Terence McCann

Recommending replacement of a 15 year old water heater is just common sense and has nothing to do with "code". Also I do not tell a client that there is a "Federally Mandated Efficiency Rating" and they should replace their hot water tank based on that... sheeze. [:-irked]

A horse walks into a bar and the bartender says "why the long face?" I know, bad Terry - no banana.

Yes. - Jim Katen, Oregon (Particularly if they've gotten into the Blatz.) Blatz! It's even fun to say. Ranks right up there with Schlitz.

9 bucks and 3 minutes is music to the ears.

It was definitely good for me - and on a Friday, no less, with the weekend ahead to ponder some tacking over a extra dirty martini... Shaken, not stirred 007.

I can see Aunt Betty going for a second Turkey leg, catching a toe, falling and cracking her upper plate. A Thanksgiving to remember.

John, do you have a link for an online manual - more to the point a wiring diagram?

I doubt that a setup like that would ever be considered "grandfathered" or safe. Just state the condition and why it is a problem. Trip hazard, someone could bang into it with a sweeper and I'm sure small children would be fascinated by it. There are a dozen reasons why it's wrong. I think it was J.K. that discussed why citing code isn't necessary. He said something along the lines of "electrical hazards aren't concerned with code" (I'm pretty sure I butchered what was a very good summarization, sorry Jim).

You can only check superheat & sub-cooling while looking at pressures with a set of gauges. Taking the blower door off is only a quick test to see what the supply air does. Sounds like you're short on gas and have a lack of r/a. I ordered a new ductulator but it won't be here for a week or so. Size/fix the r/a first and then tackle the a/c side of things. Don't go williy nilly with the return air i.e. bust out a wall - crap in crap out. It needs to be designed for a .05-.06 static drop. Use a duct velocity of 800 fpm for the main return and 600 fpm for the r/a branch ducts (from Carrier air distribution manual). If they hosed the r/a is the s/a OK?

Nope-at 30 over on a 100 degree day you're looking at 297# with 22. 225# is what you might typically see on a 85 degree day.

Yes, a lack of return air can throw off reading but if he had checked superheat, found that is was 30 degrees with a lack of return air then you are short on gas too. You're typically looking for 12 degrees superheat (or there abouts).

If it's your friend tell him to check superheat and sub-cooling. If you hired this guy fire him and get another tech. What’s the return air temp? Take the blower door off first. You can always cover up part of the blower compartment with the cover to get more r/a. I’d size the r/a for you but I still can’t find my friggin’ duculator. Going to order a replacement now. If Bain pops in he’ll get it. Use 0.05 static John. You don’t have enough information on the a/c side to make a proper determination. BTW, do you know what the term superheat is? If not: Superheat is defined as the difference between the temperature at which the refrigerant boils at the given pressure in the evaporator, and the temperature of the refrigerant gas as it leaves the evaporator. In essence, it's how much extra temperature the refrigerant picks up after it has boiled. http://contractingbusiness.com/resident ... imp_17963/

Another leaker. I'm starting to think they like to sell juice.

You have a lack of return air for sure. A lack of return air would cause a much colder discharge air close to the evap and it would obviously get warmer at the further reaches. Low air flow = low suction = low head but other problems would show up. You sure the evap isn't freezing? Can you see the suction line coming out of the evap? If so is it frozen? Did the tech take superheat - at the coil and at the condensing unit? You may have more than one problem here. Need head pressure, suction pressure, superheat and sub-cooling. If the unit isn't in a 140 degree attic try taking the blower door off and check temps.

Plastic degrading is not what I would call normal or acceptable for that matter.

The flashing is comical.

Speak for yourself. I was up at the BX at the Navy Support Center last week and saw a Samsung 3D TV on sale. Checked it out and thought, "What's the big deal? Why should this be so expensive?" The wife, on the other hand, put on the glasses, watched it for 15 seconds and was begging me to buy one. I was like, "Ain't no way I'm going to pay such an outrageous price to purchase one of those, just to watch a limited range of programs and CD's when every set we have at home works just fine - especially when a year from now it will sell for half that price and two years from now a quarter of that price. Ain't gonna happen!" ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike Sooo.... did you cave yet Mike? []

Wow Ezra, 84.4 eh? That's really something. My highest was 18 on the west side of Cleveland. Are you using Sun Nuclear Ezra?

If it does, the owners are forewarned to be available for all of the shooting and asked to participate in the work to a certain degree; and in exchange for all of that they get the whole thing done gratis. Like I said, it's a guess. ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!! Mike I would doubt that it is done for free - perhaps a reduced fee maybe??

Si, Scott. And I've never used 11 - 13 years on a gas water heater. I'm thinking more like 15 - 20 years and more. They seem to do quite well. In my area a gas water heater will last on the average 8-10 years! Mostly due to the high amounts of minerals and the hard water we have. That's interesting. I always figured that it was maybe the higher heat with a gas water heater that somehow prevented condensation between the insulation and the tank or some such thing. Of course, I do understand that water heaters on well water in general need more routine maintenance and don't last as long. I assumed that gas water heaters, in general, across the country probably outlast electric ones, but apparently not. https://inspectorsjournal.com/forum/top ... IC_ID=3960 Water with high mineral content will leave a lot of deposits on the bottom of the tank. This adds a layer of insulation on the bottom of the tank. Now when you add heat from a burner on the bottom of the hot water tank there isn't sufficient water to carry the heat away and you end up burning out/cracking the bottom of the tank = leaks. Electric tanks outlast gas because of this. I use to see this a lot in boilers too especially when the circ pump is pumping into the boiler instead of pulling out. It would make the safety valve weep and cause a constant water make-up. Same thing would happen ending with a cracked heat exchanger.

Some areas are known for high concentrations. In my state Columbus and Avon Lake have high concentrations however high readings can show up anywhere. The only way to know for sure if a house has high readings is to test it - even if you're in a "low" area.

Thanks Mike - that will go into the bookmarks.

They'll freeze if you leave a hose full of water connected to them. No hose was connected to it when it froze Tom.

While on the topic the term frost-free makes me laugh. The home we built in '96 had frost-free bibs and I had one freeze and split. Now I tell people to shut them off in the winter and open it up outside.

Can you say "leaker?"