mm wrote:

Water heater failed. The last time I replaced it myself, but I had a
tremendous problem getting the old one out of the basement.

I know I should call them first, but I have to disconnect the computer
to call them. So, if you don't mind....

A) Do stores only remove the old one if they actually install the new
one, or would it be enough if I had totally disconnected the old one
before they got here?

B) Do delivery men have some special clever way to get the old heavy
one out? Or is it just that there are two of them, or that they are
strong? (It was easy for me to take the wh from the store and down
into the basement. The only problem I had last time was getting it up
the stairs, which also turn 180 degrees at a landing. With just me
and someone a lot smaller than I am.)


Today I found the water spraying out** from behind the plastic
escutcheon around the drain valve on my Sears electric water heater.

**in many, but not all directions. Maybe 180 degrees of the circle
had water spraying from it.

Out of curiosity, do you think this is this an unusual problem, or
just a variation on the usual leaking wh?


BTW, the plastic pan I put under the heater helped a lot. But because
it was spraying and not dribbling or coming out of the T&P valve and
down the tube, it certainly didn't catch everything. Last time my wh
dribbled when it leaked.


You have to negotiate with the installer (whoever)
over taking out the old tank. And whether they dump it
at your curb or actually take it away.

In some cities, a heater on the curb will trigger an
inspection. (!)

A 2-wheel dolly/handtruck makes carrying loads up
the stairs easier.

-------
Back to the spraying.
If the valve itself is plastic body, the body may have
fractured. This was very common some years back.
In that event, there is nothing wrong with the tank.

To replace the valve may involve sawing *lengthwise*
thru the valve and then chopping out or (maybe)
unscrewing it.

Jim