For a few months now, the water pipes in our house have been making this terrible noise like someone is beating on them with a hammer. It only happens when we use the sink in the guest bathroom. It’s driving my wife and I crazy, my wife is ready to sell the house and move

Banging Pipes,

Grass Valley, Ca.

Dear Banging Pipes in Grass Valley,

  This can be tricky. There are a couple things that can cause the water pipes to hammer. First I would check to see if the house has a pressure reducing valve on the water main. It would be installed somewhere along the main line either outside or just inside where the pipe enters the house. A pressure reducing valve uses a rubber diaphragm to regulate the incoming water pressure. Sometimes this diaphragm can become loose or worn and when water runs along it, it will vibrate like a reed on a wind instrument. The easiest way to solve the problem is to replace the pressure regulator with a new one. If this doesn’t solve the problem or if you don’t have a regulator you’ll want to install what’s called a pneumatic hammer arrester into the plumbing system. A hammer arrestor is a little shock absorber for your plumbing. You’ll want to install it as close as possible to the fixture that’s causing the problem. If the fixture is on the second floor you may need to open the drywall to get access to the piping. You’ll also want to take a look at the piping in the area around the problem fixture. There may be some loose pipes that will need to be strapped down. Hopefully this will help; water hammer can be a difficult and frustrating problem to solve. A lot of times I will start with the easiest thing and work my way through to the more difficult and expensive things. Sometimes solving difficult plumbing problems is just a process of elimination.

Hughes has more than 34 years of experience in the HVAC trades. His father, Ira Hughes, started Hughes and Sons Heat and Air back in 1976. The younger Hughes took over ownership of his father’s company a few years back, but has moved on to join the ABT team.

He has extensive knowledge in both residential and light commercial heating, air conditioning and refrigeration.

Contact ABT Plumbing at (530) 478-0600.

For a few months now, the water pipes in our house have been making this terrible noise like someone is beating on them with a hammer. It only happens when we use the sink in the guest bathroom. It’s driving my wife and I crazy, my wife is ready to sell the house and move

Banging Pipes,

Grass Valley, Ca.

Dear Banging Pipes in Grass Valley, CA.

  This can be tricky. There are a couple things that can cause the water pipes to hammer. First I would check to see if the house has a pressure reducing valve on the water main. It would be installed somewhere along the main line either outside or just inside where the pipe enters the house. A pressure reducing valve uses a rubber diaphragm to regulate the incoming water pressure. Sometimes this diaphragm can become loose or worn and when water runs along it, it will vibrate like a reed on a wind instrument. The easiest way to solve the problem is to replace the pressure regulator with a new one. If this doesn’t solve the problem or if you don’t have a regulator you’ll want to install what’s called a pneumatic hammer arrester into the plumbing system. A hammer arrestor is a little shock absorber for your plumbing. You’ll want to install it as close as possible to the fixture that’s causing the problem. If the fixture is on the second floor you may need to open the drywall to get access to the piping. You’ll also want to take a look at the piping in the area around the problem fixture. There may be some loose pipes that will need to be strapped down. Hopefully this will help; water hammer can be a difficult and frustrating problem to solve. A lot of times I will start with the easiest thing and work my way through to the more difficult and expensive things. Sometimes solving difficult plumbing problems is just a process of elimination.

The sink in our bathroom has been draining slowly for some time now and suddenly it just sort of stopped draining all together. What should I do? 

Thanks,

Stopped-Up

Nevada City, Ca.

Dear Stopped up in Nevada City,

  Keep a sharp eye out for signs of a sluggish drain. It’s easier to unclog a slow drain than it is to open a drain that has completely stopped. When the drain is slow, you can try a couple of easy things first. First try pouring scalding water down the drain to loosen any buildup of grease or soap scum. If that doesn’t help, you can clean the stopper, pop-up or drain screen. (This is not for the faint of heart.  My wife makes a funny face whenever I clean the pop-up.) If this doesn’t solve the problem, the next thing you’ll want to do is grab a plunger. If you don’t have a plunger, or if you have one of those silly little guys from the grocery store, go out and buy a good one.  Pick a plunger with a large enough suction cup to completely cover the drain and create an airtight seal against the surrounding sink. The one I use is black rubber with a yellow handle and has a cone on the bottom which can be folded up when I use it for clearing sinks or tubs. First cover the drain with the plunger and fill the sink with hot water and completely cover the suction cup. Seal off the overflow if you have one with a wet sponge or a rag. Push out any trapped air beneath the cup, and then give the plunger 5 to 10 vigorous up-and-down pumping strokes to jolt loose the clog. It may take 3 or 5 times to do the job. (One thing you should know is a plunger works with both the up and down stroke, so really tug up on it.)

 If none of this works you could try using a hand cranking snake, but let me tell you from my experience, they don’t work so well. They take a lot of effort with very little affect. You really need a good electric snake to do the job right. You may be able to rent one from the rental yard, but it helps if you know how to use it, they can be very dangerous to use.

 One other thing you can do before the drain gets clogged is to use an enzyme drain cleaning product. The enzymes help to digest the organic material and break it down to it basic element. It’s a great, environmentally safe product. And if you’re on a septic system the enzymes will work their way down into the tank and digest the gunk in the septic tank as well.

 If none of this works, well then I guess it’s time to call out the professionals.

More info on tankless water heaters 

Other applications for Tankless Water Heaters include the following:
Remote BBQ or outdoor sink
Poolhouse or pool shower
Remote bathrooms or hot tubs
To serve as a booster, eliminating long pipe runs, for solar water heating systems, dishwashers and sanitation.

For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, Tankless Water Heaters can be 24% – 34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8% – 14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water, around 86 gallons per day. You can achieve an even greater energy savings of 27% – 50% if you install a Tankless Water Heater at each hot water outlet.
Selecting a Tankless Water Heater
Before buying a Tankless Water Heater, consider the following:
Fuel Type
Location, Size and Demand
Application
1. Fuel Type

The first thing that you’ll need to decide when selecting a Tankless Water Heater is the fuel type. You will need to select between an Electric Tankless Water Heater (like Eemax Tankless Water Heaters or Stiebel Eltron Tankless Water Heaters) or a Gas-Fired Tankless Water Heater (like Rheem Tankless Water Heaters).

Story From KYA 3.com Springfild IL. PM CST

Story Updated: Jan 2, 2010 at 9:49 PM CST

You may have a New Year’s resolution to get fit or stop smoking, but if your resolution is to go green this year, one Springfield couple makes a great example. Many of us recycle, but Rick Scarlett and Gloria Johnson have done much more to reduce their energy use, shrink their carbon footprint, or simply go green in the past year. “I’m amazed at what we’ve done in a year,” says Gloria Johnson.

Over the past year, Scarlet and Johnson have gone green, and they think it will save them green in the long run. “The way the economy is, you’re not sure if you’re going to make any money, so we’ve decided it’s better to lower your outgo instead of raise your income, so that’s kind of the goal we’re working toward,” says Scarlet.

They own an electric vehicle for trips under forty miles, charging it with only five dollars a month. “It may not be a perfect technology right now, but somebody’s gotta be the first on to do it,” says Johnson.

They drive a Toyota Prius for longer trips. To cut down on trips to the grocery store, they’re growing plenty of fruits and vegetables right in their own yard. “We’re just going to redo it completely into a little farm back there,” says Scarlet.

They use rain barrels to save water, and speaking of water, the strange looking thing on their roof is a solar water heater. “The gage shows the temperature in the solar water heater on the roof, and it’s in Centigrade,” says Scarlet. For cloudy winter days, there’s a backup in the basement. “It comes back down to the tankless down here, and it runs through the tankless, and the tankless bumps it up to whatever temperature you have it set for- 115,” Scarlet says.

They’re also installing chili pepper pumps that eliminate that waiting for the water to turn warm. “You don’t run a bunch of cold water down your sink,” Scarlet says.

The couple will also soon get much of their electricity from the sun. “During the winter, it’ll probably be 50% of our power, and during the summer, it’ll do really well- probably take care of most of our needs,” Scarlet says.

They’re happy to be helping the environment. “I just feel like I want to do what I can,” Johnson says.

Plus, they’re cutting their costs for the future. “I think down the road, it’s gonna pay off really well,” says Scarlet.

They also have a dual-flush toilet with a smaller flush and a stronger one, and they’ve ordered a SunFrost refrigerator that is supposed to use only 20% of the energy of a regular fridge.

They also have double-pane windows, and are putting extra insulation in their 90 year old house to increase its efficiency.

Of course, most of us won’t be able to do it all, but Rick and Gloria suggest going green one piece at a time. One simple step is to unplug or use power strips to turn off things like microwaves or TV equipment off when they’re not in use to prevent the use of phantom electricity.

Check:  www.energystar.gov — check site for qualifying replacement models and more details.

Odds are, somewhere in your house is a black hole that’s sucking down a constant stream of wasted energy, and wasted money.

If you’re like most homeowners, the main culprit is the hulking tank that’s constantly keeping water hot for whenever you might decide to jump in the shower.

“Water heaters are one of the most energy-consuming appliances in the home,” says Rich Wenzel of the Sustainability Network. They can account for 14 percent to 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home.

“They’re keeping 30 to 100 gallons of water at, say, 120 degrees 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — and therefore offer an area of significant savings,” he says.

The savings potential for most homeowners is now greater than ever, thanks to the Federal Tax Credits for Consumer Energy Efficiency.

In the case of water heaters, homeowners can get up to $1,500 back at tax time by installing a qualifying model (listed at energystar.gov). The tax credit covers 30 percent of the total cost — including installation.

Plumber Andrew Twidwell of ABT Plumbing, Electric, Heat & Air says most of the water heaters he sees in Grass Valley would be ideal candidates for replacement.

“Upgrading makes sense for anyone who has a water heater that is rated at less than 80 percent efficient. Most conventional water heaters you find in Nevada County have energy ratings of 52 percent,” he says. You can find your heater’s efficiency rating on the large yellow Energy Star sticker on the tank.

“On-demand, tankless gas water heaters are rated at above 80 percent and do not use energy when there is no demand for hot water, he says. Also, “tankless water heaters can easily exceed 20 years of use and maintain very high efficiency. Conventional water heaters average between 10 and 15 years in Auburn.”

Andrew says “the impact of this modest upgrade on a wide scale would be significant.”

“If most homeowners installed one of these hot water systems, the country as a whole would likely reap an overall energy savings of around 10 percent,” Andrew says. “With homeowners saving around 25 percent of their overall energy bills.”

Other tax credit options

Replacing your water heaters may be the most affordable, widely available way to take advantage of the tax credit — but it’s just one of several options. Tax credit incentives are also available for insulation, air conditioner replacement, furnaces and a number of other improvements.

A number variables determine whether it makes financial sense for a homeowner to invest in one of these options, says Ryan Jones of Home Inspections, a Grass Valley-based energy auditor.

First, he says, it depends on whether a homeowner is interested in helping save the environment or just saving money. If the latter, then most energy-efficiency upgrades will take at least a few years to pay for themselves in lower utility bills.

Insulation tends to pay for itself the most quickly — in four to seven years, Jones says. Woodstoves take longer at up to eight years if they’re used consistently — less if the wood is free.

In the case of roofs, windows and doors, Jones says it likely only makes sense to replace those once they’re worn out.

“If the windows and doors are moderately bad or not that bad, they will not be cost-effective to replace,” Jones says. And even if they’re very bad, they might not make sense to replace. “If the windows and doors are that old, the house probably has other areas that need improvement that would be more cost-effective.”

Nevertheless, Jones says the tax credit seems to be generating more replacement of windows and doors than any of the other energy-efficiency upgrades.

“HVAC has picked up some, but windows and doors picked up the most, because of window and door company advertising,” he says. “I think those are the only areas the tax credits have had much affect.”

No tax credit, but savings

It won’t make sense for many homeowners to take advantage of tax credits, Jones says. The upfront costs may be too high, or they may not plan on moving in a year or two. Regardless, he says there are several simple, cheap steps all homeowers can take to reduce their energy consumption — and their bills — now.

• Air-sealing the house by caulking exterior window frames and using foam weather stripping around leaking door jambs.

• Sealing air ducts — with a high-quality, aluminum-backed duct tape (not just ordinary duct tape), or with duct mastic, which does a better, longer lasting job.

• Hanging heavier drapes that extend to the floor over drafy windows.

• Using an insulating blanket on your tank water heater, and insulating foam around hot water lines.