Is It Time for a New Water Heater?

A quality water heater can last ten to fifteen years if it’s properly maintained. There does come a time, though, when you may need to repair or replace your system. Before you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a new water heater, determine if your unit’s problems could be solved with a tune-up.

If your water is not hot enough make sure the power is connected (if your heater is electric) or that the pilot is lit (if you have a gas system). Try resetting the thermostat and flush the heater to get rid of any sediment that’s built up in the tank. Add extra insulation around exposed hot water pipes and raise the temperature on the thermostat a few degrees. If your water heater runs on gas, clean the gas burner and replace the thermo coupler, a safety device that shuts the gas off if the pilot light goes out.

If your heater is making hissing or popping noises, drain the tank until the water runs clear to remove accumulated sediment and debris. Soak the elements in white vinegar and scrub them to remove lime scale and buildup.

If your water pipes are leaking try tightening the fittings. If that doesn’t work, shut off the water and replace them. Leaky valves should always be replaced.

A brand new water heater can cost anywhere from $500 to $1000 or more; buying a new system should be your last resort. Many common problems can be resolved by a few minor repairs.

Most water heater parts are designed to be replaceable. This includes heating elements, thermostats, anode rods and valves. If your heater is less than 13 years old and has been working just fine until a specific time that you can pinpoint, you will probably need a simple repair. A professional will be able to tell you what’s not working and can install replacement parts to fix the problem.

Consider factors like local weather, design of your equipment, quality of installation, level of regular maintenance the unit receives, volume of daily use, and your water quality. All of these things can shorten the lifespan of your water heater. If your system undergoes a lot of wear and tear, replacement might be more cost effective than trying to fix a struggling unit.

If your heater is more than 13 years old and has started to malfunction it’s probably cheaper in the long run to buy a new system. If you notice leaks in the body of the heater tank itself or around plumbing fixtures, you should replace the unit immediately. Excessive corrosion on the tank or around pipe connections usually indicates a major problem, too. If you can only get cold water from the hot water tap, if your heater isn’t able to consistently produce enough hot water, or if you hear clanking, popping or sizzling noises that persist after parts have been replaced, it’s probably time to shop for a new water heater.


For More Information on Hot Water Heaters, check out this article from Horizon Services:

• Emergency Hot Water Heater Shutdown Procedures

Honor Our Veterans

Veteran's Day is coming up next Wednesday, November 11th.

Around our house every day is Veteran's Day. My husband is a vet who was badly wounded in Vietnam in 1969 at age 19.

We met in 1989 when he came into my showroom and asked me to help him redesign his kitchen. He was walking on his prosthetic legs at the time. Dumb me! I had no idea he was a double amputee until I arrived at his door to measure his kitchen.

Needless to say, I was momentarily taken aback. That was my first experience working with a disabled client and, in those days, our education and training didn't encompass working with the disabled.

He showed me his kitchen and we talked for several hours about the possibilities. He had already removed a wall that once divided the kitchen from the dining room. He related how he had once spilled a pot of boiling spaghetti on his lap in an effort to move the pot from his stove to the sink. I was horrified because kitchen safety is one thing I strongly advocate.

I told him that the $25,000 that he had saved for his project, while perfectly adequate for a "normal" kitchen remodel, wouldn't be nearly enough for the customizations that he would need to make his kitchen safe for use in a wheelchair. We parted with him disappointed and me disturbed.

The next morning, as I prepared for work, I couldn't get him out of my mind...And then a brainstorm! At the time I was on the Board of NARI (the National Association of the Remodeling Industry) San Francisco Bay Area Chapter. We had just started the chapter and were looking for ways to publicize the organization. We could remodel his kitchen as a community service project!

There was a Board meeting a few days later. I broached the idea and the rest of the Board thought it was wonderful. Right then and there we passed a resolution to remodel George's kitchen and get all the materials donated to make his cost as close to nothing as possible.

Excited, I called George with my news. His response: "No way. I'm not a charity case!" It took me three months to convince him. He finally capitulated when I told him if he didn't participate I would find somebody else who would!

I set to work to get together donors and volunteers. Everything was delivered to the site and we commenced with tearout on October 16th 1989. By the end of the day George's kitchen was down to the bare studs.

The following day, at 5:04 p.m., the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the Bay Area. Suddenly all of the contractor volunteers, who had been scratching for work before the quake, were overwhelmed with work. Many came from the East Bay, and the Bay Bridge was down. The project that I had so carefully planned to take three weeks stretched to three months of interminable nagging on my part, and complaining on George's part, before it was finally complete.

At long last, George had his wheelchair accessible kitchen. My task was complete. Needless to say we didn't stop the relationship we had forged over the 8-9 months from that fateful night when I stood on his front porch for the first time. Instead allowing it to bloom into a 20 year relationship and marriage that has endured the tests of time.





















Hopefully my story will inspire others to assist our veterans, especially the disabled ones, to live fully realized lives. In this spirit, I continue to offer free design services to disabled veterans. So, if you are a disabled vet reading this, and you need my design services. Please email me. I am happy to oblige, on this Veteran's day, or any day.

If you want to help a vet, a good place to start is with Wounded Warrior Project. Or volunteer at a VA hospital near your community. In the Bay Area we have the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and the VA Palo Alto Health Care System, also a smaller division in Menlo Park, and another in Livermore.

Peggy

Rethinking Cranberries

My mom had a run-in with cranberry sauce early in her immigrant life.

It was 1963. The administration at St. Alexis Hospital had invited all the foreign residents to spend Thanksgiving with a host family. At the time, my parents socialized with immigrants from India, Mexico, and South America. Eager to broaden her experiences, my mom convinced my father to accept the invitation. The staff provided my parents with the name and address of an American family living in Cleveland. And like Marco Polo, my parents set off to discover the mysteries of their new world.

I like to picture them stepping out of their black VW bug. My mom in a carefully pressed silk sari; her shoulder-length hair tucked into a plump bun. My father in a dark suit with the buttons discreetly fastened. When they reached the door, they were welcomed by a middle aged Caucasian couple, two children and a grandmotherly figure who all turned out to be gracious hosts. Other details about the family - their names, hair color, clothing - have faded with time. My mom memories of the meal, however, remain poignant.

Soon after they sat down to eat, the grandmother commented on my mom's slender build.

"You're too skinny. You need to eat more!"

The grandmother insisted that my mom be given an extra large helping of turkey. Before handing my mom her plate, the woman of the house asked whether she wanted cranberry sauce. The sauce reminded her of the savory pickle she ordered from ABC Trading Company (Canal Street, New York, New York along with cumin, cardamom, coriander and other pantry staples). She nodded politely. At last part of the inner circle, my mom happily swallowed a forkful of turkey smothered in the burgundy-colored sauce. It was tasteless compared to the spice-laden meat to which she was accustomed and the sauce was sweet! She found the pairing incomprehensible and still recalls how she had to fight the nausea that begun bubbling up her throat. To her horror, there was a huge chunk of cranberry turkey still resting on her plate.

The following year, my parents celebrated Thanksgiving with the Mennons who had also immigrated from Kerala. Mr. Mennon's employer had offered him a turkey and my mom had insisted that he accept it. She and Mrs. Mennon basted and roasted it under the wing of Good Housekeeping Cookbook (which still has a hallowed place in my mom's kitchen.)

The meal did not include cranberries.

I remember my mom serving canned cranberry sauce off and on at Thanksgiving. Perhaps she felt obligated to include it the longer she lived in the states. Everyone ignored it. After eatingKerala dishes day in and day out, we were wary to let sweet and savory flavors mingle. I have never bothered to include cranberries at the holiday meals I've hosted. But lately I begun itching to make room for the garnet colored fruit on the table. This year a cranberry walnut upside down cake from Gourmet will grace the table.

TIPS:

- I love the warm taste of cinnamon and add 1/2 teaspoon to the dry ingredients when preparing this cake.

- It's best to invert this cake directly onto the serving dish because it has a delicate crumb, despite its rustic appearance. If you plan to move it more than once, add a tiny layer of oil to the surface of the wire rack or dish before you lay it down.