Pre2018

Spooky Basements and Water Heaters

Click on the audio button to create the mood… Sound Effects – Spooky Sounds

So can we agree that some basements are downright spooky? I mean dungeons of terror spooky. Ghosts and goblins spooky. Scream spooky.

But of course, spooky or not, every once in awhile, we have to force ourselves to enter into the eerie depths of our basements to check out our water heater if it stops working. Flashlight in hand, swiping cobwebs out of the way, our need for hot water rises above the spookiness of the basement. If it’s a gas water heater, see if you can see that glowing flicker of the pilot light. Ignore the spiders and see if there are signs of leaking around the base of the water heater. With trembling hands, write down the make and model number of your water heater and run back upstairs to the safety of your kitchen and then…

Give Hot Water 911 a call. Not only do we have factory trained technicians to help you with all of your water heater needs, we have also been given special training by the Ghost Busters to handle spooky basements. One call to 1-800-Go Hot Water (1-800-464-6892) and your fears will be removed!

How I Met Your Mother, Doppelgangers and Bob Vila

I’m just going to assume that you love the awesome TV hit, How I Met Your Mother (heretofore referred to as HIMYM ). How can you not? And, working under that assumption, you are undoubtedly aware of one of the very best episodes that revolves around doppelgängers. You can refresh your memory here . Did I not tell you HIMYM is awesome?

I find the whole concept of doppelgängers fascinating. We’ve all seen someone in our daily travels that jumps out at us because they look identical to someone else we know. It can be pretty eerie actually. I’ve called a few friends and family members over the years to tell them that they have a twin walking around in whatever town it happens to be. The funny thing about most doppelgängers is that, given the opportunity to put the two individuals together, chances are, in real time, the similarities would be less obvious. The unique effect of doppelgängers is reliant on our memory’s picture of what the other person looks like. And, quite often, our memory gets a bit fuzzy when in the midst of a doppelgänger revelation. Usually.

And then there is Hot Water 911‘s president, Tony Scimeca. Tony has been in the mechanical trades for all of his adult life. He has been found on rehab project sites, on new construction sites and in the construction check out line of many big box stores. If Tony had a dollar for every time someone asked him if he was Bob Vila, well, let’s just say the US economy would be in a different situation right now. Tony’s doppelgänger is Bob Vila…or maybe Bob Vila’s doppelgänger is Tony Scimeca. Tony had the honor of meeting the very talented Bob Vila a number of years ago at a trade show and Mr. Vila was kind enough to chat with Tony and allow their picture to be taken together.

And, while Tony still gets told from time to time that he is the spitting image of Bob Vila and he politely nods his head and affirms that he has heard this a time or two in his life, for the most part, life goes on. Until last week… while in a store that Bob Vila promotes. There in the back room of said store was a life size cardboard cutout of …you guessed it…Bob Vila. People in the store were laughing at how closely Tony and Mr. Vila resembled each other. Pictures were requested. Pictures were taken. Well….you be the judge. Do we have a doppelgänger winner here?

Cold Weather Alert – Always Be Prepared

I know, right?!?! That was not the headline that you wanted to see. It’s not even officially Fall yet and here I am screaming about a cold weather alert!

But here’s the reality…

Cold weather is right around the corner. So what should you do to prepare for the cold? Simple….

Always Be Prepared

Go visit your water heater…seriously. Go to where your water heater is located and get to know it. Write down the make, model and serial number and keep it in a place you will remember. Find the pilot light. Find the reset button if there is one. Better yet…find the manual for your water heater and, if you can’t find it, go to the manufacturer’s website and download the manual from there
Check for leaks around the water heater. Call your water heater expert if you aren’t sure if water around the water heater qualifies as a leak…better safe than sorry
If you can’t remember the last time you had preventative maintenance done on your water heater, it’s probably time. Call your water heater expert and schedule a preventative maintenance appointment.
Make sure that the area around your water heater and furnace are free from clutter and chemicals. You want to maintain easy access to these machines at all times not only for convenience but for safety as well.
Check out the cute video in the sidebar ….Baby It’s Cold Outside…

A cold water shower on a warm day is bad enough but on a frigid cold winter day?? Unacceptable. So be pro-active. Be good to yourself and do what the scouts suggest….always be prepared.

We at Hot Water 911 are proud to be water heater experts. If you have questions about your water heater, either commercial or residential, give us a call at 1-800-GO HOT WATER (1-800-464-6892) or email us at info@HotWater911.com

Hot Water 911…when you need us most.

4 Ways to Better Handle Life’s Unexpected Emergencies

How would you describe your personality in emergencies? Are you calm and collected automatically going into triage mode? Or are you a panic who gets overwhelmed and disorganized in the face of unexpected emergencies? We at Hot Water 911 know what to tell our customers at the time that they are facing a water heater emergency so that we can successfully talk them off of the ledge. But, failed water heaters, flooded basements, power outages and wind damage are just a few of life’s unexpected emergencies that we can face more effectively if we have a plan in place…in other words, being pro-active is usually far more effective than being re-active. So what can you do to be prepared for life’s little emergencies?

4 Ways to Better Handle Life’s Unexpected Emergencies

1.) Create a list of important phone numbers that are easily accessible to you or to your family or house sitter, etc. Include in that list the numbers of a close and reliable contact, the police and fire department, the closest hospital, your family physicians, the electric company, the phone company and your water heater specialist, such as Hot Water 911 or plumber.

2.) Dedicate an easily accessible drawer for emergencies that contains batteries ( all types and a substantial supply of each), first aid kit, candles, lighters and flashlights.

3.) Dedicate a shelf in your kitchen pantry for foods that are non-perishable that can sustain your family for up to a week if the power is out and you cannot use your refrigerator or oven. Include non-dairy milk, cereals, canned beans, soups, crackers and freeze dried fruits.

4.) Create a plan for your family to follow if they are separated during an emergency that will allow you to reconnect. Review and run through the routes family members should take to return to the safety of their home or to the safety of a pre-arranged designated location.

Remember, we at Hot Water 911 are only a phone call away if you are experiencing a water heater emergency. Give us a call at 1-800-GO HOT WATER (1-800-464-6892) for water heater emergency questions or any questions related to handling life’s unexpected emergencies.

5 Reasons That We Are In The Business Of Making Friends

Being in the business of making friends has always been part of our mission statement at Hot Water 911 and here’s why.

I recently read a friends very heartfelt but very negative review of a restaurant that she had previously frequented. After being a fairly regular customer, she had a very negative experience at this restaurant this past weekend…negative enough to post a bad review on Yelp. As I read about the experience, I realized that, for the restaurant it did not have to end up this way. This restaurant could have had a glowing review if they had handled the situation with grace and kindness. But they made a decision. They decided that they were not in the business of making friends. And they couldn’t have been more wrong. And the end result for this restaurant might be devastating.

If you have a small business, it doesn’t matter what kind of business it is, you are in the business of making friends. Always. Period. And here’s why.

1.) As a small business, we rely on the kindness of others to utilize our services. That holds true for every small business… from customer service businesses to law offices to medical groups. Your business needs people. And if these people perceive you as a friend, it’s a win.

2.) Creating buzz for your business. If you have customers that are brand “friends”, they are going to create buzz for your brand. Why wouldn’t we want to provide the very best service possible for our great customers?

3.) Referrals are some of our favorite friends. When we create loyal and dedicated relationships with our customers AND our vendors, we are going to have meaningful relationships with the referrals that are sent our way. We LOVE our referred customers!

4.) Responding to those occasional negative outcomes almost always ends up being a positive. If we ignored those few less than optimal outcomes, we would not only be doing our valued customers a huge disservice but we would be doing our brand a disservice as well. If someone isn’t happy, it is our goal to make them happy AND …we don’t stop there… we strive to make them a friend of Hot Water 911. We want everyone to see that, if they aren’t happy, Hot Water 911 does everything in their power to correct that…and to make you want to do business with us again…and again…and again!

5.) We LOVE what we do! If you “feel” the love…if you “feel” our passion…you are going to want to be our friend. Because, you know, at the end of the day, Hot Water 911 is going to always have your back because, after all….water heaters are ALL we do!

Parts is Parts – 8 Things to Remember With Water Damaged Water Heaters

Do you remember that Wendy’s commercial back in the 80’s that made the expression “parts is parts” famous? You can refresh your memory by clicking on the video to the right or, if you can’t see it there, click here. The expression “parts is parts” popped into my head yesterday because we had another busy day at Hot Water 911 ‘s Parts Department as a result of the many flooded basements and damaged water heaters. We love being able to help you out if your water heater was affected by the rains that we had this past weekend. And, chances are, we have the parts for your particular water heater. But, that being said, just as in the Wendy’s commercial that differentiates between getting the real deal with chicken vs. settling for the parts of a chicken, we want to share with you a few things to keep in mind as you tackle your water heater.

8 Things to Remember When Dealing With Water Damaged Water Heaters

We at Hot Water 911 do not advocate or recommend the permanent repair of water heaters that have been submerged in water for any length of time.
The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) and the American Gas Association (AGA) both agree that if a water heater has been subjected to flooding, it needs to be replaced because of the potential for life safety issues, not the least of which is the propagation of mold
If your intent is to make a temporary repair to your residential or commercial water heater, you must replace every part that got wet during the flooding.
Any electrical parts that would have been subjected to a prolonged period of elevated humidity also must be replaced when you are doing your temporary repair.
If you should be fortunate enough to have flood insurance, you must convince your insurance carrier that it is to nobody’s beneficial interest to assume that a repair to a flood damaged water heater is anything more than temporary
When you are calling for parts to make that temporary repair to your water heater, be sure to have your full make, model and serial number of the unit in question available
Always make sure that you use a fully trained manufacturer’s certified service agent to make the repairs…we do not recommend that the owner or anyone who is not factory trained attempt to make these repairs on their own
Today’s water heaters are very complicated and require the exact part when repairing it…there is no longer a “one size fits all” water heater repair…it is no longer your father’s water heater

We at Hot Water 911 hope that these suggestions help you as you face the frustration of a flooded basement and a damaged water heater. We are always happy to help you out with your questions, problems and certainly with your need for parts. Give us a call at 1-800- GO HOT WATER (1-800-464-6892)

Stormy Weather

Driving into the city on Monday morning was a surreal experience. I felt as though I was in the movie The Wizard of Oz when the tornado was spinning and things were flying by Dorothy’s window…suddenly, there were just things flying all around me…branches, posters, pieces of awning, even a chair had landed in the middle of the road. It was one of those experiences where you aren’t quite sure what you should do…if I stop, am I any safer than if I continue to drive to my destination? I opted to continue driving but with clenched hands on the wheel and a racing heart.

Today, a few days later, the results of the storm’s damage are still being felt by thousands of people who are still without electricity…something we take for granted when it’s working as it should. This whole experience made me realize yet again how important it is for us to have contingency plans…the “What To Do If…” plans. With thousands without power, you just know that the sale of generators went through the roof. But, if we had planned for the possibility of electrical failure, we may not have needed to shift into panic mode. The same is true with water heaters. They work for us 99% of the time…it’s that 1% when it fails and we aren’t prepared that causes us to be reactive rather than proactive. If you haven’t aligned yourself with a reputable company who’s sole mission it is to maintain, repair and replace water heaters, then there is a chance that you are going to call someone in a panic who happens to do water heaters on the side. Not a good situation.

Maybe it’s time to sit down and make your “What To Do If…” list for your home or business. Under water heater, write Hot Water 911 1-800 GO HOT WATER (1-800-464-6892) …trust me. You won’t be sorry. You’ve heard me say this before and, chances are you will hear me say it again but it is so worth repeating….Hot Water 911 has the largest fully stocked warehouse of most major manufacturer’s water heater parts. We have factory trained technicians that respond to your emergency 24/7. Give yourself peace of mind for the next emergency. Make Hot Water 911 your go-to water heater company and we’ll put your mind at ease.

How Much Water Are You Wasting?

Wow! A drip here, a drip there…it all adds up pretty fast when it comes to wasting water in our homes. Hot Water 911 is all about conserving water and efficiency when it comes to water heaters. We were pretty amazed by the statistics in this interesting infographic from eLocalPlumbersBlog

Take a look and then…take a look around you in your house and see what you can do to help conserve more water!!

Pre-Registration Program…What a Concept!

If you were peeking in at Hot Water 911 headquarters, you would see a bunch of very giddy people jumping up and down in excitement…that’s how stoked we are about our new Pre-Registration Program. What is the Pre-Registration Program you ask? Well…let me tell you!

As you probably know, Hot Water 911 has the largest fully stocked warehouse which includes an unprecedented inventory of parts for most water heater manufacturers. In order to ensure that our warehouse will carry all of the parts for your businesses particular water heater, Hot Water 911 is offering a free Pre-Registration Program. When you pre-register with Hot Water 911, we will go to your business, look at your water heater and take a picture of it as well as record the water heater’s model and serial number. We will then input this information into our data base and check our inventory to make sure that we have all of the parts available for your water heater. Any parts that we may be missing, we will obtain immediately so that you can rest assured that we will have your parts in stock when you call for service. Our Pre-Registration Program requires no commitment by you, at no cost to you and the result is…no worries for you. When our factory trained technicians get your call, they simply grab the container with the parts for your water heater and they are off to respond to your emergency. How cool is that??!!?

So…call us at 1-800-GO HOT WATER ( 1-800-464-6892 )and tell the dispatcher that you would like to pre-register your businesses water heater and we’ll do the rest. Now do you understand why we are jumping with excitement? I thought you would.

For more hot water fun, follow us on Facebook or give us a shout on Twitter!

Are You Brand Loyal?

So, are you? Brand loyal, I mean.

When you go grocery shopping do you tend to pick items that are brand specific? If you love Kraft products, will you choose Kraft even if other products are comparable in quality and pricing? How about with your car? Are you a Ford person…or maybe a Toyota lover? Just how important are brands to you?

Hot Water 911 knows that some of you are fiercely loyal to the brand of water heater you have. You know that when it is time to change your water heater, you will remain loyal to the brand that has been so good to you. We understand and support that. We repair and maintain every brand of water heater available and, while the outcome is the same…hot water…the nuances may be vastly different and it is those nuances that create brand loyalty. Maybe it is about the company’s amazing customer service. Maybe it is about the low maintenance required. Maybe it is the same brand your parents had in their house when you were growing up. Maybe it is because a particular company promotes green technology. Whatever the reason for your loyalty, we not only support you in your conviction but we commend you. Customer loyalty is the best testimonial ever. So, when it comes time to replace your water heater…the water heater that consistently provided hot water for your baby’s baths, that never failed you when your toddler had croup and you needed to run the shower for relief-giving steam, that warmed your frosty hands at the kitchen sink when you came in from the cold…we will never talk you out of your undying faith in the brand you love. Because Hot Water 911 services so many wonderful brands, we are brand loyal too…we are brand loyal to our customers. When you tell us the brand you love, we listen.