I had a lake in my basement last Monday, week ago yesterday. The water heater (not hot water heater since I wouldn't want to heat hot water) was spewing. After risking eloctrocution by stepping into the lake, I turned off the water heater at the panel and turned the valve off that feeds cold water to the heater. I hooked a hose to the drain on the water hearter only to find it didn't quite fit. I sure should have tried that years ago. I jammed it on the best I could and turned on the spigot with the hose going to the drain in the floor. Now some water (hot I might add) was going on the floor and even more was going in the drain. I got the mop and did a little clean up but realized that was hopeless.
Off to Home Depot. $451 without tax for a 50 gallon to replace my beautiful leaking 80 gallon. Maybe I'll get by with the 50 since my son who used to spend 45 minutes in the shower and then was followed by my wife for another 45 minutes is now gone. Gone is just the son, not, sometimes regretably, the wife. Anyway it is fun to slide a water heater off the pickup, through the garage, through the house, and down the steps into the basement. Down the steps was fun. I did it. Hook up, which I have done before, was two more trips to Home Depot. It doesn't leak much but the water is hot. The old 80 gallon is still sitting in the basement. It will be fun to find a way to evict it. Anybody want a free 80 gallon water heater. A little silicon, good as new. Just take it with you.
Call the plumber? S--t, I am the plumber. And I HATE working any days.
George
