title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Friday, July 26, 2013

How To Drain and Flush a Gas Water Heater

Today's high temperature was: 73 degrees
Today's humidity was: 34%
Sunny-breezy--perfect!
==============================================

Okay kids, are you with me?  10:33 a.m. Friday, July 26, 2013.  A written record--just in case I die from a gas explosion!

Step #1--take a Naproxen, because this is going to hurt your back, hips and knees.
 Gather tools you think you might need and your instruction sheet

Oh yes--and your drink of  choice--mine is Diet Pepsi
You might need the adjustable wrench to tighten hose on coupling.
You will need a big flashlight to see what the heck you are doing.
You will need instruction sheet so you can keep track of what the heck you are doing.

Step # 2:  address the closet where the "evil animal" is hiding.  "What lies behind door number One? " is how I addressed it.




Step #3:  empty closet


Step #4: closet empty--clothes piled on bed

What evil lies behind the white panel or door number two?



Hello Mr. Lochinvar--you don't look too scary.
Installed 7/14/06--someone with OCD must have put that 
date on there.
Ya Think?

But wait---isn't that vent pipe suppose to be attached to the top of the heater?
To vent the gas fumes out through the roof?
YIKES!!!

Go to phone, call office, they will call their water heater/furnace/A/C guy.  He calls back--"I am up by Owosso, but I will try and get there this afternoon.  Just go ahead and drain the heater, but don't turn the gas back on until it is fixed."

Okay.  So--questions in my mind.  "How long has the vent been detached?"  "Why aren't I dead from the fumes?" "Carbon monoxide isn't good for you--right?"  GEEZ!!!

Step #5:  ignore problem and get back to work.  Acceptance--remember, if I can't put my own two hands around it and fix it--acceptance!!  (I did try and get it back aligned, didn't work!)

Step #6:  turn gas from ON to PILOT

Do not be afraid--it isn't going to explode--it is only an innocent looking knob (I hope)

Step #7:  connect hose to water heater drain plug


that brass thingie

 Make sure hose is lower then water heater level and draining on grass

Tie back door to adjacent closet door to keep cats inside
You can use knitting yarn, if that is all you have.
(That is all I had.)

Step #9:  turn off water inlet supply.
There is a lever behind that front pipe attached to 
the inlet hose


The lever will not move--go get WD-40 and a screwdriver
Spray with WD-40 and let set--while you go sit in your chair
and rest your back.

Fifteen minutes later, go back into evil cubby hole to see if water shut-off lever will move.  Nope!  Repeat spray with WD-40 and play game on Face Book .


11:30--lost on Candy Crush!  Go back into evil cubby hole and check again--YES!!  Hard to move, but it does--kind of. No water can come into the tank now.


Step #10:  turn on hot water tap in bathroom sink to prevent air bubble back-ups!



Step #11:  open drain plug with standard sized, screwdriver.  Quit shaking!  Hold flashlight with right, shaky hand and use left hand to screw open plug!  No leaks, YAY.


Step: 13:  undo yarn tied on back door to look out and see if water is running all right and if there is any calcium or lime coming out.  NO calcium or lime coming out.  Realize this was probably an un-needed project, but should be done every few years, so will continue!!  Re-do yarn tie-off.



While waiting for tank to drain, why not take down shower sprayer and inlet tube and soak in Lime-A-Way to clean it out too?

 Unscrew shower head and put in bathroom sink.
  

Unscrew pipe thingie.
Fill up sink with a bit of water and pour in Lime-A-Way
Be careful, it burns your hands.
How do I know this?  OUCH!!

Pour Lime-A-Way down tube and brace on mirror so it 
won't leak out.
Let set for a couple of hours.

Look out door to see if water is still coming from hose.  It is! Sit down in chair to rest back and calves.

Step #14:  when water quits coming out of hose, go back into cubby hole and turn on water inlet valve-  Let new water fill tank for a few minutes--this is to roil up the sediment.  Shut off water inlet valve and let water drain out of hose.

Step #15:  repeat step #14.

Step # 16.  12:45 p.m.  tighten up drain plug.  disconnect hose and keeping the end above your head, so no water will drain out on your carpeting/floor, take to back door and throw out on the lawn.  turn water inlet lever back to ON position and listen as the water rushes in to fill the tank--bathroom faucet starts running and spitting a bit of air out of it, splashing all over your newly shined vanity counter.  when air quits spitting water all over the place, turn off faucet and wipe up spatters with towel.


Step #17:  1:00, sit down, eat a salad, watch your soap!

2:15--men in truck arrive.  YAY!!  They inspect water heater vent.  They inspect roof.  Apparently when new roof was installed, vent got twisted--I TOLD THEM IT WAS FINE UNTIL MY NEW ROOF WAS PUT ON!!!

2:45--vent is straightened--at roof and in evil cubby hole and attached to the water heater.  Man says, "You are lucky.  With that panel closing off the heater, any gas fumes when up the hole in the roof anyway."  (Thank you God from whom ALL blessings flow!)

"What do I owe you?"

"Not a thing, Ma'am.  God bless you."

"He already has!"

I hand him one of my large sun catchers.

"My wife is going to love this!!! Have a great weekend, Ma'am."

"Thank you, guys.  I appreciate it so much."



Go back in evil cubby hole.  Check to see if vent has been properly fixed. Women living alone cannot take ANYONE'S word that things are done correctly.  You gotta see for yourself!!

It appears to have been properly fixed.

--now comes the true test of your faith, your wits and your hope-Stop shaking, bend over, reach down and.....turn gas inlet valve back to ON.  Wait for it.....hear flame come on and roar into life.  Didn't even jump in fright!!!

Step #18:  put panel back on evil cubby hole and tape instruction sheet on front.


Vacuum closet floor and replace clothes.

Put away tools!



You are still alive.  You aren't singed.  
YOU DID IT!!!!!

and it only took half a day, LOL.

"If I have to, I can do anything.  
I am strong!  I am invincible!

I AM WOMAN.

HEAR ME ROAR!!!
















10 comments:

  1. Oh my
    you are smart
    Proud of you...
    In no way could I do this
    See how good God is
    about no charge.
    We have blessings daily....
    Have a good evening.
    A good day for me.
    Visit to PC and am going on medication
    you shared about. Also wants me to take an anti-acid
    with it so it does not hurt my stomach.
    Continueing low prednisone
    Told this is such a low dose will do no harm
    and is helping.
    So on a while longer
    Have a good night...

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  2. Thank goodness we have an electric heater and it's in the basement. All we have to do is open it and let it go down the drain nearby.

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  3. Oh My!!!! This post had me on the edge of my chair. Hope you are feeling good tomorrow.....with few aches and pains. You deserve a day off.
    Sleep well tonight...Balisha

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  4. You are one brave and savvy woman! And so lucky/blessed!!!!!!

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  5. Goodness - you were lucky that the fumes were finding a safe way out. Have a great weekend. I hope that your back is ok after all this maintenance work! Jx

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  6. Whew, I was holding my breath through the whole process and so relieved the entire process went well......LOL That is quite a job. Congrats to you! Beautiful day here, finally. 5" of rain yesterday. Thanks for the sun.

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  7. I am so tired now!

    But, will bookmark this in case I ever have to do that.

    Judy, you truly are amazing!

    xoxo

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  8. Even though it is electric, I am so glad the water heater in our double wide in the country is located in a "closet" that is on the outside of the unit!!! I would HATE to have a gas water heater where yours is! Glad you managed to service it.

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  9. You are awesome, Judy. What a story. I'm so glad you found that vent. Thank goodness no harm was done to you. Great instructions... especially the resting your back part and watching your soap part. :)
    I think I could handle that part.

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  10. No explosion, your fumes were thankfully behind your wall and out the roof, and you had a beautiful day to have your door half open. The tri-fecta of do-it yourself projects. Go Judy!! Celebrate with a snickers bar!!

    ReplyDelete