Last week I had a plumber install a new gas water heater. His helper
had the heater standing up on the driveway and was sliding it onto a
hand truck, when it fell over. The gray metal shield sticking out
under the red thermostat got bent a little, and there's a little dent
in the sheet metal about halfway up the tank, and the release valve
got dinged. I didn't hear any broken glass sound, and the plumber
replaced the release valve. The heater works ok, no noises, no gas
smell. I realize the glass might have cracks that will shorten the
lifespan of the heater, but my concern is just gas safety. Since I
smell no gas, and since the gas-related parts are at the bottom of the
tank (which didn't hit the ground - it seems the release valve got the
most damage, and was replaced) is the heater safe to use? (I realize
in hindsight I probably should have told him not to install it, but
that's hindsight now...) Thanks.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I didn't hear any broken glass sound, and the plumber
replaced the release valve. The heater works ok, no noises, no gas
smell. I realize the glass might have cracks that will shorten the
lifespan of the heater, but my concern is just gas safety. Since I
smell no gas, and since the gas-related parts are at the bottom of the
tank (which didn't hit the ground - it seems the release valve got the
most damage, and was replaced) is the heater safe to use? (I realize
in hindsight I probably should have told him not to install it, but
that's hindsight now...) Thanks.


It will probably be OK, especially the gas train if it is functioning OK
now. A fall over is fairly gentle in the scheme of things.

The glass lining is not something you'd hear break. It is not glass as in
window glass or a tumbler, but a coating on top of steel. Sort of like the
enamel coating in a pot or the coating on a steel sink. Worst case scenario
is a crack will allow the steel to rust out prematurely, but there is a good
chance nothing happened since it was not a direct hit. The outer shell and
insulation took a lot of the shock.

Overall, you are probably in good shape. Well, your heater probably is in
good shape, I have no way of knowing how good a shape you are in.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Last week I had a plumber install a new gas water heater. His helper
had the heater standing up on the driveway and was sliding it onto a
hand truck, when it fell over. The gray metal shield sticking out
under the red thermostat got bent a little, and there's a little dent
in the sheet metal about halfway up the tank, and the release valve
got dinged. I didn't hear any broken glass sound, and the plumber
replaced the release valve. The heater works ok, no noises, no gas
smell. I realize the glass might have cracks that will shorten the
lifespan of the heater, but my concern is just gas safety. Since I
smell no gas, and since the gas-related parts are at the bottom of the
tank (which didn't hit the ground - it seems the release valve got the
most damage, and was replaced) is the heater safe to use? (I realize
in hindsight I probably should have told him not to install it, but
that's hindsight now...) Thanks.

Speaking strictly about gas safety; if you don't smell any gas you should be
fine.
That said; I wouldn't have let him install it; you don't need dents and
bends in a new appliance.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Last week I had a plumber install a new gas water heater. His helper
had the heater standing up on the driveway and was sliding it onto a
hand truck, when it fell over. The gray metal shield sticking out
under the red thermostat got bent a little, and there's a little dent
in the sheet metal about halfway up the tank, and the release valve
got dinged. I didn't hear any broken glass sound, and the plumber
replaced the release valve. The heater works ok, no noises, no gas
smell. I realize the glass might have cracks that will shorten the
lifespan of the heater, but my concern is just gas safety. Since I
smell no gas, and since the gas-related parts are at the bottom of the
tank (which didn't hit the ground - it seems the release valve got the
most damage, and was replaced) is the heater safe to use? (I realize
in hindsight I probably should have told him not to install it, but
that's hindsight now...) Thanks.

I would have asked for a new one. Any number of things could have gone out
of whack during that tumble. It's not like they cost an arm and a leg, but
even still - premature rusting, temp sensors banged up, pressure release
banged up, drain valve banged up, burner knocked around. I think the others
are right in that most likely nothing's wrong with it but some scratches and
dents - but still.

Of course you have no idea how many times it fell over before it arrived in
your driveway. If you rejected it, someone else, who didn't know that it
fell would have received it.


"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..

wrote in message
oups.com...
Last week I had a plumber install a new gas water heater. His helper
had the heater standing up on the driveway and was sliding it onto a
hand truck, when it fell over. The gray metal shield sticking out
under the red thermostat got bent a little, and there's a little dent
in the sheet metal about halfway up the tank, and the release valve
got dinged. I didn't hear any broken glass sound, and the plumber
replaced the release valve. The heater works ok, no noises, no gas
smell. I realize the glass might have cracks that will shorten the
lifespan of the heater, but my concern is just gas safety. Since I
smell no gas, and since the gas-related parts are at the bottom of the
tank (which didn't hit the ground - it seems the release valve got the
most damage, and was replaced) is the heater safe to use? (I realize
in hindsight I probably should have told him not to install it, but
that's hindsight now...) Thanks.

I would have asked for a new one. Any number of things could have gone
out of whack during that tumble. It's not like they cost an arm and a
leg, but even still - premature rusting, temp sensors banged up, pressure
release banged up, drain valve banged up, burner knocked around. I think
the others are right in that most likely nothing's wrong with it but some
scratches and dents - but still.

You should have requested a new "undented" heater and it would not
have been unreasonable.


n Jun 5, 2:59 pm, "EXT" wrote:
Of course you have no idea how many times it fell over before it arrived in
your driveway. If you rejected it, someone else, who didn't know that it
fell would have received it.