Puddin' Man wrote:
Little brick bungalow in the midwest, built in '54. Poured
concrete foundation.

Back in '92, I installed an AO Smith 40-gal. gas Water Heater (FSG
model) as a replacement. About 3 ' from the furnace, which shares
the vent. Been so long I don't even remember how the old WH failed.

This morn I notice maybe 1.5 gallons of water on the floor, with
the wet sorta centered on the WH. So I figger after 15 1/2 years, the
WH gave out.

But, of course, I check the cold and hot pipes, the vent, the
pressure valve, the drain, to confirm. Nothing wet.

Pull the cover, check the pilot, etc. Nothing wet in there. Sop up
all but a little water from the floor, sprinkle some talcum to
facilitate detection of water flow. Run about 20 gal. of hot water
out, watch the burners fire, etc. Still no detectable water flow.

The water couldn't have come from the furnace: the AC hasn't run
for months (it's still winter). Even checked up in the rafters
for a leak: nothing.

I think the unit is glass-lined. What happens when they fail?
What am I forgetting to check (for a leak)??

Thx,
Puddin'

"Blues starts to rolling ...
stops at my front do'.
I'm gonna change my way of livin' ...
won't have to worry no mo'."
- from "Blues Before Sunrise", Leroy Carr, maybe 1934


Does your furnace have a condensate drain? I had the exact same scare
(after my T&P valve flooded the basement) and it ended up being the
rubber condensate drain tubing inside the furnace.

I've had a lot of different items put water on my basement floor, slowly
but surely I've been tracking them all down and sealing 'em up...

nate

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