Just got charged $2400 for a new water heater.

[Catmom]

Point well taken.

I’m a retired old maid and I’m afraid that says it all right there.

Getting old ain’t cheap!

[SgtHooper]

WOW! Seems the only thing you can do is install a large particulate filter before the heater, and that’s it. We do that on our well system using a small particulate filter, which works fine. But we do not have the particulate sizes you do.

[KC Burke]

My problem was that I was in large construction. While not a plumber, pipe fitter, electrician or other specialty tradesman, I have seen it all done, have many of the tools and can follow the installation instructions. But I want to do it right and will re-do anything until it is all correct.

I did one water heater replacement in my 40s and was re-sweating copper pipe joints overhead until 2:00 am on a week night to get it right. I can do any of it in an emergency but I know what my limits are in my senior years.

[Tunehead54]

You water your plants with 125 degree water?

[neverevergiveup]

“Depends on what kind of water heater you had installed as well.”

Absolutely. Oil fueled hot water heaters are also expensive.

[LegendHasIt]

I replaced my own a year or so ago for under $500 for the water heater and two hours labor.

It doesn’t require a lot of skill. Just remember : Righty Tighty, Lefty Loosey, and use teflon tape on the pipe joints (yellow tape on the fuel line joints if you are doing a gas heater.)

[oldasrocks]

I feel sorry for anyone who can’t install a water heater themselves. I replace ours in about 1/2 hr myself. $329 at Lowes for 50 gallon electric unit.

[Keyhopper]

Last one I installed......
Cost of water heater and a case of beer
Total cost..$224

[buckalfa]

Plumbers can get away with extortion because a home owner is often facing a “water” service emergency. That and in certain areas of the country with strong construction activity, one is lucky to even find a plumber willing to do existing home repairs.

[Keyhopper]

Turn off the water supply valve before going on vacation

[bert]

The water is not that hot, it is ok

[LegendHasIt]

Mine took 2 hours because of the tight fit to get it out of the little cubby hole it was in and th 6 inch lip it had to be lifted over while tilting the top back. If I had someone to help pull it out, I'd have saved a lot of time wrestling.

And for people who live in totalitarian cities and states that require permits and inspections and union laborers to do minor repairs, if you can't move somewhere sane, I wish you all a Harrry Tuttle

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Sweating joints is easy. Proper cleaning (meticulously so), flux, a good torch, the right temperature and every joint is leak proof. Get a MAPP gas torch (even though today’s MAPP gas is not the same formulation as the original).

[Jacquerie]

There are few creatures lower than predatory tradesmen.

[VeniVidiVici]

Wakulla county, Florida. The contractor said, “Yeah, I know this guy is an asshole, but I’ve never seen him acting this badly.” I had to pay for additional inspections, as he kept finding things. (Three missing screws out of about 2000, for example.) But the best one was the bright lime green permit, which he found every time, was hanging in a bag by a nail. The wind had turned it over. He sited me for not properly displaying it and put the failure notice in the bag with the permit card. As Mark Twain said, “No power is exercised with more fervor than small power.”

Yeah, that all changed after the hurricanes in 2004/2005. So many "inspectors" were found to be not doing their job so now the pendulum has swung too far in the other direction.

[Hot Tabasco]

80 gallon tank

80 gallons? Where do you use it, in a car wash?

[Svartalfiar]

Eh. I’ve had a couple friends that had thankless. Sure, you never run out of hot water, but it’s never really hot either.

[SgtHooper]

I found this pdf which may provide some insight as to a solution for you. See the In-Lime or similar product.

https://www.hotwater.com/lit/training/4800r9.pdf

I found how to clear out the remaining bottom sludge. :-)

[Captain Peter Blood]

Water heaters are not that expensive and not hard to pout in. I did the same thing about two years ago for maybe $300 Buck, less I think.

[pepsi_junkie]

You need land to collect large "junk" items. Or a massive house. I live in NJ and to get either I'd have to move to the hinterlands. Like, the pine barrens. If you've never been there, notice that they are called "barrens", not gardens or fields or groves. Barrens. In the populated areas if you have anything unsightly outside (and unsightly would include a bunch of old water heaters) the cops will politely tell you to take care of it. So we buy stuff when we need it and get rid of large stuff we don't need anymore.

I envy you your ability to do what you want on your own property.