Comments on: Dear Diary: How I Fixed My Water Heater Without a Plumber and Saved $400 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html The off-beat personal finance blog for responsible people Mon, 22 Mar 2010 06:20:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Len Penzo http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-2090 Len Penzo Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:03:34 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-2090 What a great tip, Nick! I'm sure all of my readers will appreciate the tip. I know I will certainly implement it! :-) What a great tip, Nick! I’m sure all of my readers will appreciate the tip. I know I will certainly implement it! :-)

]]> By: Nick http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-2085 Nick Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:34:29 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-2085 We just replaced our water heater this past weekend. We paid for installation, but we got a great piece of maintenance advice from the plumber. Every 3 months, when you change your furnace filter, fill a 5 gallon bucket from the spigot at the bottom of the tank. This prevents lime sediment from building up in the bottom of the tank. Sediment makes the water heater use more energy to heat and reduces the wear and tear on the bottom of the heater. The plumber said he once did service for a woman whose husband religiously did this every month and their heater was over 30 years old and still going strong. We just replaced our water heater this past weekend. We paid for installation, but we got a great piece of maintenance advice from the plumber.

Every 3 months, when you change your furnace filter, fill a 5 gallon bucket from the spigot at the bottom of the tank. This prevents lime sediment from building up in the bottom of the tank. Sediment makes the water heater use more energy to heat and reduces the wear and tear on the bottom of the heater.

The plumber said he once did service for a woman whose husband religiously did this every month and their heater was over 30 years old and still going strong.

]]> By: The Katana: Nobody Really Cares More About You Than You 11/23 | Financial Samurai http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1856 The Katana: Nobody Really Cares More About You Than You 11/23 | Financial Samurai Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:40:50 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1856 [...] * “How I Fixed My Water Heater Without A Plumber & Saved $400″ from Len highlights his handyman skills.  I learned that a water heater’s bottom literally gives away over time due to rust, and it’s best to replace it sooner rather than later. [...] [...] * “How I Fixed My Water Heater Without A Plumber & Saved $400″ from Len highlights his handyman skills.  I learned that a water heater’s bottom literally gives away over time due to rust, and it’s best to replace it sooner rather than later. [...]

]]> By: Len Penzo http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1816 Len Penzo Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:52:09 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1816 One thing I learned from this little adventure, Bret, is that plumbing is not rocket science by any stretch of the imagination. All it takes is a little courage to give it a go. It does make it easier when you have a guy like Tony there to help. As for the Dodgers, just wait 'til next year! :-) One thing I learned from this little adventure, Bret, is that plumbing is not rocket science by any stretch of the imagination. All it takes is a little courage to give it a go. It does make it easier when you have a guy like Tony there to help.

As for the Dodgers, just wait ’til next year! :-)

]]> By: Bret @ Hope to Prosper http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1813 Bret @ Hope to Prosper Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:49:38 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1813 My water heater died last year. My son and I replaced it in about an hour. Of couse, I have the right tools, which saves a lot of time. I have fixed more plumbing than I care to admit. Bummer about the Dodgers. I was hoping for a freeway series with our Angels. My water heater died last year. My son and I replaced it in about an hour. Of couse, I have the right tools, which saves a lot of time. I have fixed more plumbing than I care to admit.

Bummer about the Dodgers. I was hoping for a freeway series with our Angels.

]]> By: Financial Samurai http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1799 Financial Samurai Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:46:40 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1799 Very helpful Len! I'll go check this weekend the condition of the bottom. Didn't realize that's what happened to old water heaters. I'll be honest with myself, I think if I had to change it I'll just pay the labor fee :) Very helpful Len! I’ll go check this weekend the condition of the bottom. Didn’t realize that’s what happened to old water heaters.

I’ll be honest with myself, I think if I had to change it I’ll just pay the labor fee :)

]]> By: Len Penzo http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1793 Len Penzo Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:40:53 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1793 It <em>was</em> a big wrench, Ashley. I honestly didn't realize they made them that big! By the way, although Tony used the wrench, it was overkill. He really needed a smaller one. I had a couple but they were <em>too</em> small. :-) It was a big wrench, Ashley. I honestly didn’t realize they made them that big! By the way, although Tony used the wrench, it was overkill. He really needed a smaller one. I had a couple but they were too small. :-)

]]> By: Len Penzo http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1792 Len Penzo Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:38:46 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1792 Hey Sam! I think a plumber would be better able to answer this... I do not think that it is guaranteed that the water heater will simply lose all of its water when it finally dies of old age. If you pay attention, the water heater will first start leaking slowly, dripping rusty water. The trick is to catch it at that stage - if you don't, eventually the rusty bottom will simply fail under the weight of all the water it is holding. All I can say is watch the underside of your water heater for leaks. Our tank wasn't leaking yet, but it was starting to make sounds it never made before. That, and as I mentioned, two of my neighbors tanks failed completely earlier this year. Since all of our homes were built at the same time I figured my water heater was due to go. Better safe than sorry! From what I also have read, if your water heater is simply not heating your water or not doing the greatest job of heating your water, that doesn't necessarily mean the water heater needs to be completely replaced - it may be able to be fixed without replacing it entirely. Again, though, maybe if a plumber is reading this - and he isn't too upset about this story, LOL - he or she can give a more expert opinion on this. :-) Hey Sam! I think a plumber would be better able to answer this… I do not think that it is guaranteed that the water heater will simply lose all of its water when it finally dies of old age. If you pay attention, the water heater will first start leaking slowly, dripping rusty water. The trick is to catch it at that stage – if you don’t, eventually the rusty bottom will simply fail under the weight of all the water it is holding. All I can say is watch the underside of your water heater for leaks.

Our tank wasn’t leaking yet, but it was starting to make sounds it never made before. That, and as I mentioned, two of my neighbors tanks failed completely earlier this year. Since all of our homes were built at the same time I figured my water heater was due to go.

Better safe than sorry!

From what I also have read, if your water heater is simply not heating your water or not doing the greatest job of heating your water, that doesn’t necessarily mean the water heater needs to be completely replaced – it may be able to be fixed without replacing it entirely.

Again, though, maybe if a plumber is reading this – and he isn’t too upset about this story, LOL – he or she can give a more expert opinion on this. :-)

]]> By: Financial Samurai http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1791 Financial Samurai Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:09:46 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1791 Great work Len! I've got a 10+ year one as well I believe. Just trying to understand here.... when my water heater stops working, will it necessarily break and flood my basement? What exactly stops working in a water heater in other words? Can't it just stop making the water hot, signaling time to get a new one? I thought flooding was mostly pipes freezing and bursting and stuff. And if so, it doesn't get freezing in San Francisco, so I don't need to worry about that. Want to do a follow up post on fixing a furnace?! :) Great work Len! I’ve got a 10+ year one as well I believe. Just trying to understand here…. when my water heater stops working, will it necessarily break and flood my basement? What exactly stops working in a water heater in other words? Can’t it just stop making the water hot, signaling time to get a new one?

I thought flooding was mostly pipes freezing and bursting and stuff. And if so, it doesn’t get freezing in San Francisco, so I don’t need to worry about that.

Want to do a follow up post on fixing a furnace?! :)

]]> By: Ashley http://lenpenzo.com/blog/id819-how-i-fixed-my-water-heater-without-a-plumber-and-saved-400.html/comment-page-1#comment-1790 Ashley Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:55:46 +0000 http://lenpenzo.com/blog/?p=819#comment-1790 Can't stop laughing at Paul Bunyon's tool belt, LOL! Saving that kind of money with a little elbow grease (even if it's borrowed :-) ) is always a great feeling. Can’t stop laughing at Paul Bunyon’s tool belt, LOL! Saving that kind of money with a little elbow grease (even if it’s borrowed :-) ) is always a great feeling.

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