so much for paying off that darn card!!

**maat55** · 02-15-2008, 12:27 PM

When you pay it off, build up that EF.

**irmanator** · 02-15-2008, 12:39 PM

thats what i was trying to do. lol at least it got me out of work early on a friday. (this is where i am trying to look at the bright side) today was so agravating. But thats another thread. everytime something gets paid off something breaks. I am working on it though

**maat55** · 02-15-2008, 12:48 PM

Just keep pluggin away at it, you'll get there.

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 02-15-2008, 01:40 PM

Gosh, that is an expensive water heater replacement.

I wonder if mine is put in to code. I think in these old neighborhoods workers will turn a blind eye to the out-of-code situations, though they are supposed to be brought up to code when new work is done. My WH doesn't have any angles even as severe as 90 degrees, so maybe it is okay. I do have a CO detector down there, anyway.

**Ima saver** · 02-15-2008, 01:42 PM

You can buy a water heater for under $200. Thank goodness my husband puts them in new houses all the time.

**maat55** · 02-15-2008, 01:50 PM

Depending on the complexity of the hook up, I would have done everything I could to do it myself. The heaters are not that expensive. I did my own on my last house for about 200 also. The poster needs to be a little more of a handyman to save lots of money.

**Ima saver** · 02-15-2008, 01:52 PM

Thank goodness, I married a handy man!

**maat55** · 02-15-2008, 02:36 PM

Irmanator,

There are many ways to save money, especially by doing a lot of your own maintnence. Look first to do your own repairs before you have it done. Oil changes, belts, plugs and wires, brake pads are all easy to do, not fun but doable.

I've fixed my cables and magnito on my lawn mower and saved alot of money. Do your own home repairs like plumbing, you should be able to replace a toilet if you have to. Install your own tile and countertops. You can learn to do just about anything for yourself. If the heating and air goes out, that's what EF's are for.

I could go on forever with ways to save money, but the point is, unless your a doctor ( Who would I be thinking of ) with loads of money and needs to protect your hands for surgery, doing these things yourself will save a fortune. If you don't understand it, learn it, before you pay way to much for it.

**irmanator** · 02-16-2008, 05:13 AM

I do a lot of repairs myself, however i choose not to mess with gas. (or electric) I have redone my whole bathroom. the issue is i didn't know the codes, the actual heater cost 309 + 220 for installation i had to get a 40 gal one which is probably on the small side for 5 ppl. but thats what would fit in my old basement with out doing a ton of remodeling. The tank was paid for then the installer got here thats when i found out about all the new duct work for exaust i would need. I watched him and asked 100 questions. however i had not had a hot shower in days and was not going to wait till monday. I also know alot of things were not exactly in code that he chose not to look at. because i asked and all he said was i don't see nothing be cause it is old code but still safe. House built in 1853.

**irmanator** · 02-16-2008, 05:16 AM

also i knew nothing about anything before i bought this house 2 years ago. last summer we took out EVERYTHING in the bathroom down to the studs. and redid the floor and put all the plumbing back. I had my brother to help and guide me but since i didn't have anyone to guide me on this one i had to pay.

**Joan.of.the.Arch** · 02-16-2008, 08:47 AM

A house built in 1853, how cool! Mine is only 98 years old, and was at least built with indoor plumbing from day one. I don't know whether it originally had hot water though.

What was the source of your floods in the past? Is it anything you can prevent, or is it out of your control? My WH is also slightly elevated, but basement floods concern me, too. I am just a few inches higher than my next door neighbor. She and the next neighbor down the line both have these overflow pumps (called "grinders"???) and tanks installed in their yards 2 years ago by the public sewer system. That is because the sewer system had failed in an essential way, multiple times ,causing them back ups of the main sewer into their basements! Ugggh! I live in fear of that happening to me, but hope that the special extensions of the system in their yards will now protect me as well.

**maat55** · 02-16-2008, 04:03 PM

I've always wanted to go to the east coast and see the old homes and heritage of early american buildings. 1853, wow. I'm a very frugal guy. Honestly, I would have put the water heater back the way it was. I would only change it to code if demanded at the sell. You sound like you are learning to be a handyman, you might need it with a house that old. Remember, gas and electric can be shut off at the source, don't be afraid of them.

**irmanator** · 02-17-2008, 02:08 PM

I couldn't and wouldnt put it the way it was because the exaust was slightly crooked and not sealed tight and was warned there was a possibility of carbon monoxide if not corrected. The main problem is the old 40 gal tank was short and fat and the only one i could buy now was tall and skinny leaving not enough room to exaust.

**irmanator** · 02-17-2008, 02:13 PM

What was the source of your floods in the past? Is it anything you can prevent, or is it out of your control? My WH is also slightly elevated, but basement floods concern me, too.----from joan of arch

there is a creek running thru my yard and 2 summers ago, when we got a lot of rain (upstate ny) after the south had Katrina my yard (which is on slightly lower ground than my house) was flooded bad and a lot of it got in the basement- this time the sump pump kept up but worked constantly -- don't know how it will be if it happens again

so much for paying off that darn card!!