Water Heater Failure----HELP
- Thread starter Shovelhead
- Start date
This^^^^. If they say yes then tell them you need a copy. If they start hassling you offer to call the better business Bureau.
ODT plumbing experts.... geesh.
If the City/County water dept, service provider has installed a back flow preventer as required by law, ( Sometimes it is the homeowner that's responsible for this as well and it helps keep the system from becoming contaminated and poisoning everyone, Not such a bad law)
then the expansion tank is necessary to prevent problems. Most modern municipal ones are usually in the form of a retrosetter (cradle the meter sits in.) What happens when you heat water? It expands. What happens when there is no where for the heated/ expanded water to go? Something's gotta give and your plumbing breaks again. Usually it will just leak out the popoff valve on the heater, repeatedly until it goes completely out but not always. sometimes the pipe itself is the weak point and bursts. Sometimes it just keeps blowing out the washers in the sinks, showers etc making them drip constantly. Many symptoms for the same disease.
Man just hire someone to do it right and bring it up to code. Just like firearms buy once cry once.
If the City/County water dept, service provider has installed a back flow preventer as required by law, ( Sometimes it is the homeowner that's responsible for this as well and it helps keep the system from becoming contaminated and poisoning everyone, Not such a bad law)
then the expansion tank is necessary to prevent problems. Most modern municipal ones are usually in the form of a retrosetter (cradle the meter sits in.) What happens when you heat water? It expands. What happens when there is no where for the heated/ expanded water to go? Something's gotta give and your plumbing breaks again. Usually it will just leak out the popoff valve on the heater, repeatedly until it goes completely out but not always. sometimes the pipe itself is the weak point and bursts. Sometimes it just keeps blowing out the washers in the sinks, showers etc making them drip constantly. Many symptoms for the same disease.
Man just hire someone to do it right and bring it up to code. Just like firearms buy once cry once.
SH, try the gas company you are with. I had them replace mine and just add the cost of it into the bill every month. Done in one day and took no time.. Thats all I can provide, sorry.
That's actually a good price by Lowes, 50 gallon gas water heaters go for $550 alone.
I wish I could help, I've installed quite a few water heaters, not a lot of magic to them. I'd install 1/4 turn ball shut off valves (not the multi-twist ones) on the heater as well as put one inside on your main line. Quick shut-off's can save your hide!!
I wish I could help, I've installed quite a few water heaters, not a lot of magic to them. I'd install 1/4 turn ball shut off valves (not the multi-twist ones) on the heater as well as put one inside on your main line. Quick shut-off's can save your hide!!
Lowes is working on getting someone here today... But you know how that goes. The entire first floor is under 1-2" of water There was a valve on the heater intake. It is froze up. I'm afraid to pry on it for fear of breaking. I went to the curb and dug the red clay off the meter piping. There was a 1/4 turn valve which I closed so now no water at all in the house and I stink and have red clay all over me. But at least the water is off. I'm waiting to here from USAA. I know I'm covered but I dont want to call a water restoration service to mop things up until USAA says so. I see Service Master, Stanley Steamer and a few others offer cleanup. Also not sure about all that carpet downstairs. It's already soaked like a sponge and I see buckles. Cheap berber carpet but I hate to think of replacing it all. Then the question of mold later... Man what a headache...
Had to empty my gun cabinet too... Not wet inside but I brought everything up stairs for now.
Oh nearly forgot... lowes will eat that expansion tank since sales missed it on my quote
Had to empty my gun cabinet too... Not wet inside but I brought everything up stairs for now.Oh nearly forgot... lowes will eat that expansion tank since sales missed it on my quote
I would call ServiceMaster ASAP and get them out there today. They can mitigate the damage to your walls and carpet, stop mold, etc... They will work with your insurance as well.
- Joined
- Feb 7, 2013
- Messages
- 65,975
- Reaction score
- 74,115
You don't have a shutoff valve inside your home next to your pressure reducing valve? 
Sorry it happened to you. When Lowe's replaces the heater ask them to install a whole house shut off valve, as well. Ask for for all valves to be 1/4" turn ball valves. They won't leak. I second an expansion tank. You probably have a back flow preventer installed, with that you have to have an expansion tank. Are they quoting you a drip pan with plumbing? If heater is against the exterior wall, I'd insist on drip pan with overflow piped to to the outside, same with the pressure valve on the heater.
Heater really is not that difficult to replace yourself if you want to try....If you were in Carrol Co, I'd give you a hand.
Heater really is not that difficult to replace yourself if you want to try....If you were in Carrol Co, I'd give you a hand.
You don't have a shutoff valve inside your home next to your pressure reducing valve?
Damn it Jim I'm a Doctor not a Plumber.. Oh wait wrong TV... Really I dont know what to look for "pressure reducer valve" There was / is
a valve on the tank intake but it's froze up....
