Leaking Water Heater

[JettaKnight]

Oh, I hear you. Ours went in 2012, we'd been in the house 2 years, It was built in 1998.

Once the leak started, lets say "it escalated quickly". Don't spend too much time figuring out what you're going to get but figure out who's going to help you replace it. These days that is sometimes more difficult.

Help replacing it?

 

[HoughMade]

In every water heater discussion, I must insert this anecdote-

My Mom and Dad bought their house in 1962. My Dad traded a refrigerator for a slightly used electric water heater at that time. This water heater was still in the house and working well when my Mom sold the house in 2018.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I've got a Navien tankless water heater in my house and I am very happy with it. My uncle is a a lifelong plumber and he said the newer tankless water heaters don't have near the issues with scale buildup as the old ones did. Mine also has a recirculating system that can either be on, off, or a smart setting that learns your schedule and will start to recirculate hot water at the times you normally need it like at night for showers or after dinner for dishes.

 

[WebSnyper]

I've got a Navien tankless water heater in my house and I am very happy with it. My uncle is a a lifelong plumber and he said the newer tankless water heaters don't have near the issues with scale buildup as the old ones did. Mine also has a recirculating system that can either be on, off, or a smart setting that learns your schedule and will start to recirculate hot water at the times you normally need it like at night for showers or after dinner for dishes.

That's pretty cool. I'll have to check into some of those features when it comes time to replace our tankless. Navien is the other name I have heard often praised besides the Rinnai.

 

[gregkl]

I would go to a plumbing supply house and buy a Bradford White or a Rheem. Size depends on how may people in the house more so than the number of bathrooms. I have 3 full bathrooms in my house and I have a 50 gal AO Smith and have not yet run it out of water. And I have at times had 4 people here taking showers one right after another.

I considered going larger, but why? It would just cost more to heat more water when I won't need that much anyway. Plus, the size and weight would have added to the challenge of fitting it in the space the 40 gal water heater came out of.

 

[HoughMade]

...I considered going larger, but why? It would just cost more to heat more water when I won't need that much anyway. Plus, the size and weight would have added to the challenge of fitting it in the space the 40 gal water heater came out of.

That makes sense. I think they put an 80 in my house, not only because of the 4 full baths (I'm actually going to remove the tub in the basement bath resulting in 3.5), but because 2 of the bathtubs are big whirlpool tubs...though only 1 of those ever gets used.

 

[MRockwell]

Got a new beast installed yesterday. Installed a whole house filter while I was at it. From the link above to the culligan filter, I saw that there are filters that will help with lime scale. My only experience with whole house filters is from growing up and having one for rusty well water. It was a pain because the string filters would get filled up fast and water pressure would drop.

Anyhoo, thanks for all the comments and insight. Picked up an A.O.Smith heater, PhotoNinja said we needed a big one that could fill her baby elephant tub*...so we got a big one. Sweated all the pipes and no leaks, so I call that good. Well, that and we have hot water so all is good.


*Baby Elephant Tub- in PhotoNinja's old house, she had a garden tub. When I first saw it, I made a comment something to the effect of "that's big enough to give a baby elephant a bath". So from then on out, garden tubs are now known as Baby Elephant Tubs.LOL

 

[maxwelhse]

My only experience with whole house filters is from growing up and having one for rusty well water. It was a pain because the string filters would get filled up fast and water pressure would drop.

Sounds like it might be too late, but I installed a valve loop around my filter housing so I could isolate it and bypass it if ever any sort of emergency came up or I was using a ton of outdoor water (like filling up my yard roller) that I didn't want to expend filter on.

I also stocked extra o-rings and an entire extra housing. Learned the hard way on the o-rings one night...

 

[MRockwell]

Sounds like it might be too late, but I installed a valve loop around my filter housing so I could isolate it and bypass it if ever any sort of emergency came up or I was using a ton of outdoor water (like filling up my yard roller) that I didn't want to expend filter on.

I also stocked extra o-rings and an entire extra housing. Learned the hard way on the o-rings one night...

The filter housing is an Omnifilter, and has a bypass. Learned that from the one my parents had.

Good thought on the o-rings and filter housing, think I'll get extra to have on hand.

 

[HoughMade]

Well, men...at 6:30am yesterday (Sunday), as I was in the garage fixing a big oil leak on my truck which I caused Saturday while trying to fix a very small leak, my wife informed me that there was no hot water.

I learned something yesterday. On the blower motor for the power vent, there are little holes with arrows that say: “oil every 6 months”. I’ve lived here for 6 years...the house was not well maintained for at least 3 years before that.

I took the blower unit out, got the model number and ordered a replacement unit. $300.

Then, I went to work on the seized blower motor. Long story short, I got the shaft freed up and the motor is working again. I shall be oiling it every day until the replacement gets here Weds or Thurs. Cross your fingers- but we have hot water.

I don’t think my wife quite knows what she has here. I fix all this stuff, seldom have to call for (and pay for) someone to come in...and after 28 years of marriage (as of Saturday)...it's all expected...which is exactly what I want her to be able to do.

[ETA]...and I got the oil leak repaired too...all before church.

 

[HoughMade]

Got an e-mail from my wife yesterday that the water was cold again.

Came home, started going through some diagnosis...and cleaned out the burner chamber because it needed it....before I noticed that in my work on the blower, I must not have hooked the tube that gives the vacuum signal to the diaphragm all the way. It had been working, but eventually popped off. Put it back on, we are back in business until the new blower comes...hopefully.

I guess it helps keep me humble.

 

[Lt Scott 14]

Just remember the 102 rule! $2.00 for parts, $100 for the knowledge to diagnose and fix it, usually on overtime. My Wifey just shakes her head and leaves me alone unless she sees smoke or flames! Good luck!

 

[maxwelhse]

Just remember the 102 rule! $2.00 for parts, $100 for the knowledge to diagnose and fix it, usually on overtime. My Wifey just shakes her head and leaves me alone unless she sees smoke or flames! Good luck!

She still bothers to watch for smoke?

 

[gregkl]

She still bothers to watch for smoke?

Some asked me once if I smoke after sex. I said; "I don't know, I never checked."

 

[red_zr24x4]

Just remember the 102 rule! $2.00 for parts, $100 for the knowledge to diagnose and fix it, usually on overtime. My Wifey just shakes her head and leaves me alone unless she sees smoke or flames! Good luck!

Mama only watches for smoke when I ask her to keep an eye on something I'm working on

 

[HoughMade]

New draft inducer arrived today. Perfect original equipment replacement. 10 minute change out. I shall not forget to oil again.

I’m kicking around prophylactically replacing the water heater in a few months if it lasts that long.

 

[gregkl]

New draft inducer arrived today. Perfect original equipment replacement. 10 minute change out.

Love it when a plan comes together! OEM is so much better.

 

[maxwelhse]

New draft inducer arrived today. Perfect original equipment replacement. 10 minute change out. I shall not forget to oil again.

I’m kicking around prophylactically replacing the water heater in a few months if it lasts that long.

I was kinda wondering why that wasn't the fix this time when I saw the cost of the replacement part. I assumed it was a time constraint.

 

[HoughMade]

Believe it or not, I got the original Rheem (made by Fasco like the original) part on Amazon. Ordered Sunday, the supplier is in Michigan, arrived Tuesday. Not bad...but not cheap.

 

[OurDee]

If it is electrical, you know I'm going to let the smoke out.

She still bothers to watch for smoke?