CJ wrote:
Just discovered that I have that "wonderful" grey pipe everyone is talking
about. The problem is thermal expansion. I talked to a neighbor this
morning and she said that the average life of a water heater in the
mountains is 6 years due to the hard water and how cold the water gets in
the winter.

I turned the temperature down and the sputtering has stopped, the t&p valve
is not leaking or hissing anymore.

There is a lot of sediment built up in this water heater. There is no water
softener.

So if I can limp along until January when I get my income tax refund, I will
be getting a new water heater, thermal expansion tank, and water softening
system.

you WILL be needing to replace the galvanined pipe, all of it
eventually.

the steel pipe rusts INSIDE and eventually clogs, it happens a little
faster in hot water lines but eventually cold will clog too. trouble is
it will also LEAK, here a leak there a leak pretty soon you will tire
of this and ruined stuff from leaks and break down and get it all
replaced.

no doubt the former owner knew about this was it disclosed at the time
of purchase?

I would get some estimates NOW for replumbing probably with PEX its
cheap and effective, can be DIY if you have a knowledgable friend.

I assume you didnt have a home inspector?

sorry for the bad news

how many stories is your home? one story makes water line replacement
much easier.

some people replace all the basement lines first then move upstairs as
money permits.
but PEX is easy tpo run and really cheap.