Question and Answer – Page 2

How Do You Know You Need A New Hot Water Heater?

Hot Water Heater, Plumbing, Question and Answer, York PA / Tom Henry

There are a few ways to determine if you need to have your hot water heater replaced.

The most apparent is when you notice leaks. Chances are, if your feet are getting wet it is time to take a serious look at the cause of the problem.

hot-water-heater-leaking

Relief Valve Leaking?

If you notice that the relief valve is dripping, there is over 150 pounds of pressure built up which indicates that either the expansion tank is bad, or the pressure-reducing valve at the meter is not operating properly. If you notice that the relief valve runs continuously, it’s probably not good. If it comes on and then goes off every so often, it’s because too much pressure is being built up.

Rust On The Exterior Of The Hot Water Heater?

Visible rust on the exterior of the unit will indicate a need for hot water heater replacement.

If you notice rust marks on the side it’s likely because the heater is leaking from the top. If there is rust at the burner, the unit may be leaking, but the water is evaporating before it makes it to the floor.

Water Heater Leaking By Burner

Expansion Tanks Help Relieve Pressure and Can Prolong The Life Of The Hot Water Heater

The expansion tank (if you have one) is located on top of the water heater. It can prolong the life of your water heater by taking the hammer shocks out of anything that uses a Expansion Tank For Hot Water Heater solenoid valve (like washing machines and dishwashers).

Water will expand as it heats which causes a rise in the pressure.

A Quick Water History Lesson

Years ago, the water would expand back into the street, but more recently the water companies have been using backflow preventers at the water meter. This gives the pressure no way to be relieved. The resulting build-up of excess pressure is then transferred to your pipes, appliances, fixtures, and hot water heater.

What An Expansion Tank Does

With the installation of an expansion tank and maintaining it, you give the pressure a way to be relieved. Maintain it by pressing in the Schrader valve every couple of years or annually to see whether air is in it or not. If water comes out of this valve, the rubber bladder inside has ruptured. Water is now against the steel in the expansion tank which inevitably will lead to leaking.

In Summary, A Leak Is Not What You Want To See.

Again, the most obvious sign that it’s time for hot water heater replacement is when you notice leaks.

If your feet get wet, it’s time for a hot water heater replacement. If you notice any of these symptoms, contact a professional plumber in York PA.

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Keep The Stink Bugs Out Of Your Furnace!

Heating, How To Repair, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

Over the past few years “stink bugs” seem to be a growing problem in York PA and they can surely cause havoc in your home. Locally, HVAC service York PA has been very busy helping homeowners to keep the stink bugs out of the exhaust pipe and air intake. It is very important to have both of these possible entrances clear as they are accessible from the outside of the home.

They Are Just Looking For Heat Too..

Insects, mice, bees, and stink bugs enter the exhaust and air intake pipes as they seek the heat of the furnace in your home during cooler nights. One solution is to use chicken wire which will allow air to move through the pipes, but still act as a barrier for intruders.

If the stink bugs and other critters are able to enter the pipes, they will gum up the fan inducer which can burn the motor out. The chicken wire will help during all times of the year as long as the operation of the unit is not inhibited by a lesser flow of air through the pipes.

Depending on the length of the pipes, the further the run the less air flow which makes it more difficult for the fan inducer to activate the pressure switch with a negative draw. Chicken wire is generally safe because it?s a little bigger, but something more fine may cause the flow of air to be constricted, so a screen is not an ideal choice.

How Do You Know If You Restricted The Air Flow?

Put on the wire. Go back inside and start your furnace. If it comes on with ignition you will quickly know whether the fan inducer is receiving enough of a flow of air after turning on the furnace. The furnace will start working and blowing air. Something to keep in mind also, is that as air gets colder it becomes heavier which will also affect how well the air flows through the pipes.

Being Proactive Can Save You Money

You might save yourself a $400 fan inducer motor by being proactive.

Keep The Blockage Away From Exhaust Pipes – Plants, Tarps, Stacks Of Wood

Be sure to keep the pipe openings free of other blockage like tarps, plants in garden beds, and wood stacks too. Remember that the pipes need to effectively exhaust the CO2 and draw enough fresh air to maintain the pressure that the fan inducer needs to operate properly. Try to keep a three-foot radius open for the area around those pipes. Also, the air intake and exhaust pipe will generally be pointing in opposite directions because there would be very serious problems if the exhaust were to be sucked in by the intake.

Don’t feel comfortable installing a barrier for your exhaust pipe and air intake? Call a professional HVAC service technician to keep the stink bugs out at 717-755-5461.

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My Furnace Pilot Light Will Not Stay Lit

Heating, How To Repair, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

My furnace pilot light won’t stay lit! What do I do? There are a couple of possible reasons for your pilot not staying lit when you have furnace problems.

Either you aren’t holding the safety on long enough, or if you have a newer furnace, the flame sensor may be damaged or dirty.

Okay, So I Tried A Bunch Of Times.

If you have made several attempts to light your pilot and it does not light or stay lit, you may not be holding the safety in long enough. Make sure that you are holding the safety on for at least a full minute.

If after a full minute, the flame goes out when you let go of the safety, the pilot may be dirty. The flame should be blue and if it is white or has white tips, the pilot is dirty and must be taken apart and cleaned by a professional service technician. newer- furnace- with -out- pilot- light

Replace Your Thermocouple Every 5-6 Years

If you haven’t had a thermocouple replaced in five to six years, it is recommended you do that to make sure you won’t have problems with the pilot. Keep this is mind the next time the HVAC technician is at your house. Save yourself a service call in the future.

New Furnaces Do Not Have A Manual Pilot Light

Newer furnaces have no standing pilot. It’s either lit by a globe coil or spark ignition. In this case, there isn’t a thermocouple either. These units use a flame sensor.

Furnace Goes Off and On Repeatedly?

If you notice that the furnace comes on and goes off repeatedly with a gas burner, check to make sure that the flame sensor is clear of carbon buildup. The flame sensor is made of white porcelain and has a metal rod coming out of it. If you find that the sensor appears to be dirty, use steel wool or sandpaper to clean the electrode (metal rod) and save yourself from the cost of calling a technician. Otherwise, the carbon build-up causes the burner to short-cycle.

You Gave It A Go-To Fix, But Time To Make The Call…

Some furnace-related problems are a little more complex. If it seems like what you’re experiencing is not something you can fix yourself, give Wilbur Henry Plumbing, Heating, and A/C a call and we can get you back in business in a snap. Call 717-755-5461. We can help with your HVAC repair needs!

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How Often You Should Flush Your Hot Water Heater

Blog Posts, Hot Water Heater, How To Repair, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

Hot water heater maintenance is often overlooked, but very important. Maintenance on your hot water heater should take place at least once a year.

To Get Started – It Is Pretty Easy…

What you can do is use a five-gallon bucket to allow the water from the hot water heater to drain into. Draining all of the water isn’t usually necessary and you can just flush the bottom to remove the calcium and dirt. Otherwise, it acts as an insulator because the burner is on the bottom and if you have an inch of sediment, your burner needs to run much longer to maintain the desired temperature.

Newer hot water heaters run the cold tube through the bottom which helps to keep the calcium and dirt flushed out. If the burner comes on and you hear crackling, it’s because of the sediment on the bottom of the water heater. If you hear that, try flushing a gallon or two of water out to loosen the debris and remove it.

Locate The Relief Valve

If you’re going to flush the water or drain it completely, attach a hose to the bottom. The drain is located at the bottom of the tank within the hot water heater unit. When you drain a water heater, open the relief valve (which is at the top and noted on the right) to allow air to come into the tank, otherwise, there will be a vacuum and it won’t allow the water to flow out.

Just A Few Gallons Not Completely

Avoid draining it completely unless necessary! This should only be done in extreme circumstances. Typically, if you need to drain the entire tank it’s probably time to replace the hot water heater.

Let It Cool Before Adding Back The Cold Water

The worst thing you can do is drain a hot water heater to put cold water back in it. They? re glass-lined and can be cracked due to the difference in temperatures. Allow the heater to cool to about room temperature before refilling.

If you don’t feel comfortable handling hot water heater maintenance yourself, seek the assistance of a professional service technician like Wilbur Henry. Contact us today at 717-755-5461 or use our contact form, and let us do the hot water heater maintenance for you!

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Why does my furnace blow cold air?

Heating, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

I’ve had people say to me, My furnace blows cold air only! Is my furnace not working? In many cases, the solution is much simpler than you may realize.

Is The Thermostat Set To Auto or On?

For most, checking the thermostat to ensure the fan setting is correct will keep the cold air from blowing when it is not wanted. The switch can be set to a few different options and should generally be in the auto or automatic position. Otherwise, the always on? option will keep the fan running at all times, including when the burner in the furnace is not active.

The reason cold air will continue to blow while the furnace is on and the thermostat is set correctly is because the fan assumes that heat is being generated by the furnace even if the burner is not running. If the burner is not running, newer furnaces will attempt to light a few times before they lock out. Turning it off and then back on will cause it to try igniting again.

Turn The Furnace Off For One Minute To Reset

If you’ve confirmed that the thermostat settings are correct, turn the electricity off to the furnace for a full minute and then turn it back on. The power switch should be located on or around the furnace. If not, it will be near the electrical box which is uncommon for newer furnaces.

Newer furnaces attempt to re-light 4-5 times then if unsuccessful they will lock-out The way to remove the lock-out is by turning the power on and like, like described above.

After it has had a chance to recycle, it should be functioning properly. If it continues to blow cold air after that attempt, call a professional service technician.

Wilbur Henry can help when yourfurnace is not working the way you expect it to. Don’t feel comfortable servicing or maintaining your furnace, contact us!

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My Boiler Pipes Make A Banging Noise

Heating, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

Have you ever heard your pipes banging when the steam boiler comes on It is as if someone is taking a hammer and banging it against the pipes! If it’s a steam boiler, water has made it up into the pipes because the boiler is too full. The resulting sound comes from its attempt to make steam from the water in the pipes.

The excess water may have come from the automatic fill leaking through or the automatic fill is attempting to compensate for what it thinks is a lack of water during a surge. The water will surge when it is dirty and gets pushed into the pipes while heating. When the water comes back down from the pipes, new water has been added and now there is too much.

What To Look For…

Looking through the steam cage glass, the boiler should be about seventy-five percent full. The top quarter needs to be empty (or filled with air) because air is necessary for creating steam. If you see the water level rising and falling as it heats, you may also see the water disappear altogether. This is because it has been pushed into the pipes and is now surging.

Options For Solving On Your Own

To remedy this, you need to drain some of the water out of the steam boiler. Do this by allowing water to exit the valve at the bottom of the boiler. There may also be a blow-off valve for steam in which case you can place a bucket below to collect the drainage.

Rust and dirt from corrosion will cause the water to get dirty after an amount of time. Preemptively, you can change your water to make sure that it isn’t dirty avoiding surges. Consider completely draining the water and replacing it about once a year if you don’t have a manual flush valve.

The flush valve can usually be found below or around the steam gauge and will allow you to flush the water out until the dirty water has exited the boiler and is now completely clear. It is recommended you do this once a month.

Warning: Be Careful…

If you find that the boiler does not shut off while draining the water, call a professional HVAC technician. Never add water to a boiler that is almost fully drained and is now becoming red hot, otherwise the boiler will crack or possibly explode.

We all know how disruptive the sound is when the boiler comes on and the pipes bang. ?If you don’t feel comfortable maintaining or fixing your boiler, make sure to call an HVAC technician like Wilbur Henry Plumbing, Heating and AC at 717-755-5461.

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Is Your Toilet Clogged? 5 Steps You Can Try Before Calling A Plumber

Plumbing, Question and Answer, Toilet Repair, York PA / Tom Henry

Having a toilet that is clogged is frustrating, but what is almost equally frustrating is to call for plumbing service to repair, the plumber shows up, and 5 minutes later they say “Well we are all good”.

You exclaim “That is it !?”

He says “Yep, I flushed it and everything is working fine.” Or something similarly simple.

Some Of The Most Common Causes Of Toilet Clogs – How To Avoid The Clog Problem In The 1st Place

Toilet clogs occur for a variety of reasons some of which are:

Way too much toilet paper – remember it may be better to make that extra flush than risk a clog.
Flushable Wipes – I know they say flushable on them. But these older homes which are quite common in York PA can not take them. The wipes do not break up. Also, the old sewer lines are made of cast iron pipe. Over time they get buildup inside which can cause the wipes to get snagged on the rough edges, and thus a backup begins.

Actionable Steps You Can Do – To Save Yourself A Trip By The Plumber

Let it sit for a couple of hours – That could be three or four hours. Now if this is the only toilet in your house this may not be the best solution. But if you have another toilet and have the patience to wait it out and think it is most likely just toilet paper, this is a good strategy.
Metal Coat Hanger – You can try a metal coat hanger. If I am at home and don’t have my tools with me, I would cut a coat hanger and bend it as long as I can. On the one end, I would make a little hook to grab any debris. Then I would stick it up as far as I can to help break up the blockage.
Just Flush It – The other thing you can do is try flushing the toilet when it’s clogged.
- The more water that is in the bowl the more head pressure that is on the clog and that might help it push it out through.
- ***WARNING*** Before you try this have the toilet lid off. If the water comes up too high – Just push the flapper (in the bottom center of the tank, the hole where the water is going) down as fast as you can.
Plunger – Try a regular old plunger.
Toilet Auger – These are available at many home improvement stores.
Check Water Flow – Make sure the jets are open the whole way around the rim of the toilet. Also check the main jet at the bottom of the bowl (the main jet is not in all toilets). Over time buildup occurs in these jets and the flow of water decreases. This is especially true on well systems with calcium deposits.
- These jets are going the whole way around your toilet. They are up under the rim. I use a little Allen wrench or hex key tool. Go up inside your holes, just wiggle it around and open them up.
- Then I make sure to hit the main jet at the bottom.

Last Resort – What To Do

We offer some additional steps for removing a clog on another clearing a clogged toilet post here.

If you tried all of the above or you decided none of the above steps are in your job description we would love to take care of your toilet troubles with a quick no hassle service call.

Call 717-755-5461 and Crystal will get one of the friendly techs out right away.

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Toilet Cleaners Can Ruin Your Toilet Flapper – The Right Way and The Wrong Way

Plumbing, Question and Answer, Toilet Repair, York PA / Tom Henry

In the video below Dave Henry discusses the right way and the wrong way to use the tablet cleaners you put in your toilet.

If you are using those chlorine tablets to keep your toilet clean, fresh and pretty, please make sure you are putting them in the bowl and not the tank. ?When I am out on service calls I often have customers ask me if this causes any damage to my toilet. ?The topic will often come up for a toilet service and repair call.

The problem is when you put these chlorine tablets in the tank they often warp the flappers and the plastic and rubber that helps your toilet work properly. ?Now it does not happen immediately of course but it does over time.

The problem is that all of the working mechanisms of the toilet are inside the tank.

This even includes the blue sludges you put in the tank. Which- is- tank- and- which- is -the- bowl- on- a- toilet

Now if you put the cleaners in the bowl you are just fine.

Not sure which is the tank and which is the bowl? ?Note the attached picture.

If you have additional questions or need plumbing service please use our plumbing contact form or give us a call at 717-755-5461.

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Preventative Maintenance That YOU Can Do – Keeping Your Drain Line Open

How To Repair, Plumbing, Question and Answer / Tom Henry

In this video Dave Henry gives you suggestions that YOU can do to keep your drain lines open and minimize the chance that drain clogs will occur.

Of course saving you headaches and money.

Preventative Maintenance

To minimize your chances of calling for a York PA Plumber try to do a little preventative maintenance – One thing you can do is have this simple tool you can pick up at Home Depot, it is called a zip-it tool. It has a bunch of hooks on the sides. You should periodically (every 6-12 months) go around your house and clean out your drain lines. This tool is for bathrooms and lavatory drains. ?Bathroom sinks and tubs. If you see the water is slow at going down the drain that would be a good time to use this tool

Boiling Water and Vinegar

For kitchen sinks get yourself a big pot and add in 3/4 water and 1/4 vinegar. Put on the stove. Bring to a boil. Then dump down you kitchen sink. You may also want to try this down your bathroom or lavatory sinks and tub drains and also your clothes washing machine drain. The hot water and the vinegar is a mild acid helps break up that gunk. Now it will not open your sink if its clogged, but it will help keep the gunk from building up.

Clothes Washing Machine Drain Cleaning:

For clothes washing machines put your washing machine on hot water on the extra large load setting. You want to get as much water as possible.

Fill it the whole way up and turn it to the spin cycle and dump it out. The hot water will help break up the gunk and the detergents in the drain lines. The detergents actually break down and turn it into a black gunk.

The hot water will help flush the drain line. Again, this will not help if it’s already stopped up or clogged. This is something that has to be done before it is stopped up.

The Coat Hanger Trick

Another little thing you can do is try a coat hanger if you don’t want to run to Lowe’s or Home Depot and get the special tool noted above.

Take a coat hanger, cut and straighten to make as long as possible. Make a hook on the end. Insert into drain line. You will most likely need to remove the stopper to get the coat hanger down the drain line. With the special tool above you most likely can leave the stopper in place.

You can also use the metal coat hanger on toilets.

Landlords And Property Maintenance

I would suggest you every year or so or when you have a tenant move out you make it a habit of cleaning out the drain lines to remove hair and build up. And dump the water and vinegar mix down the drains to remove the build.

This will keep your tenant happy and lower your unexpected expense of calling for a plumber in York PA.

Please consider Wilbur Henry for your next plumbing-related problem by using our plumbing contact form or calling 717-755-5461.

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How Often Should You Have Your Central Air Unit Serviced?

Air Conditioning Unit, Blog Posts, Question and Answer, York PA / Tom Henry

Dave Henry answers your questions.

How often should you service your air conditioning system?

The industry suggests about once a year.

We feel you can get by with every year or two as we discuss in the above video.

You do want to make sure the A/C is always running at top performance. Otherwise, it will affect your electricity bill. ?And your unit will have to work harder to cool your house down.

We check your freon levels to ensure maximum efficiency.

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