Flooding Alarms: More Than An Ounce of Prevention

When people think of flood damage, they commonly think of damage caused by torrential rains flooding neighborhoods.  While that is certainly a concern for many homeowners, there is another cause for flooding that nearly every homeowner needs to be prepared for.  That is flooding that is caused by malfunctioning appliances, especially water heaters.

Every year, thousands of people have to deal with the consequences of a broken appliance.  In addition to a huge mess, those consequences include water damage and the costs of repairs and cleaning.  In some cases, that damage runs into the thousands of dollars.  This is especially true if the flooding occurs when you are away from your home for an extended period of time, such as a vacation.

While insurance is good to have, there is something else you should invest in:  a flood sensor.  Flood sensors basically do exactly what their name suggests:  they detect flooding and notify you when one occurs.

Flood sensors come in two broad categories:  alarms and alarms plus water shutoff.  Alarms are the simplest and least expensive safety measure.  You can buy very simple stand-alone systems that function much like smoke detectors.  When they sense flooding, they trigger an audible alarm.  You can get one for under $15.

Of course, such a simple an inexpensive system is only effective if you are within hearing range of the alarm.  More complex systems will send messages to your mobile phone.  There are also systems that use a central panel that monitors multiple sensors—such as ones near water heaters, clothes washers, dishwashers, etc.

Another option becoming more commonly available is including flood sensors in your home security system.  If you are already paying a monitoring fee for home security (or will be), this may be the most cost-effective solution.

The other type of systems are those that will stop the flow of water when a sensor is triggered.  These systems are more expensive, but they have the added advantage of preventing excessive damage.  If the dishwasher overflows while you are home, you may notice it in time to turn it off and prevent much damage.  However, if your water heater or washing machine breaks and starts flooding while you are away for the weekend, then that could mean hundreds of gallons of water flooding your home.

Every day, homes are damaged by flooding brought on not by Mother Nature, but by defective appliances.  Flood sensors cannot stop the damage entirely, but they can notify you of an emergency and even turn off the water to minimize damage.  When it comes to stemming the tide of flood damage, every second matters.  Every second is money.

Considering how inexpensive they are, they make very good insurance investments.

Benefits and Disadvantages of Tankless Water Heaters

Sooner or later, you will have to replace your hot water heater. When that time comes, you may consider replacing it with a tankless hot water heater. Tankless hot water heaters are a popular option for home-owners, but there are both benefits and disadvantages to selecting a tankless model versus a traditional water heater.

Benefits:

  • They provide an unlimited supply of hot water when you want it. As their name indicates, tankless hot water heaters do not use a tank. This means that there is no need to fill a tank and then slowly heat it before you have hot water. Instead, the water is heated as soon as you demand it and for as long as you need it. That means you can shower for as long as you want to without ending with an unpleasantly cold finish.
  • They are energy-efficient. Because they do not use energy keeping water hot even when it is not needed, tankless hot water heaters save energy.
  • They have a longer life-expectancy than tank systems. The typical life-expectancy of a tankless hot water heater is 20 years—about 50 – 100 percent longer than tank systems.
  • They offer many features and options. Some models include features such as digital displays, self-diagnostic programs, and/or remote controls that allow you to adjust the temperature.

Disadvantages:

  • Potentially inconsistent water temperature. If you select a model without self-modulating temperature control, you may experience fluctuations in water temperature depending upon how much water you are using.
  • Potentially insufficient hot water. Tankless water heaters heat water as you need it. However, they can only heat a certain volume at a time. If you get a system that too small, you may find that it cannot handle simultaneous demands, such as providing enough hot water for two showers or a shower and a washing machine.
  • Depending upon your electricity provider, your energy-efficiency may get expensive. Whereas tank systems consume a fairly steady supply of electricity, tankless systems draw power in surges when the system is called upon to heat water. Electric companies that impose a demand charge fee may cause your electric bill to increase.

Tankless water heaters are an increasingly popular choice for homeowners. However, it is important to understand the benefits and disadvantages they offer before deciding upon the best option to meet your needs.

Hydro Jetting and your Drainage Line

Anyone who has owned a home or business for a period of time is familiar with the occasional plumbing problem. In fact, many home and business owners may even feel they know a bit too much about their plumbing, having encountered specific problems again and again, especially clogs. Fortunately there is a technique out there that not everyone is familiar with which can help reduce recurring clogs, overflows, and other plumbing problems— Hydro Scrubbing, also known as Hydro Jetting.

What is Hydro Jetting?
Hydro Jetting is a process in which 3500 psi, highly pressurized water is shot out of a hose to scour the inside of your sewage pipes. This powerful stream can blast through debris and buildup in your lines which can be compounding other problems in your system.

A Hydro Jetter, consisting of a tank of water, a high-pressure hose, and a mechanism which pressurizes the water is brought on site, where it is used typically via the cleanout opening in a pipe. All plumbing systems are designed to flow downhill or downstream, with gravity carrying pipe contents out and away from homes or businesses. Because of this, all materials dislodged during the Hydro Jetting process flows down and out of the system. Quality hydro jetters can handle hundreds of feet of pipe in one go.

Why do I need Hydro Jetting?
Hydro Jetting is a good solution when traditional clog removal methods such as snaking have not solved the problem. Oftentimes, issues such as roots are highly resistant to traditional methods and need more aggressive methods. Hydro Jetting is also a good idea for scouring the inside of pipes before they are lined with epoxy resin during pipe lining.

Hydro Jetting – A solid answer to a stubborn problem
Clearing out your drainage line with Hydro Jetting is a solution that can address even the most resilient roots and debris, even eliminating mineral deposits which may be clogging the inside of your drainage line. Keep in mind that in some cases even something as powerful as Hydro Scrubbing might not be sufficient to address the problem, in which case, additional methods such as thorough line inspections executed by video camera  may be necessary to properly assess a situation.