FAQs

There is water seeping from around the base of my toilet. What is wrong? Your wax ring gasket has probably failed, and isn’t sealed properly anymore. When the toilet is flushed the wax ring will not contain the waste water.

What size water heater should I buy? Most people base their purchases on the size of the storage tank, but a better method is to first estimate how much hot water you will need during the peak hour of use. This is referred to as the first-hour rating (FHR) on the Energy Guide label posted on most new water heaters. Typical hot water use is: showering 3 gallons/minute; bathing 15-25 gallons per bath; shaving 1-3 gallons; washing dishes 4-6 gallons; running dishwasher 5-20 gallons; washing machine 25-40 gallons.

Why does my water heater run out so quickly now? Several things could happen. First the shower head volume in the showers might be too high. A new shower shower head puts out about 2.5 gpm. Some older heads put out 5 gpm. Working with the shower head in this case might double the shower length. In some cases, the dip tube on the cold water inlet has broken or worn. When this happens it creates a short loop for the water, water at the bottom half of the tank will not be used. Electric water heaters commonly have two heating elements that work in turns, first the top element heats up the top of the tank and then power goes to the lower element. If the lower element is out only the top of the tank gets heated. If the top element isn’t working there will be no hot water.

I am working on refinishing my basement and I want to ensure that it doesn’t flood. Do you have any advice? You can buy a sump pump that has a battery backup. One also could consider installing a backwater valve on the main sewer line in the basement.

How do I know the correct size sump pump to install? If this is a replacement and the previous one worked well for a number of years you can simply install the same size. If the old one seemed to run too often you may want to get a slightly larger pump so it doesn’t have to work so hard. If this is a new installation a 1/3 hp will normally handle occasional water flow while a 1/2 hp will be needed if there is daily water flow. You might also consider a battery back-up sump pump for emergency use during a power outage, when the main pump fails, or when water flow exceeds the capacity of the main pump. You should probably have an experienced plumber install this system.

How often should I change my furnace filter? Normal time periods are one month to three months.

Will higher quality air filters last longer? They typically last a shorter amount of time due to the fact that they remove smaller particles circulating in the air. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations.