity or gas. When moderate heating is required, the heat pump automatically reverses from the air condition mode to provide warm air. When temperatures fall further, the system uses the gas furnace to provide reliable, consistent heat.

Benefits

  • Space efficiency – Unlike split-system units, all components of a complete heating and cooling system are contained in one location, making packaged units ideal for situations in which indoor space is at a premium.
  • Energy-efficient heating and cooling performance – All Goodman® brand packaged units offer 13 SEER or higher cooling performance. Our packaged gas/electric units offer 80% AFUE heating performance, as well.

More articles at this LINK

HVAC Learning Center

From https://www.goodmanmfg.com/resources/heating-cooling-101/how-a-packaged-system-works

News-Info

10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make

10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make

10 Financial Mistakes Rich People Never Make
Image credit: Shutterstock

I hear people giving financial advice all the time. Most of them aren’t rich.

Those who are rich would disagree with what many charlatans preach. The other day, I came across an article proclaiming, “Skip your lunch, don’t buy expensive coffee, cut your hair less often.” This is a horrendous way to live your life and it promotes poverty. It’s smart to be thrifty, but you don’t want to be cheap. You should never do anything that will deprive you from your joy.

I promote prosperity–and taking away these simple pleasures will not make you rich. It will drive you to be more frustrated from these unrealistic disciplines. Most of these hypocrites who profess these antics haven’t even made it financially. They just sit at a keyboard in a delusional manner, waiting for a payday that often never happens.

Financial advice is freely given by most people, but most of it is horrible. Conversely, the words you are currently reading are written by someone who is a self-made millionaire. Therefore, watch whom you learn from, for it is in your best interest (pun intended).

If you’re naturally a hard worker with a great career and have been diligent in all your affairs, you can have prosperity now. However, you might be asking, “Why haven’t I made it yet?” The answer to this question is in the way you think, feel, and act toward your money. Making better choices with your money can turn your life around.

There are certain financial mistakes that rich people never make. The journey in becoming rich will require you to make a few mental changes in your behaviors. Once you make these adjustments, you will begin to see the progress as your create more positive results in your life. Acquiring wealth is a great goal, but who you become in the process is even more worthwhile.

Here are 10 financial mistakes rich people never make:

1. Not Investing in Yourself

America’s first millionaire, Benjamin Franklin, was known for saying, “An investment in yourself pays the best interest.” Often, people depend on their employers to buy them books, send them to seminars, or provide them with coaching. However, you must take your education into your own hands if you want to prosper. Invest in yourself.

Related: 7 Networking Tips From a Real Millionaire

2. Over-Entertainment

Yesterday, I popped into a local Dave and Buster’s to see the grand opening. It was crowded with hundreds of young adults (ages 21-35) who were wasting precious time and money. Most people spend 30-50 percent of their paychecks on entertainment, while they temporarily escape the realities of life. Instead, rich people use that time and money to fund their dreams.

3. Buying on Credit

Many people purchase objects they can’t afford with money they don’t have to impress people they don’t like. This tragedy decimates many people, leaving them with a hopeless feeling when they repay their high-interest loans. If a person hopes to become rich, they will use their credit cards for growing and promoting their business, not funding personal expenditures.

4. Hiding From Your Spouse

Millions of married couples don’t talk about money. It makes them uncomfortable, which sometimes leads to arguments. However, you cannot get rich unless you disclose your financial precepts with your spouse. Money is only multiplied when love is in the mix and both members of the household have a clear understanding about their finances.

5. Mortgaging a Home

Some “rich” people mortgage their homes, but they aren’t really rich. Mortgaging your home leads to an endless battle of re-financing, bill-paying, and inflation. When you mortgage a home, you’re likely to pay twice as much asthe original price! Rich people rent until they can buy their house with straight cash, like I did.

6. Traditional Retirements

Our retirement system is a joke that must be evaded by those who want to become rich. If you’re depending on mutual funds, 401(k), and certain life-insurance policies, you’ll do better boarding the Titanic. Plus, if you’re saving money to enjoy it for your sixties, that’s like saving up sex for retirement! Instead, build your fortune while you are young.

Related: 10 Questions Every Aspiring Millionaire Should Ask

7. Buying Inferior Goods

Price shoppers and coupon clippers will hate this, but when you buy shoddy goods, you get shoddy results. If you live by the price, you die by the price. Instead of buying what is “cheap,” buy the best goods that are available. Rich people know that buying a $40 shirt which will last for four years is better than buying a $10 shirt that must be replaced every year.

8. Lack of Enjoyment

Consumerism is funny. During 50 weeks at work, people think about vacations and when they finally get their two weeks, they only think about work. The truth about becoming rich is that you must enjoy the money that you already have, whether it’s $10 or $100. Your money will only expand if you appreciate it and think about how you can enjoy it more. You’ll always get more of what you enjoy.

9. Not Saving

Most people blow their money on miscellaneous goods. When they see ‘X’ amount in their bank account, they automatically think of what they “need” and purchase it immediately. However, this impulsive behavior must be eliminated. Rich people save at least 10 percent of what they earn and rarely take out personal loans for themselves, even if they think they need it. Save.

10. Working For Money

The majority of people in this world work for money, but rich people let money work for them. They know that their money will be a byproduct of the service that they render to the marketplace. Rich people also acknowledge the fact that their material wealth is the sum total of their entire contribution to society. That’s why they never work for money.

Making these mental shifts can dramatically alter your life. When you start changing your financial habits and avoiding these mistakes, you will be on your path to be rich. Remember, it’s not what you acquire that makes you rich, but who you become in the journey. And of course, I hope to be your neighbor one day; maybe I’ll invite you to my home!

reprinted from http://www.entrepreneur.com

Related: 7 Tips to Becoming a Millionaire

News-Info

Do you really need a bank?

Do you really need a bank?

The answer may not be as clear-cut as it once was. Consider the alternatives.

Alternatives to banks

Stopping by the local bank branch used to be part of most Americans’ everyday routine, like picking up milk and bread at the grocery store. But in recent years, a changing technological and regulatory landscape and a steady onslaught of fee increases at banks has helped erode the central role they once played in many people’s lives.

Continue reading Do you really need a bank? →

News-Info, Real Estate, Uncategorized

July 4 – Archie

Archie

JULY 4th 2014  ARCHIE PHILLIPS & DOYLE ROSSER founders of AIA Alabama Real Estate Investors Association 35 years ago in 1978, AIA members enjoyed Archies BBQ at his Lake in Columbiana today. See Archies and his wifes photo – he is 78 yrs. old and recovering from sickness.  These two individuals mean a lot to AIA and we thank them for all the work they have done on behalf of the association and the countless number of investors they have educated, mentored and coached to a better way of life through Real Estate Investing. Six County Commissioners, and Congress individuals showed up today to honor ARCHIE. Archie serves today as our Governmental Affairs Chairperson- he is by far our most politically connected person and influence! His son Bubba serves along side of him plus other individuals.