Plumbing is the system of pipes that carry water to and from fixtures like faucets, showers, and toilets. It also includes drains and vents.
Plumbing Express, Inc. installs and repairs these systems, and their work can have a big impact on home comfort. Knowing what a plumbing stack is, how it works and common problems can help homeowners make informed maintenance decisions.
A water heater keeps a supply of hot water available, supplying it as needed for showering, washing clothes and dishes, running the dishwasher, and other uses. A tank-type water heater, also called a storage water heater, is the most common type in homes today. It is a cylindrical container that holds about 40–60 gallons of water, depending on the model. It can be powered by natural gas, propane, electricity, heating oil, or other energy sources.
Water flows into the tank through the dip tube (which has a blue-colored ring), home water lines, and/or the cold water inlet. Then a heating burner or element heats the water inside the tank until it reaches your desired temperature. The hot water then exits through the hot-water service line at the top of the tank. As the hot water passes through, it leaves sediment behind at the bottom of the tank, which can affect the quality of your water. Fortunately, your plumber can install a drain valve on your tank to make it easy for you to clean out this sediment.
The thermostat on your tank monitors the temperature of the water and turns off or on the heating elements as needed to maintain the hot-water setting you desire. A water heater with a high capacity can hold enough hot water to serve multiple appliances at once. It may be best to set your temperature slightly lower, between 120 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, to avoid wasting energy or risking scalding your family or guests with dangerously hot water.
Your technician can help you decide what size tank and what fuel type are most cost-effective for your needs. He can also help you schedule preventative maintenance to keep your tank-type water heater operating efficiently. It’s recommended to perform this annually, or as often as you see your water heater components wearing out. He can also clean out your tank’s drain to remove sediment buildup, which will keep your water cleaner and reduce your energy bills. The drain valve and sacrificial anode rod are components that need regular attention as well.
Tank-Type Heater
The traditional tank-type heater has a large, insulated storage tank that holds hot water until needed. It uses a gas burner located below the tank or electric elements suspended inside it to heat the water. An adjustable thermostat controls the temperature. A pressure-relief valve prevents an excessive buildup of water pressure within the tank. A magnesium or aluminum metal rod, called a sacrificial anode, fastened to the top of the tank draws corrosive ions away from the tank and protects it from corrosion.
The tank-type gas heater operates on the law of convection, which states that hotter water rises. Cold water enters the tank and, because it is denser than heated water, settles at the bottom of the tank. A dip tube extends down into the tank to draw cold water in from a house’s main cold-water supply pipe and keep it fed to the bottom of the tank. The hot water discharge pipe, which is much shorter than the dip tube, funnels off the hottest water found at the top of the tank to provide your home with its hot water needs.
A gas tank-type water heater has an exhaust flue that runs through the center of the system. The flue serves to channel exhaust gases through the system and out of the building through a vent pipe or chimney.
Although the tank-type heater is still the most popular type of water heater in residential homes, newer technology has introduced a number of alternatives that may be more suitable to your household’s requirements. These include hybrid and tankless models. Hybrids combine the benefits of a conventional tank-type heater with the high energy efficiency of a tankless model. Tankless units, also known as instantaneous or on-demand heaters, do not have a storage tank and instead heat water only when it is needed.
Radiant Heater
Radiant heaters warm objects and people directly within a space rather than warming the air. These systems typically use a hydronic (liquid-based) or electric heat source, and they’re able to save energy by eliminating duct losses. They also distribute heat more evenly than forced-air systems, making them a good choice for homes with allergies.
These systems are installed under a floor, on a wall, or in the ceiling. They’re typically less costly and more energy-efficient than other options, making them a popular choice for new construction or major renovations. They’re also easier to install and operate, requiring fewer alterations than other types of heating.
The radiant heating system uses hot water tubes or electric wires that are installed beneath a home’s floors. The heat rises through these tubes or wires and then radiates throughout the room, similar to how sunlight warms your clothes when you wear them outdoors.
Radiant heating can be used in areas where other forms of heating are difficult to install, such as by windows or where furniture blocks conventional baseboards. It’s also a great option for industrial applications when you need to avoid direct contact with what’s being heated or want to prevent contaminating the product being heated. Radiant heating can be used with either infrared or electric heat sources, depending on your needs. The former is typically used for comfort heating, while the latter is often more useful for spot or task-based heating.
Electric Heater
A popular form of heat for homes, electric heaters use electricity to warm the air. They may be installed in baseboards or on the wall and come in a wide variety of wattages to fit your home’s heating needs.
Typically, you will find a breaker box powering 1-2 large wires that run into the wall. The wires are connected to a transformer that converts the 240-volt power to 24 volts, then sends those volts up a red and white wire into the heater. The heater turns on when the thermostat triggers it. When the desired temperature is reached, it maintains the temperature rather than constantly turning on and off.
Electric heating happens when a piece of resistance in an electrical circuit becomes hotter than its burnout temperature. The resistance has a limited number of free electrons, so it resists the flow of electric current until it reaches its burnout temperature and loses its ability to conduct heat. Electric heating is an efficient way to provide warmth for your home and requires less maintenance than gas heaters.
