Universal Gas Commercial Water Heaters from Rheem are one of several water heaters that feature handhole cutouts for easy maintenance.

Spring cleaning is a common practice in homes, but it’s also a good idea for businesses of all sizes and types. Spring cleaning is about more than getting rid of winter’s cobwebs—it can apply to appliances such as commercial water heaters too!

Most manufacturers recommend that water heater tanks be drained and flushed once a year to remove sediment and debris. Many commercial water heaters place handhole cutouts in the tank to make them easier to clean out. Both AO Smith and Rheem, for example, offer this feature in many of their commercial water heaters.

There are many benefits to keeping water heaters clean. It is an easy way to save money, increase hot water and decrease bacteria.

Clean water heaters work more efficiently therefore cutting down on energy costs. By maintaining a clean water heater the risk of it breaking is lowered and its lifetime is extended. By extending the longevity of the water heater tank it allows money to be invested elsewhere.

Commercial water heaters such as this Conservationist from AO Smith also feature handhole cutouts, making it easier to perform annual cleaning.

Flushing the debris and sediment from the tank yearly will improve the amount of hot water the tank is able to produce. Some water heaters have high buildup in the bottom of the tank allowing less space for available hot water. By cleaning the buildup of calcium, scale, dirt, rust and other debris from the tank companies can free up valuable space and have more hot water.

Bacteria can build up in dirty water heater tanks over time so flushing them out once a year will help with this problem. Bacteria can cause the tanks to smell like rotten eggs or sulfur. This is easily eliminated by a routine annual cleaning. If the tank has not been cleaned out in a while it may take a few flushings before the smell subsides.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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It’s the time of the year when everyone has something to celebrate: Mother’s Day, graduations, and plenty other spring gatherings. When there is something to celebrate, there will always be food. Restaurant owners know better than anyone else that there is always a boost in business during prominent events. With high amounts of traffic coming in and out of restaurants, it’s important to be prepared to meet sanitation needs. An essential installation that will help combat those needs is the booster water heater.

Restaurants use booster commercial water heaters to get the water temperature hot enough and fast enough to wash large amounts of dishes in a short amount of time.

Commercial dishwashers are not like the ones at home. Home dishwashers use heating coils, loaded detergent and can take up to 145 minutes to finish a cycle—not ideal for high traffic restaurants. Commercial dishwashers used in restaurants have a much shorter cycle time (90 seconds!). They run on single tray loads with liquid detergent being pumped in with the water, high pressure water and most importantly, high temperature water.

The water used in commercial dish washers is much hotter than the water that simply comes out of the water tank for one reason: sanitation. When water has the opportunity to pool or sit, it allows for organisms to grow. Be it mold or bacteria, no one wants to get sick off unclean dishes. The high heat allows for dishes to dry quickly because the water evaporates right off the dishes. Additionally, hot water doesn’t allow for much of anything unhealthy to survive.

The water produced by a simple tank isn’t hot enough to meet the requirements set by federal, state, county and local sanitation codes. That’s why booster water heaters are needed. These water heaters take in the water from the tank and quickly raise the temperature to what is appropriately needed. Booster water heaters are preset to a particular temperature increase, so the water coming in from the tank has to be at a particular temperature when it enters. Essentially, if the booster is set to increase the heat by 70 degrees, the water must come in at 110 degrees.

Making sure that your restaurant has the appropriate installation will not only help meet high traffic, but will also keep everyone safe. WaterHeaterStore.co has plenty of options. From a little extra boost to large sized boosters (for the really busy days), WaterHeaterStore.co has the booster water heater for you.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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Over the past two months, WaterHeaterStore.co has discussed some important issues that affect two of our key customers: property managers and construction companies. It is members of those two industries that make up a large portion of who we do business with every day and we’ve enjoyed being able to offer valuable information beyond our usual expertise of selling water heaters.

Did you miss a blog? Let’s review:

Check out this video for some helpful tips for property managers. Make sure signs promote the kind of space available to eliminate the wrong applicants. By saving them the trouble of calling about spaces that won’t work, you will save time and money!

Don’t have the time or funds to hire a repairman right now? No worries. Below is a video to help show this DIY project. Not only will it save you from calling the repairman but it will prolong the life of your water heater too!

This video gives some tips on how to replace the anodes in a water heater:

The Contractor Rewards Program offers people in the construction or engineering industry an opportunity to earn rewards for purchasing qualifying products from member manufacturers. According to the program’s website, Contractor Rewards is for “professional builders, remodelers, and trade contractors in the residential; commercial; heavy and civil engineering construction industry involved in new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. This includes, but is not limited to, Production and Custom Home Builders, Repair and Remodel Contractors and Specialty Trade Contractors.”

For those who know that they want a tankless water heater for its environmental and cost advantages, it might not be as obvious what kind to get or how to install the tankless water heater once it’s purchased. Take a look at this video from Rheem for some helpful hints!

Social media isn’t just for teenagers anymore. With help from Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and blogs business will grow and brands can be made stronger. Social media can provide an inside look to prospective clients and allow networking in new innovative ways.

 Natural disasters can shake a community to its core, but with the help of commercial construction companies, innovative technology, and new designs, businesses that had their buildings destroyed can have better, more efficient buildings. This includes having better commercial water heaters.

It’s no secret that those in the construction industry have to pay close attention to society’s trends. With the economic downturn, people started looking for more cost-efficient options while still living a fairly consistent lifestyle. We at WaterHeaterStore.co know that construction clients are asking their builders to be as cost-effective as possible and are possibly even making changes in how they design and build in an effort to do so. There are several ways to decrease overall costs without sacrificing quality. One such cost-savings measure is to suggest that construction customers use energy-efficient appliances.

The environment is so important and Earth Day is a great reminder of how we can do our part in protecting the planet. Find some great ideas for “going green” and how homeowners and commercial construction companies can save money and be more environmentally friendly by having an energy-efficient commercial water heater.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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In case you missed it, yesterday was Earth Day—the one of 365 days when everyone places stress on becoming more environmentally friendly. Life continues through the other 364 days, however. The solution to sustainability isn’t a one day event, it’s a thought-process change—some changes might involve a company changing operations, others can be installed and virtually forgotten.

Take, for example, a water heater. Homeowners are usually the target for the energy-efficient appliance market, but commercial construction customers can really lower their overall energy bills by using energy-efficient appliances, such as commercial water heaters.

More and more new construction in schools, hospitals, commercial spaces and homes are focusing on a “green” mindset. People are more concerned with sustainability, specifically making new projects energy efficient from the get-go. Understanding the options, and knowing how those options work will allow for better usability and sustainability for the end consumer.

Last week we talked about why construction companies should consider tankless water heaters for new construction. We talked about the cost benefits for the customer, and lightly touched on social responsibility. Tankless water heaters have an increasing number of uses but do not work for every commercial construction application. Those customers can still easily find energy-efficient offerings in most furnishings, including standard commercial water heaters.

Looking for a commercial water heater that is for a new apartment building, small office or other small commercial construction application? Consider AO Smith’s Cyclone Xi products, which are in the AO Smith BTH series. They offer 96 percent efficiency and come in several different capacities.

Need something with a little bit more “BTU oomph?” Rheem offers some excellent high-efficiency natural gas water heaters for commercial applications. The GHE series drastically reduces operating costs and is qualified as Low NOx. 

Those in the construction field already understand that implementing green options during construction might seem to cost more at the front end, but the customer’s overall budget will be positively affected by the sustainability efforts. The good news is that it’s becoming easier and more affordable to offer energy efficient options to customers so they don’t have to decide between saving money in the beginning or the long run. We at WaterHeaterStore.co appreciate the chance to work with commercial construction companies to find affordable, efficient solutions to their commercial water heater needs.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric, natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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It’s no secret that those in the construction industry have to pay close attention to society’s trends because those trends tend to affect customers’ building decisions. For example, with the economic downturn, people started looking for more cost-efficient options while still living a fairly consistent lifestyle.

Some people started cutting back expenses immediately to save money until times got better. Others started paying closer attention to things that will save them money in the long run, even if the initial premium was slightly higher. Gas guzzlers started being traded in for hybrids, and everything from housing to wardrobes started being downsized.

We at WaterHeaterStore.co know that construction clients are asking their builders to be as cost-effective as possible and are possibly even making sacrifices in getting what they want in an effort to make budget. Builders are looking at ways to anticipate these needs by finding ways to suggest durable and excellent products that either cost less to install or that will save the customer money in the long run.

One such cost-savings measure is to suggest that construction customers use energy-efficient appliances.

Going Green Means Saving Green <h3>

Going green isn’t strictly about being socially responsible; it also has cost benefits. Before breaking ground on any new construction, take a look at how water heaters can create a huge savings in the long run for new commercial spaces, schools and medical facilities. Would it be more effective to have several smaller tanks throughout the building instead of one or two large tanks? Even the style of commercial water heater can make a huge difference.

Traditional tank water heaters fill up with water, heat the water and then constantly have to keep it hot around the clock. While many commercial applications still require a traditional commercial water heater, tankless water heaters are increasing in their ability to be used for various types of construction projects. Since water heaters are often hidden away, they are never really the forefront in money saving, but let’s review some statistics about tankless water heaters.

According to EnergySavers.Gov, homes using less than 41 gallons in a day will have 24-34 percent more energy efficiency from their tankless water heater. That’s because water is heated at will—no more unnecessary round the clock heating. Homeowners can save $100 or more a year in utility bills because of the tankless unit’s efficiency. If there’s that much improved efficiency for a home, it only makes sense that a commercial water heater customer would see equal or even greater savings by trying a tankless water heater.

A tankless heater’s lifespan is also about twice as long as a traditional heater. Let’s say, worst case scenario, a tankless heater cost $2,000. Since homeowners would be saving $100 or more a year, in its 20 year lifespan it’d pay for itself! None of the tanks we provide at WaterHeaterStore.co are even close to that figure, so clients would see even more savings.

Chronomite micro-tankless innovation

Tankless water heaters are also much smaller than most traditional tank water heaters. This allows for easier integration to new construction that might be limited in space. All around, tankless water heaters are a good investment for those in construction because it allows you to stay ahead of the trend, and allow construction clients the pleasure of saving!

Need help?

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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Natural disasters destroy homes and businesses. Construction companies can help businesses create new space that is more efficient after a natural disaster. Photo courtesy of Flickr user nixternal.

Natural disasters wreak havoc on every part of the world and during every month of the year. Tornadoes tear through towns, flood waters rise and earthquakes shake communities.

While a natural disaster is never a good thing, there are still positive things that can happen in their aftermath. When a building is affected or destroyed by a natural disaster it creates an opportunity for change and transformation. An opportunity for a clean slate can rise from the ashes. That is where commercial construction companies come in. They will help rebuild what has been damaged and make it more beautiful and functional than before.

What kinds of opportunities can come from these situations?

Not only can newer materials improve the look and feel of a building, they can be more cost effective as well. Investing in sustainable materials may have higher initial cost but over time they will cut costs and can create a safer environment for employees and customers a long with a cleaner more “green” atmosphere. Newer building can also be constructed to better withstand potential natural disasters in the future.

With new construction come new appliances. Replacing outdated water heaters with more cost efficient ones from WaterheaterStore.co can help construction companies get the most out of their construction budgets. New water heaters are more efficient and they’re smaller, thus taking up less space. They have newer designs and more advanced technologies making them a smart investment.

Companies and organizations also have the ability to have a building constructed that suits their specific needs. Maybe you have the perfect location but the interior is cramped or dated, this may be an opportunity to expand and revamp. With new technologies and sustainable materials, construction companies can create just what you need.

Natural disasters are never positive but with the help of a commercial construction team and supplies from WaterHeaterStore.co businesses can have a chance to rebuild with better, often smaller, more efficient designs and improved appliances.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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Social media is no longer just for bored college students and trendy shops around town—it is for everyone and every business including water heater stores and commercial construction companies. Social media is very beneficial for those who utilize it. We at WaterHeaterStore.co use both Facebook and Twitter extensively. Many of our manufacturers utilize social media to promote their products and to create overall brand awareness.

There are 4 main platforms that must be taken advantage of:

A Twitter account is a must! Just ask Chronomite (@Chronomite). Twitter is a microblog which allows posts up to 140 characters, much like a status update. Construction companies can “follow” and interact with others in the industry including your favorite plumbing supply company or subcontractors. Customers can also see what is being discussed and join in the conversation.

Twitter is also a great for sharing about industry trends, either with others in the industry or with the public. Local construction trends may also be a trend in other parts of the world and Twitter is an easy way for companies to connect regarding those trends.

Construction companies also gain more attention and credibility by sharing knowledge and tips on topics such as sustainability efforts that can be achieved through construction methods and materials. Sharing useful information accomplishes several goals. It:

• Establishes your company as an industry leader
• Shows how much you care and want to help.

These eventually translate into more sales.

Up until now the construction industry’s social media presence has really been limited to Facebook.

Facebook’s fan pages allow commercial construction companies to show features such as:

• Progress photos of each project
• Videos of projects, products or other industry information
• Information about the industry or the company’s specific services
• Employee or subcontractor spotlights
• Community information
• And much more!

A great example of how to use Facebook to build a brand comes from AO Smith.

LinkedIn is essential for recruiting top talent. Having an active LinkedIn account benefits a commercial construction company by helping them find people all over the country to connect with within the construction industry. This business-to-business connection is valuable because it allows construction industry professionals to gain insight into their industry, find potential employees and to build credibility within the industry.

Take a look at AO Smith’s profile and see how that manufacturer of commercial water heaters has used LinkedIn to increase its social media presence.

Another social media platform we believe is worth the investment is a blog. A blog is a great tool for sharing longer posts and videos that are industry related. Rheem has a button on their website so you can share to any forum you please. This is a great tool to incorporate so not only is the company sharing sharing information but friends, family, and customers can do so as well. Blogs are also a great place to have testimonials of satisfied customers and happy employees.

All of these platforms are fantastic for building your brand and constructing a social media presence. They have another important function, which is to drive traffic to your website through search engine optimization. See the links we share? Those help tell the web “spiders” that the information on that website is important and it should come up in searches. Construction companies can increase their sales by using their social media to link to their own website and to their partners’ websites.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric,natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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For those who know that they want a tankless water heater for its environmental and cost advantages, it might not be as obvious what kind to get or how to install the tankless water heater once it’s purchased.

There are three kinds of tankless water heaters offered at WaterHeaterStore.co: electric, propane and natural gas.The two manufacturers featured in these categories are Chronomite and Rheem.

The first thing to know when ordering a tankless water heater is if it’s a gas, liquid propane or electric. But that’s not all!

This short video from Rheem talks about other considerations to think about when choosing a tankless water heater.

(For those who want the “Cliff Notes” version, the issues include:

• Stainless steel vent material
• Gas supply adequate
• Maintain clearance and ensure combustion air to supply the unit)

Once the tankless water heater arrives, it’s very important for safety and functionality purposes that the tankless water heater is installed according to the instructions. This is definitely not something that should be done according to MacGuyver standards (if you don’t know what that means, it’s OK. Just follow the installation instructions.)

Some manufacturers offer helpful videos that demonstrate how to install their tankless water heaters. These can usually be found on YouTube or the company’s website. Take, for example, this video from Chronomite:

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric, natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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When purchasing a commercial water heater, the primary focus is naturally on what kind of commercial water heater is needed. Questions such as: “what capacity? What features? What kind of power will be needed?” run through a person’s mind.

The Contractor Rewards Program offers people in the construction or engineering industry to earn rewards for purchasing qualifying products from member manufacturers. According to the program’s website, Contractor Rewards is for “professional builders, remodelers, and trade contractors in the residential; commercial; heavy and civil engineering construction industry involved in new work, additions, alterations, or maintenance and repairs. This includes, but is not limited to, Production and Custom Home Builders, Repair and Remodel Contractors and Specialty Trade Contractors.”

By the way, one of the biggest manufacturers for WaterHeaterStore.co, A.O Smith, is a member of this program. That means that property managers, builders and any one else who purchases qualifying commercial water heaters from AO Smith can participate in this program. Want to learn more? Check out this video.

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric, natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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A few weeks ago, we talked about how sacrificial anodes and handholes both have a role in preventing corrosion. Residential water heaters have one or two sacrificial anodes; commercial water heaters usually have anywhere from one to five.

Regularly replacing the anodes is key to extending a water heater’s life, but how to do that? It may sound like an expensive repair, but replacing the sacrificial anodes on a water heater can usually be done without hiring a repairman.

This video gives some tips on how to replace the anodes in a water heater:

As always, the staff at WaterHeaterStore.co is here to help you with the information and products you need for electric, natural gas, propane, tankless, expansion and booster water heaters.

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