When a HO does not properly maintain their HWH, and it clogs with sediment preventing it from draining at the drain valve, how do you drain it to move it?
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If at first you don’t succeed, try using a hammer next time…everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
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Turn it on its side and drain through the t&p or the fill tube.
"Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
I wonder if you could vacuum it out with a good wet/dry vac???????????
Rich Beckman
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If you can't get the draincock to open with a wire or air then I would siphon the water out.
Remove the outlet pipe and drop a 1/2/ 5/8 surgical tubing into the tank.
Embrace the suck.
SLUURRRRPPPPP (siphon sound).So I wonder when I get it drained and then refill it after reinstalling it, when the water goes back in I'd imagine it'd stir up all that gunk, right? Might clog plumbing elsewhere.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Oh, I thought you were going to trash the old WH and install a new one. Ok then, valve off or disconnect the two top tubes, open the t&p for a vent, put a garden hose on the drain and back flush with water. But if it is that full of sediment, I think you are wasting your time."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
But if it is that full of sediment, I think you are wasting your time.I agree with you but.... this is an insurance job on a mobil home. I gave my estimate to the company. My cost was $2900, their estimate was $3200. But since it's a claim for a mobil home they depreciate it and the HO only got $1600, far below my estimate (and theirs). HO wants me to reuse HWH since now they won't have $ to replace it themselves.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
reuse? dang, i was going to suggest 1/2 stick of tnt and shop vac!
Is this tank gas or electric fueled? I can see trying to save it if gas but not if electric.
Gas older than 5 years I would scrap.
But either way I would empty it by removing the T&P valve and syphon via a small hose as much as I can. Screw in a 3/4 pipe with hose to the out doors and back flush via the old drain valve.
It's electric. I'd be more than happy to scrap it, it's just the HO doesn't have money to go above much what that insurance paid. They're paying $1600, by not doing all the work I was able to get my cost down to $2000, so she still needs $400 which she is paying out of pocket. Single mom, no $$$.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Its a tough balance as a new 40 gal electric heater is $229, so you have to watch your time. New electric install is about 2 hours how long to clean this one out?
My cost to install an Electric HWH is $255. She'll have $455+ in it if she gets a new one. In my proposal I was charging $200 to remove it (knowing I'd be fussing with draining it) and $255 to reinstall.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Just pull the lower element , it'll drain.Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
"Success is not spontaneous combustion, you have to set yourself on Fire"
(1)Close the cold water valve to the heater
(2) Make an adapter so you can connect an air compressor to the hot water line to the washing machine.
(3) Connect a hose to the drain outlet of the heater and run it out a window or out to the ground or into the bathtub.
(4) Open the drain outlet valve and the washing machine valve and turn on the compressor. You will blow all the water and most of the sludge out of the heater.
(5) You can add more water to the heater and continue this proceedure until the water runs clear and the sludge is gone.
The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,Moves on: nor all your Piety nor WitShall lure it back to cancel half a Line,Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it." - Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam
Balance your manhours to clean it out vs the cost to install a new one. Might be a wash."Put your creed in your deed." Emerson
"When asked if you can do something, tell'em "Why certainly I can", then get busy and find a way to do it." T. Roosevelt
Had a friend that tried what you're talking about. Plugged all fixtures and thr P/R valve. Messy, messy, messy......$$$$$$
Don't go there for the reasons Piffin and Jeff buck tell you. These guys are experienced. Believe 'em. How do the songs go?.....know when to fold'em.....just give it away?
Her problem is going to be your nightmare. More water damage, mold, health............The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
"HO wants me to reuse HWH "Does the HO want to assume your liability if it blows up?Maybe his insurance company will take that one on...how is your liability policy?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Why would it blow up? Just because of sediment? My liability policy can be tossed in for $2M but I don't go spreadin that around. Here is safe I guess.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Time you play with it and sediment gets in the pressure relief to plug it - to be sure now you have to change that valve.OK, lets say it doesn't blow up if you don't change the valve...it stick in the open position instead and floods the house.Don't laugh - happened twice with me - but on a concrete basement floor near a drain. both times right after minor disturbing the unit.believe me, the liability is yours as son as you touch it, and with this much crud and lack of maint, it WILL have a problem that becomes YOUR problem. I missed why the insurance will not make her whole, but have you tried re-negotiating that for her?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Ins. won't pay for new heater because it's not considered part of the claim, only the damage. What happened here is she had PB pipe, a crimp ring let go and spewed water everywhere for some time...I repaired it with a copper stub. She's got PB everywhere so I have the feeling I'll be back for another job there.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Willie,It isn't often that Jeff Buck, Piffin, Alwaysoverbudget, and I actually agree on something, so you may want to really think about this.If you touch that water heater... It's yours.If you are going to do the work, regardless.... Go to Lowes, Home Depot, the local lumberyard, and/or an appliance place. Explain the situation to them. See if they will donate a WH, since you are 'donating' the labor... Slightly used, scratched, whatever. Or will at least sell it to you for 150 dollars or less. (I have even found perfectly good, brand new, and one and two year old water heaters, sitting out back of Lowes. Returns. Maybe only a dent in the sheet metal covering... And they don't care if you take them. You may have to replace an element, or something, but it's a lot better than the old sediment filled krap that she has...)Replace her WH with that one. In the long run... the cost to YOU is going to be much less. In dollars, headache, and time. Even if you have to pay for it yourself.As for moving the WH... If this thing is inside the trailer, it is not a question of how do you move a full WH. It is how are you going to get it COMPLETELY empty before you even try to move it.I don't care how good you think/know you are... If you try to take a full or partially full WH out of a trailer, you are going to do so much damage to the trailer, and/or the WH that the cost of a brand new WH is going to seem negligible.Odds are that even completely empty, some damage is going to be done.
A man, convinced against his will... Is of his own opinion, still. ~Anne McCaffrey
RIGHT ON !!!!.....I'm a bit confused about the insurance co. .......what prompted the claim in the first place?They're going to let the w.h. be moved instead of replaced? Whats up with that?
In a few prior posts I clarified why an Ins. Co may cancel the policy. What prompted the claim in the first place was me. When I saw all the damage, coupled with the fact I already knew this HO had little money and is a repeat customer of mine, and coupled with the fact I knew right away this was a lot of $$ job, I advised her to contact her insurer. This is something she needs to fix pretty soon, not sit arouind and wait til she is able to store up the money. The ins. co could care less that the HWH was the culprit, thus they would not pay to replace it because it wasn't the problem, or cause, of the problem. Rather the PB pipe was and the resulting damage due to the PB failure. As such it could be argued that the HWH is as good as it was before the damage and therefore is fine. Sediment in a HWH is not an insurable event either. So again, they will not pay for that to replace it.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
I guess I should do a little more reading before posting my opinion.....sorry.
No big deal, man. :)If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
What do you know about it? You run a chocolate factory for a living.View Image “Good work costs much more than poor imitation or factory product” – Charles GreeneCaliforniaRemodelingContractor.com
flush the tank out...
and yup the gunk is going to get into everything....
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Get the tank outside after draining. Remove the draincock, clear the opening into the tank, start rinsing, and Flushing the tank. Keep doing it until you have nothing but clean clear water. My guess is that the tank isn't going to last long anyway if it had that much sludge in it. Replace it is what I would do .
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
Cut cold supply, attach threaded hose fitting and pump it out.
What exactly do you use to pump it out, though? Maybe I could get one of those siphon pumps I've seen for kero heaters or something.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
don't need a kit...
just use a hose...
use mouth suction to get it going...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Hmmmm I can taste it now.....fresh HWH water right out of the spigot, well sorta.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
no ya can't...
you won't be getting any past the areators...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
What exactly do you use to pump it out
Get a coil of 3/4" clear polyethylene tubing (not that 'spensive even at the big box store). Have a non-leaking 5 gallon bucket handy. Sort out where the WH is going to drain "to."
Fill the bucket about 2/3-3/4 full of water.
Fish clear tubing into tank by either CW inlet or HW outlet (the other being open to let the tank drain, and we want the DHW system disconnected from this whole process first anyways).
Take the loose end of the tubing coil and get as much of it under water in the bucket (this can take a helper if you are standing on a ladder or stepstool to get to the top of the tank). Stick your thumb over the end of the tube in the bucket, and move that end to where you are draining "to." If this is "out the window" as is the case in many trailers, you don't really have to fuss too much, you'll keep a gallon or so in the tubing just by it being lower than either end of the tubing.
When the drain end is good, just lift the middle part of the tube up. Keep lifting. You'll need to grab two more "loops" of tube, like as not. Eventually, that "slug" of water goes out the end, suction then siphons the WH.
Clear tubing means you can keep track of what's going on.
Once this burke is most of empty (or won't siphon anymore), get it wrestled out of the trailer to where it can be worked on. While you were in town, you probably should have scored every peice of replacable hardware that this specific tank uses.
For this amount of effort, to "save" an existing tank, I'd figure on stripping it down of every thing removable, if only to make it easier to clean the sediment out. Probably the anode rod is bad, the dip tube is at risk, what with the maintenance record this tank has. The drain valve is almost certainly toast.
Oh, and note that the sediment is likely the present leak-stop in the tank--removing it may cause leaks to appear. So, a drain pan where the tank goes might not be a bad idea.
Not that I've been there, done that, or ruined more than one t-shirt in the process or anything . . . Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
My approach is to attach a garden hose Wye coupling to the drain fitting. Then I attach a garden hose (for draining) to one side of the wye and my air compressor ( with a female garden hose fitting) to the other. Turn off the fill valve and the power, open a hot water faucet to provide a vent, and blast away.
A couple of methods come to mind:
You could (using a clothes washer hook-up hose that has female fittings at both ends) hook a hose to the drain valve and blow it out backwards. Obviously you'd have to have it unhooked so the pressure had a place to go (stick a tube on the top end fitting). After the clog is broken up, you can get it to drain. (I've done it)
You don't say whether it is gas or electric, but if it's electric you can siphon some water out, then pull the top element for a better hole, siphon more out, then pull the bottom element.
I've also opened the drain valve as best it could be, then shoved a wire in through the hole to break up the muck. I've also used an old shop vac with a piece of 1/2" flex copper duct taped to the hose and bent to whatever shape is needed in order to vac out the crud.
Good luck.
"Doubt is not a pleasant condition, but certainty is absurd."
~ Voltaire
your letting there problem become your problem. i reconize the signs very well,as i'm a pro at letting that happen.
the labor to take this out and put back in is more than labor than installing a new one. go to lowes and see if you can find them a damaged one for 150. and tell em thats the best you can do.
your liaible to move this thing in and out,stir up a whole lot of crud that will plug every faucet in the house ,only to have the thing start leaking in 30 days.
does this thing sit on the outside of the mh? larry
if a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?
It sits inside the MH, in the bathroom. HO had an alcove built around it to "hide" it with an accordian door. To cut cost since the Ins Co didnt give the full amt I told her we can nix reconstructing the alcove walls and let it sit freestanding, eyesore that it'll be, until she can pay to have the alcove rebuilt.
If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Drill a hole in the side. Don't use your best hole saw, though.
sounds like she has a good plan.
U try to clean it ... and reinstall it.
and a week later when it don't work ...
U are on the hook for installing faulty equipment.
who's the magistrate gonna believe?
a struggling single mother ...
or a crook of a contractor.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa
shopvac on the inlet tube.
Have disclaimer signed by the owner.
Have a catch bucket standing by, a short nipple and a new valve,Pipe wrench the shutoff out Is it flowing? good replace valve, crack relief valve to flow more. Not ? Stick a ? long screwdriver in=flow replace valve. Make sure elec is off for a while.
Give owner disclaimer and additional note of general prognosis.
Willie,
Luka's point is good.
water @ 7 1/2 pounds/gal X 40 gals = 300 pounds + HWH + sediment, confined space, no handles.......ugh!!!
...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
CapNMac's siphon method works well. If you have an air compressor handy you can also use it to blow across the end of the hose to get the siphon going - like blowing on a bottle to make noise. As long as the end is below the water level the siphon will take it from there.
If you use too small a diameter hose it may plug up easily on the sediment in the bottom. If it does, jiggle the hose around or blow into it and then hold the end a bit higher.
well,i'm kind of a slow thinker and i have had 4 hours to think so heres my new idea. don't let her problem become ,yours,make it the ins. companies. call them tell em you gotta move this thing and you need a release from them that when it starts shooting water all over those particle board floors ,it's not your doing ,it's there problem.
i had a bodyshop for years and i expect the answer you will get is "we don't want responsibilites". so you say fine lets make everybody happy.i will put in a new hot water tank and sell it to you at my cost,you just make labor to install. in the car bussiness i feel sure they would go for it feeling that your not giging them hard for more money.
larry
if a man speaks in the forest,and there's not a woman to hear him,is he still wrong?
havent read all the replies, how about a .44 mag slug all the way trough it.
do we do this indoors and inplace....
or take it outside???
tank emty or full???
I vote full tank and right where it sets...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Ihave to move it to repair the floor. The thingis about ready to fall thru the floor because MH are built with that ultra cheap sawdust board that disintegrates when wet. So i can't leave it sit where it is.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Add to my response now that I know why you had to move it.
After the new valve hook up hose and drain or drill a flipn hole Thu the floor your gonna replace and leter drain.
But really now that you have this much time in just buy her a new one and call it next years Xmas present.
If you have to move it to repair the floor...And moving it, then putting it back is going to cause liability for future damage...Seems to me that you should be able to convince the ins co to pay for it.You know, as -insurance- against future damage which would cause exactly the same insurance claim all over again...=0)
A man, convinced against his will... Is of his own opinion, still. ~Anne McCaffrey
Wanna bet this insurance company is going to find a reason to drop her as a customer as soon as this job is finished anyways?
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
True.All the more reason to try to get them to feel obligated to replace the WH right now.That and the fact that they themselves estimated the job would run 3200, and yet they only gave her half of that.The OP's estimate already saved them 800 dollars. They weren't satisfied with that. They took off yet another 800 dollars.
A man, convinced against his will... Is of his own opinion, still. ~Anne McCaffrey
True.
I'm having a tough time trying to figure out where you and Pif are coming from? Where do you to see that there is some inappropriate behaviour going on that will cause the insurance co. to drop the HO? AS I said to Pif I've had larger claims against my HO'ers policy than this one and I have never been dropped, what am I missing?
Doug
You know that old saying about a thousand satisfied customers not saying a word, but one disgruntled customer telling the world ?I'm thinking that my attitude comes from the few times that I have seen people dropped from insurance coverage of several types, simply because they made a claim.Operative word being few. Very few.I should probably take that into consideration, and not make that connection in future...
A man, convinced against his will... Is of his own opinion, still. ~Anne McCaffrey
You're missing the fact that the HO has all PB plumbing. The Ins. Co. is not giving ANY money to have it all replaced, which SOME Ins. Co are doing once they discover a home outfitted with PB pipe. I seriously doubt the Ins. Co will pay to have it all replumbed, even with PEX, by virtue that it's a MH that is about 30yrs old and is already severely depreciated for that fact alone.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Willie
Whats PB pipe and I dont recall seeing that mentioned in your original post? How does that make one take the leap to assume that the ins. co. will drop this HO?
You're missing the fact that the HO has all PB plumbing. Well if I am it's because you failed to mention it! I only went back through the first 20 posts so maybe you did mention it after that but.........
BTW, I agree with the guy that suggested that you go out and buy a new HWH and install it. Make it a gift, see if you cant find a scratch and dent one. Bottom of the line model would still be better then what you have.
Doug
Edited 1/12/2008 10:57 pm ET by DougU
Sorry Doug, it was mentioned on post 26. I didn't think PB was relevant to the original post at the time, but when future insurability entered the equation that is when I mentioned it. PB = Polybutylene. It's the gray pipe that has the look and feel of PEX, sorta. It was often used extensively in MH and in homes alike. After some time passed they found that the crimp fittings often began to fail and with it mounting insurance claims from massive water damage as you may be able to imagine. PB can fail within a short time after installing or, the average failure time was 10 to 15 yrs. Specifically, PB develops problems on the inside long before a problem is seen on the outside giving a deeply false sense of security that ones pipes are fine. For many homes they were ticking time bombs. As a result of the problems with PB it has become a bit of a problem for insurers to continue to insure it. There was a big lawsuit and money set aside to settle claims arising from the product. However, that time has long passed, no future claims can be made. This removes the ability of even an Ins. Co from subrograting against the Mfgr to get their money back on claims paid from PB failures. Some companies are paying to have homes repiped to rid of it. Others are outright cancelling policies altogether, often after a claim has been filed resulting from PB failure. In this case a crimp ring attached the PB to a CU fitting where it entered as an elbow into the HWH. It was on the exit port of the HWH. Failure of the ring caused a small pinhole type leak. The HO put gum arouind it, since it was discovered at 12:30AM, and she called me that same hour. After having determined the gum seemed to have stopped the leak she awoke the following morning to discover water gushing from under the crimp connection. It had catastrophically failed. With PB pipe in MH they VERY OFTEN do not install ANY shutoffs. HO had no way of shutting off water and was not knowledgable how to shut off the main. Damage was done. Fortunately it was contained to an area of 36 sq. ft. I should add not all faiures are at crimp ftgs. The pipe itself can deteriorate on the ID that you never see. It flakes and becomes brittle. In particularly harsh water conditions the condition can be amplified. Not all homes experience problems with PB, but many do in their due time. Ho will likely face an increase in premiums, or be cancelled. I think it'll be an increase vs. cancelling because it's a MH, they'll never pay out real dollar damages because the depreciate MHs.
Edited 1/12/2008 11:36 pm ET by WillieWonka
OK that makes sense and my apologies to Piff regarding the dropping of the insurance - Didn't know these conditions existed.
I've seen the grey water pipe that you mentioned just never knew what it was. I was never a fan of PCVC water pipe either because it seams to get brittle after a while.
Those were my reserves when PEX first came out but I see the difference now and wouldn't be so apprehensive about using it now.
Doug
PEX is cross-linked polybutylene, a much higher grade material - think of it as having a web of re-inforcing fibres and a memory and resistance to degrading from particles and chemicals in the water.I'm just catching up on this thread. I find it odd that I would be arguing ANYTHING to do with plumbing since it is not my trade and I hate it very very much.
But because of that negative feeling towards it, I develope close relationships with good plumbers and listen to them, and learn from their experience.
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way early in the thread
By way early did you mean post # 26?
Hardly way early but if you'll note I did make amends for the error in my thinking regarding that and the insurance companies decision to drop the HO.
You never once mentioned why the insurance co. would drop this particular HO so I took it that you were just "assuming" again, sorry, my assumption!!! but I'm not the first guy to accuse you of that! :)
Doug
He did mention that this was polybutylene pipe way early in the thread
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No, my estimate was for $2900, theirs was $3200, I was only saving them $300, not $800.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
Ah.I guess I should have read back over the thread.I was remembering it as 2400. Shouldn't have counted on my memory.;o)
A man, convinced against his will... Is of his own opinion, still. ~Anne McCaffrey
Wanna bet this insurance company is going to find a reason to drop her .......
Why? Your guilty of reading a lot of stuff into some of these posts but this one has me a little stumped? Hell I'm still trying to figure out your comment about the water heater blowing up if its moved?
I've had claims against my HOers policy that were far larger then the 1600+ that this one is and I have never been dropped by any insurance company, just curious what your reading that I'm missing.
Doug
Neither assumption is all that out of line.First - homeowners insurance companies around the country have been finding ways of dumping customers after claims or giving any sort of indication they are likely to be a non-profitable client. Water based claims are top of the list. Mold often follows water damage and there is an objective reason for them to rate this customer higher now. The size of this payout is not what will cause them to think about dropping her, but the odds of another claim being higher now.The thing that stops water heaters from blowing up is the pressure relief valve. If he moves the tank, and cleanes it with this much sludge there is a 50/50 chance that the relief valve will be damaged, stuck, plugged or corroded if it is not already. If he changes the relief valve he needs to be certain that no sludge is left to screw it up right after he leaves the job.
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with this much sludge
I didn't see that the WH was full of sludge, just that it wouldn't drain. I know you can make the assumption that if the WH doesn't drain then it must be full but that's not necessarily true.
there is a 50/50 chance
Quite a leap there aint it!
I don't see your assumptions regarding the insurance claim - no foundation for it at all.
Doug
Edited 1/12/2008 7:11 pm ET by DougU
"don't see your assumptions regarding the insurance claim - no foundation for it at all."it is the reason some states AGs have openned investigations to insurance company practices, and why some states legislatures have enacted new rules in the past few years. It is so commonplace that you must be living off on an island someplace...;)
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it is the reason some states AGs have openned investigations to insurance company practices, and why some states legislatures have enacted new rules in the past few years. It is so commonplace that you must be living off on an island someplace...
Not living off on an island someplace but I have so little, well actually, NO interest, in what the insurance companies practices are that they could be conducting these same practices that you mention right here in my basement and I wouldn't give them a second look!
I don't burry me head in the sand but somethings I chose to let other people do the worrying, this being one of them.
Doug
did you notice the smiley?I think we are all caught up to each other now
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I'm only bustin your chops cause I know you got thick skin and wont go crying to mommy!
AS you know Jesus didn't get a unanimous vote either.
Doug
LOL,So crucify me already;)
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living off on an island....(?)
C'mon, that deserves the biggest smiley of all!........ ahem, wink,wink,etc. :0)...The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
Glad somebody got it
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If the insurance company doesn't blatantly drop her they will use the claim to justify an increase in premiums. Probably high enough to make it difficult to pay, consequently fall in arrears or just drop it altogether.
Not my experience, but that of a couple of friends. One for water damage and the other for wind and related claims....The unspoken word is capital. We can invest it or we can squander it. -Mark Twain...Be kind to your children....they will choose your nursing home....aim low boys, they're ridin' shetland ponies !!
insurance company won't pay for the WH. No reason for them to. they don't owe it if it's not in the policy.
They owe the resulting loss not for the cause of the loss which is the defect.
I don't remember saying that they should, but I know from experience that sometimes the better companies do
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HO has PB pipe. There was a Class Action lawsuit against the mfgr but deadline for claims is long past. When a policy is given to someone that has all PB plumbing the Ins Co is taking a known risk that PB pipe has a well known history of failure in the 10 to 15yr range of use. Ins. Co's don't want to insure something that they KNOW they'll LIKELY wind up having to pay claims on. Now that the HO's home is discovered to be all PB and now that the Ins. Co knows about it, they have cause to drop her becasue they know they have a good likelyhood of future claims.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
I'm hearing that once an ins. co finds out you got all PB pipe they're trying to ditch HO's.If at first you don't succeed, try using a hammer next time...everything needs some extra persuasion from time to time. -ME
I didnt read this whole tread so I dont know if this was suggested or not. Cant you just use a two wheel dolly? Disconnect piping and push it over just enough to get under.
Then carefully wheel the water heater out of the way.
Get a drill pump (less than $10) and some plastic tubing. Suck away.
Make sure you have some type of signed release for reinstalling the used heater...
wouldn't touch that wh with your pipewrench and borrow Luka's humper to hump it with.
This is how I did it. Unscrew the drain valve entirely. My HWH was near a drain so whatever water came out went into the drain without much fuss. If you don't have a drain nearby I'd rig up a 3/4" threaded pipe with a wye and a hose attached to your neaest floor drain. Fold the end of a coat hanger over to make a blunt end and stick it into the other side of the wye. Work the coat hanger back and forth till you get the water to flow.
I worked on mine for almost seven hours before I got most otf the sediment out.
If you have an electric HWH be sure to turn off the power. You can use the hole that the element goes into to work the coat hanger and let it drain out the draine tube.
I'd also replace the cheap valve that came with the HWH with a new ball valve.