Last night we discovered that our hot water heater was leaking. Good thing we discovered it, because our whole downstairs once flooded once from a leaking water heater while we were sound asleep. We stepped onto a soaked carpet when we got out of bed. Had I not decided to take Diana along when I went for a walk with our house guest, we may not have discovered the leak, because the dog lead hangs on a hook in the closet where the water heater stands. We turned off the heater and the water source and drained much of the water out by letting faucets run, so we only had wet towels around the heater this morning, instead of a flooded house.
The plumber and his helper are here with a new water heater, and we've asked him to install a pan and a drain leading outside in the event that this happens again. We will leave them here to do their jobs as we head off to New Orleans for my doctor's appointment.
Prayers go with you to the doctor's appointment. Must be the season . . .
ReplyDeleteHere in Panama we have hot water heaters which don't have a tank; the water is heated when it passes through the heater, at the moment you turn on the hot water tap. No water being stored and heated in a tank. It saves money and energy.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't they sell things like that in the U.S.A.?
I'm glad you didn't wake up to a flooded basement.
Those localized water heaters without storage tanks have been available for more than 30 years that I know of in the States. I've sort of gotten away from the house construction industry in the last couple of decades, but I believe the problem is largely inertia--not "worth" retrofitting older structures, etc. Too, I don't think the localized units have "caught on" much in South Louisiana where Mimi and I live due to the fact that natural gas is widely available and cheap here compared to electricity as a source of heat.
ReplyDeleteMimi -- hope the doc appointment went well. That would mean that s/he was respectful and clear and helpful.
ReplyDeleteMuch love.
I really like "on-demand" hot water heaters, but a lot of plumbers in the US have never installed them and many people don't know they exist. They really do save energy and natural gas operated ones are the best IMHO. When my daughter and SIL (Pasadena, CA) remodeled they had one put in and it's been great. Hope the doctor's visit went well and you've been scheduled for surgery soon. You've got a whole bunch of people to lift you up in prayer.
ReplyDeleteDogs will save us, over and over again!
ReplyDeleteWelcome home Grandmere, and you are in my prayers with regard to the doctor thang.
Wishing you good luck on your doctor's appointment. Let me guess, you are driving ;)
ReplyDeleteI have never thought about hot water heaters until just now...we have the on-demand heater too. I am glad that you caught the problem early. Whew...
So glad towels did the job and that the plumber came, too. Hope your doctor's appointment goes well.
ReplyDeleteI will wait patiently until tomorrow to see how the Dr. Appt. went.
ReplyDeleteGreat dog you have there!!
ReplyDeleteHow was your appointment? (How are you?)
Thanks for the prayers and good wishes. I wrote a post about my doctor visit. See above.
ReplyDeleteThe "on demand" water heater sounds like a wonderful idea for the next time our water heater breaks, if there is a plumber around here who knows how to install that kind.
Padre Mickey, the basement? You jest. We have no basement. It's our floors that flooded out the time our water heater sprung a leak during the night while we were asleep.
Diana may well have saved us a flooded house. She's a good dog.
ReplyDeleteThis is yet another example of why all humans need to have a good dog around. Kudos to my sister Diana.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Rowan
Bishop of Playing
Oh Rowan, thanks for dropping by. Diana says, "Hi!". She doesn't know how to type.
ReplyDeleteI thought all the estadoünidense had basements. Must be a sterotype.
ReplyDeleteNo Padre, not here in wet and humid south Louisiana. The basement is above ground in the few houses which have basements.
ReplyDeleteMy heater is solar so is on the roof. I only turn on the electricity on winter mornings 30 minutes before a shower and in summer if there have been several overcast days in a row.
ReplyDeleteI would have thought solar would be popular in Louisiana but perhaps you have a lot of cloud cover.
Brian, although we have above average rainfall, we have enough sun to use solar panels. We just don't do it, and we should.
ReplyDeleteShe also serves, who only sits and waits (to be walked!). ;-)
ReplyDeleteBlessings on the upcoming surgery, Mimi.