So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

On Feb 4, 10:32*pm, Ned Flanders wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

==
Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
==

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

Roy wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:32 pm, Ned Flanders wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

=Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
=

I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place). We were
having way to many floods often causing over $30,000 in damages.

One time the flooding was because some moron contractor had poured self
leveling cement into the drain by the water heater and it had blocked the
trap. Naturally it was one of the ones on the third floor.

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:28:29 GMT, NedF wrote:

Roy wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:32 pm, Ned Flanders wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

=Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
=

I used to be afraid the glass liner would break -- I think I heard
that they can -- but I cut open my Sears wh before I threw it away,
and it was really a thick sheet of plastic, with glass in it I guess.
I could pry it away from the metal outside, but it wasnt' easy.

Are any more fragile than this one?

I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place).

What rule are you talking about? No glass-lined wh's? Why?

We were
having way to many floods often causing over $30,000 in damages.

They leaked? What leaks less than a glass-lined water heater?

Would your rule have prohibited mine, with the plastic, with iirc
glass in it? (I can't really remember if they claimed to be glass
lined. It was 15 years ago and I bought it because it's pipes matched
the original one.)

One time the flooding was because some moron contractor had poured self
leveling cement into the drain by the water heater and it had blocked the
trap. Naturally it was one of the ones on the third floor.

What a moron. A contractor too! Did he pay for the damage?

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

mm wrote:

On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:28:29 GMT, NedF wrote:

Roy wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:32 pm, Ned Flanders wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

=Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
=

I used to be afraid the glass liner would break -- I think I heard
that they can -- but I cut open my Sears wh before I threw it away,
and it was really a thick sheet of plastic, with glass in it I guess.
I could pry it away from the metal outside, but it wasnt' easy.

Are any more fragile than this one?

I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place).

What rule are you talking about? No glass-lined wh's? Why?

I think he's referring to a rule about replacing water heaters when
their warranty expires. Since the warranty lengths generally correspond
to the manufacturer's assessment of the MTBF for the unit, such a rule
would have some effect at limiting water heater failures. In a multi
occupancy building where such a failure often affects other units, and
given the relatively low cost of water haters it's not a particularly
bad idea, though if proper catch pans and drains are in place a water
heater failure shouldn't be an issue anyway.

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

mm wrote:
On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:28:29 GMT, wrote:

wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:32 pm, Ned wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

=Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
=

I used to be afraid the glass liner would break -- I think I heard
that they can -- but I cut open my Sears wh before I threw it away,
and it was really a thick sheet of plastic, with glass in it I guess.
I could pry it away from the metal outside, but it wasnt' easy.

Are any more fragile than this one?

I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place).

What rule are you talking about? No glass-lined wh's? Why?

The bylaw did not target only glass lined tanks but all water tanks.


We were
having way to many floods often causing over $30,000 in damages.

They leaked? What leaks less than a glass-lined water heater?

Would your rule have prohibited mine, with the plastic, with iirc
glass in it? (I can't really remember if they claimed to be glass
lined. It was 15 years ago and I bought it because it's pipes matched
the original one.)

The rule stated the owner had to register the serial number with Strata
Council and provide a copy of the invoice to show date of install. If
the owner could not produce the invoice, Council would the serial number
to gauge the age of the tank.

As an owner you had to replace your tank within one year after the
warranty expired. It was all about managing the risk.

We went through a period of time when our insurance deductible was
higher than the cost of cleaning up after a 1st. floor water heater flood.


One time the flooding was because some moron contractor had poured self
leveling cement into the drain by the water heater and it had blocked the
trap. Naturally it was one of the ones on the third floor.

What a moron. A contractor too! Did he pay for the damage?


It must have happened during the original construction, and it was
probably a sub contractor. The odds of tracking the company down were
against us given the number of years that had passed and the cost to
proceed would have most likely dwarfed any successful claim against the
contractor.

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

Pete C. wrote:

mm wrote:

On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 06:28:29 GMT, wrote:

wrote:
On Feb 4, 10:32 pm, Ned wrote:
I had no idea there was a drain up tight in behind it. To bad it was set
into the concrete 5cm above the floor height.

Fortunately it was a relatively slow leak only causing a small pool of
water and although it soaked the sill plate it did not wick through and
get to the drywall on the other side.

I decided to cut the drain off with a saws-all with a long blade. Then I
added a pan with the pipe taking a 90° elbow right into the open drain.

In addition to the lousy job on the drain the gas line was run down from
the ceiling in front of the furnace and old water heater in such a way
as it all had to be taken out to get the old water heater out.

Had my bro-in-law (a plumber) move the main line in behind and added
some new flex line so it will be the last time it has to be take apart
like that again.

=Costs go up every year and I know I will have to change my 32 year old
water heater soon. It has done well...I guess glass-lined last longer
than the galvanized...hence its long life.
=

I used to be afraid the glass liner would break -- I think I heard
that they can -- but I cut open my Sears wh before I threw it away,
and it was really a thick sheet of plastic, with glass in it I guess.
I could pry it away from the metal outside, but it wasnt' easy.

Are any more fragile than this one?

I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place).

What rule are you talking about? No glass-lined wh's? Why?

I think he's referring to a rule about replacing water heaters when
their warranty expires. Since the warranty lengths generally correspond
to the manufacturer's assessment of the MTBF for the unit, such a rule
would have some effect at limiting water heater failures. In a multi
occupancy building where such a failure often affects other units, and
given the relatively low cost of water haters it's not a particularly
bad idea, though if proper catch pans and drains are in place a water
heater failure shouldn't be an issue anyway.

With 129 units in the Strata all but one having a proper pan and working
drain, I was surprised by how often the tank failures caused so much damage.

After discovering the cement in the one drain trap we test all of the
others (that we could). The majority of drain pipes ended a few inches
above the parking level floor up against the pillars so it was just a
matter of pouring a few litres of water down the drain and having
someone confirm it came out the other end.

So the 13 year old water heater decided to die...
 

On Sat, 05 Feb 2011 08:28:44 -0800, Ned Flanders
wrote:


I had a glass lined one in my old condo but I had to replace it a year
after the warrantee expired due to a bylaw (I helped put in place).

What rule are you talking about? No glass-lined wh's? Why?

The bylaw did not target only glass lined tanks but all water tanks.


We were
having way to many floods often causing over $30,000 in damages.

They leaked? What leaks less than a glass-lined water heater?

Would your rule have prohibited mine, with the plastic, with iirc
glass in it? (I can't really remember if they claimed to be glass
lined. It was 15 years ago and I bought it because it's pipes matched
the original one.)

The rule stated the owner had to register the serial number with Strata
Council and provide a copy of the invoice to show date of install. If

I get it now. Thanks.

the owner could not produce the invoice, Council would the serial number
to gauge the age of the tank.

As an owner you had to replace your tank within one year after the
warranty expired. It was all about managing the risk.

We went through a period of time when our insurance deductible was
higher than the cost of cleaning up after a 1st. floor water heater flood.

Wow.

One time the flooding was because some moron contractor had poured self
leveling cement into the drain by the water heater and it had blocked the
trap. Naturally it was one of the ones on the third floor.

What a moron. A contractor too! Did he pay for the damage?


It must have happened during the original construction, and it was
probably a sub contractor. The odds of tracking the company down were

Oh, yeah. I hate dealing with... people.

against us given the number of years that had passed and the cost to
proceed would have most likely dwarfed any successful claim against the
contractor.