Page 12 –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– December 2007 UNION-FINLEY MESSENGER
Ask the Experts PLUMBING, HEATING & COOLING BY TIM BARTMAN, ONE HOUR HEATING & COOLING Q. Our water heater does not put out enough hot water. What can we do about it?
A. Do you have teenage children? They can run a hot water tank cold in no time. Just kidding. There are quite a few reasons and solutions. If the hot water heater (HWH) is old, it could have a build-up of calcium in the tank impeding the heating of water. There is also a small tube on the cold water inlet inside the tank called a dip tube. This takes the cold water to the bottom of the tank. It can deteriorate over the years and fall apart. The shorter it gets, the closer to the top of the tank the cold water goes to trap the hot water at the bottom of the tank. It can be replaced. If you have an electric HWH, one of the electric elements could be bad; that also can be replaced. Too little cold water could also be caused by the thermostat being turned down to low. If you adjust it yourself, be careful that you do not turn it up too high. Water temperatures above 125*F can cause severe burns. Have you tried using water-saving showerheads and faucet aerators? High water pressure in your house can cause the water to flow through your system quickly. Have your water pressure checked. If it’s high, have it corrected. Maybe your family has grown, and the old heater is not large enough. Have a professional calculate what size tank you should have. You may want to look at the tankless heaters that are becoming more and more popular. Even your teenager could not run a properly sized tankless heater cold. They do cost a bit more, but they will outlast two or three tankstyle heaters and they are much cheaper to run. If you have any other questions, give me a call. I would be happy to answer them. One final word, seasons greetings to everyone and have a happy holiday!
Headed to School Soon? Want to Be Prepared for Success? Check Out Career Gateway! PA CareerLink Mon Valley, through its partnership with Intermediate Unit 1, will begin offering a free, ongoing 18-hour training course to help students enter post-secondary school with confidence. The Career Gateway program will help prepare students by teaching them proven study skills techniques, test taking strategies, organizational skills and methods for coping with stress. The program also offers career exploration for those people who are still uncertain of what career path to take. This training is ideal for adults returning to school and current students who are furthering their education. The first Career Gateway program being offered at PA CareerLink Mon Valley, 570 Galiffa Drive in Donora, begins Tuesday, December 4. It runs from 1 to 4 p.m. The course continues those same hours on December 5, 7, 11, 12 and 13. Students are required to attend the full 18-hour program. For more information, to sign up for the course, or for directions, call PA CareerLink Administrator Mary Kate Bartley at 724-379-4750 x 102.
Honor Your Veteran or Loved One at New Eagle Veteran’s Memorial Honor your veteran or loved one by purchasing a granite paving brick at the New Eagle Veteran’s Memorial. For more information or an order form, please call 724-2588991 or 724-258-2717.