Hot Water

First, let’s start with the age of your water heater. Check the serial number on the water heater, usually found on the manufacturer’s sticker towards the top of the water heater. The sticker should show the date that the water heater was made. The first letter represents the month… e.g. A for January, F for June, L for December, etc. The two-digit number next to that is the year of manufacture for the water heater. Is your water heater approaching its 10-year anniversary? If so, it’s time to start thinking about a new water heater. If it’s older than 10 years, it’s probably time to replace your water heater. There are also other signs to look out for. Does your water heater rumble and/or make a lot of noise? Is there rust-coloured water coming from your water heater? Is there water around your water heater? These are all signs that water heater replacement is called for.

The answer to the age-old question of “gas water heater versus electric water heater” is not a cut-and-dry, black-and-white one. Gas water heaters cost a bit more up front, but could save you money over time depending on your hydro use rates versus the cost of gas at your home. Also a lot of this depends on what type of power source your home is already equipped for. If you only have electric in your home, for example, you’re probably better off sticking with an electric water heater, rather than paying for the addition of gas lines and ancillary equipment to support a gas water heater. If you already have a gas hookup, it could be worth your while to spend a bit more up front on the water and use gas to run your hot water rather than go with an electric water heater.

Tankless hot water heaters a great for a variety of purposes for residential and commercial water heaters in and around Beaches, Bluffs, and Leslieville. Tankless water heaters are low-profile and take up less space as they have no tank. These types of water heaters use super-heated coils that fill with and heat water as needed. Tankless water heaters are especially suited to homes with natural gas.

The pros of tankless water heaters:

• You get instant hot water on demand
• Tankless water heaters last longer
• Your monthly utility costs will be lower with tankless water heaters
• No “lag” or “reset” time in between showers or other use
• Comes in electric or gas tankless water heaters

Cons of tankless water heaters include:

• Higher upfront costs
• The supply of hot water might not be sufficient for more demand, e.g. two showers in use at same time, one person showering while the laundry is on, etc.
• May require additional gear to be installed
• Could require more maintenance

To find out which water heater is best for you – conventional or tankless water heater – talk to water heater experts at BBL Plumbing & Drains today.

Taking a shower when your water heater is leaking may seem like an unsafe thing to do. However, it is actually okay to do so. That doesn’t mean you should put off repairing your water heater though, as the leak will continue to get worse if it doesn’t get fixed right away, causing more water damage in the home.

A water heater that has been installed properly, and is inspected and maintained on a yearly basis has very little risk of exploding. Water heaters have a greater risk of exploding if they are poorly maintained and in need of repairs. If you check your water heater and plumbing appliances and notice any of the following, then your water heater is in need of emergency repairs.

• Leaking pressure valve
• Rotten egg smell
• Popping noises
• Hot, brown water coming from plumbing appliances

Contact us right away to get your water heater repaired and avoid any disasters caused by an exploding water heater.