From: sns@bondi.jpl.nasa.gov (Sam Southard)
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: Cracks in Foundation
Date: 25 Jan 1993 17:49:42 GMT
Organization: SAR Systems Development & Processing, JPL
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: bondi.jpl.nasa.gov
Summary: don't worry about the water heater

In article <1993Jan19.035506.27864@cbnewsc.cb.att.com> chapin@cbnewsc.cb.att.com ( Tom Chapin ) writes:
>bought by a relocation agency who is now selling it.  The report
>also mentions cracks in the patio (haven't seen too many patios in
>the Chicago area without substantial cracks), rust on heater burners
>and heat exchanger, leaky relief valve in the water heater, and

If it's just the water heater relief valve, don't worry about it.  They're
very cheap.  If, however, something's causing the relief valve to relieve
something, it's a little more serious.

However, if the relief valve is going off because of the water heater, it's
still not that bad.  I had to replace my water heater this weekend, and the
total cost for the 50 gallon, gas, 43 gph recovery rate (90 degree rise) was
$269 (there were some 50 gallon tanks for less than $200, if you need something
even cheaper).

It took about 4 hours to install.  The hardest part was getting it into the
basement.  The part which took the longest was draining it - it's the lowest
point in our water system, and there wasn't a cold water shutoff valve (there
is now), so we had to drain the entire house (or something close to it), since
I don't really care for cold showers while I'm working.

In summary, it's not really a big deal, but if I'd just bought a house and was
short on cash (the two always seem to go together), I'd not be pleased to find
I unexpectedly had to replace the heater.  The possible foundation problems
you mentioned would override anything having to do with the water heater.

To switch the topic a little, I encountered a very odd sales tactic when I was
out shopping for a water heater.  I went into Fedco to see what they had to
offer.  They had 30 gallon heaters in stock and could order 40 or 50 (possibly
even larger ones) gallon water heaters.

They'd let me buy the 30 gallon heater and take it home with me that day.
However, if I ordered a heater, they would not sell it to me without a delivery
and installation charge.  Now, I could understand a delivery charge, but
requiring an installation charge?  They wanted a minimum of $95 - my
installation would have been even more expensive, since it was in the basement.

Is this kind of practice normal in non-DIY, non-plumbling shops?

And while I've got your attention (if I still do), a quick recommendation
against Sears water heaters.  I had to replace the heater because of a fairly
serious leak - it wasn't spraying out, but it wasn't trickling, either.  The
water heater I replaced was a Sears, and it had a sticker saying something like
"This water heater supplied as a replacement for a leaking heater covered under
warrantee, and is warranted from the original date of purchase."  Either the
previous owner got two bad ones, or Sears water heaters don't last very long.

Then again, I don't really know how long this water heater was around.  The
only date I cound find on it was that it conformed to the ANSI standards set in
1978.  Those standard may have been changed in 1979, or they may still be in
effect - I don't know.
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house