What I did at my house today...

[Willa]

This a.m. I woke up and there was a LOT of condensation on the windows - which seemed strange.

I did a quick once over the house, and dang ! the hot water heater is busted and leaking all over the basement ! It was an older owned one that came with house, so I knew its days were numbered. I just wasn't prepared for today to be the day.

Plumber is booked to replace it tomorrow. More $$$ but I don't have the wherewithal to figure out how to undo it, muscle it up a flight of stairs and out the door. Yes, cheaper to buy it elsewhere, but a new vent needs to be installed, yaddayaddadyadda.

Sigh. Really not the most fun way to spend some money.

At least the basement, where it is, isn't finished, and no valuable belongings got ruined.

[Gothichome]

Willa, we know the feeling. Four years ago the 1964 installed water heater failed in spectacular fashion, got to give the old thing credit, it lasted almost 50 years. Any way, got it replaced by the next evening, for a considerable sum. If I may make a suggestion, buy the best you can afford, it’ll pay off over time.

[Willa]

Willa, we know the feeling. Four years ago the 1964 installed water heater failed in spectacular fashion, got to give the old thing credit, it lasted almost 50 years. Any way, got it replaced by the next evening, for a considerable sum. If I may make a suggestion, buy the best you can afford, it’ll pay off over time.

The plumbing company will bring me whatever, I guess ? The water heater department made it sound like they are all essentially the same, no matter what company makes them. The old ones were better than the new ones, with their engineered obsolescence ? A tankless water heater would cost about double - and since space isn't an issue that seems pointless ?

Do you know about sacrificial anodes for water heaters ? I have read they can really extend the lifespan ?

This vintage cartoon panel sums up how I felt about it this morning. "Oh ! Oh ! This is terrible !" !

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[phil]

the sacrificial anode screws into the top so if you pu the heater in and under the stairs or some place like that you might have to cut the old one into sections then I think you cna get new ones that are bendy. Im in the same boat, with waiting and knowing mine is old.
I recently saw a couple of free ones, they were not old but jetted for PPG. I looked it up and didnt' seem too hard to replace the orifice to change it over.
I didn't get it , stuff goes fast sometimes.

The install should really be done by a gas fitter, but it seems straightforward.
I think the anode replacements are most important where there is hard water, and changing them extends the life. Ive never changed mine.
I'd call your insurance to see if it's worth a discount. with mine they said I'm not covered for a flood caused by it. it might move you up a mark if you replaced it. but like yours, my basement isn't really completely finished so it could probably handle a leak without huge damage anyway.

It irks me when these companies make stuff that's guaranteed to fail so you buy another. we should have more strict minimum allowances for quality. aside from the cost making them last would be more environmentally friendly. My parents place has an old brass one that is ancient but still going fine. who knows how long the spaceless ones run for.. the electronics might be programed to fail too, plus they are a bit noisy.
I'm dreading the day I get that surprise. How much is a new one?

[Lily left the valley]

This is more of a what we did this weekend...

Replaced the one hairline cracked steam vent.

Updated two outlets from two to three prong. That wound up almost being the wrong kind of exciting because when we originally went through the breakers, I only had one wall lamp plugged in per room. Good thing I always test before working since I know sometimes old houses aren't wired as neatly as I'd like. The one outlet is actually tied to the sole non-dryer cellar outlet. That one was also a challenge and a half because they left no extra wire in the box to get the outlet out easier later. Still, when I realized the box wasn't attached to anything, I pulled it out and felt around for the closest stud, and of course marked it for later.

Also replaced one of the broken ceramic screw-on-the-box style with the pull chain overhead lights finally. It was the one at the bottom of the stairs, and now we can see our sump pit area in all its glory! Yep. More work to do there later.

We also started pulling down more storms, and we've two storm frames I need to put new glass in still. Fortunately, I've been scavenging whatever glass I can get my hands on for the short term, and I have pieces that will work in what must have been an old screen door that's no longer here. So that's all set aside for later this week.

We picked a small handful of late red raspberries that we ate as we walked about the yard noting what we need to do next weekend. They were a surprise this year, as we didn't have late ones last year.

Also picked up a few freebie hanging planters and an old small chalkboard someone curbsided.

Oh! And we found a fishing pole tucked in the cellar rafters. I thought we checked them all, but the light hit it just right and it was plain as day to see then.

[Lily left the valley]

This vintage cartoon panel sums up how I felt about it this morning. "Oh ! Oh ! This is terrible !" !

flamingskeleton.png

This is exactly how I feel about the hot water coil in our boiler. The water here chews them up like candy.

Sorry to hear you had a bad time of it, but glad nothing got ruined.

[phil]

aiside from grounding they often wear out and dont; make good contact.

[Neighmond]

I caught the bain of my existence! The little bastard is dead, dead,dead!

[Neighmond]

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[phil]

Cheaper and faster than divorce I thought , until I saw the cute little mouse in the bucket or is it a bat? My cat caught a bird on the weekend but I thought well I can't teach her good natural food from bad natural food so I said good kitty and let her at it..
she still wanted dinner. The jury is out on what happened to it. today she was arguing with a skunk.. I was glad to see her come in, puffy tail and all.. without indecent.