Water Heater Blues

[Westy]

OK,,,,so I'm just your average Joe. Not the reality series, and not the plumber guy. And I don't have a degree in physics or metalurgy.

So,,,,,,,It's one in the morning and the wife goes out to get a bottle of her Fruit 2O. She runs back to the bedroom and wakes me, stating the water heater is spewing water all over the garage. I Dose e Doe out to the garage (I'd had a few beers only hours earlier, and clearly remember asking her why she was bothering me!!!), and it's a little wet. OK, a lot wet. The P-car is dry, but not the carpet and everything else within 6 feet.

Water shut off, all is well, back to bed until sunrise.

I replaced this water heater a few years ago. The old one had 3" risers for the connections. Galvanized pipe. We all know galvanized pipe will last for,,,,say,,,,,500 years. Except on a water heater. NO ONE ever told me this. It's called galvanic corrosion. Refer to above where I clearly stated I have NO degree in metalurgy.

So I replace said risers with those insulated ones you get at Lowes, or Home despot, or Ace, etc, and put new braided lines on. All is well, but there's water under most cabinets and the outside fridge. Rags and air drying,,,,can't wait for the smell of Liberty Ship Bildge.

OK,,,,the moral? Go check your water heaters. Especially with the spring to summer temp change. If you have plain galnanized risers, change them. Change them out now before you have a water feature in your garage. Besides,,,,I've heard change is good...........

[Oh Haha]

Great advice!!

One more point to add:

Drain the tank once a year. My is due next week.