Water Curses - Water Heater Blessing 111

The other day I went down to do laundry and the floor was wet. Over the past 18 years in this house, that has happened a few too many times for my liking but the laundry room would be the best place to have a flood so I can't complain as I prefer that to some of the other water issues we have had over the years. 

 I hunted around the water softener and the washer and couldn't find anything there and finally found that the culprit was my water heater. 

This is frustrating as I need a pressure vent gas water heater and with our large family, we need a fifty gallon tank. Vented water heaters are expensive and I replaced it in December ten years ago. I pulled out the warranty and the receipt and wouldn't you know the warranty is only six years. That one cost me just under seven hundred dollars. I figured it would be a bit more but when I called the plumbing supply place where I purchased my last one, it was $1140 plus tax. 

They said I could go with an electric heater but I have had to replace elements in them before and the hard minerals make it a nightmare to deal with so I decided not to go with the cheaper heater as they cost almost twice as much in electricity as the natural gas costs. They have charts you can compare each type, gallon size, fuel type, economy of the unit etc. There was one eco friendly one that was cheapest to run but cost $1500. I couldn't justify that.

I didn't think the local Home Depot would have one as the vented types are special order but they did happen to have one in stock that they special ordered just to have one available. I was thrilled as it was $900 plus tax. I figured I would take it. Of course, the extended store warranty for $190 was only three years past the six offered by the manufacture and they know that they make them to only last for ten years so they warranty them for 9 total. So, I opted to skip the $200 extended plan. 

I get the installer to pick it up for me and he gets it to my house and uses his dolly to carefully get it into my house. I had moved some furniture so we had a clear path. He cuts the box bottom and takes it off and there are dents in several places. I worry that the dent on the bottom control panel may have caused some damage to the control unit. I call the store asking if I can get another. It would take 2 weeks to order another so with the one I have leaking from three areas quite heavily, I don't know what to do. I had it turned off most of yesterday and today just to keep it from running. 

The installer tells me that he thinks it will still work. I ask if I can get a discount if we install it because I need hot water before two weeks. They tell me they will give me a $200 discount. I am willing to take the chance as that will help pay the installer. I also find a rebate for $100 from the local gas company so I am thrilled as I will now get it for about what my last one cost me ten years ago. 

The installer is putting it in and sends me to the store for new copper intake pipes and some pvc 3 inch venting pipe and wouldn't you know that I can't just buy the two feet length size we need, I have to buy ten feet. 

I am in my little car so I ask the man to cut off a two foot piece and then cut the rest in half. He does. There is no price on the shelf. He can't find a price for the ten foot piece. It doesn't ring up at the register and so I get the entire ten feet piece for free. 

As I am carrying it out of the store, I look down and there is a 111 on the pipe. I smiled and was reminded that earlier that day I was at the store and waiting for them to ring me up and waiting for the installer to pick up the heater when I looked over and on a box they had at the customer service desk there was a 111 in large print on the side. I smiled then as well.
 
Home Depot didn't have a plumber there and I couldn't find the parts I needed to finish the hook up and the plumbing supply store was closed so he got the heater hooked up without the venting and at least we have cold water for now. I am hoping we will be having some warm water by shower time tomorrow evening or I will have some unhappy and probably smelly girls. :-) 

The new water heater is fatter and shorter than the old one and is sitting back further in the corner so I have a missing piece of carpet now. I pulled the linoleum out of that room when it flooded last May (Click here for that post) except for under the water heater and now I have some rusty  linoleum that needs to be pulled out and I will have to find a rug to put there until I can put in tile. It wanted to tile after the May flood but there are so many other things that need doing that I have left that for later.

Today made me even more grateful than I usually am for hot water, dry floors, and any running water. It also made me know I am loved as Heavenly Father showed me several times and helped me get the water heater for about half of what I thought it would cost. I am truly blessed.