HoosierBuddy
Well-known member
Well I had a fun Saturday.
I was up in the bonus room, above my garage, head shotting grunts like a mofo on ODST when the wife inturrupts to say, "I think there's something wrong with the hot water heater."
I took careful aim and splattered another alien's brains all over New Mombaso, and replied, "It ain't a hot water heater, honey. If the water was hot you wouldn't have to heat it now would you? Why do you think there's something wrong with it sweetie?"
"Just because it's making a funny hissing noise and there's a big puddle under it", she replied.
"Oh."
And that's how I got to spend Saturday night replacing my natural gas water.
Anyway...my observation here is based on the fact that the last water heater I installed was 13 years ago when I put in the one I replaced Saturday. Everything about it was hard piped, both on the water side and the gas side. Of course the new water heater I sent the wife to go get while I was taking out the old leaky one was going to be a little different shape than my old unit so I told her to also pick up a couple of those braided water heater hook up lines and a gas appliance connector.
Well, that turned a 4 hour job into a 45 minute job just like that. I came straight out of my hot water and cold water shut off valves into those hoses and ran those into the top of the water heater tank. The new heater was about an inch taller than my old one. Luckily I had enough adjustment in my venting to allow for that.
The gas valve was in a little different configuration too, so using a 12" appliance connector made that a super simple install. That connector has an excess flow valve built into it too, which is nice.
So, 2-hours from start to finish and we were back into the hot water business. I'm just glad Lowes stays open late on Saturdays! And, I'm happy that they sell braided flexible connectors now for water heaters. It's a lot easier than fitting pipe, that's for sure.
Phil
I was up in the bonus room, above my garage, head shotting grunts like a mofo on ODST when the wife inturrupts to say, "I think there's something wrong with the hot water heater."
I took careful aim and splattered another alien's brains all over New Mombaso, and replied, "It ain't a hot water heater, honey. If the water was hot you wouldn't have to heat it now would you? Why do you think there's something wrong with it sweetie?"
"Just because it's making a funny hissing noise and there's a big puddle under it", she replied.
"Oh."
And that's how I got to spend Saturday night replacing my natural gas water.
Anyway...my observation here is based on the fact that the last water heater I installed was 13 years ago when I put in the one I replaced Saturday. Everything about it was hard piped, both on the water side and the gas side. Of course the new water heater I sent the wife to go get while I was taking out the old leaky one was going to be a little different shape than my old unit so I told her to also pick up a couple of those braided water heater hook up lines and a gas appliance connector.
Well, that turned a 4 hour job into a 45 minute job just like that. I came straight out of my hot water and cold water shut off valves into those hoses and ran those into the top of the water heater tank. The new heater was about an inch taller than my old one. Luckily I had enough adjustment in my venting to allow for that.
The gas valve was in a little different configuration too, so using a 12" appliance connector made that a super simple install. That connector has an excess flow valve built into it too, which is nice.
So, 2-hours from start to finish and we were back into the hot water business. I'm just glad Lowes stays open late on Saturdays! And, I'm happy that they sell braided flexible connectors now for water heaters. It's a lot easier than fitting pipe, that's for sure.
Phil
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