frustrated

[low_delta]

So I took the afternoon off work, hoping to fix my water heater. I thought if things didn’t go well, I might not get done tonight.

When I got home I called my friend Bill for advice. He offered to stop by tonight and decide what we were going to do, and what we needed. He said he could help me do it tomorrow night. It turns out he won’t be able to help me until next Wednesday (or I could pay Home Depot $250 to do it). While surveying the problem with him, I realized that I don’t done plumbing. (That is, I think I am capable of it, except that I have never done it before, and need to be shown what to do.) So I’m glad I didn’t attempt it on my own.

My best guess on the heater is that the sediment built up in the bottom of the tank, and when it covered up the heating element, the water couldn’t get heated, and the thing stayed on, and eventually popped the circuit. Either that or it just plain burned out. If that’s the case, I think I can fix it.

The beast still needs replacing though, so I’ll still plan on doing that. I just got back from Home Depot, and they have an appropriate model for $180. Not too bad. That doesn’t cover all the copper tubing and conduit for the replumbing and rewiring. I’m actually going to move it, and clean up some of the mess of piping in the basement ceiling.

This just drives me crazy because I've known since I moved in that the thing wouldn't last very long. It looks like it is thirty years old. Why didn’t I have it taken care of already. Because I procrastinate. And I’m always so busy. Not that it would get any worse, for having to do something about this. I had also planned on getting new furnaces (for the duplex). I’m sure I could cut our heating bills by... took me ten months to do the bedroom. I should have done the bathroom sometime in the last a lot. And then there's the remodeling. I planned on taking three months to do my bedroom, and the following year, the bathroom, and maybe the year after that do the kitchen. It year. I need to get that done by the time I move out. I can do the kitchen (and the rest of the house, for that matter) when I move out, while no one lives here.

I think I scored myself too high on motivation and focus.

Comments

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

When did you move in? And do you have plans to move out? I hope you can make some improvements that you can actually enjoy for a while!

Since I'm totally incompetent and don't have any particularly handy friends, I always pay for services. Saves me time, and time is money, so I don't feel that bad about paying, as long as the job is done right.

Anyway, I had my water heater replaced last summer. It's in a little closet on an outside wall of my house. The huge, tattoed guy who did the work asked me to go out and look at something. He said: Did you lose a pet? Then he pointed to what was an enormous, fried *rat*. Ew, ew, ew! The rat had run under the water heater to get the warmth from the pilot light, but got more than he had planned on. There's no way of knowing how long he was there - months, years? Anyway, the installer said he does a lot for his customers but will not have anything to do with dead rodents. I won't have anything to do with them, either! Fortunately, my parents were visiting then and my dad threw the rat in my garbage can for me. For nearly a week I got grossed out by my garbage can. And now I'm afraid of my little water heater closet!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I forget how long I've been here. Four years? And I had planned on buying a new place an dmoving out in about five years, but the future is pretty much up in the air right now. :-)

And time is money, but money is time, so I usualy opt to do it myself. Besides, developing skills is good. And sometimes the money is way too much. See my answer to Shoo about the plumbing.

Mummified rodentia, huh? Cool. :-|

Re:

[serendipity.livejournal.com]

Maybe developing skills for someone who might be so inclined is good. But for a slow learner (when it comes to stuff like that) like me it would take far too much time that I simply don't have. I don't even have time for the stuff I'm good at! True, sometimes the money is way too much, but *always* the time is way too much. And so I remain an ignorant incompetent, forever dependent on service providers. Then again, being the non-consumer that I am, I'd rather pay for services than for *stuff*.

..

[whorlpool.livejournal.com]

*shock*

I can't believe you received the tapes already!! I just sent them on Monday!

Re: ..

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I sure wish I'd checked the mail *before* I'd listened to the radio for two hours while I was online.

I guess it passed its x-ray test with flying colors, and was released from the DC postal system.

Re: ..

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

So far I haven't quite gotten through one Sinead album. Sounds good. I was surprised how much of that one I'd heard before.

Re: ..

[whorlpool.livejournal.com]

All that music I sent you is the kind that takes a few listenings to really get into. Especially with a lot of the Kate Bush songs, there's a lot going on in the background that is hard to pick up at first. She's a genius.

OH!

[shoo.livejournal.com]

That is exactly what happened to our water heater.
We just had to replace it a few months ago.
Sal and I did it our elves...the bitch was getting the water out to make the damn thing movable.
With all that sediment, it was a bitch. we ended up getting a big strong trash can to rest the heater on while we laid it on its side.
We had to hook up a hose on the top of the heater and lay it all the way down to get the rest out, then Sal was able to move it away.
We had to replace the dry wall stand and do some copper soldering...and tada!

Sal says we should empty the water out ever few months to prevent the build up again. ???
Good Luck!

Re: OH!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

You did it your *elves*? Ho ho ho!

Removing the old one is the only reason I'm considering paying the $250. Not only do I have to get it out of the basement, but I'll have to dispose of it myself, because if I put it by the curb, I get somone knocking on my door, asking why I didn't get a permit.

One good reason for doing myself (with Bill's help) is so I can replace that rat's nest of a plumbing system.

Re: OH!

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I heard that too, about draining it every 6 months to a year, to keep sediment from building up.

draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

yup, every six months you should flush the water heater......don't turn the water off and drain it.......just hook the hose up to the bottom and let it run for 5-10 minutes......yeah, it's a waste of water, but you use the incoming water to try to move those sediments out to the drain......also, make sure to manually operate your safety valve......let the water flow thru it until it is nice and clear.....

is there a possibility that you can just replace the heating element?.......they are usually relatively easy to change on an electric heater......that might get you another couple years out of the heater.....

when shopping for water heaters, do you know what the difference between the units with 5, 10, and 12 year warranties is?............price, and nothing else!......so, save a buck and do 20 minutes of PM annually.......

if you intend to do the soldering yourself, i recommend the flux that home depot sells with the solder in it......great stuff.....i installed my water softener last winter and that stuff worked great....i now have to get off my rear and plumb the outdoor spigots to the non-soft water.....

Re: draining?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I think digging the element out of the sediment may do the trick. I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway.

The thing is an antique. I'm gonna replace it anyway.

Re: draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

good luck to ya......i can do that type of stuff, but it's far from being fun......

i doubt a new heater will be more efficient (if you are able to clean the old one out)......if it were a gas heater, new regulations regarding efficency have impacted the design of those units....in fact, if you have hot water heat in your place and were looking at upgrading the boiler, i would look at a heat exchanger unit off the boiler for domestic hot water.....

Re: draining?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

No, the usual gas furnaces. They're past due for replacing too.

Re: draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

oh, forced air.....

*ick*

Re: draining?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

two words: air filters

Re: draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

it's just not comfy heat.....filters or no filters....(my opinion).....builders use it here because it meets requirements and is cheap.....did i mention it costs less than other systems and most home builders are profit oriented?.....the guy who build my house claimed that we wouldn't know the difference in the type of heating system......he was totally missinformed......i know it's an opinion thing.....

Re: draining?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

I think it is what you're used to. I don't see any problems in hot water heat, but I don't like it much.

Re: draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

i opted to spend a bit extra for hot water heated floors....the tubes are embedded in a 1 1/2" layer of lightweight concrete over the floor sheeting....very comfy.....also there is heat recovery ventilation system installed to keep the air fresh.....

Re: draining?

[low-delta.livejournal.com]

nice

Re: draining?

[vlinker.livejournal.com]

yeah, and the thermal mass keeps the house temp from dropping too much when the power goes out.....we had an 8 hour outage when the temp outside was 15-20°F and the house temp only dropped to 64°F......

it's a system i recommend to anyone.....

i should pick up a little natural gas gen-set for those power outage times.....but, i put all my money into the floor!......LOL