My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement floor
if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.

wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

The cost varies widely according to the cost of labor in your area, code
and permit requirements, and whatever additional work may be needed.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement floor
if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.

A bright light at the end of the tunnel. If you're using a real estate
agent, s/he may offer some guidance.

wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement floor
if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.

Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban fairies.

The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.

HeyBub wrote:

Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job?...

There may be restrictions on DIY work on a house that's listed for sale.

"Bob" wrote in message
...
HeyBub wrote:

Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job?...

There may be restrictions on DIY work on a house that's listed for sale.

Never heard that. It's still the owners house. A home inspector for
prospective buyers might have issues if the job's done incorrectly but
assuming the home's not under contract I believe the current owner may
proceed as he sees fit. If he make changes(size, gas to electric) the
listing might need to be changed though.

"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.

The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.



220 is whimpy. 440 -- 4 hour fourty curse-word job is really something to
brag about :-)


440 version:

1. Turn off water.

****! Damn valve is frozen or doesn't shut off completely

2. Drain and remove old water heater.

It won't completely drain dammit! There's so much crud in the bottom of
the tank it clogged the drain.

Drop left nut trying to move half full tank.

3. Position new water heater.

****. Damn shelf I put up there is too low for new heater.

4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.

Use up all those small pieces of pipe by using couplings
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=k3oqo5&s=5

[pass=pass+1]

5. Turn water back on.

If pass 5 then
Goto step 4

6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.

Salvage some brightness by rolling to curb instead of lugging. Oops! Yard
slopes down a bit to curb. Water heater gets away and rolls into street
just as car is coming by. Car hits it and gets jacked up as water heater
wedges underneath. Hard to tell water heater parts from underbody parts
at this point.

That dropped nut now has broken teeth companions. Car owner, "Bubba the
Frig", expressed his unhappiness.

On Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:13:13 -0500, Red Green
wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in
om:

wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.

The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.



220 is whimpy. 440 -- 4 hour fourty curse-word job is really something to
brag about :-)


440 version:

1. Turn off water.

****! Damn valve is frozen or doesn't shut off completely

2. Drain and remove old water heater.

It won't completely drain dammit! There's so much crud in the bottom of
the tank it clogged the drain.

Won't drain because you forgot to open a hot water faucet on the
highest floor!

HeyBub wrote:
wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.

Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.
The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.

Except the new water heater will most likely have both water inlet, water
outlet and gas connection in slightly different positions requiring
adjustments to all the pipes.

EXT wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.
The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.

Except the new water heater will most likely have both water inlet,
water outlet and gas connection in slightly different positions
requiring adjustments to all the pipes.

Right! In addition to the two-hour, twenty curse-words, add two (maybe
three) trips to the hardware store for flexible connectors, pipe-dope,
Teflon tape, and a pipe-wrench that will open 1/16" more than the biggest
one you've got.

It's not a complete loss, though. In ten years, when you have to replace the
water heater again, you'll already have the pipe-dope, tape, and wrench.

Oh, something else! Very important.

On the new water heater, replace the crappy plastic drain valve with a brass
one before you install.

Hint: With a black marker, write "Installed: March 2009" on the heater.
Leave room for writing the dates it was periodically drained.

On Mon, 9 Mar 2009 08:20:41 -0400, "EXT"
wrote:


Except the new water heater will most likely have both water inlet, water
outlet and gas connection in slightly different positions requiring
adjustments to all the pipes.

Unless he finds a place that sells the same brand or one made by the
same maker. AOSmith for example is sold under the Sears name.

I don't know if it was really worth it but I went to five places and
found the Sears one looked just like mine. The second time, I just
went to sears, didn't thave to run around.

mm wrote in
:

On Sun, 08 Mar 2009 22:13:13 -0500, Red Green
wrote:

"HeyBub" wrote in
news:2YidnZc7cKdJ7inUnZ2dnUVZ_srinZ2d@earthlink. com:

wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.

The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.



220 is whimpy. 440 -- 4 hour fourty curse-word job is really something
to brag about :-)


440 version:

1. Turn off water.

****! Damn valve is frozen or doesn't shut off completely

2. Drain and remove old water heater.

It won't completely drain dammit! There's so much crud in the bottom
of the tank it clogged the drain.

Won't drain because you forgot to open a hot water faucet on the
highest floor!


There is no hot water upstairs. That's why it's being replaced silly,
remember?

wrote in :

My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement floor
if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Just make sure it's installed to code by whoever, including yourself.
For instance, some states require Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant
(FVIR) units with sealed burners.

In some places or cases where non FIVR is allowed, the water heater must
be like 12-18" off the floor. They actually sell a galvanized metal
table for this purpose. One could easily be make out of 2xX's if allowed.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?actio...22U&lpage=none

"HeyBub" wrote in
m:

EXT wrote:
HeyBub wrote:
wrote:
My water heater is leaking around the base, and I can see that it's
rusted around the edge. It's 15 years old.

I'm looking around at prices, but does anyone know about how much I
can expect the plumber/installation to cost?

It's a 50 gallon natural gas heater.

And my house is for sale, so now I have a puddle on the basement
floor if we have a showing before it gets replaced.

On the other hand, I get to add "New water heater" to the listing.


Somewhere between $150 and $400 for labor.

Any reason you can't do the job? Here are the steps:

1. Turn off water.
2. Drain and remove old water heater.
3. Position new water heater.
4. Reconnect three (maybe four) pipes.
5. Turn water back on.
6. Dispose of old water heater by leaving on the curb for the urban
fairies.
The above is, at most, a two hour, twenty curse-word job.

Except the new water heater will most likely have both water inlet,
water outlet and gas connection in slightly different positions
requiring adjustments to all the pipes.

Right! In addition to the two-hour, twenty curse-words, add two (maybe
three) trips to the hardware store for flexible connectors, pipe-dope,
Teflon tape, and a pipe-wrench that will open 1/16" more than the
biggest one you've got.

It's not a complete loss, though. In ten years, when you have to
replace the water heater again, you'll already have the pipe-dope,
tape, and wrench.

Oh, something else! Very important.

On the new water heater, replace the crappy plastic drain valve with a
brass one before you install.

Hint: With a black marker, write "Installed: March 2009" on the
heater. Leave room for writing the dates it was periodically drained.




... and a pipe-wrench that will open 1/16" more than the
biggest one you've got.


Oh yes yes!! Been there on that one.

The Cu male adapter that screws into the top of the water heater and
sweats to the inlet/outlet pipe...hex part actually below the top of the
heater surface. Needed the handle offset of open end wrench to get at it.
Hmmm, try 1", too small. Try next size I have, 1 1/4", ****! too big.
Need 1 1/8".

Red Green wrote:

Just make sure it's installed to code by whoever, including yourself.
For instance, some states require Flammable Vapor Ignition Resistant
(FVIR) units with sealed burners.

In some places or cases where non FIVR is allowed, the water heater
must
be like 12-18" off the floor. They actually sell a galvanized metal
table for this purpose. One could easily be make out of 2xX's if
allowed.


Isn't the raised water heater requirement confined to installations in a
garage (or similar) where flammable liquids are likely?

Red Green wrote:

Just make sure it's installed to code by whoever, including
yourself. For instance, some states require Flammable Vapor
Ignition Resistant (FVIR) units with sealed burners.

In some places or cases where non FIVR is allowed, the water heater
must be like 12-18" off the floor. They actually sell a galvanized
metal table for this purpose. One could easily be make out of 2xX's if
allowed.

Isn't the raised water heater requirement confined to installations
in a garage (or similar) where flammable liquids are likely?

Round here, they _all_ have to be elevated. I've never looked into the
reasoning; I just build the platforms.

speculation
Drip pans and drains and also required. Those wouldn't do much good if
they were sitting on the floor.
/speculation

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX USA

HOLY CRAP! $1300!

The heater alone was $1100. MY GOD.

In article ,
wrote:

HOLY CRAP! $1300!

The heater alone was $1100. MY GOD.

Hmm. Somebody saw you coming. I'd say you got screwed.

On Mar 23, 11:34*pm, Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

HOLY CRAP! *$1300!

The heater alone was $1100. *MY GOD.

Hmm. Somebody saw you coming. I'd say you got screwed.

Especially on a water heater going into a house up for sale. I'm sure
we'd all be curious to know the specifics as to what make/model water
heater it is. When I was president of a condo association the
management company called the guy they had been using for most
plumbing work and got a similar quote to replace a water heater at the
club house. I immediately said that's way out of line. We got
someone else to do it for 1/2 the price. That was the last biz he
got.

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:14:42 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

curious to know the specifics as to what make/model water
heater it is.


A.O. Smith 50 gallon powervent.

In article ,
wrote:

A.O. Smith 50 gallon powervent.

OK. Now we know.

This is NOT a "conventional" water heater in that it is presumably not a
"direct vent", common heater. Given that, the installed price doesn't
strike me as excessively high.
--

JR

On Mar 24, 10:06*am, Jim Redelfs
wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

A.O. Smith 50 gallon powervent.

OK. *Now we know.

This is NOT a "conventional" water heater in that it is presumably not a
"direct vent", common heater. *Given that, the installed price doesn't
strike me as excessively high.
--
* * * * * *
JR

What makes you think it's not a direct vent model? Sounds like it to
me. But, I agree, it does sound like a high eff one, so the price
may be OK. I don't know if I would put that into a house I was
selling. I guess it might get the money back in resale, depending
on how much the buyer values or even comprehends a high eff water
heater.

The OP should be aware that there are probably Fed tax credits avail
this year for items like this. Think I heard up to 30% of the energy
savings widgets cost.

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 08:38:12 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

The OP should be aware that there are probably Fed tax credits avail
this year for items like this. Think I heard up to 30% of the energy
savings widgets cost.


Good to know.

If nothing else, another bullet point on the house listing
description.

In article
,
wrote:

A.O. Smith 50 gallon powervent.

OK. *Now we know.

This is NOT a "conventional" water heater in that it is
presumably not a "direct vent", common heater. *Given
that, the installed price doesn't strike me as excessively
high.

What makes you think it's not a direct vent model?

The word "powervent".

To me, that implies that it is a substantially more expensive POWER
VENTED heaters that have its exhaust gas fan-forced out the SIDE of the
house through a PVC tube - just like a condensing, high-efficiency gas
furnace.
--

JR

On Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:14:42 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On Mar 23, 11:34*pm, Smitty Two wrote:
In article ,
wrote:

HOLY CRAP! *$1300!

The heater alone was $1100. *MY GOD.

Hmm. Somebody saw you coming. I'd say you got screwed.

Especially on a water heater going into a house up for sale. I'm sure
we'd all be curious to know the specifics as to what make/model water
heater it is. When I was president of a condo association the
management company called the guy they had been using for most
plumbing work and got a similar quote to replace a water heater at the
club house. I immediately said that's way out of line. We got
someone else to do it for 1/2 the price. That was the last biz he
got.

Saw it here for $1700:
http://www.vidavici.com/scripts/prod...dproduct=28334

Sheesh!

On Mar 24, 11:12*pm, Jim Redelfs
wrote:
In article
,

wrote:
A.O. Smith 50 gallon powervent.
OK. *Now we know.

This is NOT a "conventional" water heater in that it is
presumably not a "direct vent", common heater. *Given
that, the installed price doesn't strike me as excessively
high.
What makes you think it's not a direct vent model?

The word "powervent".

To me, that implies that it is a substantially more expensive POWER
VENTED heaters that have its exhaust gas fan-forced out the SIDE of the
house through a PVC tube - just like a condensing, high-efficiency gas
furnace.
--
* * * * * *
JR


Powervent models ARE a type of DIRECT VENT water heater. Direct
vent models all go directly through an outside wall, as opposed to a
chimney. The difference is powervent models add a fan which allows
longer venting runs, higher efficiency, pvc, etc.

In article
,
wrote:




Powervent models ARE a type of DIRECT VENT water heater. Direct
vent models all go directly through an outside wall, as opposed to a
chimney. The difference is powervent models add a fan which allows
longer venting runs, higher efficiency, pvc, etc.

So the fan increases the price from 400 to 1100? Or 1700 as someone
found on the web? Serious question.

Is this for a traditional tank heater?

If I were going to replace mine right now - it would be with a flash
heater. The will pay for themselves in time. They only heat the water
you need and you never run out of hot water.


--
Dymphna
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com

On Mar 25, 11:25*am, Smitty Two wrote:
In article
,

wrote:

Powervent models ARE a type of *DIRECT VENT water heater. * Direct
vent models all go directly through an outside wall, as opposed to a
chimney. * The difference is powervent models add a fan which allows
longer venting runs, higher efficiency, pvc, etc.

So the fan increases the price from 400 to 1100? Or 1700 as someone
found on the web? Serious question.


For $400, you'd get a low end 40 gallon unit and you might get that
price at a home center, but maybe not from the local plumber,
especially if you're in a major city. His is 50 gallon and we don't
know where he got it, so start adding for that. Power vent models
are highest efficiency tank type, so they are positioned as top of the
line models, so typically they have better tanks, with a longer
warranty, more insulation. possibly higher recovery rate, electronic
controls for the fan/safety, etc. Still you could certainly get one
for $800 at Lowes, HD, etc.

When I bought my last one about 8 years ago, I looked at the
efficiencies vs prices and concluded it didn't make sense to pay 2X
for a high efficiency one. Now, with 30% FED tax credits, I would
think it could make sense.

On Mar 25, 11:52�am, Dymphna
wrote:
Is this for a traditional tank heater?

If I were going to replace mine right now - it would be with a flash
heater. The will pay for themselves in time. They only heat the water
you need and you never run out of hot water.

--
Dymphna
Message Origin: TRAVEL.com

flash heater is tankless.

they have lots of downsides, many topics here center around their
problems

I think you would expect to pay something like $1k+for a new water
heater. I put one in myself, and it was very easy, and I even got a
permit to do it.