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Looks like my water heater has rusted out–price of a wet basement. Any brands better/worse than others? Are those at The Depot okay?
aaaargh, Bird
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Looks like my water heater has rusted out–price of a wet basement. Any brands better/worse than others? Are those at The Depot okay?
aaaargh, Bird
There are a number of ways to achieve a level foundation and mudsill.
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Replies
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Hey Bird: I have used a few from Home Depot that had the General Electric brand name. They have been in service for about 5 years and have not had any problems. I also have used other brands and have no preference other than where can I take it if it fails. As for the warranties, I was told that you pay more for the same heater with a longer warranty, this money is put in escrow for insurance. Take care and hurry up and get a new water heater. Best Regards: Dale Buchanan
*I heard the same as what Dale said about the warranty. When I bought my last tank model 5 - 6 years ago (from HD), I got the one with an 8 year warranty that had a lineing other than glass. In my case, I was concerned about the precipitates from the hard water covering and screwing up the lower heater.But in this house now, I've got a tankless model (also from HD) in which I don't have to worry about the lower heater, hard water, the sacrifical anode, smelly water, or the inevitable leak from the failure you described. But it's not for every installation. And it's more expensive up front. But it costs much less to operate, I don't have to worry about earthquake strapping (I'm in California), and I can take a 2 hour shower without ever running out of hot water.IF you can spare the extra upfront bucks, and IF your situation can accommodate one, you won't have to worry about replacing it again in another 8 years. Get a competent professional plumber to install it. I'm happier than a pig in shit that I did.
*Bird: You may have more corrosive water than others so results may vary from someone else's. I'd put the next HWH up on blocks or bricks that are placed in plastic tupperware/storage containers. (Because bricks and blocks are porous and wick water.)As to brand, I'd find one with a replacable anode and buy two extra AT THE SAME TIME as you buy the HWH. If they tell you the anodes are available but don't have them, go somewhere else or have them order the anodes before committing to a particular model. Then throw a new one in every five years. Much easier than doing a whole HWH R&R - often you only need a one wrench. -David
*I buy Maytag water heaters.Most have a 25 year warranty, and I just installed one that had a lifetime warranty. James DuHamel
*As a home inspector, I see a lot of water heaters and haven't seen any kind of evidence that any particular make is better than another.Water quality is one big factor.Another: drain a few gallons from the drain bib at the bottom once a year to help clear sediment. (AFAIK, the "self-cleaning" models don't self clean very effectively.)If gas: be sure to use the right venting and that it drafts properly. Use a draft guage, or at least a match or flame at the bonnet to be sure air is sucked into the draft stream and flue gas is not spilling from under the bonnet edge.Be sure to install the extension pipe to the Temp/Pressure release valve; it should be the same size/diameter as the T/P valve and extend to 6-8" above the floor. Beb sureit doesn't discharge toward the shut off valve!Be sure the gas is hooked up properly. Test all joints for gas leaks. Dob notmake this test with a flame!Don't talk with your mouth full!Don't track mud across my clean kitchen floor!
*You guys are great. I just bought this house and the HWH is on blocks but . . . I guess someone didn't think about the wicking thing.Can a gas heater be fitted for propane? And do you work with the lines pretty much like plumbing. I've done plenty o plumbing but never dealt with gas.Thinkin about the tankless option. Thanks again.
*Bird,Most models are available in gas or propane. I wouldn't retrofit them. Let the factory get it right for you. If it is moisture from the floor causing the rust, then the tankless models would have the advantage of being wall mountable. Another option is one of those plastic pans designed to contain a leak from the heater. It would keep the wicking problem away.
*This site is the best site for bad plumbing and bad electrical advice. 1) Water tanks DO NOT RUST OUT FROM THE OUTSIDE IN!2) A tankless model is not warranted because of concrete wicking!3) Most tanks are very similar with some exceptions.4) Damaging water types are water heaters biggest problem. With nondamaging water, a standard tank is fine.near the stream,ajAs to changing the tank. Do not rely on a chat site to do it safely with no DIY skills to start with. Go to Home Depot and hire them to change it. Also they can help you assess your set up and water issues. A plumber could do the same. You guys are getting scarey again. Knock it off!
*Fine Homebuilding....does not equate to....Amateur Homeplumbing....You're all whacked...near the stream,ajGet a grip.
*AJ,I'm curious about your comment on tankless models not being warranted because of wicking. What do you mean?Also, I agree this is probably the worst place for real advice on these matters. Myself included. I will try and keep my casual opinions to myself in the future.To qualify one thing, though. I have seen a tank rust from the outside, but only after some serious abuse. It was placed on dirt. In hindsight, I would not expect a tank to do that in reasonable circumstances.In the basement...looking for the shutoff.
*Strange little thread.I'm not sure a chat board frequented by tons of working tradespeople and contractors is a bad place to get advice about these kinds of matters. But I know that hiring Home Depot to install anything is a bad idea. (And I say that as a guy who really LIKES Home Depot). That's because HD doesn't actually install anything; they sub it out, and you know nothing about the quality of the plumbers they use. (I DO know about the applicators they use for vinyl siding, and it gives me no confidence). They do tend to back their work -- so does Sears -- but you pay dearly for that service.If you don't want to put it in yourself, hire a good local plumber. Here in Portland, we have a large full-service plumbing supply and service outfit that has specialized in water heaters for 70 years ("Geo. Morlan, The Water Heater King") and hardly anyone can beat their quality or prices on HWHs. Check your own area, and you might find something comparable.An electric water heater is a snap to install. Anyone can do it if you can sweat a joint or two. The supply lines are often screw-on, and then all you need to do is rout the overflow line appropriately. (Theoretically you could use Flowguard plastic pipe even for that, and perhaps avoid sweating joints altogether). Electrics can sit directly on the floor, but I hate doing that. Get a stand, which makes the annual draining much easier. (Bricks? No, no bricks!). Strapping is generally a good idea even in areas with no earthquake codes requiring it. Lots of folks here lost their waterheaters in a quake a few years ago ... a quake no one expected.If you go with gas, in most states you MUST use a stand of one sort or another by code. Maybe in ALL states that's true ... sure is in Oregon and California. However, unlike electric, gas water heaters are best done by real plumbers unless you are quite comfortable rigorously meeting codes for venting and working with gas lines. You might be able to save a buck, however, if you do the entire installation yourself except for the gas line, then hire a plumber for that and general inspection to make sure the whole thing is safe and to code.Hope this is helpful. Now, as a poster above said, go mop the basement and get that new water heater in.-- Roger
*FYI- If you look at the pressure testing tag found on the top of most tank water heaters, whether GE or Richmond or whatever, almost all the tanks are made by Rheem, and have a Unitrol gas valve.Apples to apples, find the color you want and pick your insulating value...-B
*rein...when you say..tank...the outside steel that sits on the basement floor...is not the tank...the outside bottom can rust to high heaven and it just looks bad. The water tank is in past the insulation and will rust out from the inside.near the stream,aj
*Roger: I'm not aware of any state that requires gas HWHs to be on a stand. What's the point?Now if it is in a garage, well, sure. All the codes are going to want an air-breathing fire-belching appliance to be (18") above the floor where heavy gasoline and propane vapors may collect. A direct-vent HWH may be allowed without a stand as it isn't connected to indoor air.The presumed difference between your house and garage is that you are far more likely to store cars, gas cans, outboards, BBQ's, solvents, chainsaws, and such in your garage than in the hallway outside your utility closet. -David
*"The b presumed difference between your house and garage is that you are far more likely to store cars, gas cans, outboards, BBQ's, solvents, chainsaws, and such in your garage than in the hallway outside your utility closet." [Emphasis added.]You might be amazed what people stuff into that utiliuty closet (although I don't remember seeing anychain saws or outboards, I've seen everything else mentioned.)It's also amazing how many scorched pieces of flamable material I pull away from water heater, furnace and boiler flues!Yesterday I inspected a house with a water heater in a bedroom closet. The installer had done a very nice job of using a thimble where the flue passed through the closet shelf. Apparently, though, it never occured to the installer that people put things on the shelf thicker than the 1 1/2" "neck" of the thimble!
*Want a good HWH, get a Bock. And get a big one and take a shower all day long.SHG
*With all due respect to you plumbers, changing an electric HWH is not rocket science. As in most things, the actual "doing" of a plumbing task is pretty simple -- it's knowing WHAT to do that gets amateurs in trouble. Sometimes, even the pros don't understand what they do. The framer on my house is acknowledged by everyone I've talked to as "the best" -- but he apparently doesn't know that studs that are doubled or trippled to act as a column have very little strength unless they are nailed tightly together (more than a couple of pairs of nails) -- they won't compress, but they'll deflect, allowing the plate above to move downward.
*aj,Tanks only rust from the inside if they only have water contact on the inside.I heard a rumor one time, down at the end of a dark alley, in the middle of the night, under a full moon, that sometimes leaks develop in the fittings at the top of the tanks and sometimes those leaks cause rust on the outside of the water tank itself (not just the casing.)Of course, that was only a rumor. I personally haven't seen that happen (in the last month or so!)
*Bob....Outside surface rust....Not rusting through the tank!Get a life all of youse....What a crock of banana stew!near the stream,ajIf the fittings fail...it is still not from setting it on concrete!
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Looks like my water heater has rusted out--price of a wet basement. Any brands better/worse than others? Are those at The Depot okay?
aaaargh, Bird