New Water Heater & a LONG Cautionary Tale

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Thursday evening, 7/13/2017, I went to take a bath and found there was NO hot water. I did notice my sump pump in the basement was pumping with regularity but fresh air return is located down there as well so I wasn't particularly concerned. After heading down there I see water water continually leaking from the 10 year old water heater. @$#%*&!, there's an unexpected expense!!

To be honest, I rarely, rarely, rarely go in the basement as I have nothing down there but the furnace and the water heater. I called Friday morning to my local natural gas company and the price they quoted me for a new water heater was exorbitant. I should have known to not call them as last time I needed a new water heater they were higher than any plumber but I was hoping since I am a customer I might get a little price break. Forger that. Anyway I had a plumber to come install a new 50 gallon water heater and while he was there he saw the pipe for exhaust fumes from the furnace had several large holes in it. He told me to NOT turn on my furnace until that pipe was replaced.

He comes back with my new water heater and new vent pipe for the furnace as well! The purpose of this post is warn people to go into their basements a couple times a year just to make sure pipes, water lines, duct work, etc. all look ok. Don't be a dummy like me, you might not wake up one morning.

I've also had a vapor barrier laid in my basement as it's only a dugout. I have not heard my sump pump come on once since the new water heater and barrier have been installed. Yes, I know, it's my fault completely for not checking down there a couple times per year, but I've learned my lesson, believe me, I have learned my lesson!!

Another foolish thing I have corrected is buying a carbon monoxide detector which I should have had ALL these years living in this house. I bought one of those Kidde models that has the non-replaceable lithium battery guaranteed for

10 years. Back in the Spring I bought the same battery type smoke detector that is outside my bedroom as will be the carbon monoxide detector.

My lecture is over and I hope others won't be an 'ostrich with her head in the sand' like me. It could save your life.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Fifty years ago you'd have been right. Gas company not only gave a good price but it was added to your monthly bill. Those days are gone.

This is totally believable. If everything is working right, no incentive to really go looking. Tsk, tsk on no CO detector though. These days they are cheap enough that everyone should have one unless you are in an all electric house.

[Stormin' Norman]

You had a close call with the CO, I am glad you caught it before something horrible happened.

[Frank]

Our finished family room in the basement is next to the furnace room and I check it frequently. Our electric water heater sprung a leak in December. Water drains into French drain but there is no sump pump as basement is dry but flooding might cause a problem. Last year AC condensate pipe that also dumps into the French drain got clogged and there was a puddle under the furnace.

CO detectors have a finite lifetime and when battery goes detection ability may be lost also. I replaced mine as well as old smoke detectors a couple of years ago. I don't like having both type detectors in one spot as if one starts beeping, you may not know which.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Yes, when the battery gets low they do have an annoying chirp to get your attention.

It doesn't matter if both smoke and CO detectors are near each other, if one goes off it's certainly going to get attention and I will be investigating what's causing the alarm.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Yes, it did scare the bejeebers out of me.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Yep, they used to try to get your business if you needed a new appliance. It's almost like they have overpriced everything to discourage you from calling.

[Bea Taylor]

Hi Joann,

Just curious but did you get the model with WiFi?

And how much was the quote from your gas company?

Thanks in advance,

Bea

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

I got a 50 gallon model and if it has Wi-Fi I don't know and I'd have no use for a Wi-Fi water heater. Fifty gallons is as large as I could go in the space I have and would have liked a bit larger but that's the limit for my dugout basement due to height, and angle of the exhaust pipe.

My local natural gas company quoted me $1524 for a 50 gallon capacity, plus tax, plus parts, plus the permit. $2610 for a 75 gallon capacity plus tax, plus parts, plus the permit. The purchase of a permit is just a price gouging tactic.

I had thought of the on-demand instant water heaters but their prices are ridiculous with such a short warranty. If they had a 25 year warranty I'd consider it but 10 years is insulting.

[makolber]

So the fact that the water heater failed may have saved your life because it alerted you to the problem with the furnace.

Count your blessings.

m

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Absolutely. I DO think it's a blessing in disguise. If not for it's failure in all likelihood first time I turned on my furnace in November I'd never woken up.

Yes, I was fussing that it failed and only thinking of the expense until the plumber pointed out the numerous large holes in the exhaust pipe. I thanked the Lord profusely in my prayers that night that he saw fit to spare me a while longer.

[Muggles]

I'm glad you got the warning, so you could fix it! Glad you're still alive and posting here.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

I know someone who has a CO detector (provided by management) in an all-electric apartment. There is no fuel in the building.

[Mark Lloyd]

[snip]

One SHORT chirp every minute of so. When you hear such a chirp, I may not be easy to determine what device is doing it.

[Frank]

My main reason was that two smoke detectors were in hallway in 1st and second floor and with CO detector on 2nd floor hallway. One was chirping and pain to figure which. All old units, nothing except chirp. That's why I put CO detector in the bedroom.

Many years ago we had a crack in the furnace causing house to get sooted up. We did not feel ill but had no CO detector at the time. We did need a new furnace and a thorough house cleaning.

[Sam E]

[snip]

And you'd have to pay for upgraded gas service.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

I guess they wanted to cover all bases even though the CO detector was not needed. Some people will sue over the drop of a hat and I guess having one would stop being dragged into court.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

That was a great possibility. If were building a new house I might consider the on-demand or just go with solar panels. But as I'm planning on being in this house until they haul me out on a stretcher with a sheet over my face I'll just stick with a traditional gas water heater.

[ItsJoanNotJoann]

Thank you and me, too! As bitter as this world can be at times I'm in no hurry to leave it.

[Muggles]

Amen to that!

We had an electrical wire burning in the wall for a long time and couldn't find the source until we had a new roof put on. The plugs quit working the very evening the roofer finished the job, so we thought the two were related.

If we hadn't had the roof put on, we'd not have found the wire and gotten it fixed. He said it could have caused a major fire.