Hot water is great for coffee, not baths. Scalding hot tap water is dangerous, especially for children and seniors. 120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding baths, but 140 degrees is the default setting on most water heaters. Even 120...
When your tap water tap takes on a rust-brown shade, your first reaction might be shock, the second disgust, and the third horror. Yes, orange water happens, especially in older homes, and if you’re reading this blog, it has probably happened to you. But is the...
Are you thinking about purchasing a dishwasher? Or simply wondering how well a dishwasher performs vs. hand washing? 20% of American homes with a dishwasher don’t even use it. The press claims that’s a bad thing for the environment, but is it? We often...
When a water heater leaks, it’s usually from one of two places — the top or the bottom. Leaks from the top are no biggie, usually involving a valve replacement or tightening of the water lines. Leaks from the bottom are more concerning. They could be due to: A...
You turn on the shower and wait. And wait. And wait. But when you step into the stream, the frigid water hits you like a glacial melt. What gives? In a large home, hot water may travel through 50 feet or more of piping from the water heater to the shower, the kitchen...
The water heater accounts for 20-25% of the total energy use in an average Orange County home. This percentage may be even higher in an age of spiking energy prices; natural gas is no longer a “cheap” alternative. We may never return to the good old days...
