Water Heater

Our water heater stopped producing hot water on Sunday. Three unreturned calls to plumbers and a trip to Lowes later, I hit YouTube to look into it. Lowes wanted roughly $1400 for an installed 50gallon A.O Smith, which is what we have. They are the only ones that gave us a price. Ours looks pretty new, but we are not sure when it was put in. No earlier than 2014, since that was the revision date on our use and care manual.

Since the tank was not leaking, we learned from the videos how to check out the heating elements and thermostats. We replaced the upper and lower thermostats and now have hot water. $30 for the two, another $3o for a tool we needed to measure ohms, and we have hot water. Way better than $1400!

Got to love YouTube. Better yet, if one video is confusing, two will likely clear it up for you. Not all videos are created equal.

IP

20 Likes

Every water heater I have had has the manufacture date somewhere. Sometimes it’s hidden in some arcane numbers on the label. Here’s the secret decoder ring:

https://hotwatersolutionsnw.org/news/how-old-is-my-water-hea…

3 Likes

Super cool. Thanks for the link. Unit was manufactured in March.

It was a PITA to get the run around from the plumbers, but I am no longer intimidated by water heaters and am likely to even do a replacement if I can still physically do it down the road. Unless of course we go with a heat pump water heater. Replacing the heating units look decently easy as well.

IP

It was a PITA to get the run around from the plumbers, but I am no longer intimidated by water heaters and am likely to even do a replacement if I can still physically do it down the road

Ours rusted out last month as we slept on Friday night. 4am Saturday my dog woke me up. I went downstairs and got wet feet.

Weekend plumbers want multiples of their regular rate, so…

A crescent wrench and a good dolly made it simple to wheel the empty tank out, and into the back of our trusty pickup to drop off at Lowes, and the new one into place.

Even though our gas & water hookup pipes looked perfect to me, the Lowes guy said we needed to buy his new ones and replace them all. Again, simple crescent wrenching.

Easy Saturday project.

2 Likes

Even though our gas & water hookup pipes looked perfect to me, the Lowes guy said we needed to buy his new ones and replace them all. Again, simple crescent wrenching.

I assume you are talking about a natural gas water heater. Around here, you need a permit to replace one.

PSU

Replacing the heating units look decently easy as well.
IP


They are easy to replace. If/when you do but the Sandhog type/brand. They are more expensive but will outlast the standard heating elements.

gcr

1 Like

sano wrote the Lowes guy said we needed to buy his new ones and replace them all.

Some of the flexible water connections used are swage/compression type fittings. I believe these are one and done items.

1 Like

Some of the flexible water connections used are swage/compression type fittings. I believe these are one and done items.

I believe you may be correct. In any event, it was so easy to replace them there was no reason not to. It was a no drip, no leak (soapy solution proof) install.

Pardon the pun… Seems there was something in the water last week (literally) as our water heater ALSO failed.

In our case (also an AO Smith 50 gallon tank), we had installed it in June of 2016. It had a 6 year warranty.

The plumber that installed it had me check if the water in the pan under it (he was vehemently against putting it in a pan in the basement, but I insisted) was coming from the the PRV or the drain or if the insulation in the tank was wet (it was). Then he had me send a pic of the label. ‘Sorry, not under warranty. Build date was Feb 2016. $1,695 for new heater.’

I dug out the original receipt, sent to AO Smith and within 30 mins had an RMA. Of course, the warranty didnt cover labor. So, instead of the $1,695 he quoted me for the tank replacement, I am assuming I will be getting at $1,000 invoice in the mail.

Cest la vie, I suppose. But I cant believe-on town water-that water heaters are going to cost me $1,500-$1,800 every 6 years! I may try replacing the anode in year 3… It’ll be a bear though, given the low clearance.

2 Likes

Thanks for the tip!

IP

(also an AO Smith 50 gallon tank)

Are the AO Smith units just cr@p? Ours was not leaking and frankly looks brand new, but I have no idea when it was installed as that was the previous owner. We have owned for 3 years this summer.

Guess I can’t just relax and need to be considering our next option.

IP

So, instead of the $1,695 he quoted me for the tank replacement, I am assuming I will be getting at $1,000 invoice in the mail.

Makes me feel a little better about the $1,900 it cost me to replace a leaky 12 y/o 60 gal. gas water heater a coupla weeks ago. That included the permit, new fittings, a pan under the heater (now required by code here), a battery-powered leak detector that sits in the pan, and hauling away the old heater. Mamma mia.

Every water heater I have had has the manufacture date somewhere. Sometimes it’s hidden in some arcane numbers on the label. Here’s the secret decoder ring:

https://hotwatersolutionsnw.org/news/how-old-is-my-water-hea…

i just write the install date on the water heater in very big numbers

1 Like

The pan under the water heater is mostly a joke. A deep pan of at least 3" plus a drain to a sump pump or sewer line so the leak is contained. Making them out of materials that will not rust through helps too like the Marathon HW heaters.

i just write the install date on the water heater in very big numbers

Yes, if only the previous owner of the home, who installed the water heater, had done that.

IP

The pan under the water heater is mostly a joke. 
     A deep pan of at least 3" plus a drain to a sump pump or sewer line 
     so the leak is contained. 

     Making them out of materials that will not rust through helps too like the Marathon HW heaters.

Yes-- ours is piped to our sump pit. We didnt get a ton of water–maybe 1/2" in the pan, but with the insulation wet it was a warranty replacement scenario. I guess I should be grateful this happened two weeks before the 6 year install anniversary vs two weeks AFTER.

:slight_smile:

Here’s a link to help determine the date of manufacture on an AO Smith water heater…
https://inspector-iq.com/a-o-smith-water-heater-age/

tb2

i just write the install date on the water heater in very big numbers

Yes, if only the previous owner of the home, who installed the water heater, had done that.

IP

yep…i have been in the house since 1982…

But I cant believe-on town water-that water heaters are going to cost me $1,500-$1,800 every 6 years!

On point! Try a stainless steel water heater. My first wh failed/bottom rusted after 10 years, very hard town water. Replaced with a SS. Been in there 12 years and still strong.

My p-touch labeler with 1" tape makes a nice, permanent label, date along with who did it!

Should have done it with the appliances, did do it for the furnace…

Old habits from my WeCo installation days, tag it, document it!

Take photos of the installation in progress if I can…