Recently, I went out to the storage shed on my back deck. My HVAC system is in the shed and I wanted to check for excess condensation. Because, you know, I’m a responsible homeowner. Also, my neighbor had a costly issue with a clogged condensation drain so I wanted to check mine out. Well, the HVAC was dry as a bone, but the hot water heater was leaking! 😫
Since I had been out of town most of the summer, I had no idea when the problem started and what my next water bill was going to look like! More importantly, HELP what should I do?!?
Dad to the rescue!
I did what any girl would do; I called my father! My dad talked me through turning off the water supply to the hot water heater and shutting off the gas. Luckily, the water heater is outside so the water dripped on the ground and didn’t cause any damage. PS I did not look half as poised as Rosie the Riveter ⬆ while managing this mini-crisis. Next, I called my handyman, Jesus, and asked if he could help. Because I have gas heat, he wouldn’t touch the job. Jesus recommended using a licensed professional to replace the unit. You can’t afford shortcuts when dealing with natural gas.
Quotes
Since I don’t have any plumbers in my rolodex, I asked friends for recommendations. It took me a week to schedule three plumbers to come out for price quotes! I didn’t realize plumbers are in such high demand. All three quotes were within $200 of each other. Because my hot water heater was 22 years old and uses gas, extra work was required to bring the gas lines up to code. I chose the company that gave me the most information with their quote so I knew exactly what work was being performed. In the end, the work cost $1,505 and I was without hot water for three weeks! While not ideal, I learned a lot from the experience. If you ever find yourself with a busted hot water heater, I hope this information helps!
Rebates
Ahhh, rebates. 🎵 Music to any frugal gal’s ears. I can save money and the planet at the same time, huray! However, it wasn’t that simple. There’s a federal tax credit of $300 for water heaters that are 90% thermal efficient. Also, there’s a $150 rebate from my local gas company if your new unit is at least 80% efficient. Sounds simple enough, right? Unfortunately, a qualifying unit would cost an additional $525 and would take two weeks to arrive. Even with the combine rebate of $450, I decided not to spend the additional money since I don’t have a job. To find available rebates where you live, click here.
Tank vs. Tankless
For a brief moment, I fantasized about a tankless water heater. Perhaps I’d splurge, save on energy costs and free up additional space in my storage shed. However, that dream came to a swift end when I learned a tankless unit cost an additional $4,000!! Say what?!? Tankless units are significantly more expensive and my gas lines aren’t the right size. So to accommodate that style, the gas lines would need to be replaced. Thank you, next.
Draining a Water Heater
Draining a water heater is more complicated than it sounds. At first, I thought I could attach a hose, turn the knob and, voila, the water would come out. Nope. In order for the water to drain, the pressure release valve must be open and the kitchen faucet needs to be on and in the hot water position. Even though I drained the tank, water continued to leak because the water shut off valve was corroded. 😧
Bathing
It was interesting to heat water on the stove and bring it upstairs once. I felt like a pioneer woman, living the #prairelife. Cut me a break, it’s Corona Times. I’m hurting for excitement. But, after that, it was annoying.
Revelations
- I now understand why our ancestors bathed infrequently.
- It’s hard to get all of the shampoo out of your hair when rinsing your head upside down under the faucet.
- Carrying a soup pot filled with piping hot water up a flight of stairs is fairly dangerous.
- My bath water always smelled a touch like chicken soup.
- Had my water heater gone out in the middle of winter, I would have been showering at friend’s houses.
Dishwasher
Friends, you cannot run the dishwasher if you don’t have hot water. I tried and nothing happens. But, there is a work around! I looked up how many gallons of water a dishwasher uses per cycle: four. So, I boiled four gallons of water, carefully dumped it in the bottom of the dishwasher and turned the knob to start. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if this hack would work, but I was pleasantly surprised. Tip: make sure you’re paying attention because you need to add new water for the rinse cycle. Also, run the dishwasher on normal wash vs heavy or pots and pans. The dishwasher empties and uses new water for longer cycles.
Homeowner Headaches
Being single and a homeowner has taught me a lot. Replacing two major systems in the same year sucked (I replaced my HVAC 11 months ago) and was expensive, $8500. But, the internet is full of resources. Research and educate yourself about whatever project you need to take on.
Final thought: if you have an older system, like an AC unit or water heater, that could cause damage if it leaked, put a reminder in your phone to check it once a month. Also, check it before you go out of town for an extended period of time. I’m lucky that both systems are outside. If the hot water heater had been located inside, the leak could have damaged the subfloor. Repairing it would have been an added expense and taken longer.