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How to Find the Right Plumbing Contractor to Get You Into Hot Water

Calgary Plumber Hot Water

In the good old days, Mom had to heat pots and buckets of water over the wood stove just to keep the bath water warm. Then clever inventors came up with the idea for a hot water storage tank. But, if you haven’t heard yet, the standard storage tank hot water heater we are so familiar with today is now actually considered out-dated technology. The last person at your house who hasn’t waited long enough and winds up in a cold shower will testify to that.

Luxury on Demand

You probably don’t even think about your water heater until the shower does run cold or the unit breaks down. When there are problems, it is time to seek expert help for plumbing services, plumbing repair, water heater repair, and new heater installation. A highly qualified emergency plumber can offer you an array of options that would have shocked Mom into dropping her buckets. Today’s innovative technology and resulting state of the art products are providing an endless, as-needed supply of heated water in our homes – one huge step for mankind that allows us to enjoy the comfort and luxury of a hot soak on demand.

Venting

A great plumber will specialize in the venting system you have or the new venting system that will serve you better. Many people want to know the difference between a direct vent water heater and a power direct version, and how to know if they need one or the other. A power vent is used when the unit is put inside the home in a closet or on an interior wall. It must have venting to an outside wall and must have a blower fan to remove gases from the water heater so they don’t back up into the house.

Again – the new technologies feature high efficiency units that can now take the flue from the burner and instead of venting it through the top of the heater, return it to the inside of the tank so that heat can be absorbed by the water. What this means is new designs that provide improved flow rates for increased hot water delivery – shower after shower and hour after hour.

Going Tankless

Are you ready for an infinite supply of hot water for everything from showers to clothes and dish washing to cooking? The good news is that plumbers are now introducing tankless options (also known as Flash water heaters), some of which qualify for tax credits since they offer more hot water with less carbon emissions. By heating water only on demand, “going tankless” means you only heat the water to be used now, so you never run out and you will not pay to heat water you won’t be using until next week, or even next month.

People purchase tankless heaters because:

  1. They provide an endless supply of hot water.
  2. They use less energy since they don’t have to keep 40 or 50 gallons hot all the time.
  3. Water is heated only when needed.
  4. Their life expectancy is much longer than for a regular gas water heater (20 to 25 years).
  5. There is a lower risk of major flooding from a burst tank.

Finding the Right Plumber in Calgary

If you are looking for a great commercial plumber to help with your water heater repair or replacement, be aware that the technological advances occurring in the plumbing industry are literally making it imperative to find trained experts. You will want to find someone who really knows how to install the new products and how to maintain them.

Ask the plumbers you are considering if they can install and service all types of water heaters including gas, electric, propane, tankless, commercial, power vents, direct vents, and direct power vents. And look for a firm that provides detailed cost estimates, with no hidden charges or resulting change orders. When you are looking for help with repairing or replacement, it pays to do the research, ask the questions, and get the answers you need to make the best decision for your comfort and long range savings. Nowadays, getting into hot water is easier than you think and the end-results are infinitely desirable.