been sitting here thinking.....
hillbille
Member Posts: 14,393 ✭✭✭✭
and it hurts sometimes. but hot water heater is on its last leg, have to keep relighting in every few hours, just had a friend in the business over and he said he wouldn't try to fix it, it is 17 years old and the thermocouple is left hand threaded, he said they made an adapter to right hand thread as almost all are now, but he was afraid something would break trying to take the whole assembly out and replacing it. he stopped between jobs and I felt bad about taking up his time so I told him to go on and I would let him know. I have decided to get new one, only thing is the new furnace we had put in year or two back has the double vents inlet air and exhaust, they cross right in front of the hot water tank as does the hard plumbed gas line, I would have to tilt it down to floor and then back up in a space only two feet wide reaching over these pipes to do it. in my younger days that would be no trouble, but now almost impossible.
It is in a small pannelled room in the corner of the basement, beside my reloading bench, as I was sitting there thinking it struck me, If I took a sheet of panelling off the side and removed one of the two by fours I could slide it right in behind all the venting and piping, and also get the old one out the same way, worst that can happen would be maybe breaking the panelling trying to get it off the two by fours, but it would still beat a lot of wrangling and cussing, gotta admit brains does beat brawn most of the time. guess I will be busy tomorrow.......
Comments
If I was closer, I'd be more than happy to come help you out. Aren't there any young guys around you that could get the old one out, and the new one in just to help an old feller out?
I replaced one that way. It was the only way to get a low-boy in & out of a crawl space. I even left the stud out in case I had to do it again.
Sometime you just have to build a better box rather than thinking outside of it . Sounds like a plan . As I get older I too have to think smarter .
As I get older it has become easier to bite the bullet and pay for these types of installations. The last install I did was a new water softener in the basement. The newer design was about half the size and a third of the weight of the old one. After a while day of cutting, rerouting pipe, sweating it together and running to the hardware store, success was achieved. I left the old softener in place, figuring I would get it hauled up the basement steps a little later. It is now been 8 years and I guess I haven't reached my definition of a little later yet.🤔 Bob
Bob... What's the rush. It will be there tomorrow.
I feel your pain! Our 22 y.o. slide in electric range decided to crap out last Saturday, the oven controls died right in the middle of preparing dinner for our daughter's family. I cycled the power off for 5 minutes and It came back until we finished the meal. Sunday AM, wouldn't work again (electronic controls, no parts available).
I found a replacement in stock at Lowe's that had good reviews online, so went to look at it. They only had ONE in stock, but it was priced $200 off original cost, so I threw a double handful of C-notes at it. Picked it up yesterday, got it home, then the fun began! Here I am, two retreaded knees, old and stiff, crawling in there disconnecting, moving the old range out, humping in the new one, and wiring it up. I started the change-out at 12:30 and finished at little after 4 PM. Twenty years ago, that would be a 1 hour job. Now my back and neck are sore, as well as those knees, just glad I didn't shed any blood doing it!
got the grandson to help me take a sheet of panelling down and cut one stud, I now have full access to old one and easy push in for new one, it is a walk out basement so I can 2 wheel the old one out and new one in without much strain. will have to wait till tomorrow to replace it, as moma and the grandkids want a hot shower for some reason, bunch of wimps, it will only stay on about an hour now then burner shuts off an you have to manually relight it, so after 17 years I guess we got our moneys worth out of it.......... I thought about doing it this evening but I know as simple as it looks, there are sometimes those stupid gremlins hiding behind a pipe or valve and something won't just fit right and then you have to run out for special fitting or some such, would rather have the whole day to fix it
Don't you mean run out 3 or 4 times?
Lol.
On demand, tankless might have been an option. #1's hubby is remodeling their house and put one in by himself. They love it.
I have an on demand / tankless. It was strongly suggested that I get a water softener due to medium-hard water. Otherwise I would be replacing the coil due to build-up. Did that & we're going on 9 years.
17 years is quite a long time on a water heater, and agree it's probably a good to change out.
Yes, it sounds like the thermo coupler has went kapoot, but are you sure?? Check around the exhaust pipe on the current water heater for a down draft. If you have a downdraft blowing out the pilot a new water heater is going to have same issue. Good luck.
And nice thinking on your method of taking down the paneling. Aint just a hat rack sittin on them shoulders,,,,
sounds like you have a plan and a good one at that
diver you were right it only took 3 trips, one for heater and two to swap parts, turns out the new one says it is 51 inches tall but in reality it was 48 inches tall and the pipe/hoses I had were about 4 inches to short, then forgot about the exhaust pipe and had to go back out for short piece of it. but all is good now and momma and grandkids now have hot showers and smiles......
"As I get older it has become easier to bite the bullet and pay for these types of installations."
While that may be a reasonable alternative in some scenarios, I've found that hiring some "get it done quick and get on to the next job" dude ends up with more mess than before. Then there are those guys who don't seem to care how much they destroy in the process of repairing ONE part. All they understand is new build installation and can't understand that a homeowner(especially an older person) doesn't want a bunch of stuff torn up /torn out which requires even more intrusive repairs.
I had this problem with the installation of my new furnace last fall. Although no one had the correct type/size furnace I needed, they either refused to install the replacement I ordered in or just put me on hold so to speak. I finally convinced my Son that I couldn't wait any longer and it took a total of 2 hours although I'd spent 2-3 days doing as much prep work as possible to facilitate the installation.
@Mobuck If they did the job, did they want to make a weeks pay in one afternoon? When shopping for a water softener I went to a local Expo Fair & listened to the name brand guy give his spiel. He gave his price & said that it would be installed in 4 hours. At this point I told him (& those listening) what the parts cost online & asked why his installer should make $3000 for 4 hours work. He asked me to leave & the crowd went with me.
The original water heater in my parents house lasted 40 years before springing a leak. My current house ,the original water heater lasted 29 years.
Glad you got that taken care of. Good job.
Well never mind. Job is done.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain