Better Water Heaters, Inc. services and replaces water heaters for residential and commercial clients throughout the Bay Area. The company has expertise with both conventional and tankless heaters, and its service vehicles are equipped to complete installations in one visit. It also repairs plumbing leaks, replaces shut-off valves, offers residential copper repiping, installs and replaces recirculating pumps and pressure regulators, and more.
Owner Frans Cartwright is a licensed plumber with many years of experience designing and installing conventional and tankless water heating systems. He says he founded Better Water Heaters, Inc. to provide fair pricing and quality service for Bay Area customers. “We’ve grown our business one satisfied customer at a time. Also, since we’re a small company, we’re able to keep our overhead low and offer reasonable prices.”
Better Water Heaters, Inc. receives volume purchasing discounts on its water heaters and components, which allows it to offer similar discounts to its clients, says Mr. Cartwright. The company’s technicians undergo continual training to stay updated on the industry’s technological advancements, and all installations are performed in strict compliance with plumbing and building codes.
“We stand by our estimates and guarantee our work. Overall, we try to give every customer the same things we would want from a water heater company: quality work and excellent service at a fair price.”
Preventive maintenance is the key to increasing the efficiency of your tankless water heater.
Tankless water heaters have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their cost-saving attributes and energy efficiency, but before you decide to purchase one, you should consider your needs and make sure a tankless system is the best choice for your particular living situation. “If you don’t use a large amount of hot water or if you’re not trying to relocate a water heater to free up space, you should consider sticking with a conventional system,” says Frans Cartwright, owner of Better Water Heaters in San Jose. “However, if you have a house full of people or a Jacuzzi tub that needs to be filled on a regular basis, a tankless water heater is a great investment.”
Mr. Cartwright adds that many people don’t realize that waiting for hot water doesn’t have to be a normal occurrence. “There are many energy-efficient ways to solve the problem of hot water delivery delay, like using certain types of temperature controllers and recirculation systems. By eliminating hot water delay, you can actually save 15 to 20 thousand gallons of water each year.”
Here are some general tips to consider for keeping your tankless water heater operating at its peak potential:
• To extend the life of your water heater, drain the tank annually to remove any sediment that may have built up inside it. Follow the manufacturer’s suggestions and use caution when draining—the water can be extremely hot.
• Setting the water heater’s thermostat to mid- or low-range will prevent interior scalding and save on energy costs while still providing plenty of hot water.
• Purchase a hot water insulation jacket for your water heater—it’ll keep the water heated longer, reduce standby heat loss (heat lost through the walls of the tank) by 25 to 40 percent and further save on heating costs.
• If you have a gas furnace/stove and an electric water heater, consider extending the gas line to the heater to save on energy costs. Electric water heaters cost approximately three times more to run than systems that use natural gas.
• Install water-saving showerheads in your bathrooms and aerated faucets in your sinks. This reduces the amount of hot water used, which in turn reduces energy costs and extends the water heater’s life span.
• Insulate your pipes to reduce heat loss as hot water flows to your faucet. More important, this will reduce standby heat loss when the tap is turned off and back on later. The water in the pipes will eventually cool either way, but if the pipes are insulated, the water will stay warmer for much longer.
• Have your water heater inspected by a certified technician at least once every couple of years. Regular upgrades and repairs will help keep the system in optimal working condition and prevent dangerous carbon monoxide problems.
• Have a certified technician replace the heater’s anode rod every five years or so. This small, metal device sacrifices itself for the good of the entire unit. The corrosive chemicals in the water are drawn to the anode rod instead of eating away at the inside of the tank.
Plumbing and water heater repair companies are always looking for ways to discern themselves from their competition, and those that have earned the prestigious Diamond Certified award are already several steps ahead. In addition to its Diamond Certified status, Better Water Heaters differentiates itself by taking a uniquely transparent approach to dealing with customers—instead of solely focusing on running the company and overseeing operations, owner Frans Cartwright is personally involved with every job, from answering the initial phone call to approving the finishing touches. “I’m the one who the customers talk to directly,” he confirms. “I handle every job fairly and equitably, and I’ll do whatever it takes to satisfy them.”
Better Water Heaters has been servicing and replacing water heaters for residential and commercial clients throughout the Bay Area since 2003. Unlike plumbing firms that specialize in servicing one specific type of water heater, the company has expertise with both conventional and tankless systems, and its service vehicles are equipped to complete installations in one visit. It also repairs plumbing leaks, replaces shut-off valves, offers residential copper repiping, and installs and replaces recirculating pumps and pressure regulators. “Most plumbers consider water heater work to be inconvenient, because they aren’t properly set up for it,” says Mr. Cartwright. “Since we specialize in water heater repair and replacement, we’re able to offer expert work at a fair and reasonable price.”
One of the most distinctive features of Better Water Heaters is its highly trained, full-time technicians—none of whom are paid on commission, which, according to Mr. Cartwright, greatly benefits the company’s customers. “We’re not salespeople; we’re technicians and plumbers. We’re a small company, so I personally train each of our employees to guarantee consistently excellent service.” Mr. Cartwright adds that if a problem surfaces after a job is completed, Better Water Heaters addresses it as quickly as possible. “We try to do a quality job the first time, but if something isn’t right, we immediately come back and resolve it at no additional charge.”
