Home ownership "fun" never ends

[Midwesthonky]

Wow.
My water heater went out I think it was this past December. Just for fun I asked Home Depot to give me a price for installation cost of one of its heaters.
Wow, it came back at $2000. A local plumber back then wanted $1600.
I installed myself as in the past.

You too? My water heater died on the day for the birthday party my mom was throwing for me to get everyone together. So my wife and kids went while I stayed and put in the new hot water heater. Original plumber had set the valves so low that I needed to drain the entire house, raise the valves (I only needed them 3/8"-1/2" higher), then install the heater. I didn't even get any cake.

 

[mtrycrafts]

You too? My water heater died on the day for the birthday party my mom was throwing for me to get everyone together. So my wife and kids went while I stayed and put in the new hot water heater. Original plumber had set the valves so low that I needed to drain the entire house, raise the valves (I only needed them 3/8"-1/2" higher), then install the heater. I didn't even get any cake.

I installed shut off valves on the hot and cold lines before it goes into the tank so I can shut it off without draining house just on such occasions.
Next time you have to change tanks try to install 1/4 turn shut off valves. Also, replace anode rods about every 3 years. Those valves come in handy to do that too.

 

[cpp]

And speaking of hot water heaters, now insurance companies are forcing people to change their hot water heater if over 10 years old and the hoses under your sinks or get cancelled. What a weird crazy world. About as bad as the roof scam by the insurance companies.

 

[highfigh]

And speaking of hot water heaters, now insurance companies are forcing people to change their hot water heater if over 10 years old and the hoses under your sinks or get cancelled. What a weird crazy world. About as bad as the roof scam by the insurance companies.

The hoses are easy and cheap- best to have the kind with stainless braid, anyway. The water heater, not so much obviously, but insurance companies don't exist so they can pay out everything they collect from their policyholders, so they get to make some rules.

 

[MaxInValrico]

My oldest son had a Samsung refrigerator the one with the French doors and freezer at the bottom 2300 bucks new lasted about 5 years. But he had issues with it from day one, with freezing up, no cold air getting to the refrigerator part. Samsung sent a tech out, that took about month for a Samsung tech to get to him, cause he was the only authorized Samsung tech within a three parish area. My 51" plasma tv last just passed the 18 month warranty went out about 22 months into owning it. Samsung 3D player crashed about 15 months in to owning it. No more Samsung for me. That was a 2.500 learning experience for me.

Have the same refrigerator but it has a large 10 year warranty sticker in the top right corner. As well, ive not had any issue with the ice maker other than it's quite loud at night

 

[Replicant 7]

Have the same refrigerator but it has a large 10 year warranty sticker in the top right corner. As well, ive not had any issue with the ice maker other than it's quite loud at night

I had Samsung washer and dryer, caught on sale for $1, 000. Was 1600+ they where a discontinued model on clearance. Sold those off to my Son because his went out and really the washer was more than I needed great size for a family. Washer with no agitator can throw a quilt up in there still going strong. The pair will make two years old this September. We'll see, hopefully he'll get 5+ years or more out of um.

 

[Alex2507]

I didn't even get any cake.

Tough Love ...

Now four days later, no leaks.

I always liked that saying about the proof being in the pudding.

Our last home catastrophe taught me something about the importance of having a high level of confidence in the person doing the work. I wasn't after the best price. The install was tricky, the management company our condo board hired (really a woman named Karen) was even trickier and the heat of summer was just around the bend.

That guy had to know how to work with electric, natural gas, a/c (freon) and duct fabrication. He's about 2 hours away so we dropped any notion of service calls or other warranty work for about 2 grand. The idea being that we got about the best equipment we could and the work is flawless so IF anything goes wrong, there's 2 grand to fix it with.

I figure everybody is already charging about as much as they can get away with and good for them. What I need is for the damn thing to work. I love my a/c guy (especially now) and I don't care who knows.

 

[GO-NAD!]

I love my a/c guy (especially now) and I don't care who knows.

I take it that you provide the d/c...

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I take it that you provide the d/c...

A good A/C guy is hard to find. I'm with Alex on that one.

 

[cpp]

The hoses are easy and cheap- best to have the kind with stainless brad, anyway. The water heater, not so much obviously, but insurance companies don't exist so they can pay out everything they collect from their policyholders, so they get to make some rules.

Weird rules of their own. Our neighbor got two separate plumbing companies to write letters that her 12 year old hot water heater which was located in her garage was working as new. PS her insurance company wanted her to replace it, only because it was over 10 years old. Such a scam.

 

[panteragstk]

A good A/C guy is hard to find. I'm with Alex on that one.

I'm lucky in that the company that put mine in when my house was built has excellent after the sale support. Got a 10 year warranty and all that just by registering with them. Had an issue with a sensor dying on my multiple times and they got me a better model sensor and put it in a new location so it wouldn't mess up anymore.

So far they've been great. Need to get them out for service since it's so damn hot. Need to make sure mine is operating the way it should be since I'm creeping up on 6 years.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I'm lucky in that the company that put mine in when my house was built has excellent after the sale support. Got a 10 year warranty and all that just by registering with them. Had an issue with a sensor dying on my multiple times and they got me a better model sensor and put it in a new location so it wouldn't mess up anymore.

So far they've been great. Need to get them out for service since it's so damn hot. Need to make sure mine is operating the way it should be since I'm creeping up on 6 years.

that's cool. I recently replaced the older Goodman with a new Trane (was a pretty good deal). The installer also offered 10 years warranty. Your system could be low on gas, or at least that was the issue (a few times) with our old system.

 

[panteragstk]

that's cool. I recently replaced the older Goodman with a new Trane (was a pretty good deal). The installer also offered 10 years warranty. Your system could be low on gas, or at least that was the issue (a few times) with our old system.

I don't think mine really has an issue ATM, but I still want to get it checked due to it being the age that it is plus the fact that it's hotter than it's ever been for longer than ever so it's being asked to do a LOT. So far, no issues. I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I don't think mine really has an issue ATM, but I still want to get it checked due to it being the age that it is plus the fact that it's hotter than it's ever been for longer than ever so it's being asked to do a LOT. So far, no issues. I'd like to keep it that way.

I assume you already replace the filter(s) regularly?

 

[panteragstk]

I assume you already replace the filter(s) regularly?

Oh yeah. Have to with how bad allergies are in my house. Supposed to have a yearly checkup, supposedly, so I'm due.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Oh yeah. Have to with how bad allergies are in my house. Supposed to have a yearly checkup, supposedly, so I'm due.

Last time I got these (expensive) but excellent filters.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Filtrete-1900-MPR-Maximum-Allergen-Common-14-in-x-24-in-x-1-in-Actual-13-7-in-x-23-7-in-x-0-7812-in-Electrostatic-Pleated-Air-Filter/3130721

The key is these have very dense pleating, allowing good airflow AND high filtration.
Based on the Project Farm video here:

 

[panteragstk]

Last time I got these (expensive) but excellent filters.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Filtrete-1900-MPR-Maximum-Allergen-Common-14-in-x-24-in-x-1-in-Actual-13-7-in-x-23-7-in-x-0-7812-in-Electrostatic-Pleated-Air-Filter/3130721

The key is these have very dense pleating, allowing good airflow AND high filtration.
Based on the Project Farm video here:

I use a lower end version (MPR 300) and they've been good. I've got 8 filters so changing them is expensive. This balanced A/C system is great, but that part sucks.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I use a lower end version (MPR 300) and they've been good. I've got 8 filters so changing them is expensive. This balanced A/C system is great, but that part sucks.

8 filters? WTF? I only have one per zone, so two total.

 

[highfigh]

Weird rules of their own. Our neighbor got two separate plumbing companies to write letters that her 12 year old hot water heater which was located in her garage was working as new. PS her insurance company wanted her to replace it, only because it was over 10 years old. Such a scam.

I would ask where their policy shows this. If it doesn't, I would tell them to pound sand.

 

[highfigh]

that's cool. I recently replaced the older Goodman with a new Trane (was a pretty good deal). The installer also offered 10 years warranty. Your system could be low on gas, or at least that was the issue (a few times) with our old system.

If a Goodman is bought through/from Alpine Home Air, they double the warranty on the heat exchanger and that's a part that can leak CO when it fails.

I bought two furnaces from them and the furnaces, their prices, service, advice and dealer finder have been great. I had to replace the vacuum switch on the first one and that was about $25, the second had the same issue, but the LED on the main board showed the general cause in both cases- when I was checking the second furnace, the switch was good but the rubber line connected to it had cracked- it failed when I pulled it off of the switch, so I made a clean cut, pushed it on and have had no problems since.