Home maintenance normally overlooked

[jrref]

I'm an engineer and have lived in the Villages for a year and a half now. I'm creating this post to alert homeowners of maintenance tasks here in the Villages that are often overlooked.

1) If you have a gas or electric Tank hot water heater and it doesn't have an expansion tank you should have one installed. If you have an expansion tank it must be checked at least once a year. This can easily be done by tapping on the outside of the bottom and top of the expansion tank with a metal object like a screwdriver. The bottom half of the expansion tank will have water in it and the top should not. When the tank is good the tapping sound on the bottom and the top sides of the tank will sound different. The bottom will sound like a thud and the top should sound empty. Expansion tanks generally last 5 years IF THEY WERE PRESSURIZED TO THE WATER INLET PRESSURE WHEN INSTALLED. Because the tanks are pre-pressurized to 40 lbs from the factory some installers never pre-pressurized the tanks properly and they will fail sooner than 5 years in this state. There is also a pressure valve on the top of the tank where you can take a reading each year as well and if the pressure is lower than it should be you can add air. But you must drain the hot water heater after the electric and or gas is turned off, below the expansion tank level before taking a reading and or adding air. This will also drain off any sediment from the bottom of the hot water tank.

The purpose of the expansion tank is to maintain safe water pressure when your hot water heater heats water. Hot water from the heater expands which increases the water pressure in your water system. The expansion tank compensates for this hot water expansion and keeps the water pressure in your home at a safe level.

If you just ignore this maintenance over time a failed expansion tank can cause the water pressure in your home to increase to unsafe levels. Generally, your water pressure should be less than 80lbs here in the Villages. When an expansion tank fails, faucets, water valves, water hoses to the toilets, refrigerator, water filters, etc, can fail causing a flood in your home. It can also cause an increase in the pressure in the hot water heater tank causing the expansion safety valve to leak.

These expansion tanks are relatively inexpensive and if you are handy you can test and change them yourself. If not you can call your plumber or HVAC company of choice to check it when they service your hot water heater. If you have a Nova whole house filter for example, when they come yearly to change the filters they will also check the hot water heater expansion tank as well. If you do it yourself you can check it yourself.

There have been many reports of whole house water filters, softeners and burst hoses failing and flooding the home. It's not the hose or filter's problem, it's because of unsafe water pressure in your home.

2) All home irrigation systems here in the Villages had a rain sensor installed when the home was built. What we have found is after 5 years or so the sponges in the rain sensor dry up and the sensor fails to tell the controller not to water when it rained. Becasue of this, probably thousands of residents here in the Villages water unnecessarily after a heavy rain or storm wasting and paying for a significant amount of wasted irrigation water. The solution is to replace these sponges or just go to your local big box store and for around $20 purchase and install a new irrigation rain sensor. If you can't do it yourself you can hire one of the many handymen and or irrigation service people here in the Villages to do it for you. I believe it's simpler to replace the whole sensor because the plastic parts in the old sensor can break when replacing the sponges. There has been so much talk of rising water costs and this is a relatively easy way to lower yours.

3) The irrigation water we get from the Villages South of 466 is "Grey" water meaning it's minimally treated and is not pottable meaning you can't drink or cook with it. We have found a LOT of sediment in this water which clogs the filters in the irrigation system spray heads eventually leading to them being totally clogged and stop working. One way around this is to have your local irrigation service persion check and change the filters yearly or the option many of us have used is to install an irrigation water filter. These are sediment filters installed before your irrigation valve box outside so that you have nearly sediment-free water feeding your system. It's a relatively inexpensive way to keep your irrigation system running without a lot of maintenance. There is a valve that you open once a month or so to clear the filter and that's it. There are some local handymen who can install this for you.

4) Whole house water filters filter the treated water from the Villages removing sediment, chlorine and other things that you generally don't want to drink. Although many don't mind the taste of the Villages water there is a lot of sediment that will settle in your hot water tank or system, in your pipes, faucets, dishwasher, etc.. Installing a Whole house water filter will keep sediment from causing damage over time to everything that uses water in your home. If you have a hot water tank system a whole house water filter will lessen the need to drain the tank to remove water sediment for example. These systems are relatively inexpensive and can be installed by Nova filters or you can do it yourself by purchasing the many systems available either through Amazon or your local big box store. Just do your research and look into all these options since not all whole house filters are the same or have local service like Nova for example.

5) All water supply hoses for the toilets, refrigerators, dishwasher and washing machines have a fixed life and WILL eventually fail potentially causing a catastrophic flood in your home. The problem we have here in the Villages is almost all homes have Push/Pull valves installed where in some cases you can't replace the water supply hose without changing the valve. This is especially true for the water supply hose for the refrigerator. To manage this problem you can have your local plumber change out all of the Push/Pull valves for quarter turn ball valves so you can change the water supply hoses every 5 years or so.

6) From a reader, "Also, don't forget to flush the AC drip line monthly. I use a gallon of warm water & 1/4 cup regular white vinegar. It goes down the PVC pipe next to the AC unit (in garage or in house) and flows outside to the drip pipe.
I also have a washable, permanent air filter for my AC unit and I clean that with a garden hose every 2 or 3 months. More often if you have pets that shed a lot of hair."

There is a lot of discussion on what to pour into the AC drip line once a month. If you maintain it properly a gallon of warm to hot water should be fine. When you have your yearly HVAC service they put in an anti mold and fungus solution that is supposed to clear out the drain. But if you want to use a little bleach or Vinegar solution it should be OK. Just make sure you have your HVAC system serviced by one of the professionals here in the Villages at least once a year. There is also a check valve which senses when your AC drip line is clogged and will turn off the AC when a clogged drip line backs up to the Air Handler. You can't believe how many times i've heard of the check valve failing and people getting a flood in their garage from a backed up AC drip line. Your HVAC service will check this as well.

7) Cloths dryer vent cleaning. I believe many people in the Villages have their dryer vents cleaned because when you don't the dryer can stop drying the cloths pretty quickly. It's a very important bi-yearly or yearly service that needs to be done becasue if you neglect this maintenance you can have a dryer fire and potentially burn down your house. I can recommend Complete Dryer Vent Services on 352-653-0809. Or you can use any recommended company but just make sure you have this done at least once a year or more if you dry a lot of cloths.

I hope this post can be a reference for everyone in the Villages since these items are talked about in bits and pieces in many of the Talk of the Villages threads but not in one spot and they are SO IMPORTANT!

I don't provide any of the above services and I have no affiliation with Nova filters but I mention this company because many here in the Villages have used their products and services. They are locally owned, stand behind their product and workmanship and highly recommended. Even if you are just doing research, give Brad a call and he will help you with information for your specific need.

If you have any questions and or need some references to service people and or handymen who can provice some of these services please reach out to me at jrref@hotmail.com or PM me.

[tophcfa]

Great information, thanks. Just one minor correction, the irrigation system for homes north of 466 use the same source of potable water as the rest of the home, not grey water. There are pros and cons to that, a pro is that there is no need to worry about irrigation water getting into your pool, a con is that you get whacked with an expensive sewer charge for irrigation water.

[jrref]

Thanks i updated my original post!

[GpaVader]

We have a tankless water heater, do you still suggest having an expansion tank?

[jrref]

We have a tankless water heater, do you still suggest having an expansion tank?

No they are not needed for tankless water heaters.

[kjb921]

Roughly how much for the filter system before the water hits the sprinklers and who did you use to install? They provide the filter or did you buy it and what kind have you found to work the beat. Thank you

[villagetinker]

Neighbor had one installed (for the sprinklers), was a simple filter cartridge with a CLEAR cover, mounter above ground at the inlet to the valve assembly. With the clear cover it was easy to see when the filter needed to be changed. i have no idea of the cost, and they have moved. Parts for a DIY installed would easily be well below $100.

[Laker14]

I have some questions about the expansion tank.

Is it disastrous if the charge is 60psi against a 70psi water pressure reading?
Instead of draining the tank to up the charge, can you disconnect the expansion tank (closing the valve that feeds the hot water tank first of course, and releasing the pressure in the hot water system by opening a hot water valve in the house), and pump it up the same way you did when you installed the tank?

[jrref]

I have some questions about the expansion tank.

Is it disastrous if the charge is 60psi against a 70psi water pressure reading?
Instead of draining the tank to up the charge, can you disconnect the expansion tank (closing the valve that feeds the hot water tank first of course, and releasing the pressure in the hot water system by opening a hot water valve in the house), and pump it up the same way you did when you installed the tank?

Technically you are supposed to pre-pressurize the expansion tank to the supply water pressure to your home or the tank will fail prematurely. It says this in big print in the expansion tank instructions. That said if you pressureize the tank to something close to the inlet pressure you should be fine. Remember your water pressure is going to vary during the day anyway. You just want to avoid streching the internal membrane to it's limits causing it to fail. As far as pressurizing and or measuring the pressure in the expansion tank, closing the the water supply valve to the hot water tank and opening the hot water in the house should release the pressure in the expansion tank but if you have an electric hot water heater i would open the circuit breaker to the tank during the process just to make sure the heating elements do not come on with no water on them.

[jrref]

Neighbor had one installed (for the sprinklers), was a simple filter cartridge with a CLEAR cover, mounter above ground at the inlet to the valve assembly. With the clear cover it was easy to see when the filter needed to be changed. i have no idea of the cost, and they have moved. Parts for a DIY installed would easily be well below $100.
From my experience working with a handyman who installed many of these for my neighbors the parts are around $150-$175 but there is a lot of labor to do the install because many of these valve assemblies are burried and need to be dug out. Also because every installation is different due to the original piping it takes time to cut and glue all the pvc pipes, and valves for the install so everything looks good. He consulted with one of the filter manufacturers to select the correct sediment filter that we need here in the Villages. He uses a stainless steel filter vs the plastic one so it will last a long time. I also installed what they call a sock that covers the clear filter cover becasue it prevents mold build up on the inside of the plastic cover so you can see when the filter needs to be flushed. All you need to do is pull up the sock to take a look. There are several of us who have had the filters installed for 6 months and they works great. My sprinkler heads and fine misters don't get clogged any more. The only service i do myself is to periodically check each zone to make sure no heads are broken and that they are spraying correctly.

If you think about it the $300-$350 it costs to install this filter is easily paid for by a couple of visits from a sprinkler service tech who has to clean and or replace your sprinkler head filters every year. An those fine misters and sprayers used for the shrubs will always clog up and stop working without this main filter.

[Laker14]

Technically you are supposed to pre-pressurize the expansion tank to the supply water pressure to your home or the tank will fail prematurely. It says this in big print in the expansion tank instructions. That said if you pressureize the tank to something close to the inlet pressure you should be fine. Remember your water pressure is going to vary during the day anyway. You just want to avoid streching the internal membrane to it's limits causing it to fail. As far as pressurizing and or measuring the pressure in the expansion tank, closing the the water supply valve to the hot water tank and opening the hot water in the house should release the pressure in the expansion tank but if you have an electric hot water heater i would open the circuit breaker to the tank during the process just to make sure the heating elements do not come on with no water on them.
thank you.

[Chamo]

Great information. Thank you. Does anybody have a phone number or a person that will install this filter system for your water irrigation?

[Nucky]

352-661–6555 Nova. Great people, Great products.

I would like to thank the OP and stress the importance of cleaning your dryer exhaust. Please don’t overlook this maintenance item. A dryer fire is nasty. It happened to us before we moved to The Villages. Desmond is the man’s name but I apologize that I can’t come up with the phone number. Best money you’ll ever spend. When you notice it’s taking too long to dry the clothes. This is your best move.

[retiredguy123]

352-661–6555 Nova. Great people, Great products.

I would like to thank the OP and stress the importance of cleaning your dryer exhaust. Please don’t overlook this maintenance item. A dryer fire is nasty. It happened to us before we moved to The Villages. Desmond is the man’s name but I apologize that I can’t come up with the phone number. Best money you’ll ever spend. When you notice it’s taking too long to dry the clothes. This is your best move.
Desmond Harris, 352-308-7457

[ithos]

I found out about a bad expansion tank when my AC did not come on. The diaphragm leaked which led to a pin hole leak on the top of the tank. It sprayed water on may AC control board that rendered it inoperable.

If you DIY, you will need to buy a few parts since they are installed with PVC. A pressure gage will be necessary too. My tank was only 6 years old when this happened.

[AZ SLIM]

Desmond Harris, 352-308-7457
I am curious about what the ignition source was for a fire in the dryer vent. How could this fire start?
thanks

[retiredguy123]

I am curious about what the ignition source was for a fire in the dryer vent. How could this fire start?
thanks
Lint, consisting of cotton and wool, builds up in the duct. Cotton and wool can ignite when the temperature exceeds 250 degrees F. When the duct is obstructed, the temperature can exceed 250 degrees.

[Romad]

The expansion tanks started failing in my neighborhood at the same time at about 11 years. They are relatively easy to replace. I wanted one the same as the original, and found them at a plumbing supply store in Ocala. I replaced mine before I had water filteration with pressure gauges, so I bought one at Lowe’s. Mine is right at 63 PSI. Filling the expansion tank with an air compressor is easy. If they fail, bad things can happen as the author stated. Another reason to have whole house filtration…I can glance at the pressure every day.

[Heytubes]

Great info. Thanks

[JGibson]

The push/pull valves pop into the closed position when pressure is too high which is probably because of the expansion tank failing.

Why would you remove this layer of protection?

You can’t always count on the safety relief valve to work if the pressure gets too high.

In fact the push/pull valves engaged before the safety relief valve released when my expansion tank failed.

Also, it may be the local building code to have these types of push/pull valves installed on these systems. I’m not 100% on this.

I would just replace the hose and push/pull valves every 5 years. It's not that expensive but a hot water heater exploding will be expensive.

If you do decide to swap out the push/pull valves test the safety relief valve once a month as they have a tendency to stick.

It would be nice if they put actually pressure gauges on these hot water heaters. Cheers.

[retiredguy123]

The push/pull valves pop into the closed position when pressure is too high which is probably because of the expansion tank failing.

Why would you remove this layer of protection?

You can’t always count on the safety relief valve to work if the pressure gets too high.

In fact the push/pull valves engaged before the safety relief valve released when my expansion tank failed.

Also, it may be the local building code to have these types of push/pull valves installed on these systems. I’m not 100% on this.

I would just replace the hose and push/pull valves every 5 years. It's not that expensive but a hot water heater exploding will be expensive.

If you do decide to swap out the push/pull valves test the safety relief valve once a month as they have a tendency to stick.

It would be nice if they put actually pressure gauges on these hot water heaters. Cheers.
If a push-pull valve closes due to high pressure, it will alert you to a possible problem, but it won't relieve any pressure. These valves are not designed to close at any particular pressure, or to perform any safety function. They are just shut off valves. And, they are not required by the building code.

The safety relief valve on your water heater is designed to open when the pressure exceeds 150 psi, which is a pretty high pressure. I would suggest buying a pressure gauge for 10 dollars from Amazon, so you can measure your house water pressure by just screwing it onto an outside hose bibb.

[Jbbest]

Also, don't forget to flush the AC drip line monthly. I use a gallon of warm water & 1/4 cup regular white vinegar. It goes down the PVC pipe next to the AC unit (in garage or in house) and flows outside to the drip pipe.
I also have a washable, permanent air filter for my AC unit and I clean that with a garden hose every 2 or 3 months. More often if you have pets that shed a lot of hair.

[TheWarriors]

Look at Floe by Moen. Automatic water shut off valve you install after a water filtration system but before everything else in your home. Monitors your daily use cycles and will automatically shut off your main water line if it senses a valve has been open too long. Yes, you would have some water leakage but 10 minutes of water leakage is easier to deal with than 10 hours or whatever period your away from your home. Also links to internet and your devices to alert you to issues and possible water shutoff. Provides a weekly report of water usage and you can do instantaneous pressure checks.

[NewtoFL]

Thank you, OP, for this valuable information. My husband is going to hate that I read this and now I have some projects for him. We have a tankless hot water heater here but now I’m wondering if we need an expansion tank for our home in MI.

[jrandall]

Thank you for this helpful advice.

[PurePeach]

I am curious about what the ignition source was for a fire in the dryer vent. How could this fire start?
thanks
Lint buildup. It’s called combustible energy :evil6::cus:

[NoMo50]

Great information from the OP. I would add that maintaining your own sprinkler heads is very easy, and should be performed regularly. The filters attached to the sprinkler heads are easily cleaned, and if you don't know how to disassemble them, there are YouTube videos that demonstrate the process. I clean mine at least every quarter, and they are always in need when I pull them out. The pond water used for irrigation is filthy, and those filters clog up pretty quick. I even found, the first time I pulled all of my sprinkler heads, that several heads did not even have a filter on them.

A few other items that require regular maintenance, that most can do easily themselves include:

1. Lubricate rollers and hinges on garage doors twice per year.
2. Clean the exterior weep holes in windows quarterly. Especially if any of your sprinklers hit your window areas.
3. Change smoke detector batteries annually.
4. Pour a gallon of hot water down the A/C condensate line regularly. I do mine every month.
5. Clean the dryer vent annually. You can buy a kit on Amazon for about $30 that attaches to an electric drill, has a stiff brush, and will reach all the way to the roof vent. You may be surprised how much lint is removed.
6. Check the screws on the underside of window sashes. They use cheap galvanized screws that will rust out. It is a simple project to replace all of the screws with stainless steel.

I find it easy to include the routine maintenance duties on the calendar on my phone. That way, I don't forget to do them.

[toeser]

Fortunately, I think, I will not need an expansion tank. The water pressure in our house sucks. If anything, I would add some type of pressurization device.

[Altavia]

Thank you, OP, for this valuable information. My husband is going to hate that I read this and now I have some projects for him. We have a tankless hot water heater here but now I’m wondering if we need an expansion tank for our home in MI.

Tankless Water Heaters do not need an expansion tank.

Having an annual descaling done in theory extends service life.

[retiredguy123]

Fortunately, I think, I will not need an expansion tank. The water pressure in our house sucks. If anything, I would add some type of pressurization device.
Having low water pressure has very little to do with needing an expansion tank. Here is why you need one. Suppose you use all of the hot water in the water heater, taking showers, washing clothes, etc. Then, you close off all faucets, toilets, etc. in the house and leave the house for a few hours. Now, you have a closed system and the water heater is full of cold water. The water heater will come on to heat up the water in the tank. As it heats up, the water will expand, but it has nowhere to go, so the pressure can greatly increase due to the thermal expansion. The function of the expansion tank is to prevent this rapid rise in water pressure by allowing the water to expand the diaphragm in the expansion tank and reduce the water pressure.

[NavyBoy]

i'm an engineer and have lived in the villages for a year and a half now. I'm creating this post to alert homeowners of maintenance tasks here in the villages that are often overlooked.

1) if you have a gas or electric tank hot water heater and it doesn't have an expansion tank you should have one installed. If you have an expansion tank it must be checked at least once a year. This can easily be done by tapping on the outside of the bottom and top of the expansion tank with a metal object like a screwdriver. The bottom half of the expansion tank will have water in it and the top should not. When the tank is good the tapping sound on the bottom and the top sides of the tank will sound different. The bottom will sound like a thud and the top should sound empty. Expansion tanks generally last 5 years if they were pressurized to the water inlet pressure when installed. Because the tanks are pre-pressurized to 40 lbs from the factory some installers never pre-pressurized the tanks properly and they will fail sooner than 5 years in this state. There is also a pressure valve on the top of the tank where you can take a reading each year as well and if the pressure is lower than it should be you can add air. But you must drain the hot water heater after the electric and or gas is turned off, below the expansion tank level before taking a reading and or adding air. This will also drain off any sediment from the bottom of the hot water tank.

The purpose of the expansion tank is to maintain safe water pressure when your hot water heater heats water. Hot water from the heater expands which increases the water pressure in your water system. The expansion tank compensates for this hot water expansion and keeps the water pressure in your home at a safe level.

If you just ignore this maintenance over time a failed expansion tank can cause the water pressure in your home to increase to unsafe levels. Generally, your water pressure should be less than 80lbs here in the villages. When an expansion tank fails, faucets, water valves, water hoses to the toilets, refrigerator, water filters, etc, can fail causing a flood in your home. It can also cause an increase in the pressure in the hot water heater tank causing the expansion safety valve to leak.

These expansion tanks are relatively inexpensive and if you are handy you can test and change them yourself. If not you can call your plumber or hvac company of choice to check it when they service your hot water heater. If you have a nova whole house filter for example, when they come yearly to change the filters they will also check the hot water heater expansion tank as well. If you do it yourself you can check it yourself.

There have been many reports of whole house water filters, softeners and burst hoses failing and flooding the home. It's not the hose or filter's problem, it's because of unsafe water pressure in your home.

2) all home irrigation systems here in the villages had a rain sensor installed when the home was built. What we have found is after 5 years or so the sponges in the rain sensor dry up and the sensor fails to tell the controller not to water when it rained. Becasue of this, probably thousands of residents here in the villages water unnecessarily after a heavy rain or storm wasting and paying for a significant amount of wasted irrigation water. The solution is to replace these sponges or just go to your local big box store and for around $20 purchase and install a new irrigation rain sensor. If you can't do it yourself you can hire one of the many handymen and or irrigation service people here in the villages to do it for you. I believe it's simpler to replace the whole sensor because the plastic parts in the old sensor can break when replacing the sponges. There has been so much talk of rising water costs and this is a relatively easy way to lower yours.

3) the irrigation water we get from the villages south of 466 is "grey" water meaning it's minimally treated and is not pottable meaning you can't drink or cook with it. We have found a lot of sediment in this water which clogs the filters in the irrigation system spray heads eventually leading to them being totally clogged and stop working. One way around this is to have your local irrigation service persion check and change the filters yearly or the option many of us have used is to install an irrigation water filter. These are sediment filters installed before your irrigation valve box outside so that you have nearly sediment-free water feeding your system. It's a relatively inexpensive way to keep your irrigation system running without a lot of maintenance. There is a valve that you open once a month or so to clear the filter and that's it. There are some local handymen who can install this for you.

4) whole house water filters filter the treated water from the villages removing sediment, chlorine and other things that you generally don't want to drink. Although many don't mind the taste of the villages water there is a lot of sediment that will settle in your hot water tank or system, in your pipes, faucets, dishwasher, etc.. Installing a whole house water filter will keep sediment from causing damage over time to everything that uses water in your home. If you have a hot water tank system a whole house water filter will lessen the need to drain the tank to remove water sediment for example. These systems are relatively inexpensive and can be installed by nova filters or you can do it yourself by purchasing the many systems available either through amazon or your local big box store. Just do your research and look into all these options since not all whole house filters are the same or have local service like nova for example.

5) all water supply hoses for the toilets, refrigerators, dishwasher and washing machines have a fixed life and will eventually fail potentially causing a catastrophic flood in your home. The problem we have here in the villages is almost all homes have push/pull valves installed where in some cases you can't replace the water supply hose without changing the valve. This is especially true for the water supply hose for the refrigerator. To manage this problem you can have your local plumber change out all of the push/pull valves for quarter turn ball valves so you can change the water supply hoses every 5 years or so.

I hope this post can be a reference for everyone in the villages since these items are talked about in bits and pieces in many of the talk of the villages threads but not in one spot and they are so important!

I don't provide any of the above services and i have no affiliation with nova filters but i mention this company because many here in the villages have used their products and services. They are locally owned, stand behind their product and workmanship and highly recommended. Even if you are just doing research, give brad a call and he will help you with information for your specific need.

If you have any questions and or need some references to service people and or handymen who can provice some of these services please reach out to me at jrref@hotmail.com or pm me.

everything this gent says is so very true!! Heed it.

[LG999]

Thank you for taking the time to write this. I appreciate it & will implement.

[sowtime444]

Shut off valves with a built-in hose were clearly invented by the devil.

[jrref]

Great information. Thank you. Does anybody have a phone number or a person that will install this filter system for your water irrigation?

For the irregation filter you can reach out to Chuck Grospitch
chuck.grospitch@gmail.com

For Nova whole house filter reach out to Brad on 352.566.2649

[jrref]

The expansion tanks started failing in my neighborhood at the same time at about 11 years. They are relatively easy to replace. I wanted one the same as the original, and found them at a plumbing supply store in Ocala. I replaced mine before I had water filteration with pressure gauges, so I bought one at Lowe’s. Mine is right at 63 PSI. Filling the expansion tank with an air compressor is easy. If they fail, bad things can happen as the author stated. Another reason to have whole house filtration…I can glance at the pressure every day.
You mentioned that expansion tanks in your area failed around 11 years. I've never seen them last that long even under the best circumstances. For the cost to replace it, it's best to get ahead of it and just replace it every 5 years and avoid any catastropic problems when it fails.

[lawgolfer]

Gosh, someone using this board does give good advice (other than myself).

One addition! Replace the "sacrificial anode" on your water heater every 4-5 years. This anode is what protects the metal of the tank against corrosion caused by the small amount of electricity which constantly circulates within water systems. Not one in 500 people even know of this anode, let alone replaces the anode on a regular basis, if ever. The reason why water tanks rust through is because the anode has never been replaced.

The anode is a rod of aluminum or magnesium. Over time it, literally, dissolves (corrodes) away (another reason why you need to drain the tank every year as the sediment settles at the bottom of the tank. Replacement anodes are available at Home Depot or Amazon for around $40.

You can replace the anode yourself. However, you will need a large wrench or, preferably, a socket, and, probably, a "breaker bar" for the socket and a torch to heat the head of the anode as they tend to get stuck in place. The anode will either be a large hex head on the top of the tank around the inlet and outlet pipes or will be integral with the outlet pipe. The latter are particularly hard to remove.

Any time the expansion tank is replaced, so should the anode (believe me, you'll be shocked when you see what remains of the anode--usually only a steel rod around which the aluminum or magnesium was formed).

I've done it myself and learned that I much prefer to have it done by a plumber. It involves a lot of frustration with standing on a ladder, heating the socket head with a torch, and applying a lot of force to break the old anode free from the tank. Anodes which are integral with the outlet pipe are particularly hard to remove as they will be aluminum, not steel, and easily crush and distort. If you do this yourself, the trick is to use an "inside" pipe wrench which drops inside the outlet pipe (a specialized plumbing tool) or insert a 1/2" bolt in the outlet pipe and apply an ordinary pipe wrench to the outside. The 1/2 " bolt prevents the aluminum outlet pipe from being crushed by the application of the pipe wrench.

[jrref]

The push/pull valves pop into the closed position when pressure is too high which is probably because of the expansion tank failing.

Why would you remove this layer of protection?

You can’t always count on the safety relief valve to work if the pressure gets too high.

In fact the push/pull valves engaged before the safety relief valve released when my expansion tank failed.

Also, it may be the local building code to have these types of push/pull valves installed on these systems. I’m not 100% on this.

I would just replace the hose and push/pull valves every 5 years. It's not that expensive but a hot water heater exploding will be expensive.

If you do decide to swap out the push/pull valves test the safety relief valve once a month as they have a tendency to stick.

It would be nice if they put actually pressure gauges on these hot water heaters. Cheers.

You are very lucky to have had the push/pull valve close on you. I don't know if they are code or not but i doubt it. I used a licensed plumber to replace mine and that was never mentioned.

That said over pressure can cause damage to other appliances not connected with a push/pull valve such as your hot water heater, whole house filter, water softener if you have one, etc...

For the cost of replacing the expansion tank it's not worth the risk in the long run to rely on it. It's so simple to check once a year and if necessary replace. Once an expansion tank is installed properly it will last a long time.

[Zebra]

I would add consideration for a whole house automatic / wifi remote shut off valve, particularly for part time residents such as snow birds or constant vacationers.

One such device, and there are others is Phynn. It a number of functions, 2 of which I find important and useful.

First it will detect a water leak and automatically shut off all the house domestic water, if this switch for this is turned on. Second, you can from your phone anywhere, (or locally if desired) easily turn off you domestic water. It will also show you your current water pressure remotely as well.

Aside from reports on usage, I find this device very convenient to shut off my water whenever I am going to be gone for a more than a few days. I have complete peace of mind that a broken hose or pipe won't ruin my return.

Also some insurance companies also provide a discount if you have an automatic leak detector, let alone a device that will shut off the water automatically if so detected.

- L

[jrref]

I would add consideration for a whole house automatic / wifi remote shut off valve, particularly for part time residents such as snow birds or constant vacationers.

One such device, and there are others is Phynn. It a number of functions, 2 of which I find important and useful.

First it will detect a water leak and automatically shut off all the house domestic water, if this switch for this is turned on. Second, you can from your phone anywhere, (or locally if desired) easily turn off you domestic water. It will also show you your current water pressure remotely as well.

Aside from reports on usage, I find this device very convenient to shut off my water whenever I am going to be gone for a more than a few days. I have complete peace of mind that a broken hose or pipe won't ruin my return.

Also some insurance companies also provide a discount if you have an automatic leak detector, let alone a device that will shut off the water automatically if so detected.

- L

Water detection and automatic shutoff is very, very important but many people do not install a system becasue of the upfront cost. Phyn looks good and is pretty easy to install. In my home in the Villages i use a Homeseer automation hub with water sensors by my toilets, under the sinks, refrigerator, dishwasher, hot water tank, cloths washer and by the whole house water filter. If any of the sensors detect water, even a little they will signal the Homeseer hub and turn off the Homeseer automatic water shutoff valve i installed at the water main. Water is your worst enemy. Eventhough you are covered by insurance you still need to have everything cleaned up and repaired and have to worry about mold. It's hard to believe the amount of water discharged when a cloths washer or toilet water supply line bursts. In minutes you have a significant flood. These automated water sensor and shutoff valves although expensive, in the long run can save you thousands of dollars and give your piece of mind. Some will say, when i leave to go back home or on vacation i turn off my water at the water main. This is recommended but what about when you are at Brownwood eating at the Bluefin for example and one of your toilet hoses burst? By the time you come home it's too late. These automated systems not only detect and automatically shut off the water but they send you a text and or e-mail that something happened And you can also manually turn off the valve remotely via an app on your phone if needed. With Homeseer the cost is about $500 for all the equipement plus 3 water sensors. Each additional sensor costs about $33. I don't know of anyone who installs these systems but if you are interested you can reach out to me. None of these systems that actually work are inexpensive and or easy to install but with a little help from a professional or if you are a DIY'er it can be done.

[bob47]

Having low water pressure has very little to do with needing an expansion tank. Here is why you need one. Suppose you use all of the hot water in the water heater, taking showers, washing clothes, etc. Then, you close off all faucets, toilets, etc. in the house and leave the house for a few hours. Now, you have a closed system and the water heater is full of cold water. The water heater will come on to heat up the water in the tank. As it heats up, the water will expand, but it has nowhere to go, so the pressure can greatly increase due to the thermal expansion. The function of the expansion tank is to prevent this rapid rise in water pressure by allowing the water to expand the diaphragm in the expansion tank and reduce the water pressure.

It's only a closed system if there's a backflow preventer between the municipal supply and your house. Ours does not have one. Ours only becomes a closed system when we shut the main supply valve in the garage.

[jojo]

We just started having water come out of the electrical outlet on the counter in the master bath when it rains. Have no idea where to start to deal with it. Roofer? General contractor? It is happening now.

[metoo21]

5. Clean the dryer vent annually. You can buy a kit on Amazon for about $30 that attaches to an electric drill, has a stiff brush, and will reach all the way to the roof vent. You may be surprised how much lint is removed.

Do you have to pull the dryer out to do this? Have a link to the kit on amazon?

[retiredguy123]

We just started having water come out of the electrical outlet on the counter in the master bath when it rains. Have no idea where to start to deal with it. Roofer? General contractor? It is happening now.
If the house is still under warranty, call the warranty department. If not, you need a roofer to locate the leak.

[retiredguy123]

Do you have to pull the dryer out to do this? Have a link to the kit on amazon?
Yes, you need to pull out the dryer. And, if the vent terminates on the roof, you also need to go onto the roof. You can buy a brush kit, but it is easier to call Desmond Harris, 352-308-7457, and get it done for about $100.

[retiredguy123]

It's only a closed system if there's a backflow preventer between the municipal supply and your house. Ours does not have one. Ours only becomes a closed system when we shut the main supply valve in the garage.
I agree, and I assumed that I had one, but I'm not actually sure. I plan to ask The Villages.

[retiredguy123]

It's only a closed system if there's a backflow preventer between the municipal supply and your house. Ours does not have one. Ours only becomes a closed system when we shut the main supply valve in the garage.
Are you sure? I sent a message to The Villages Utility department, and here is the reply I received this afternoon.

"Good Afternoon,
All potable meters have a backflow preventer.
Thank you,

Happy Holidays!

-Brandi"

[NoMoSno]

Yes, you need to pull out the dryer. And, if the vent terminates on the roof, you also need to go onto the roof. You can buy a brush kit, but it is easier to call Desmond Harris, 352-308-7457, and get it done for about $100.
Using this kit there is no need to go on the roof:
Access Denied (https://www.lowes.com/pd/EASTMAN-Lint-Wizard-Large-Duct-Dryer-Vent-Cleaning-Kit/5001193613)
Might need the extensions for longer reach:
Access Denied (https://www.lowes.com/pd/LintEater-Dryer-Vent-Cleaning-Kit-White/5012914445)

[retiredguy123]

Using this kit there is no need to go on the roof:
Access Denied (https://www.lowes.com/pd/EASTMAN-Lint-Wizard-Large-Duct-Dryer-Vent-Cleaning-Kit/5001193613)
Might need the extensions for longer reach:
Access Denied (https://www.lowes.com/pd/LintEater-Dryer-Vent-Cleaning-Kit-White/5012914445)
My outlet on the roof has a gooseneck duct and a screen. I'm not sure you can remove all the lint without going on the roof. I don't know if Desmond Harris goes on the roof, but I think he does. In any event, this is not a DIY project for me.

[bob47]

Are you sure? I sent a message to The Villages Utility department, and here is the reply I received this afternoon.

"Good Afternoon,
All potable meters have a backflow preventer.
Thank you,

Happy Holidays!

-Brandi"

It may depend on the age of the home. June 2000 construction, no backflow preventer in the meter / shutoff box or in the box right next to the house. No expansion tank either.

[Nucky]

Don't consider calling Desmond Howard a waste of money it is a valuable deed that you are doing for yourself and your family, It is not a learn-as-you-earn type of job. It is usually horrendous cleaning a dryer vent and wondering if you got all the lint or missed some of it. Don't be a stiff get someone to do it who is a pro!

[Altavia]

My outlet on the roof has a gooseneck duct and a screen. I'm not sure you can remove all the lint without going on the roof. I don't know if Desmond Harris goes on the roof, but I think he does. In any event, this is not a DIY project for me.

This is correct, gunk gets stuck in the roof vent that requires checking from the roof.

These guys do a good job also.

https://lakesumterdryerventcleaning.com/

[jswirs]

My outlet on the roof has a gooseneck duct and a screen. I'm not sure you can remove all the lint without going on the roof. I don't know if Desmond Harris goes on the roof, but I think he does. In any event, this is not a DIY project for me.
In my case one definitely has to go up onto the roof to check for lint. After 6 years of not doing this I found handfuls of lint gathered / stuck to the inside and outside of the vent flap. The flap was held in the open position by all the lint. If it was held closed, we could have had a real problem.

[nancyre]

Check your model home - if your dryer is directly vented outside the wall behind your dryer. You can easily do it your self. Most in The Villages are roof vents and you need someone with the proper tools. ANCHOR floor model is a direct vent through the wall the run is about 6 inches . Just look outside on the wall for the vent cover.

[jrref]

I decided to try Complete Dryer Vent Services on 352-653-0809 from a friend in Fenney who recommended them.

My dryer vent is on the roof and i've cleaned the vent and ducts myself when i moved in but i had to climb on the roof in order to complete the job.

Complete Dryer Vent services is going to probably cost more that the local handyman or companies who clean vents BUT they did the most complete and thorough job that i've ever seen.

They first go on the roof and clean out the vent with several different brushes. They then pull out the dryer and systematically clean out the dryer lint trap and the ducting. They are very careful not to damage the floor and will put sliders under the dryer. The technician had several smaller brushes and maybe even a tooth brush that he used in all the nooks and crannies that he could reach when cleaning the dryer lint trap and duct work. They then use a special rotary brush to clean out the main duct going to the roof. Once done they go back on the roof to clean any additional dirt that came out and check the air flow with a special meter and then use a blower to remove any dirt/lint that got blown around the roof. They did everything along with taking before and after pictures that are sent to you with the bill. The technician reviews everything and shows you the before and after pictures at the end of the job. He spent about an hour and 15 minutes solidly working.

They used mats on the roof so not to damage any of the shingles. They used a special gutter cover so the ladder wouldn't scratch the gutter when they climbed onto the roof. When they cleaned ducts that were in the house they used a damp towel to wipe everthing down after they used the brushes. They did a great job of vaccuming and even cleaned under the washing machine. I just never saw anything like this ever when i've had my dryer ducts cleaned by other professionals in the past.

This might sound like overkill but this company doesn't just run a brush up and down the duct and leave.They have special rotary brushes that remove all the built up dirt and lint so you see clean metal duct work when completed. This means the ducts will take longer to build up dirt and lint than just brushing.

I was very satisified with the work and felt the cost was worth all the work that was done. I guess you get what you pay for. I highly recommend this dryer duct cleaning company even though they are slightly more expensive than the rest. Since you only have to do this service usually once a year the cost is not an issue. There is a special price right now so if you are interested give them a call.

[Fenster]

This was very thoughtful of you.

It’s excellent.

Thanks so much.

(Clicking on the plus sign is just not enough!)

[metoo21]

I decided to try Complete Dryer Vent Services on 352-653-0809 from a friend in Fenney who recommended them.

My dryer vent is on the roof and i've cleaned the vent and ducts myself when i moved in but i had to climb on the roof in order to complete the job.

Complete Dryer Vent services is going to probably cost more that the local handyman or companies who clean vents BUT they did the most complete and thorough job that i've ever seen.

They first go on the roof and clean out the vent with several different brushes. They then pull out the dryer and systematically clean out the dryer lint trap and the ducting. They are very careful not to damage the floor and will put sliders under the dryer. The technician had several smaller brushes and maybe even a tooth brush that he used in all the nooks and crannies that he could reach when cleaning the dryer lint trap and duct work. They then use a special rotary brush to clean out the main duct going to the roof. Once done they go back on the roof to clean any additional dirt that came out and check the air flow with a special meter and then use a blower to remove any dirt/lint that got blown around the roof. They did everything along with taking before and after pictures that are sent to you with the bill. The technician reviews everything and shows you the before and after pictures at the end of the job. He spent about an hour and 15 minutes solidly working.

They used mats on the roof so not to damage any of the shingles. They used a special gutter cover so the ladder wouldn't scratch the gutter when they climbed onto the roof. When they cleaned ducts that were in the house they used a damp towel to wipe everthing down after they used the brushes. They did a great job of vaccuming and even cleaned under the washing machine. I just never saw anything like this ever when i've had my dryer ducts cleaned by other professionals in the past.

This might sound like overkill but this company doesn't just run a brush up and down the duct and leave.They have special rotary brushes that remove all the built up dirt and lint so you see clean metal duct work when completed. This means the ducts will take longer to build up dirt and lint than just brushing.

I was very satisified with the work and felt the cost was worth all the work that was done. I guess you get what you pay for. I highly recommend this dryer duct cleaning company even though they are slightly more expensive than the rest. Since you only have to do this service usually once a year the cost is not an issue. There is a special price right now so if you are interested give them a call.

What did they charge you? Don't need the work done now.

[kenlor]

Thanks for this information.

[jrref]

In my case one definitely has to go up onto the roof to check for lint. After 6 years of not doing this I found handfuls of lint gathered / stuck to the inside and outside of the vent flap. The flap was held in the open position by all the lint. If it was held closed, we could have had a real problem.

Correct, most homes have that "goose neck" type of vent on the roof that collects lots of lint. If you have a screen take it off because that will clog very quickly. There is really no way to clean the roof vent from the inside of the house because lint will accumulate on the top of the vent and as this person explained it could keep the flapper from opening fully which would be the worst case to happen because that could lead to a fire.

[jrref]

What did they charge you? Don't need the work done now.

It's best to just give them a call because i don't know if the charge varies from area to area. But it's definetly worth the money to get this extreemly thorough cleaning done at least once a year. If you are handy and want to run a brush up the vent 6 months in between, that can't hurt.

The key is if you don't scrape all the lint off the metal duct, as you use the dryer new lint will accumulate quicker in the duct. Starting off with a totally clean duct right down to the metal is best because it will take longer for the lint to accumulate.

[boxcarwilly]

You mentioned that expansion tanks in your area failed around 11 years. I've never seen them last that long even under the best circumstances. For the cost to replace it, it's best to get ahead of it and just replace it every 5 years and avoid any catastropic problems when it fails.
Our ProFlo has a build code 12/09 and is still functioning.Reads 65 psi. Replacement unit on order though.

[jrref]

Our ProFlo has a build code 12/09 and is still functioning.Reads 65 psi. Replacement unit on order though.

Good idea. Did you do the tap test?

[boxcarwilly]

Good idea. Did you do the tap test?
Yes..thud until the top and then ding.

[elevatorman]

It's only a closed system if there's a backflow preventer between the municipal supply and your house. Ours does not have one. Ours only becomes a closed system when we shut the main supply valve in the garage.

Since 1985 water meters have a built in back flow preventer. It is in the code. Water companies in the US have replaced most of the older meters.

[jrref]

Yes..thud until the top and then ding.

Great but i would replace it anyway since it's so old.

[jrref]

Anyone interester in tips and information on surge protection?

[jrref]

We are going to get a hard freeze this weekend so make sure you get an insulated cover for your outdoor hose bibs and leave the bathroom hot AND cold water dripping during the night to avoid any freezing pipes.

[bp243]

Desmond Harris, 352-308-7457

Thanks! Also Complete Dryer Vent was mentioned @352-653-0809. Is there a preference between these two?

[jrref]

Thanks! Also Complete Dryer Vent was mentioned @352-653-0809. Is there a preference between these two?

Complete Dryer Vent will probably do a more thorough job but cost a little more.

[Bay Kid]

Thanks! Also Complete Dryer Vent was mentioned @352-653-0809. Is there a preference between these two?

Well I'm giving them a chance. A little more expensive but they sound very thorough. I'll let everyone know after Jan. 11th.

[edtherock]

My son works on HVAC systems in Atlanta area. He told me to get the wet / dry vac and suck the water and debris out of the line where the drain line discharge is located near the outside AC unit. You will be AMAZED at all the "white noogies" and growth as he called them comes out.. (THis also pulls all the water out of the line which you should refill) Then one other idea was-- by the indoor unit, lift off the water overflow sensor from the PVC tube right near the drain outlet of the AC unit. Push a hose down the tube an inch or two and turn on the water slowly. This is best with two people. So the pressure (Around 60 PSI in most places) also helps PUSH the growth out of the tubes and also fills it back up with water. You are done.:22yikes:

[Michael 61]

As a new home owner here in TV, this has been very valuable info - I have taken notes and placed all these items on a calendar. Besides the references given in this thread, does anyone have a referral for a good handyman that will come by periodically throughout the year for the more minor maintenance items - I am neither handy, nor want to be charged with this kinda of work. Thanks everyone, especially the OP for such useful info.

[Altavia]

If you have a tankless hot water heater, the ignitors have a tendacy to fail early..

They are easy to replace of you keep a spare on hand

Water Heater Igniter RGT20235C

Rheem PROTECH Ignitor Coil RTG20235C https://a.co/d/bi9sW0s

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9OSRhziHsOE&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

[jrref]

If you have a tankless hot water heater, the ignitors have a tendacy to fail early..

They are easy to replace of you keep a spare on hand

Water Heater Igniter RGT20235C

Rheem PROTECH Ignitor Coil RTG20235C https://a.co/d/bi9sW0s

https://youtube.com/watch?v=9OSRhziHsOE&si=EnSIkaIECMiOmarE

Good advice!