Gurgling water tank could need a flush
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Q: My water heater makes loud gurgling noises after I use it. Is this a sign of impending trouble?
A: Typical cause of gurgling is scale and rust buildup inside the tank, usually more of a problem in older tanks. First, check the temperature of the water; excessive temperature settings may contribute to the gurgling noises, waste energy and be a scalding hazard.
Gas water-heater temperature controls are located on the gas-control valve near the bottom, while electric thermostats are located behind the removable metal plates at the heating elements. The recommended setting is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. If your house has a check valve, pressure-reducing valve or backflow-prevention device in the plumbing system, you may need an expansion tank installed. This nitrogen-filled tank can help alleviate gurgling by absorbing the pressure changes in the lines near the water heater.
If the problem is sediment buildup, you need to flush the tank. Leave the main water-feed valve on, turn the power or gas off, open the temperature-pressure relief valve (located near the top on the side, or directly on top) and let it drain for several minutes by holding the spring-loaded valve out at a 90-degree angle from closed.
This valve's drainpipe should be plumbed to drain to the exterior, but if it is not, use a large bucket. If you lack any relief-valve drainpipe, do not attempt this! Upon releasing the valve, water may continue to leak at the valve, a common occurrence if the valve has not been exercised regularly. Snap it back and forth between open and closed several times to dislodge rust particles. Next, attach a hose to the drain fitting at the bottom of the water heater and open it up. Rather than waste the hot water altogether, consider using it to wash the dog or whatever. After 30 seconds or so, shut the drain valve off, turn the cold-water-feed valve off above the water heater and open the drain again, this time draining the tank without simultaneously refilling it. This will take several minutes, as 50 gallons does not drain quickly through a 3/4-inch hose when not pressurized.
If you have an electric water heater, remove the heating elements, soak them in vinegar, clean and replace. After draining, close the valve at the bottom and slowly refill the tank by opening the cold-water-feed valve.
After refilling, relight the pilot or turn on the electric breaker and listen as it heats. If you still hear the noises, the next steps are to install a thermal expansion tank, replace the anode rod and dip tubes, or replace the water heater altogether, in that order.
Q: I face having to paint the exterior of my humble abode once again after only a very few years, due to peeling and bubbles. It is a beautiful 1930s house, with horizontal wood siding and walls insulated with blown-in material. Last time, I used oil-based primer and a high-quality latex paint, but it still seems to fail very quickly. Can you help?
A: Aside from fading, the most common reason paint fails is moisture, followed closely by inadequate surface preparation. In theory, paint should last forever if applied correctly, but in the real world it doesn't, especially as more and more layers of paint are caked onto a building. Peeling and bubbling is the result of moisture passing through the paint from inside-out, or less frequently in our climate, outside-in.
We could get into a long boring discussion about insulation vapor barriers, partial vapor pressures and wood-moisture percentages and on and on, but you want the paint to last without having to earn a degree in building science. The easiest, cheapest and most proven way to make paint last ( a Band-Aid approach but we want results!) is to allow vapor to pass through the siding unimpeded. How to do that? Add tiny shims at the bottom of each piece of siding. They will barely be visible but will allow moisture to pass freely.
In the spirit of the painting season, here are the most common paint defects and the reasons they occur:
- Alligatoring occurs when paint does not adhere to a glossy surface or when the finish coat moves at a greater rate than underlying coats. All paint should be stripped to the substrate.
- Bleeding is discoloration found on exterior surfaces, generally when light-colored paint covers darker paint. Moisture and inadequate priming are the culprits. Bleeding hardboard siding is a result of wax.
- Blistering and peeling are a result of application in direct sunlight, improper surface preparation and moisture issues. Moisture blistering will reveal a bare surface under the blister, whereas heat blistering will only affect the layer below. Bubbles of water, not surprisingly, are moisture-related.
- Chalking is the weathered powder found on exterior painted surfaces. Premature chalking can be caused by inadequate priming or thinned paint.
- Checking is an early form of cracking. The paint begins to loose elasticity, showing breaks on the surface. Checks swell and become cracks.
- Cracking is found under multiple layers of paint. Like alligatoring, cracking requires a complete strip of the painted surfaces.
- Mildew prefers painted surfaces over unpainted because of the nutrients provided. Paints and stains come with mildewcide mixed in, more can be added for better protection. Mildew can be best cleaned with a 3-1 ratio of water and bleach. Latex paint is the most mildew resistant, with glossy finishes more resistant than flatter finishes.
- Rust bleed. Rusty nails that bleed through are the result of using nongalvanized siding nails outside. They are frighteningly common in new construction. The nail heads needs to be ground down, coated with rust-inhibiting primer, caulked, primed and painted.