Every four to six months drain three to five gallons of water from your Water Heater. You can do this by following these simple steps:
- Shut-off the cold water intake to the Water Heater.
- Open a Hot water faucet on any level above the Water Heater.
- Open the draw-off located at the bottom of your Water Heater.
- Drain enough water so that the water will run clear and not rusty.
- Shut the draw-off that you just opened.
- Shut the hot water faucet that you opened.
- Turn back on the cold water intake.
- Run all the faucets in the house until they run clear and not rusty.
If you have never done this before and your Water Heater is over 5 years old then consult a plumber before performing the above steps.
When updating your kitchen sink, think about updating your kitchen faucet as well. Items such as a new garbage disposal, an instant hot-water maker, a filtered water set-up and/or a soap dispenser can be installed to a new sink with the right amount of openings made for such items.
Here are some simple steps to remember when updating your kitchen sink area:
- Buy a sink to fit your needs. Most faucets indicate how many tappings will be needed to connect to the sink and extra features such as a soap dispenser only require one tapping.
- There are many different types of sinks, but the two most common are stainless steel sinks and cast iron sinks (which come in many different colors). If you were to choose a stainless steel sink, we suggest using a brand called "Elkay" and a the brand "Kohler" would be our recommendation for a cast iron sink. We prefer these brands for their quality and durability. When buying a stainless steel sink, it is important to purchase a sink that has a dependable finish on it. Without it, rust spots could appear after only a couple of years. These brands cost more than most, but they will be well worth it in the long run.
- Sinks come in single and double bowl and also vary in size and depth. The most common sink is 25" x 22" single-bowl sink. The easiest way to replace an existing sink is to measure it from the front to the back and from side to side and then buy the same size sink. There would not be any carpentry work involved if you purchased the same size sink. If you want to go to a larger sink, consult us before any purchase to see what would fit.
- After choosing a sink, you must choose a faucet. We recommend Delta and Kohler. Delta is a well-known faucet and if parts are needed in the future, they are sold at most stores. Kohler, considered more of an upscale item, is a great choice as well. Because there are so many different styles of faucets we suggest that you see the product first by going to a showroom or picking from a catalog (which we can provide to you at no cost).
- If you decide to install a garbage disposal, we suggest buying a brand called "In-Sink-Erator" for its quality and its warranty. In-Sink-Erator warranties its products not only on the part itself, but the labor to fix it as well. Therefore, if you buy a disposal with a seven-year warranty, it will not cost you anything to get the disposal fixed during those seven years. Most disposals are warrantied on the product only. Of course, if your disposal becomes jammed because of a piece of food or an object, then there would be a charge. These disposals cost between $75 and $400 depending on the horsepower and the warranty plus installation.
