Rated 4.8 Out Of 5 StarsHere are a few of our 5 star rated customers who wanted to show the world how amazing we are!! 🙂 
Category: Water Heater Blog
Review Round Up Time!!
We pride ourselves here at Water Heaters Only, Inc. on our 5 star reviews! Listen to Scott & Yana read our newest feedback and some photos of our satisfied customers! This Round Up is from the month of August. We got some amazing feedback which we really appreciate. Love to hear that our work is appreciated and what we could do better! New Review Round Ups every month!! Enjoy!Â
Preparing To Leave Your Home For The Summer
It’s that time of year when many of you are getting ready to head North and are preparing to leave your home for the summer. Yes, we are talking about “snowbirds” and many of you are getting ready for your annual migration back to a cooler, summer climate. If this is you and if you’re not a seasoned pro, it may seem a little overwhelming. That’s why we have checklists!
In this blog, we will be offering a list of tips to help you get your home ready. Given that there are so many things to do, we find that a check-list is really helpful, especially if you are leaving the hotter areas of Arizona such as Phoenix because there are special precautions that should be taken due to the extreme heat and occasional torrents of summer rain. So, without further ado, here is a basic checklist to help you in preparing to leave your home for the summer. These are listed in no particular order of importance:
- Make sure you have arranged for your mail to be stopped or forwarded to your new address. The same goes for your newspaper.
- Not only should you notify all of your service providers such as cable TV and the electric company of your impending departure. If you live in a gated community or senior living community, you should let them know about your plans as well.
- If you have any valuables that won’t be making the trip with you, you may consider putting them in a safety box at the bank or some other safe location.
- When it comes to the outside of your home, don’t forget to empty and turn off water
fountains and remove any water that could attract mosquitoes. However, do not empty your hot tub as the extreme heat in the summer may damage it. - Speaking of summer heat, make sure to bring in any outside furniture, chairs or decorations that may be damaged by the extreme heat.
- Make sure to empty your refrigerator! You don’t want to leave food in there all summer long. Speaking of food, if you are leaving non-perishable food in your cupboards, make sure to seal it up well or even put it in ziplock bags to prevent bugs from getting into it and to keep it as fresh as possible.
- Disconnect any car batteries in vehicles that you may be leaving for the summer.
- Do not leave propane tanks or other combustible items in the garage all summer long. That is a fire
hazard! - You may want to arrange for a company you trust to come by and keep your lawn trimmed. While you are at it, if you have a pool, have a company come by to maintain that as well.
- It’s a good idea to provide a key to your home to a trusted neighbor along with your contact information. If they are willing, have them check in on your home from time to time to make sure everything is all right. They can also remove any flier or door menus that may accumulating
- Don’t forget to turn off and unplug all electric appliances from computers to refrigerators. The only thing that could still be kept plugged in would be the air conditioner and that would only be if you need the house to not get over 100 degrees inside in order to protect certain items that may be overly heat sensitive such as artwork.
- If your home has natural gas, then shut it off at the main valve. Do the same for the water.
Of course, these are just some starting point tips. Every house or apartment is different and some people are gone longer than others. Make sure and research the topic for yourself. Here is a link to a web forum where you can ask for advice from others in your situation: http://www.city-data.com/forum/arizona/1186119-what-precautions-take-when-leaving-az.html
 And, finally, a note about your water heater…
Yes, we are Water Heaters Only, so we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about your water heater and, specifically, what to do about before your leave for the summer. For starters, you can go to our website for information about shutting down your water heater. Just follow this link: http://www.waterheatersonly.com/emergency-shutdown-instructions
The information is regarding emergency shutdown information, but it still shows you how to turn off the gas and water to your water heater, if you so choose. If you want to leave it on, then we recommend that you set it to the “Vacation” setting. If you have a gas water heater, just locate the thermostat on your water heater (it should be right in front towards the bottom of the water heater) and turn the dial to either the “Vacation” setting or just turn it down to the lowest temperature. If you are going to just turn it off, then turn the dial from “On” to “Off”. Next, for both electric and gas water heaters, turn the water off by following the “Cold” line (which is the one on the right hand-side on top of the water heater) until you see the water shutoff valve. Then just turn it off. For electric water heaters, make sure you either flip the breaker switch that powers the water heater or use the disconnect switch, if you have one, that is located right next to the water heater. Finally, drain your water heater. Again, if you aren’t sure, follow the link above and watch the video or just give us a call 24 hours a day and we will be happy to help you out.
Well, that’s it for this blog entry! Thanks for taking the time to read it and enjoy your summer wherever you may be spending it. And don’t forget you can always call us any time of the day or night with any questions you might have or if you want to set up an appointment.
How To Turn Off The Gas And Water To Your Water Heater
There are a few things Phoenix homeowners really should know and how to turn off the gas and water to your water heater is one of them. In case you smell gas, there is a water leak, or your water heater isn’t acting as usual, it might be a good idea to be educated in how to turn off the gas and water to your water heater before major problems arise. Some people won’t allow their water heater to be placed inside their home just because they know if it does leak and they don’t know how to stop the water or it leaks when they are away, it can do thousands of dollars of damage to their floors. The water and gas can be shut off from the water heater itself, which shuts off all the gas and water going to it or the gas and water supply can be shut off from the house completely from the meter and stopcock. Knowing both ways to shut off the water can really be helpful and also save you thousands of dollars in damage in case of a leak. Follow the steps below on how to turn off the gas and water to your water heater.
To turn off gas to water heater:
1. Look for a single handle valve that would usually be located at the bottom of the unit about a foot or two out. The valve will usually look like one in the image below.
2. Turn this valve in the clockwise position to turn the gas off.
Shut off main gas:
If you can’t get the gas valve to turn, can’t find the gas valve, or if there are any other problems there is a second option.
Finding the street-side shut off valve is usually pretty simple. It is located right next to the gas meter hat is found on the exterior of the house as shown below. The valve is on when it is parallel to the incoming gas line. When the valve is turned a quarter turn so that it is perpendicular, then the gas line is closed. This valve can only be opened and closed with a wrench.
To turn off the flow of water to water heater:
Every appliance that required water to it has a shut off valve usually within a few feet of the appliance. To find the water heater shut off valve for the water look
on top of the heater for a handle that will look closely to the one in the image below.
To turn the water off, turn this handle clockwise until it stops. If for some reason you cant get the handle to turn, cant find the handle, or if you have any other problems, there is a second option which is to turn the water off to the whole house.
To shut off all water to the house:
A stopcock controls the water to the house, which is a valve that can turn off and off the water to the whole house. A stopcock can either be a handle or it will look like a metal valve with a metal flange and they can be in really unusual places especially in Phoenix but most often they are located together with a water meter under a hatch near the street. If you cant find where your stopcock is located, contact your water company for guidance. If the stopcock is a handle it will need to be turned clockwise until it stops or if it is a metal valve with a metal flange in which you will need to use a pipe wrench to turn it a quarter of a turn to turn the water off. The water supply should now be closed off but remember that there will still be water in the pipes that will need to be drained.
If you need additional assistance in Phoenix on how to turn off the gas and water to your water heater Call Water Heaters Only, Inc at (602) 253-8010 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Specializing in water heater, since 1968 allows us to provide superior water heater services no matter what type of water heater problem you have. Let us give you peace of mind when it comes to your water heater.
80 Gallon Electric Water Heater
We got a phone call about an 80 Gallon electric water heater leaking in Phoenix and the homeowner wanted to know exactly how much a replacement would be. He had called other companies that had given him an exact cost to replace the leaking water heater and they wanted to scheduled the installation right away. Water Heaters Only, Inc offered a free onsite diagnosis and estimate to repair or replace the unit.
Our technician arrived at our scheduled appointment time to hopefully repair the 80 gallon electric water heater. It was leaking from one of the elements and the homeowner had no hot water. The homeowner was hoping the 80 gallon electric water heater could be repaired. However, after accessing the situation it was clear the 80 gallon electric water heater would have to be replaced. The tank had rusted through where the elements screw into the tank and it was leaking internally, there was no way to repair the water heater.
The homeowner had already done a little shopping around, but didn’t mention the water heater was in the basement down a flight of stairs or that there was another water heater right next to it that shared the plumbing. If we had given the homeowner a price over the phone, it would have changed after we arrived on site because of the location and plumbing. Having additional access and plumbing issues usually effects the cost of a water heater installation and it’s hard to take these situations into consideration when giving a price over the phone. Always be careful of exact prices given over the phone, usually they will changed once the company is at your home.
Our technician checked the plumbing to see what the installation would entail to make sure the new unit could be installed to code and there would be no issues with the existing plumbing connected to the secondary water heater. After thoroughly accessing the situation we presented the homeowner with our bid. He was pleased with the price and was happy that he was not told one price over the phone and then a different price once we were onsite. He did his homework and called the other companies back while we waited and mentioned the downstairs location and shared plumbing with a secondary water heater. The companies told him the price would increase significantly, but now they couldn’t give him a total without sending someone out. On top of that, most of the companies quoted a trip fee if they were not hired for the installation.
Water Heaters Only, Inc still believes honest business practices are the best business practices. Even though sometimes we might sound a little more expensive over the phone. When it comes to the actual final onsite price, we are most often the lowest.
The homeowner agreed to our installation price and we got to work installing the new 80 Gallon electric water heater. Our technician figured out the best way to get the old 80 gallon electric water heater up the stairs without causing any damage to the home. Older water heaters can fill up with sediment and be very heavy. Â After 53 years in business we take pride in our work and always do our best to limit the possibility of damage when removing a water heater.
Once the water heater had been removed it was time to clean the area, prep for installation  and install the 80 gallon electric water heater. Our technician cleaned the platform, installed a water heater drip pan with a drain pipe, re-piped the hot and cold water lines and re-piped the temperature / pressure safety overflow pipe. Once the water lines were replaced our technician re-connected the new plumbing to the circulation pump system and re-wired the electrical to the tank.
Needless to say our technician left the area cleaner than when he arrived. Our customer was extremely satisfied with the entire process. Even though replacing a water heater is not the most enjoyable event at Water Heaters Only, Inc we work with our customers schedules and provide excellent service to try and make the situation the best experience possible.
Electric Water Heaters
Residential Electric Water Heater Pros
Electric water heaters come in a variety of sizes including: tall, medium and short heights. Whether you need a 20 gallon, 30 gallon, 40 gallon or 50 gallon electric water heater, you can find each in a tall medium or short model. This is very convenient when your water heater is tucked under a stairway, under a counter or in another tight-fitting location within the home. Point of use electric water heaters are a great option for studios, guest areas and smaller living spaces where a unit can easily be installed if there is a water connection, then they can be plugged into an nearby outlet in a wall. These types of units come in quite handy when you only need a small amount of hot water a few times throughout the day and you do not want to heat an entire tank of water continually.
Electric water heaters do not have a venting system and can hold there heat longer than natural gas water heaters that have baffles and venting where heat can more easily escape.
Most Electric water heaters start with a efficiency rating of .85 or above. This means they are energy efficient and store the heat inside the tank very efficiently.
Residential Electric Water Heater Cons
While electric water heaters have high efficiency ratings, due to the cost of electricity, they are more expensive to operate than natural gas water heaters. They cost anywhere from 20%-50% more to operate that a gas water heater depending on the current energy prices and the current prices for natural gas.
Electric water heater have a slower recovery rate than gas water heaters, not matter what the size the recovery generals stays about the same. This can lead to problems of running out of hot water and having to wait quit dome time for the water heater to re-heat. We have had customers that will move into a new residence and call stating they have a water heater problem. Often they complain of running out of hot water. We will run a through diagnosis, including a tub test on the existing water heater to find there are no problems with the unit. In most cases we find out during the conversation the customer, they recently moved into the residence and used to have a gas water heater at there previous home.
When it is time to replace your water heater, as a “rule of thumb” we typically recommend replacing the unit with a “like for like”. This mean the same type, gallon and BTU’S if for some reason you want more hot water, you can always see if an upgrade is possible. However if you are building a new home and have the opportunity to select and size what ever water heater you want, do a bit of research and planning to make sure you choose the best type and style unit for your lifestyle.
If you have questions or would like additional information contact us to speak with a water heater expert 24 hours a day (602) 253-8010 you can also read more about electric water heaters and look up specs for the different manufacturers models at our main website site www.waterheatersonly.com.
Hot Water Heater Repair
One of the most common questions that we are asked is, can you do a hot water heater repair?
As long at the water tank has not burst, the simple answer is yes. Most often a hot water heater repair is possible. Depending on the age, it is not always the most cost-effective long term solution.
With newer style water heaters and all the new safety standards we notice an increase in water heaters shutting down or going into “lock out”. New hot water heaters are generally designed to have safety shut-offs and filters for lint dust and oil. If the unit overheats or if it does not have enough air flow for the “safety mechanisms” it will shut it’s self down. Depending on the brand and type of safety device, sometimes homeowners can not relight or restart the unit. There are a few brands however where a licensed professional will be required to service the water heater before it can be restarted.
Hot water heater repair can range from something as simple as cleaning out the air filter at the bottom on the combustion chamber to the more complicated replacement of control valves, burner assemblies or other parts. With the life expectancy of water heaters averaging 8-12 years if your water heater is older than eight years, you want to think before you spend too much money on a hot water heater repair. We always recommend reviewing the owners manual and checking to see if there is simple maintenance that a homeowner can preform to get the water heater working again before contacting a service company for a hot water heater repair. If you have no hot water and there is no maintenance to be preformed or you prefer to have a service technician preform the maintenance for you then it is time to call for a hot water heater repair. It’s always a good idea to find your model number and serial number on the brand name label on your water heater. The model and serial number can verify warranty and give details about your water. Look for the brand name sticker on your water heater and you should see a model #( a string of letters and digits) and serial # (also a string of letters and digits). Write these numbers down, if you can and have them handy for your technician when you call.
Common Brands of Water Heaters Include:
A.O. Smith
American (Whirlpool)
American Standard
Bradford White
Rheem (GE, RUDD, Hot Point)
State (Kenmore, Craftmaster)
High Efficiency Gas Water Heaters
High Efficiency Gas Water Heaters are becoming more popular as more products become available and energy costs continue to increase. At Water Heaters Only, Inc we offer a wide range of high efficiency gas water heaters. New products like the Vertex (TM), by A.O. Smith offer annual savings on operating costs and can be usually be installed where the existing water heater is located.
Most high efficiency gas water heaters are more expensive upfront that traditional tank style units, but over the lifetime of the appliance you can end up saving money. Not all manufacturers use the same type of technology for high efficiency gas water heater. The Vertex unit by AO Smith uses condensing technology to heat the water. It reuses the heat from the gas burner to heat the water before the fumes are exhausted; this helps use less gas to heat the same amount of water.
Water Heaters Only, Inc likes to offer our customers many options when it comes to water heating. There are many different high efficiency gas water heaters available, including tankless and hybrid units. Most of the time we recommend the unit that will work best for the type of home our customer has. A tankless unit might be right for one customer, but a condensing unit might be best for another. At water heaters only, inc we can provide information and recommendations on what type of high efficiency gas water heater might be right for you household. We understand being without hot water is never any fun. That’s why our service is available 7 days a week with no extra change for nights, weekends, or holidays. You can also call (602) 253-8010 24 hours a day and speak with a live water heater expert to help with any water heater issue.
75 Gallon Hot Water Heater
Check out our picture of a nicely installed new 75 gallon hot water heater that we installed for residential use. This particular unit was installed in Scottsdale area. The homeowner was extremely pleased with the install including the clean set up and clean up after was as If we were never there if not cleaner. We really strive to do everything we can to make our customers happy. Average time for an install is about 2-3 hours barring unforeseen complications. This hot water heater has a recirculation pump attached at the bottom of the hot water heater. This will keep hot water circulating through the home and keep the hot water available for use at the fixtures immediately. When we installed this unit, we also installed a pan with a drain line. This will help prevent any leakage or damage to the home the next time the water heater fails. This 75 gallon hot water heater provides hot water for a home with 4 to 6 bathrooms. It is made in the USA by the Bradford White Corporation. Bradford White has been manufacturing hot water heaters in the USA for over 50 years. They produce top quality products that has great ratings. Bradford White earned the J.D. Powers award in 2009 for Quality. When installing a hot water heater we always like to replace the hot and cold water flex lines. A new gas line is always a good idea too. You can see the new gas line in the photo above. It is the bright yellow line connected to the box near to bottom of the hot water heater. Notice the vent on the 75 gallon hot water heater is larger than the vent on traditional 40 0r 50 gallon hot water heaters. A 75 gallon hot water heater burners more gas and needs a larger flue vent to release the carbon monoxide. Check out our product specs at Water Heaters Only, Inc products page.
Commercial Water Heater
A great picture of a newly installed commercial water heater. This installation was done by one of our highly trained commercial water heater technicians here at Water Heaters Only. It is an 80 gallon commercial water heater with 512,000 btu’s. This unit will produce about 300 gallons of hot water every hour. It is appropriate for apartments, hotels and even small laundry facilities.
A commercial water heater is sized differently than residential water heaters. The size is based off of the BTU input of the water heater. Most residential water heater sizes are based off gallon capacity. Most often we replace this type of water heater in apartment communities, hotels and laundry facilities.
To help determine the type or size of commercial water heater you need for your business, it is important to know the amount of hot water you will use. When you are starting a new business that will use hot water we recommended that you check with the health department to comply with there requirements. This will help you determine what size and type of unit that will be required for your business.
If you have an existing business and your commercial water heater needs to be replaced, most often you can replace your unit with one that is the same size and BTU rating as the existing unit. If you have increased your business or added on to your business since it was first founded you may want to assess your current hot water needs and see if you need to upgrade to a larger water heater.
The Water Heaters Only Inc. technician did a great job installing this water heater and checking to make sure it was producing the amount of hot water needed by this business.