Freddy Mercury is a Plumber?

The last time I had to replace my hot water heater was 4 years ago.  Of course it was one of those situation…ohh no, the hot water is out.  Then you go into the cold garage, tinker with the water heater hoping that the pilot light went out and you just have to re-light it.  NOPE! It’s Broken!  It’s very frustrating, it’s like having to deal with master cylinder on your car needing to be replaced.  It does not cost a ton of money but how do you know if the plumber is trusted? Well, that’s the beauty of the internet.  We did not know  a plumber personally so we went online and called every water heater company in the valley.  I checked prices, I bargained, I did not like what I was hearing about permits and earthquake straps, you know all the stuff that drives up the cost.

So we finally had a plumber come out. Of course he gave us the best price over the phone and I figured that I could negotiated with him further when he arrived…and boy did he arrive.  We are talking Freddy Mercury (lead singer of Queen)  is Alive!  His jeans were so tight that it hurt to watch him walk.  His mustache, well…he could sweep the garage floor with it.  And those hands, they were as dark as night with grease covering them.  I was just waiting for him to belt out a high note from “Find Me Somebody to Love.”

So he rolls in and gives us a price…of course I now have to believe him right?  Freddy (I don’t remember his real name) was one of my favorite singers when I grew up and I trusted him.  Well, he was correct. We did need to get the permits and earthquake straps and the pan that goes underneath the tank  but what I knew we needed even more was a licensed, insured, trusted plumber who’s jeans were not going to rip when he bent over.  That’s when we took Freddy’s price and sent him back to the grave and called Affordable Water Heaters to come to our home.

Today, the water heater still works great. I would have liked to had the opportunity to get a tankless water heater but they were just coming on the market back then but if I was to do it over, I would defiantly go tankless…and not with Freddy.

If I take the hours that I spent searching and negotiating along with all the frustration of not knowing what I don’t know and then having Freddy, who actually made the water heater replacement experience funny, come out and validate what Affordable Water Heaters already told me well…I might have had an extra 4 hours to do something for myself.

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Water Heaters

Why buy an energy-efficient water heater?

Water heating is typically the second-largest energy expense in your home, after space heating and cooling. It usually accounts for about 14 percent of your utility bill. Don’t wait until you are out of hot water before researching replacement options. An average water heater can operate between 10 to 15 years

Choosing a Water Heater

One way to reduce water-heating costs is to replace your old tank with a new, higher-efficiency model. Our handy guide outlines the different types of water heaters and tells how to choose the one that’s right for your home.

Money-Saving Tips

You can start saving money on water heating costs right away by following these money-saving tips.

Incentives

Many local public power companies offer cash incentives, discounted equipment, installation, rebates, and other incentives for buying energy-efficient water heaters. So be sure to contact your local power company to find out what incentives may be available.

For more information about water heaters, tankless water heaters call Affordable Water Heaters and Plumbing, they serve all of California 24 hours/7 days a week. Don’t forget to make your home energy efficient this winter with new windows, patio doors and HVAC units.

Tip of The Day: Tankless Water Heaters

Water Heaters

You’ll pay: Qualified models start about $2,000.

You’ll save: Up to 50 percent on water heating costs.

Why do it now? The more people you have living at home, the more an efficient water heater will save you dough. Qualified models use about only half the energy as nonqualified models, so you’ll start seeing the difference right away. And, in this case, the credit covers installation costs. If your heater is more than 10 years old, it might be time to replace it; rust or corrosion on the exterior can be clues to its condition.

What to look for: Tankless models heat water only as you need it, making them more efficient than traditional ones. GE, Noritz, and Rheem are introducing tank-style heaters that supplement electric or gas heating with an air-source heat pump; both companies say their devices cut water heating costs by up to 50 percent.

Bottom line: By and large, qualified heaters are pricier than standard models, but the credit helps defray that cost. Just don’t waste money on a bigger one than you need. “If you’ve got a small electric water heater in good condition and you live alone, it might not be worth it to upgrade now,” says Scheckel.

Plenty of stimulus money for energy improvements

There appears to be a cauldron of federal stimulus money going to waste these days because large numbers of Americans are more concerned about saving their houses than improving them. This isn’t setting too well with the remodeling industry, especially home-center chains such as Home Depot, which has sent out a reminder that, earlier this year, Congress approved the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Meaning that, until Dec. 31, 2010, homeowners can take advantage of a national tax credit of 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500, on a variety of energy-saving products. Insulation, windows and doors, roofing, heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, tankless water heaters and alternative energy programs, such as solar panels and wind turbines, are covered.

Here’s a basic explanation of how the tax credit works, with help from the Internal Revenue Service. What the law means: First, the provision that covers this is the Residential Energy Property Credit (Section 1121 of the act), which increases the energy tax credit for homeowners who make energy-efficient improvements to their existing homes. The law increases the credit rate to 30 percent of the cost of all qualifying improvements and raises the maximum credit limit to $1,500 for improvements placed in service in 2009 and 2010. Didn’t we have this before?

A similar credit was available for 2007. Standards for products that qualify for the credit are higher than the ones allowed in the 2007 law. To be helpful, the IRS is advising manufacturers on how they can certify that their products meet these new standards for the credit. Homeowners may continue to rely on manufacturers’ certifications under the 2007 law, such as EnergyStar labels, to see if products they bought before June 1 are eligible. Here comes the sun: Then there is the Residential Energy-Efficient Property Credit, or Section 1122, of the Recovery Act. This is a nonrefundable energy tax credit designed to help individual taxpayers pay for qualified residential alternative energy equipment, such as solar hot water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, and wind turbines. What’s new here: The new law removes some of the maximum amounts previously allowed, and permits a credit equal to 30 percent of the cost of qualified products. So what should I look for? For insulation to qualify, its primary purpose must be to insulate (example: insulated siding does not qualify). Windows, doors, and skylights: Starting Oct. 1, you’ll see a red or black label, in combination with EnergyStar designations, on these products. The label identifies high-efficiency products that now qualify as EnergyStar but don’t meet the stricter requirements effective April 1, 2010.

Windows, doors, and skylights purchased on or after June 1, 2009, must have U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) ratings of 0.30 or less. These ratings must be certified by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). Look for the NFRC label. Storm windows and doors: There is a tax credit. The best way to find ones that qualify for it is to ask your retailer for the Manufacturer’s Certification Statement for them. Roofs? “Metal roofs with appropriate pigmented coatings” and “asphalt roofs with appropriate cooling granules” that also meet EnergyStar credits are eligible – just the materials’ cost, not the labor or roof coatings. Alternative energy: Tax credits are available at 30 percent of the cost, with no upper limit through 2016, for existing homes and new construction, for geothermal heat pumps (they use about 30 percent less energy than a standard heat pump); solar energy systems – both solar hot water heating and photovoltaic power generating; residential small wind turbines with a capacity of not more than 100 kilowatts; residential fuel cell and microturbine systems with at least 30 percent efficiency, and hybrid gasoline-electric, diesel, battery-electric, alternative fuel, and fuel cell vehicles and electric cars.

Ask your tax accountant for details.

Tankless Water Heaters are Today’s Solution

Most homeowner’s don’t know the value of Tankless Water Heaters and the many benefits they provide.  Heating water accounts for up to 30 percent of the average home’s energy budget.  So are Tankless Water Heaters worth the switch from traditional water heaters?

Probably Yes!  If the think about the $1,500 (up to) goverment tax credit you would receive on your tankless water heaters that means you would be paying less that $1,500 for a tankless water heater that can save up to $150.00 per year over the conventional hot water heaters so over a period of 10 years the tankless just paid for itself.  A conventional water heater (done right with permits and a licensed plumbing contractor averages around $1,400.00.  Conventional water heaters also are dangerous (open flame constantly heating the water in the tank)and require maintenance.  Their life span is about 7 to 10 years, which means that you are looking at another sizable investment when it come time to replace.  Tankless Water Heaters also improve you homes value along with the comforts of having endless hot water.

Theer are many brands on the market today that are the prefect solution.  Noritz, Rheem and Bosch are the more popular Tankless Water heaters installed.  To find out more call your Local Plumber and get a quote.  It’s always worth taking a look at.