Why Dielectric Unions Are Common Failure Points in Water Heaters

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One of the most common places to find rust and corrosion in any home is right above a water tank where the dielectric unions should be installed. A dielectric union is a plumbing fitting that is meant to join two dissimilar metal pipes so they don’t experience a galvanic reaction and begin to rust. This is especially true for copper and galvanized steel piping which is usually the case when a copper supply water piping line meets the galvanized steel pipe hookups of a hot water tank. If your supply lines are galvanized to match with your water heater tank then there is no need for a special union, however, you may wish to check out our article on galvanized supply piping in your home.

Picture of Two Corroded Dielectric Unions

As you can see from the picture above, while these unions have a great intent to keep the water heater connection lines from rusting, that is not always the case. We find many dielectric unions that have started to rust which will eventually lead to a water leak if not remedied. So why does this happen and what do you need to know to keep your line from springing a leak?

Breakdown of Dielectric Union Components

Installation

Obviously, the most important part in preventing a union from corroding is installation. If the union is not installed correctly, then it won’t protect against galvanic corrosion. Looking at the picture above, the copper supply line is soldered to the brass insert. The Union Nut and Pipe Adaptor encase the insert and form a tight seal with the gasket. Notice that both the gasket and sleeve have isolation listed in their name. This is because their other job is to keep the copper/brass coming in contact with the steel components. Often the issue is that these fittings are not perfectly installed and some small contact is made. Additionally, if you use a union with a short sleeve, then that can be an issue as well. It is good to be able to visibly see the sleeve above the union nut at the end of the installation.

How to Repair

The great thing about unions is they are designed to be taken out and replaced fairly easily. One problem you will have is the connection between the copper piping and the brass insert is usually soldered, you will have to cut that portion out to extract the old union nut. It’s for this reason that you should probably hire a licensed plumber to make the repair, as they will have to cut the line and solder a new connection as well as extend the pipe below so that they properly mate. For that reason, you may wish to hold out and wait until you buy a new hot water tank to replace them if there are only early signs of rust and your tank is at or after the 10 year expected life cycle.

Electrical Safety Tips for Installing Christmas Lighting Outside

It’s that time of year again. The turkey has been stuffed, cooked, and digested and everyone’s belly is asking them why did they go for that 2ndhelping of pumpkin pie. You turn on the classic “Christmas Vacation” and watch Clarke Griswold hilariously hang enough Christmas lights to use up a whole blocks electrical supply. While I too find this sequence during the movie to be hilarious, electrical safety is no laughing matter, especially when it comes to decorating your house for the holidays. So, when you are out putting those 1000s of light bulbs to make your house glow brighter than the sun, here are some safety tips to ensure you make it to Christmas Day in one piece.

1) Always use a GFCI protected outlet or devices– Whenever you are plugging anything electrical outside, it should have ground fault protection via a GFCI device (To learn more about GFCI’s visit our blog post on them here[TW1] ). Since it is highly likely the cables you use outside will see rain or snow over the weeks they are installed, using a GFCI protected outlet or device will prevent possible electrocution from stray current but tripping the power if a ground fault is detected. If you don’t have GFCI protected outlets outside, you can also buy cords that have GFCI protection embedded in them to keep you and your family safe.

2) Make sure the cables and equipment you use are exterior rated – Any extension cords or other electrical décor you buy, should tell you whether it is rated for indoor or outdoor use. Outdoor cables are sealed more tightly and are more weather-resistant than their indoor counterpart. To prevent your cables from easily fraying and to prevent water from penetrating any wiring, make sure you are using exterior grade equipment.

3) Check your cables for frayed sheathing – Your extension cords and other cables you use for your outside décor should be checked for fraying prior to installing them. Frayed cables can let water penetrate the wiring and cause a shock hazard. If you find a frayed cable, you should either replace it or repair it if you can do so safely.

4) Know the power you are using – Unlike Clark Griswold, it is important to have a rough idea of the power you are consuming. Thanks to technological advances, LED lights take very little current to operate, but some people still use incandescent lights to save a buck or two at the store. When looking at two package boxes one for incandescent and the other for LED outdoor lights, I note that the incandescent lights have a 0.34 amp draw versus a 0.06 draw for LEDs (Please note this may change based off the brand of lights you buy). That means if you use 1500 incandescent lights you will be drawing around 5 amps of current, were with LEDS you would be drawings less than an amp. While this is important for your energy bill and pocketbook, the less current you draw in general the better and knowing what you are installing will help with the last tip below. Also, don’t forget to check for rating on other decor, such as those blowup Santa’s and Polar Bears. Quite often those have a 1 amp motor and should be accounted for.

5) Use the right size cable – Most home circuits are rated for 15 amps, however some newer homes may have an exterior circuit rated for 20 amps. To check, go to your electrical panel and find the circuit breaker labeled for outside, the breaker will either say 15 or 20. It is generally a good rule to have the extension cords that are rated for the full capacity of the circuit, so for 15 amp using 14 AWG wiring and 12 AWG wiring for 20 amp, especially for the main extension cord starting at the outlet. However, if you are your average decorator or are using exclusively LED lights you will most likely never come close to 20 amps, so 14 AWG wiring should be sufficient, but make sure you follow tip 4 in roughly calculating your actual load prior to making that decision. If you are gunning for the best display in the city, you will most likely need to up your cable size otherwise your extension cords may start to overheat and cause an electrical fire.

Hope you find this information useful and have a safe and blessed holiday season!

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Why Won’t My Window Stay Open?

Sometimes a window not staying open is just an annoyance. Occasionally, it’s a bigger inconvenience if you want to air out your bedroom or kitchen. In an emergency, it can be a significant safety issue if the window is needed for emergency egress out of a bedroom.

This issue occurs a lot when we inspect homes, and many future homeowners are concerned about this issue and think that it is an expensive fix, but most of the time, it is an easy DIY project. The key to your windows staying up are the balances on the system, which I will talk about more below.

What Is a Window Balance?

Balances are the components of a window that helps you smoothly open and close a window and keep the window open when needed. Older hung windows have an elaborate pulley and weight type balance system that is more complicated than modern balances. Most balances nowadays are constant force type that is considerably smaller. See below for the two types of balances.

What Causes Your Window to Not Stay Open?

If your window will not stay open, 90% of the time, the balance is the issue. The balance is either broken or has disengaged from the window. Now, as you can see from the pictures above, the repair can be complicated based on what type of balance system it is. However, the modern constant force balances are effortless to fix or replace with a little proper instruction. Usually, all it takes is a screwdriver and a couple of minutes to have the windows working like brand new.

Here is a video that can walk you through that process. If you have an older style hung window with an older pulley/weight or spring-loaded system, you should hire a window professional for the repair or consider upgrading your windows. Newer windows can help you save on your utility bills and increase the comfort level of your home.

What You Need to Know About Lead Piping

Lead can have serious effects on our bodies. We can absorb lead through food, air, and water we drink. Lead poisoning can cause kidney damage and also reproductive problems, which can lead to infertility. It can affect the nervous system and the ability to learn in children. So the main issue with using lead pipes in homes was that it made your drinking water exposed to lead, which eventually caused different health problems.

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What are Galvanized Pipes?

One of the more misunderstood items that often gets flagged during a home inspection is old galvanized piping. A lot of times, when I am inspecting a house with galvanized piping, there are no symptoms of low water pressure or rusty water, but it is still reported because there is some likelihood these issues will occur in the future.

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