hot water heater died

[xoxoxoBruce]

there are only two pipes: incoming cold water and outgoing hot water. how frickin' hard can it be?

It's not. If the replacement heater is identical it's even easier. But they seldom are, so it might take a couple fittings.

Yes, dry, clean, flux, and if the copper starts to discolor, it's too hot.
When you finish, don't touch it... unlike electronic soldering it takes time to cool. Solder goes through a plastic state between liquid and solid. If you move it during that transition you can ruin the joint and burn the hell out of your hand. It only takes a minute or so to be safe to move, but it's easy to forget how hot it is, because there's no visual clue.

Shop vac the rugs, turn up (down) the A/C, and fans, for the carpeting. A dehumidifier would help, too.

[Flint]

That's a key point there about making a hook at the end of the solder, for quickly getting around to the other side of the pipe.

[lumberjim]

call my brother. he's a plumber. he'll do it on the cheap for you, plus he can get you a heater, too.

[wolf]

Okay, so how much would you actually save? I know you've got the fancy truck and you aren't afraid to use it, and aren't beyond some manly heavy lifting, but then you've got to dispose of the old one, etc., etc.

Three days with no hot water here.
I miss being able to do that kind of stuff.
Turned out to be a short and I did end-up having to help him work on it.

[Kingswood]

Just a word of warning with these do-it-yourself installations. If you install it, you are not licensed and/or qualified, you make a mistake and as a result of the mistake your home is damaged or destroyed, you may find it difficult to make a successful insurance claim.

I would check your home and contents insurance to make sure you are covered in the event that something goes wrong with your DIY work. If you aren't covered for this kind of DIY work, get a professional to do it. At worst you may have to fork over a bit of money. I consider such a payment to be an insurance policy. It's better to be out a few hundred dollars and have peace of mind, than to try saving a bit of money and then losing a fortune if the home burns down and the insurance company won't pay up.

[barefoot serpent]

Replaced mine with a tankless over a year ago. They're more $$ but it should pay for itself in a few years. Plus now there is a tax incentive $300 IIRC (dammit!). The 'smaller' ones can hook up with the existing vent. The 'bigger' ones need a dedicated vent so these start running into even more $$.

[Flint]

I'm thinking of going inline when my present water heater dies. That tax incentive is everywhere?

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Flint

That tax incentive is everywhere?

It's federal.

But unless you get one for each bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room etc., you are going to have to wait 30 seconds to a minute while running water waiting for it to get hot and then delivered to you in your corner of the house. That's a lot of wasted water.

[barefoot serpent]

I think my new one is as fast or even faster than the old tank heater. It has it's own generator that ignites the gas as soon as the water starts flowing. I did have to take out all of the flow restrictors so that the heater would not cutout if you turned the flow down too low.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by glatt

But unless you get one for each bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room etc., you are going to have to wait 30 seconds to a minute while running water waiting for it to get hot and then delivered to you in your corner of the house. That's a lot of wasted water.

You mean there are people who don't have to do that with a tank heater?

[Griff]

.