Whew, dodged a hot mess - Water Heater Repair

[AlDente67 563]

So the boss went to the basement for some laundry and noticed the water heater was giving up the ghost.  We have 5 people that need to shower, so being without hot water would be a nightmare.  It wasn't yet spewing, but there was an obvious hole developing where one should not be.  Only a matter of time...

So I start to call around and get answers like "We can be there next Tuesday..."  So much for emergency service, but anyway...  Only one outfit was able to send a guy same day out of all the numbers i called.  You probably know them by the initials in the name.  Nice guy shows up and confirms what I already knew...time for a new unit.  Nothing fancy, just a 40 or 50 gas lowboy.  Should have one on the truck.  Nope.  And lucky for me too.  We go over the numbers with the lowest warranty and all the relevant discounts...$2000!!  I'm over a barrel pretty much, but he would show back first thing next day with the elusive Bradford they use, since everyone is too busy to pick one up at the shop at that moment, because...Covid.

I call the boss at work with the news and she flips out, of course.  Luckily her coworker happened to overhear the conversation, and since he rehabs houses on the side, he has done the job dozens of times over 30 years.  It was just dumb luck that he happened to be around that moment.  So off we go to HD and fetch a new one for $450 and he drops it in.  Took us a while to get the old one out, but eventually we were done.  The store brand was identical to the trade brand, and it had the same warranty included that the other guy was charging extra for.  Maybe it will crap out in 8 years or not, but at 25% of the cost, I don't care.

Interestingly, we wrestled the busted one to the curb, still heavy as an anvil with all the crud stuck inside, given that bulk pickup day happens to be this week anyway.  Somebody came driving by randomly and snatched it up within 20 minutes of us leaving it out.  I was guessing maybe to break it down for metals.  No idea.  Our friend said the only copper in it were the two small waterpipe couplings and that nothing inside was worth trying to sell.  I don't know.  I do know that we busted the electronics all to hell rolling it across the lawn, since it still had to be upwards of 200lbs even mostly drained.

To end the saga, my son-in-law tells me that the company has a rep for ripping people off.  And now I know.

[CMJeepster 2,778]

I did one 4 years ago for ~$1,800.  Bradford White.  Made in America.  My plumber has been my guy for 17 years now.  I didn't question the cost.

[revenger 473]

I had a hot water storage tank go bad,  Amtrol was the name,  it had a lifetime warranty.    they shipped one to my house in a tractor trailer.

 I'm not a plumber and at the same time I'm not a millionaire  so it was getting done by me or it was cold showers for a while.   I took a day off work,   got all the advice I could and did it.    The hardest and biggest pain in the ass was bleeding the air out of the boiler  when I was done.  it wasn't fun but it saved me 2k 

[siderman 1,137]

If you care, you're typically allowed to get a retro permit on that because it was a emergency.. Of course there is the permit cost, inspection...

[Redeye65 162]

They all rip you off to install a hot water heater, any homeowner with a screwdriver, two pipe wrenches and a cordless drill can install one. And, if it is electric you can drop the two pipe wrenches from your list of tools.

[Sota 1,191]

I'm sure the actual plumbers will be in here, but for the love of god people, maintain your water heaters.

the easiest and simplest thing you can do is, once a year shut off the water coming in to the tank, shut off the gas or electric, hook a garden hose to the drain, run it outside, and open the drain. let the water come out until all the nasty shit has left.  you can literally double or triple the life of your heater that way.  The only maintenance I ever did to my old tank was this, and it lasted over 15 of the years I lived here, and the tank wasn't new when we moved in. I do mine when the "spring" change over happens, and I put in a new HVAC filter.

add on to that, if you can, replace the sacrificial anode every 3-5 years.  it's usually a separate screwed in rod, but sometimes it's the cold water drip tube. as the name implies, it sacrifices itself to protect your tank's insides.  I get all my big parts from http://www.supplyhouse.com and my tank's anode is $22.40, and it's a 60 gallon Bradford White that I paid too much for.

[Bt Doctur 188]

You can do it for a lot less, or have one of us help you do it.

[15636215 454]

Mine was from 2002, NJ gas co had a 100 coupon, I called for price, 1200  installed, Placed order less coupon 1100.00 paid over 12 months, easy deal. Came 2 days later. No problem with old heater but 2002, replace in 2020. I think I got my use out of it. That is with NO preventive maintenance!!! 18 years.

[Vzguy 13]

I did mine myself with minimal tools. Watched some good plumbers on the Tube,  and went at it.  I understand people have to make money but $1500 for labor for the 3-4 hrs it takes them, is crazy in my mind. 

[Bt Doctur 188]

Hey VZ guy ,active or retied and from what garage(s)

[Vzguy 13]

1 hour ago, Bt Doctur said:

Hey VZ guy ,active or retied and from what garage(s)

PM Sent.