Denver, Colo. – Too often the only time homeowners pay attention to their home water heater is during a pre-sale inspection or later when the hot water stops. But the good news is that you can triple the lifetime of your home water heater with regular maintenance by Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver.

Considering that most water heaters last an average of 7 to 12 years, the ability to extend that run to 35 years is a big money saver, says Steve Jusseaume, master plumber and owner of Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver (www.benfranklinplumbingdenver.com). Besides saving money on replacement, there’s also a savings in energy costs when a well-kept water heater is running efficiently.

Home water heaters fail for a number of reasons – the major one being age, says Keith Sears, master plumber with Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver. Draining and flushing out the water heater plus changing the anode rod should be done annually to keep a water heater running optimally. Only $229 to drain and flush the water heater is a small price to pay compared to the cost of installing a new water heater.

The anode rod is designed to protect against corrosion inside the water heater tank by attracting the corrosion to itself rather than allowing the corrosion to adhere to the glass-lined steel tank. It’s sometimes called a sacrificial anode, because it dissolves slowly, sacrificing itself to protect the metal tank. As the anode rod is depleted over time, the water heater starts to produce rust-color water – one symptom that your water heater is in trouble.

It’s time to call Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver, the On-Time plumber with the promise to show up at the scheduled appointment time or the plumber pays the customer for the delay.

Other symptoms that sediment is building up inside your water heater include:

• Heating element burns out
• Energy use can increase
• Unit overheats
• Aggravating noise begins
• Annoying vibration begins
• Bacteria begins to grow
• Unit emits an unpleasant odor.

All of these issues can be prevented with annual flushing and changing out the anode rod, extending the life of your water heater up to 35 remarkable years.

“It’s like a car. If you never change the brakes, sooner or later you’re changing the rotors,” says Sears. “And just like regular oil changes and scheduled tune-ups can keep your car running for years longer than average, annual maintenance of your home water heater will do the same.”

Visit Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver at www.benfranklinplumbingdenver.com. Or call 303-340-3400 to schedule a guaranteed appointment throughout Metro Denver.

Reduced home values and the appeal of an $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers are helping existing home sales to limp along mid-2009 4.885 million units short of original projections for the year. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released the telling numbers earlier this month (July).
That puts the pressure on sellers to ensure that their property listed for sale is priced right and shows right. Without question, a home has to pass the requisite inspection with flying colors, or a potential buyer will likely walk, using the issues as an “out clause.” If the inspection reveals issues that are anything but cosmetic, the lender is likely to decline financing, effectively making the buyers’ decision for them. Worse yet for the seller who may not have realized he/she had issues with their home, having received documentation of problem areas puts the owner on notice to declare them to potential buyers or fix them.
At the heart of inspection is the plumbing, says Steve Jusseaume, Master plumber and owner of Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver. Jusseaume has held License #178235 since 1978.
In those 31 years, Jusseaume has fixed every kind of commercial and residential plumbing problem conceivable. That’s why he’s in demand for plumbing inspections these days, as buyers vet a good deal from bad.
Plumbing that drips, leaks and clogs are sometimes apparent in a casual walk-though. For the most part, complex plumbing issues can be difficult to detect. That’s where Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver comes in with its expertise. When Jusseaume inspects a home, he looks a lot deeper than surface plumbing issues including detailed inspection and diagnosis of:
• All types of water heaters, water softeners, boilers
• Kitchen and laundry fixtures and appliances
• Bathroom fixtures
• Drainage and sump pumps
• Sewer lines and wastewater lines plus water lines.

As expected, older homes can have problems with plumbing that have either gone undetected or unrepaired for years.

When my parents finally acquiesced, agreeing to sell the residence they’d called “home” for nearly 40 years, plumbing repairs became a priority. They’d built this home, or rather, hired a contractor to build it for them, at a time they had more potential than cash. That’s not to say it wasn’t a swell house. Any six-bedroom, two-story home with St. Charles kitchen cabinetry inside and a 40-ft. swimming pool outside was, er is, substantial by most forms of accounting. In the early years, they were bent on improving the place they raised their four daughters. But particularly in the later years some of the repairs they once would have prioritized as necessary had fallen by the wayside.

The dishwasher was a perfect example.
In the decades in between high school graduation and the eve of my parents putting their home on the market, I had filled and started the dishwasher dozens of times after family holiday dinners. It was kind of expected that us girls, grown with our own families, would help tidy up the kitchen after mom and dad too pulled out all the stops making a holiday dinner. As much as she’d fuss, “You don’t have to do that,” we’d rally to the cleanup. The last button we’d push would be the “On” button for the dishwasher and then my sisters who’d flown in for the holiday would retire upstairs for the night and I’d drive back to my home nearby.
In the weeks before mom and dad listed the house, mom went appliance shopping. She identified the new dishwasher, stovetop, double ovens and refrigerator she suddenly “needed.” When I asked her what the heck she was doing committing to $10,000 in stainless steel appliances, for a kitchen that worked perfectly well, she told me that she had to leave the dishwasher door open during the dry cycle or steam would build up and warp the wood facing on the countertop.
“How long has that been going on?” I asked.
“Nine years.” She responded as if it was recently discovered…and maybe it was given the way time accelerates as age advances.
Wise sellers address these issues is before they list their home. That’s where Jusseaume and Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver help sellers keep their edge in a competitive market. Interested buyers will run the tap or flush the loo when first touring a home. Serious buyers will test the sprinkler system. But it’s the inspector for the buyer who will actually put all appliances and systems through their paces, identifying cracks, missing bolts, switching problems, seal issues, etc.
Sometimes a home will pass an inspection with flying colors. It’s pretty obvious in that case that the owner took pride in his/her home and truly cared for it. Buyers appreciate getting into a home that’s been pre-loved, not just pre-owned. But even owners who have a deep affection for their home may overlook issues or put off repairs.
Realtors across the board will tell you that homes that are newly listed and are also priced right and in good showing condition sell faster than homes that are priced too high or need repairs. If you want to shorten the days your property is listed on the market, now is a good time to schedule an inspection and repairs.
If you’re making an offer on a property, call Ben Franklin Plumbing in Denver and schedule your whole house plumbing inspection. At Benjamin Franklin Plumbing we pride ourselves on our simple and straightforward pricing met by our 24-7 availability and sealed with our punctuality guarantee, “if there’s any delay, it’s you we pay.” We are always true to our word and our work including a 2-year guarantee on all services.
Visit us at www.benfranklinplumbingdenver.com. Or call Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver at 303-340-3400.

There was a conversation going on the other day about all of the $1 million-+ houses all over Denver that are sitting idle and not selling. A mortgage closer chimed in that the there are many people buying new homes in the Denver area, and refinancing existing homes, both through mortgage instruments, of course, but that it seemed like what was selling was $750,000 and down. “We’re not seeing much activity in the million-plus stuff, the closer said.The reason, many speculate, is not that people who could afford the more expensive homes aren’t buying; rather that people are showing a decided preference for smaller homes – a movement that has sprung up just in the last year and half or so. And it’s not a go-cheap movement; these buyers, it is said, are going for smaller, more energy efficient and more comfortable homes  “We’re moving from a ‘quantity of life’ to a “quality of life” point of view,” noted one observer.A major part of this movement, according to many observers, is a nearly universal desire to lower one’s carbon footprint. Use less energy, use less water, recycle more; be a part of a “new energy” awareness – while at the same time enjoying a high quality of life.The plumbers at Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver have many services, of course, that fit into this movement nicely, including new, more energy efficient plumbing fixtures, inspections of sprinkler systems to insure optimum efficiency, checks on toilets and all fixtures to make sure there are no leaks or wastes – even minor leaks in a toilet, for instance, can waste thousands of gallons of water and cost a homeowner as much as double on a water bill.But the single best thing a home owner can do right away to lower their carbon footprint, save water, save money, and improve their quality of life is to install a tankless water heater.Ben Franklin recommends the GoHot brand of tankless water heaters, and the pros at Ben Franklin are experts in the installation and use of these modern energy saving devices.There are many advantages to going tankless, not the least of which is that a tankless system just takes up less space – the unites are just 23 inches tall, a mere 9.8 inches deep, and up to 18.5 inches wide. So first, you can get that large, round water heater tank off the basement floor and have extra room.But , of course, what you want to save is energy – a Rinnai tankless water heating system is 30% more efficient than a standard natural gas water heater, and a whopping 50% more efficient than a traditional tank run on electricity. And not only that, a tankless system heats water as it is needed, so it only uses energy when called for, plus it provides an endless supply of hot water. The “tank” never empties.Oh, yes, and one more thing: the typical hot water tank system normally comes with a 10 to 12 year life expectancy, but the GoHot Tankless Water Heater system carries a 20-year life expectancy, offering years and years of trouble-free operation.When you look to lower you carbon footprint and yet do it in a way that increases your quality of life, look no further than a GoHot Tankless Water Heater system from Ben Franklin Plumbing Denver. More hot water. Less space. Much more energy efficiency. You’ll be telling your old hot water heater: “Tanks for the memories.”

DENVER, CO-Joe the Plumber may have taken center stage in the national political debates between Barack Obama and John McCain for the last two weeks, but he has nothing on Steve Jusseaume (www.benfranklinplumbingdenver.com).

Owner of Ben Franklin Plumbing in South Denver, Steve Jusseaume isn’t taking up bandwidth complaining that he can’t afford to be in business. Neither is he without a license, as investigative journalists uncovered is the case with Joe. Jusseaume has held License #178235 for 30 years, since he first started business in Colorado in 1978.
Joe the Plumber, whose real name is Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, achieved new heights of notoriety when his name was mentioned in the third presidential debate of the 2008 U.S. presidential election. GOP candidate John McCain cited Joe as being representative of the kind of American who would be hurt by the tax plans Democratic candidate Barack Obama espouses in his platform.

In the days following the third and final presidential debate held Oct. 15, 2008, U.S. News reported that Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher, the referenced plumber who resides in Holland, Ohio, stated that he doesn’t have a license and doesn’t need one. Joe went on to say that because he works for someone else, he doesn’t need a license.

Turns out he does.

Lucas County, Ohio, outside of Toledo, requires plumbers to have licenses. But neither Joe nor his employer Al Newell, owner of Newell Plumbing and Heating, has a license, according to the Lucas County Building Regulations Department.

Joe the Plumber went viral-his situation popularized enough to make him an entry in Wikipedia. Joe went public too in an interview with U.S. News with the confession that he doesn’t have a good plan together to purchase the plumbing business from his employer anyway. Even though he and Newell have talked it over, Joe admitted he has “a lot to learn.”

Maybe about licensing?

Fully trained and licensed, Steve Jusseaume takes pride in delivering the answers and repairs to any kind of issue imaginable.  From main line breaks and backed up sewer lines, to water heater replacements or tankless water heater installations, he’s fixed every kind of trouble, hundreds of times over in his career.
Because he’s licensed, Master Plumber Jusseaume is legally authorized to work in the City and County of Denver, which has the same requirements of Lucas County, Ohio and then some.

Contact Steve Jusseaume, Colorado’s plumber, at 303-340-3400 or email him through the website at www.benfranklinplumbingdenver.com.

By: Brian Wasag

Sacramento -The Water Quality Association anxiously is awaiting the outcome of an assembly bill here that would allow individual municipalities to decide whether to restrict the use of residential water softeners.

The bill, AB 2270, would allow any local agency that operates a sewer system to “control salinity inputs, including inputs from water softeners.”  Such action, however, would require a finding by the State Water Resources Control Board or a regional water quality control board that controlling residential salinity would help meet water quality standards.

The WQA, which vehemently opposes the bill, argues that it gives unelected water boards the power to decide whether towns can ban softeners.  WQA Executive Director Peter Censky added that the vast majority of salinity in the ground in California results from growth and other processes.  “(The bill) is totally unfair to consumers who own water softeners because most of the salinity comes from agriculture and commercial and industrial uses,” he said.

Steve Lehtonen, executive director of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Calirfornia, said state officials are considering the measure as part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s overall water usage plan for the state through the year 2020.

“They’re basically expanding the ability of cities and counties to regulate water softeners,” he said.

Lehtonen pointed out that the bill does give local agencies discretion over how to control salinity.  An outright ban on water softeners is only one option in the bill.

According to the bill, agencies would be able to require the highest efficiency, commercially available, self-regenerating residential water softeners.  In addition, they could require plumbing permits before installation of water softeners or water softeners only hooked up to hot water.

If an agency decided to order the removal of previously installed residential water softeners, it would need to compensate owners, the bill states.

Lehtonen, who also is director of Green Plumbers USA, said groups such as Green Plumbers support increased conservation and efficiency without affecting the quality of life for consumers.

“I think we’re getting to the time where there are water conditioning devices that don’t require as much salt,” he said. “Our position would be that we would work with the manufacturers of these conditioning systems to get there.

“In a sense, (state legislators) are calling the manufacturers’ bluff a little bit by saying there are things that can be done.”

Censky did say modern water softeners have come a long way over the years.

“The older water softeners were real water hogs, but all the new water softeners are extremely efficient,” he said. “We’ve been working through a series of bills that caused us to raise the efficiency of this equipment as an industry through standards, thereby reducing water and salt use dramatically,” he said.

Censky said outright bans on water softeners, however, would have a dramatic financial impact on consumers.

He argued that without water softeners, water heaters will not last as long, pipes will accumulate lime scale, plumbing fixtures will corrode more rapidly and dishwashers and clothes washers will lose their effective life.

“It takes about 29% more energy to produce hot water in a water heater that is calling than one with a water softener,” he said.

If the bill makes it to Schwarzenegger’s desk and he signs it, Lehtonen said the industry deserves ample time to adjust.

“I hate to see all of the industry on one side and all of the water agencies on the other, but this is coming because we’re at a critical time,” he said.

“I think a good approach would be to say we have to do this but allow time for industry to respond.”