Water Heaters Case Studies: Caledonia, MI, Homeowner Depends on East End Plumbing for Multiple Issues

Challenge

The water heater in Michael’s home wasn’t working and he needed it fixed right away. A few weeks later, he smelled gas in the utility room. Then the basement sewage pump became clogged. Michael trusted the friendly professionals at East End and asked for our help with each of these annoying issues.

Solution

Michael’s water heater hadn’t been flushed in more than two years, so we started by performing this important annual maintenance procedure. Unfortunately, the drain port near the bottom of the unit was almost completely clogged with minerals and other water residue. We replaced the port, completed the flushing, and the family had hot water again.

Since the water heater was getting older, Michael was interested in replacing it with a tankless model. We gave him a detailed written estimate for a new unit and scheduled the installation appointment a couple of weeks later. Because they only heat the water when it’s needed, tankless water heaters use up to 34 percent less energy than traditional models. They also don’t store water, so they’re less likely to become clogged.

Michael called us again when he smelled gas in the utility room. He thought it might be coming from the new water heater, but we determined it was an issue with sewer gas from an uncapped laundry standpipe. We capped off the pipe, which was no longer being used, and the odor was eliminated.

Sewer problems reared their head a few months later. This time, it was a clogged pit connected to the bathroom in the basement. The pump had stopped working and the pit was filled with nasty sludge. We cleaned the pit and replaced the pump the same day, giving Michael confidence that his home’s plumbing was in excellent working order.