Normally at A Master’s Hands, we stay away from politics – in our business, and in our blog posts – and we don’t want to alienate any of our clients or those who follow our blog.  However, today, I’m breaking my own unwritten “no-politics rule”, because there’s something going on in U.S. politics right now that we need to make sure you know about and understand, because it affects all of us in many ways…some of which we might not even fully realize yet.

Using websites to blog, to publish, to communicate things online that once upon a time would have been relegated to an unread private journal (or simply remained unspoken, uncreated, unshared) makes you a part of one of the biggest changes in modern history: the democratization of publishing and the independent web.

Every time you read someone else’s blog post (like this one), or click Publish yourself to post a blog entry, you are a part of that Internet-based change…part of what is making the world “flat” (see “The World is Flat“)….equalizing things, leveling the playing field in many respects for smaller developing countries, giving them essentially free access to huge amounts of data, knowledge, etc.  So, whether you just like to read, or are posting political insights, a joke or a story about something that happened to you, this is a topic that should matter to you….a lot!  If you use free on-line services such as Craigslist, Backpage, Facebook, or other similar services, you also are experiencing the power of the world wide web…which is now suddenly at risk.

How would you feel if the web stopped being so free and independent?   We are very concerned about two bills that threaten to do exactly this, and as an active participant in one of the biggest changes in modern history, you should be, too.

You may have heard people talking/blogging/twittering about SOPA — the Stop Online Piracy Act. The recent SOPA-related boycott of GoDaddy was all over the news, with many people expressing their outrage over the possibilities of SOPA, but when I ask people about SOPA and its sister bill in the Senate, PIPA (Protect IP Act), many folks don’t really know what the bills propose, or what we stand to lose. If you aren’t shocked by the potential impact….e.g. the havoc that could be wreaked by SOPA/PIPA, please… for the next four minutes, instead of checking email or Facebook, watch this video.

Some thoughts:

• In the U.S. our legal system maintains that the burden of proof is on the accuser, and that people are innocent until proven guilty. This tenet seems to be on the chopping block when it comes to the web if these bills pass, as companies could shut down sites based on accusation alone.
• Laws are not like lines of computer code; they are not easily reverted/edited if someone wakes up and suddenly realizes there’s a better way to do things.  We should not be so quick to codify something this far-reaching.
• The people writing these laws are not the people writing or overseeing the independent web, and they are certainly not out to protect it. We have to stand up for it ourselves.

Blogging is a form of activism.  You can be an agent of change. Some people will tell you that taking action is useless, that online petitions, phone calls to representatives, and other actions won’t change a single mind, especially one that’s been convinced of something by lobbyist dollars. To those people, we repeat the words of Margaret Mead:

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

We are not a small group. Millions of people use blog engines to post and to read news.  Millions also use sites such as Craigslist to help market their services.  If such sites were shut down simply based on one accusation, many small businesses would see revenues dry up overnight.  As an example, the blog engine we use to power our entire website for A Master’s Hands is called WordPress, an open-source (free) application.  WordPress is said to power about 15% of the web.  Each of us who are using and benefiting from this application can make an impact, and you can be an agent of change.  Go to Stop American Censorship for more information and learn about a number of ways you can take action quickly, easily, and painlessly.  The Senate votes in less than two weeks, and we need to help at least 41 more senators see reason to change their current positions on this proposed legislation before then.  Please… Make your voice heard.

Thanks in advance! — Jim Bartlett, Founder

“People try to grind up turkey skin,” says Jerry Feiman, owner of Jerry’s Plumbing in Ventura, Calif. “They put too many veggies down the disposal all at once.”

The intensity of cooking and associated use of the kitchen sink, combined with visiting relatives using showers, toilets and washing machines can take a toll on plumbing and sewer lines this time of year.

“The week after Thanksgiving is often one of the busiest weeks of the year for us,” says Jim Bartlett of A Master’s Hands, LLC.   He anticipates many calls from clients with clogs in their kitchen sinks and toilets.

“We try to work around people’s schedules,” says Bartlett.  “Some people need to have us respond to their issues in the evening.”

The Thanksgiving-triggered business usually starts the evening before Turkey Day.  Calls tend to slow down on Thanksgiving itself, because many people are worried about extra charges associated with calling for assistance on a holiday.  Others may just want to get through the “big meal” without interruption, if possible.

Bartlett says the most common Thanksgiving problem his company gets calls about is a clogged kitchen sink, resulting from improper use of the garbage disposal.

It’s important to run lots of water when using a disposal, says Bartlett.  He recommends not feeding stringy vegetables, or starchy material like potato peelings into the disposal.  If you must pour grease down the drain, make sure you run a lot of hot water as you do so.  That will ensure it makes its way completely through your home’s plumbing.

To avoid disposal/sink problems altogether, Bartlett recommends putting all the above mentioned “throwaways” in a separate container and tossing them in the trash, rather than putting them through the disposal.   “Many people just put too much garbage down the drain,” says Bartlett.  “If you limit it to just the small table scraps as you rinse off plates before putting them in the dishwasher, that will ensure you get through the holiday period without needing to call us.”  Food prep waste (peels, cuttings, fat, grease, etc., should be put into the trash he says.

Bartlett also says homeowners should realize that just because a disposal turns on doesn’t mean it’s necessarily working properly.  Homeowners sometimes don’t know a disposal isn’t really working properly until they overload it on the big day and everything backs up.

Toilets also can also stop up from heavy use. Some homeowners with low-flow toilets make the mistake of putting bricks in the tanks with the intent of saving water.  But without sufficient water per flush to create the necessary “siphon” action, the toilet won’t fully flush.  Repeated usage in this manner can lead to stopped up plumbing, and a call for professional assistance.  Sometimes the culprit behind a clog is too much toilet paper being used – something that’s difficult to control (much less monitor) with visiting friends and family members with children.  Of course, tampons and other feminine products always are a no-no for flushing.

If it works its way down into the main line, a bad sink or toilet clog can stop up the entire plumbing system in the home, creating indoor floods.

“While we’re happy to assist clients who have emergencies around Thanksgiving, we’d much prefer to see everyone adopt these common-sense approaches that can help avoid common problems,” says Bartlett.

The reason for this recommendation is that there’s always the potential that your electric power will go out while you’re away, or that something will fail in your furnace (ignitor, flame sensor, smart gas valve, etc). Either way, your home could suddenly lose its source of heat, water pipes could freeze and burst, and water would continue to flow continuously into your home until someone shuts it off. Many people can tell stories of when their clothes washer, icemaker, or dishwasher sprung a leak while they were asleep or at work, resulting in a major flood that ruined carpets, hardwood flooring, drywall ceilings, etc. Just imagine if such a leak occurred while you were away for a long weekend, or for a full week or more? You could run around the house shutting off supply lines to toilets, sinks, and all appliances, but that not only takes time, it still leaves many pipes in walls and ceilings fully pressurized. Thus, it’s much easier (and better) to shut off al pressure into the home at the main shut-off valve. It’s always best to anticipate a “what if” and prepare to avoid it than face the possibility of returning to a flooded home.

If you’re on city / municipal water, your main shut-off valve is usually located in the same area where your water meter is located. If you have a well, the water shut-off will be close to your pressure tank. There are two common types of shut-off valves – gate valves and ball valves; we’ve included photos of both types here. A gate valve is turned off by turning the handle on the valve stem clockwise several times until it stops in the closed position. A ball valve has two positions, on and off. The valve is ON when the handle on the valve is parallel to the water pipes feeding through it, and OFF when it’s perpendicular (at 90 degree angle) to the pipes. Just a quarter-turn of the handle moves it from on to off or vice versa.

Location of Main shut-off valve – near water meter

Typical gate valve

Ball valve – shown in the ON position

The reason for shutting off the energy source to the hot water heater is two-fold: first, it saves energy to not keep the tank of water heated for a week (or more) while you’re on vacation. Second, if the pressure relief valve on the water heater were to fail and release and dump a good portion of the water out of the heater and you’re not there to notice it and shut things off, not only would you have 40-50 gallons of water (or more) all over everything, but the water heater would then try to heat what’s left in the tank , trying to get to a “full tank of hot water” indication, and would burn itself out trying. So you’d have a mess, and a ruined water heater.

Safe travels this winter, and rest easy knowing the water is shut off back at home!

Most cases of Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning in residential situations happen to occur during the winter months….which is also flu season. And, thus, because mild-CO-poisoning symptoms (fatigue, dizziness, nausea, etc), tend to mimic the flu, most people may not initially recognize the root cause, or the true danger of the situation.

That’s why it’s particularly important to have carbon monoxide detectors installed and operating in every home – especially in your bedrooms. If one of the detectors sounds an alarm, ventilate your home with fresh air immediately. If you feel dizzy or drowsy, leave the house immediately.

A Tricky Diagnosis

Identifying the source of dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can be a complex task at times because there can be various contributing causes, such as:

• A partially or fully blocked exhaust flue
• Operating unvented appliances for long periods of time
• Operating a heating system that’s out of adjustment, or is damaged
• Back drafts caused by pressure imbalances near the heating appliance
• Leaving a vehicle idling in an attached garage

Any of these situations could set off a CO detector, creating an audible alarm. But by the time a technician arrives, conditions could potentially have changed, making it difficult to make an accurate diagnosis. You can help yourself and our technician by sharing as much information as possible so we can identify the root cause of the problem, and help you get it resolved.

How Carbon Monoxide Forms and How to Detect It

When combustion of fuel occurs normally, one carbon atom connects with two oxygen atoms to form carbon dioxide (CO2), a harmless gas. When combustion is incomplete due to a lack of oxygen, each carbon atom connects with only one oxygen atom. This forms the potentially toxic gas known as carbon monoxide (CO). Some appliances may generate some levels of CO, even when operating normally, which is why it’s critical that they be properly vented.

High CO levels in breathing air inhibit the hemoglobin in our blood, dramatically reducing its ability to carry oxygen throughout the body so it can be delivered to the brain and other organs. Another reason that CO is so dangerous is that it’s an invisible threat: you can’t see it or smell it. This is why electronic CO detectors are so important for family safety.

When CO is present in the home, it’s usually generated by devices that are burning fuel, such as a gas-fired furnace or hot-water heater. Thus, CO is usually contained within hot exhaust fumes that are lighter than ambient-temperature air. Since CO itself is slightly lighter than air and is being carried by hot or warm exhaust gasses, it tends to make its way quickly to the ceiling. Thus, CO detectors are most effective when ceiling-mounted since this location provides for the earliest warning of danger. For multi-story dwellings, the ceiling above the landing at the top of each staircase is an ideal location for a CO detector. Many stores sell CO detectors that are designed to be plugged into an electrical outlet on a wall. While this make for a quick and convenient installation that can be performed by the homeowner, at 12-15 inches off the floor, a wall outlet location is not only the least effective for early warning, it may be accidentally disturbed by children or pets.

Bottom line, you can ensure your family’s safety by being diligent in ensuring all gas- or oil-fired heating appliances (furnaces, hot-water heaters, etc) are properly maintained, and by installing properly located CO detectors in all required areas of your home. Contact A Master’s Hands, LLC for assistance in replacing or installing CO (or combination smoke/CO) detectors in your home.

DISHWASHER MAGIC® is the solution:

Dishwasher MAGIC uses a patent-pending application technology to deliver a revolutionary cleaning solution directly into your dishwasher during the cleaning cycle. When used monthly as recommended, DISHWASHER MAGIC, will result in optimum cleaning performance of your automatic
dishwasher, limit repairs and extend the life of the machine.

The company’s tag line is: “DROP IT IN, TURN IT ON, ITS ALL GONE”®

We agree – DISHWASHER MAGIC couldn’t be easier to use. Simply remove the outer cap, place the bottle upside down in the silverware rack of an empty dishwasher, close the door and start the normal wash cycle. Because DISHWASHER MAGIC is specially designed to begin working at the right moment, there is no spilling, mess or cleanup.

The DISHWASHER MAGIC 12-ounce bottle is custom designed to fit in all standard-size silverware baskets used across the industry. If, however, the bottle does not fit in the basket, the consumer can insert the bottle in the upper rack, and use a rubber band to hold the product in place against the prongs of the rack

ENGINEERED TO WORK RIGHT

DISHWASHER MAGIC features a patent-pending delivery technology that is designed to provide maximum cleaning power at just the right time. When the water during the normal wash cycle reaches 125°F, the solution is released into the machine to combine with the heated water to dissolve scale and scum, remove stains and clean the appliance.

HOW DISHWASHER MAGIC CLEANS

Once released in the dishwasher, the solution in DISHWASHER MAGIC increases the solubility of lime scale buildup. The surfactant contained in the solution then dissolves soap scum and food oils and greases that are left behind during the normal operation of the machine. After the lime scale and greases have been dissolved, they are flushed away by the normal rinsing cycle of the dishwasher. At the end of the cycle, simply discard the now-empty bottle.

USE MONTHLY FOR BEST RESULTS

DISHWASHER MAGIC is recommended for use monthly, to maintain optimal performance of the dishwasher. This usage prevents lime scale, soap scum, food and mineral stains from building up and diminishing the overall performance and appearance of the appliance.

FOR FIRST TIME USERS: If you have an older dishwasher, or one with extensive build up, more than one application of DISHWASHER MAGIC may be necessary. Using DISHWASHER MAGIC monthly you will prevent heavy accumulation from recurring.

SAFE FOR OUR WORLD – DISHWASHER MAGIC is environmentally safe. Because it’s non-corrosive, DISHWASHER MAGIC will not harm your appliance, plumbing or sewer or septic systems.

In the unlikely event of an accidental spill, clothing should be immediately removed and rinsed in warm water and then washed with soap. If the product comes in contact with skin, the affected area should be washed with soap and water for 15 minutes. If irritation occurs, a physician should be contacted. As with all cleaning products, keep DISHWASHER MAGIC out of reach of children.

Contact A Master’s Hands, LLC to discuss your handyman needs, be they related to plumbing, electrical, drywall, tile, masonry, painting/caulking, framing, windows/doors, locks/keys, or almost anything else that may need maintenance, repair or replacement.

We have all experienced how liquid in a drinking straw will remain in the straw if we hold our finger over the top end while raising it up out of our glass. Once we release our finger, the liquid drains out quickly, as air can easily come in to replace it. Similarly, without air able to freely enter the drain lines in our plumbing system, drainage cannot easily occur, because a vacuum is developed. AAVs are pressure-activated, one-way mechanical vents, used in plumbing systems to eliminate the need for conventional pipe venting and roof penetrations associated with vertical vent pipes. A discharge of wastewater in the plumbing system causes the AAV to open, releasing the vacuum and allowing air to enter plumbing vent pipe for proper drainage.

Whenever water isn’t being discharged into the system, the AAV remains closed, preventing the escape of sewer gas, and maintaining the trap seal. Using AAVs in a plumbing system can significantly reduce the amount of venting materials needed, increase plumbing labor efficiency, allow greater flexibility in the layout of plumbing fixtures, while reducing long-term maintenance problems associated with conventional vent stack roofing penetrations.

Standard plumbing systems use water trap seals to perform the critical function of preventing sewer gas from emanating into living areas, with fresh air pipe venting commonly used to prevent siphoning of water held in the traps. Although this method is simple and reliable, it requires each plumbing fixture to have a lateral return vent that passes through wall studs to a central stack, or to have its own vertical vent that passes through the wall, ceiling, attic, and roof. Air Admittance Valves are mechanical devices designed to maintain trap seals without the need for additional vent piping. They are one-way valves that open only under negative pressure (created when a toilet is flushed or a drain stopper is opened). When the water flow stops, the valve closes, preventing the escape of sewer gasses under conditions of equal or positive pressure.

AAVs are typically made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic materials, with rubber (EPDM) valve diaphragms. Valves come in various sizes: small ones for fixture venting and a larger sizes for system venting. The valves fit standard diameter pipes, ranging from 1-1/4 to 4 inches. Integrated screening protects the valves from foreign objects and vermin. ASSE (American Society of Sanitary Engineers) standards require that AAVs be tested to reliably open and close a minimum of 500,000 times, (which translates to at least 30 years of regular use), with no emanation of sewer gas. Some AAV manufacturers test and certify their products up to 1.5 million cycles, simulating at least 80 years of use. Air Admittance Valves have been effectively used in Europe for more than two decades, and they are now becoming more widely accepted here in the US, with an increasing number of state and local building codes allowing for their use. Domestic manufacturers of AAVs offer warranties that range from 20 years to lifetime.

Key Attributes:

Affordability – An AAV costs between $25 and $40, depending on size. The AAV device cost is typically offset by the cost of the vent pipe that it eliminates. AAVs also typically reduce requirement to coordinate labor between various trades (e.g. it eliminates the need to coordinate work schedules between roofers and plumbers, by entirely eliminating the need to touch the roof), and also reduce overall labor time for system installation because they reduce vent pipe installation, resulting in a significant net cost savings.

Design Flexibility – Because AAVs can be placed in almost any wall or cabinet where plumbing is located, they can be leveraged in many remodeling situations where the desired plumbing fixture configuration cannot be achieved with traditional vent stacks, due to lack of easy access to the roof, etc. Implementation of AAVs creates a much wider range of options for the remodeler who knows how to use them. For example, AAVs solves problems associated with venting island sinks, wet bars and other fixtures in difficult locations.

Quality and Durability – Because air admittance valves eliminate the need for vent stack penetrations and flashing at wall assemblies, attics and roof decks, they significantly reduce the potential for air and water leakage that can occur with traditional vent stack penetrations.
Increased Building Sanitation – AAVs prevent vermin and pests from entering the buildings through open vent pipes, while also reducing pollution of the environment by sewer gas, and preventing sewer gases from being drawn into air conditioning units and air handlers where they can pollute habitable spaces.

Increased Safety – AAVs eliminate the possibility of shearing off of roof vent pipes due to snow slides, while reducing the number of fire-stop devices required in construction of the building (wherever pipes penetrate ceilings, roofs, etc), and reducing the structural damage caused by holes that must be drilled through joists and studs to install traditional open-vent piping. Their usage also lowers or eliminates the risk of plumbers falling from ladders and roof tops while performing installation of open vent pipes.

Improved Aesthetics – Utilization of AAVs reduces unsightly vent pipes in the building roofline.

Conclusion:

Air Admittance Valves substantially simplify venting of drain water venting systems in commercial and residential applications, without jeopardizing the health, safety and welfare of the public.

At A Master’s Hands, LLC we perform all types of remodeling projects for our clients, including bath, kitchen and basement remodeling. We’re very experienced in the use of AAVs, and leverage them wherever it makes good sense, resulting in savings for our clients. The inventor and most prevalent maker of AAVs is Studor, Inc., and thus, these devices are often called Studor Vents by those in the building trades.

Tip #1: Invest in a Clothes Line, or a Clothes “Horse”

For many people who’ve grown up with modern comforts such as the tumble clothes dryer, it may seem impossible to imagine how families ever managed without one. I know a client with three children, whose mother says her laundry room is almost always overflowing with dirty clothes. Folks in such a situation might wonder how they’d ever learn to cope without the use of their tumble dryer. However, it’s actually very easy to get clothes dry in Colorado, especially during the winter months, without using a gas or electric tumble dryer. A basic clothes line can dry clothes quickly if the weather is dry, which is the case almost 90% of the time here in Colorado. For those who lack the outdoor space for a clothes line, or families who live in covenant-controlled communities that disallow the use of outside clothes lines, there’s another solution: My wife uses what we call a “clothes horse” – not a person who constantly purchases fancy clothing and dresses fashionably; rather, this is simply a clothes rack that allows air to circulate around the clothes and help them air-dry quickly. Our rack is a collapsible plastic type, allowing for easy storage in a small area when not in use.

Not only can a clothes horse be used in lieu of a clothes line, it can also be used on rainy or snowy days, which we fortunately don’t see very often here in Colorado. We primarily use our own clothes horse in the laundry room, where the floor is tiled and a few drops of water on the floor during the drying process won’t hurt anything. With a heat/AC duct constantly blowing air into the laundry room, we also have the convenience of being able to set the clothes horse near (or even over) the vent, which facilitates the drying action through increased air movement. We also occasionally have used it in the master bathroom, where we get much more sunlight and solar warmth than in our laundry room. Since clothes come out of the washing machine already pretty well wrung-out (just damp, not dripping), they usually dry within a day on the clothes horse as long as they’re spread out, not overlapped. The most significant benefit we see is with items that don’t need to be ironed, but are heavy and typically take a lot of energy (and time) to thoroughly dry in the tumble dryer. Examples include denim or corduroy slacks / blue jeans, heavy socks, insulated work shirts or jackets, sweats, and heavy long-sleeved T-shirts. Towels are also good candidates for energy saving by natural air-drying, as are all underwear items (you don’t iron those, do you?).

The one disadvantage of using a clothes horse or line is that your clothes will typically dry pretty much in the shape & form in which they came out of the washing machine. So, if they’re creased at the end of the wash cycle, they’ll likely still have wrinkles and creases after they’re dry. With most of the items we air dry on our horse, this isn’t a problem. For those that are, we just toss the items into the tumble dryer for a few minutes with a damp towel to knock out the wrinkles so we don’t have to take time and energy to iron them. Drying clothes using this method will certainly take longer, but fortunately there are enough benefits that you may decide it’s worthwhile: not only will you save energy, but clothes tend to last a lot longer when dried naturally versus in a tumble dryer. (Remember all that lint you pull out of the filter after each load? That’s part of your clothes that wore off during the washing and drying process!) Lastly, tumble drying also tends to shrink clothing more than natural air drying….something most people try to avoid. So, if you’ve not recently considered natural air drying with a line or clothes horse, think about it for 2010!

Tip #2: Hand Wash the Dishes

Dishwashers are very convenient for families and can save a lot of time. Unfortunately, most dishwashers are not very efficient – either with energy or water usage. They use a lot of water and a lot of energy…plus, a complete cycle can take a long time to complete. New dishwashers are much more efficient, some using only 2 gallons of water for an entire load of dishes – less than you’d likely use washing everything by hand. Further, new DWs often don’t include a “heated dry” mode as was typical in models sold over 3 years ago. This means dishes take longer to dry, but the energy usage is dramatically reduced. So, if you have a new DW, you may have an efficient solution already. But if not, and the prospect of dropping $500-$900 on a new appliance doesn’t really grab you, then hand-washing might be worthy of consideration. This may seem like a simple suggestion, but it’s amazing how many people depend solely on their aging dishwashers, without realizing how much it’s costing them, or the impact on the environment. If you have a side-by-side “double” kitchen sink, it’s easy to put an inexpensive dish drainer in the side that doesn’t contain the garbage disposal, doing the hand wash and rinse cycles on the other side and setting wet dishes in the drainer to dry before being stored in cupboards. If you switch to washing most pots and dishes by hand, you can control the amount of water you use, while also saving money on your water and electric / natural gas bills. Over time, you’ll certainly be able to see the difference in cost savings.

The thermocouple’s function is to turn off the gas if there’s no pilot light lit. If you look closely at the burning pilot light, there is a small silver- or copper-colored metal tube that sits directly in the flame. At the other end of the tube there is a very thin piece of copper or silver colored tubing that connects from the thermocouple sensor that sits directly in the pilot flame to the main gas controller or regulator on the HWH. The thermocouple generates a small amount of electrical current when it’s been heated by the flame. This small amount of electrical current keeps the gas safety valve open. If the pilot light gets blown out or fails for some other reason, the current stops and the gas valve closes…that’s the safety function in operation: no flame, then no gas flows.

When our client attempted to re-light his pilot light, he probably held down the over-ride button for about 30 seconds. This allowed the gas to flow long enough to heat up the thermocouple and generate some electrical current flowing back to the gas valve. Then, when he released the over-ride button the gas continued to flow, as designed. However, since the burner (and pilot) eventually went out, we anticipated there was a problem with an intermittent connection in this component, such that the thermocouple ceased to provide electrical current, and thus shut down the gas flow, and ….oops, no hot water! If the thermocouple has been fully defective, then as soon as our client had released the over-ride button, since there would be no electrical current, the gas would have immediately stopped flowing and the pilot light would not stay lit except via the override. Our client’s description of his failure mode makes me fairly sure that he had a thermocouple that was intermittently operational… failing part of the time. And that’s essentially the same as one that’s totally failed, in that you don’t want an unpredictable HWH! The thermocouple is a pretty common failure on water heaters and furnaces. The good news is that the part usually isn’t expensive, but if you have to call a plumbing contractor, the service call can be gt;$85-$120, in addition to the parts.

If replacing the thermocouple doesn’t solve the problem, then it could be a bad gas regulator valve, although those are very rarely defective….fortunately, since they are much more expensive. In this client’s case, we just looked up his Maytag Series-10 model and determined that all series-10 models, manufactured by State Industries, have a 10-year limited warranty against tank leaks, a 5-year limited warranty against parts failure and a 1-year labor warranty. Since his HWH was over 5 years old, there was no warranty coverage he could lean on. We also determined that his model would accept a universal thermocouple replacement part, and those are easily found. (Some brands/models use a LEFT-handed thread, requiring a special part…so it’s important to check these before attempting to purchase the part of perform the repair.)

Bottom line, if your Hot Water Heater is compatible with the universal thermocouples that are widely available, then the parts cost will only be about $10-$15. For our client we picked one up at a local supply house and had it replaced within ~90 minutes.

Drain the Sludge

The next thing we asked our client was if his HWH had ever been drained. He said no. And since this HWH wasn’t one of the fangled ones (which are supposedly “self cleaning” to minimize sediment build-up in the bottom of the tank), we recommended that he drain the unit every 1.5 to 2 years. Our client was surprised that he’d never heard of the need to do this before…. A HWH that lasts 8-12 years without being drained periodically to remove the crud in the bottom might last 15-20 years if properly maintained…including being drained periodically. Draining the heater using can be accomplished very easily with a short piece of garden hose attached to the spigot located near the bottom of the unit. With our explanation of how to perform the operation, my client said he would complete the task himself.

What’s An Anode?

The last point of our discussion centered around the anode in the client’s HWH. Again, it hadn’t been checked or replaced in 5-6 years. The anode is simply a long bar of metal that’s installed so it hangs down into the tank itself, and serves as a sacrificial component. There are corrosive forces inside any HWH, and normally these would begin eating up the inside of the steel tank, eventually causing it to spring leaks prematurely. The anode draws the corrosiveness to itself, leaving the steel casing of the tank unscathed. In our client’s case, the anode was pretty seriously corroded, so we replaced it with a new one. Again, all we needed to do was source the right replacement and install it in lieu of the old one.

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Common renovation activities like sanding, cutting, and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint, which can be harmful to adults and children.

On April 22, 2008, EPA issued a rule requiring the use of lead-safe practices and other actions aimed at preventing lead poisoning. Under the rule, beginning in April 2010, contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in homes, child care facilities, and schools built before 1978 must be certified and must follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination. Until that time, HUD and EPA recommend that anyone performing renovation, repair, and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes, child care facilities and schools follow lead-safe work practices.

There are some differences between the EPA RRP Rule and the HUD Lead Safe Housing Rule (LSHR). A major difference is that the LSHR requires clearance examinations. All housing receiving federal assistance must still comply with the LSHR. OHHLHC provides Information on complying with the LSHR and RRP, and Frequently-asked Questions from Grantees. Additional information for renovators is available.

All contractors should follow these three simple procedures:

• Contain the work area.
• Minimize dust.
• Clean up thoroughly.

From December 2008, the rule has required that contractors performing renovation, repair and painting projects that disturb lead-based paint provide to owners and occupants of child care facilities and to parents and guardians of children under age six that attend child care facilities built prior to 1978 the lead hazard information pamphlet Renovate Right: Important Lead Hazard Information for Families, Child Care Providers, and Schools. 

Starting on April 22, 2010, the rule will affect paid renovators who work in pre-1978 housing and child-occupied facilities, including:

• Renovation contractors
• Maintenance workers in multi-family housing
• Painters and other specialty trades.

Under the rule, child-occupied facilities are defined as residential, public or commercial buildings where children under age six are present on a regular basis. The requirements apply to renovation, repair or painting activities. The rule does not apply to minor maintenance or repair activities where less than six square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed in a room or where less than 20 square feet of lead-based paint is disturbed on the exterior. Window replacement is not minor maintenance or repair.

Effective Dates of the Rule

Jim Bartlett, owner and founder of A Master’s Hands, LLC is an EPA Certified Renovator, and able to comply with all regulations related to renovation of target homes (pre‐1978), including the ability to test for the presence of lead-based paint. We were one of the first contractors in Colorado to obtain this required certification, and are able to provide safe renovation services to our clients in older homes or commercial properties. Please contact us regarding any renovations, repairs or painting projects you’re considering and we’ll be glad to discuss them with you and provide estimates for the work required.

A Master’s Hands is the Affordable Handyman Services company in the metro Denver area, serving clients from Erie to Castle Rock and from Aurora to Georgetown. We’re fully licensed, bonded and insured, and strive to maintain a 100% client satisfaction track record.

Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). To Read EPA’s Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Program Rule, or for additional information on becoming an EPA-certified renovator or training provider, visit EPA’s Renovator and Trainer Tool Box site.