We had to get a new water heater (or hot water heater, to cover everybody’s preferential term). We bought it at Home Depot, which uses an independent plumbing contractor to install their units.

So, the installers came this past Wednesday morning. We knew that new fittings and some items to bring us up to current city code would be necessary, because our old water heater was 24 years old. But they gouged us on the additional parts and labor. The itemized prices on the bill were appalling. I was at work, and they had us over a barrel, so I had to give them approval to do the work or be without hot water.

Fast forward to yesterday (Saturday). I used the master bath shower for the first time since Tuesday, the day before the water heater was installed. I take fairly long showers, and after about five minutes, I happened to look out at the bathroom floor and saw something was very wrong—-there was a half inch of water on it. I looked down at my feet and the water was up to my ankles. The shower that had been draining just fine on Tuesday was not draining at all.

The only plausible explanation was something had been done by the water heater installers. But what?

I knew that the installers had needed to attach a long hose to the 24-year-old unit up in the attic and run it down and then out the front door to drain it. But how did that create the flooding problem?

Thank God for my Arlo camera system.

I went back to Wednesday and checked the video footage from the camera that overlooks the front door. It turns out that instead of running the hose all the way out to the storm drain at the curb, the lazy bastards only pulled the hose out to the edge of the front porch and into the cleanout opening—-which happens to be only a few feet from the PVC pipe directly connected to the master bathroom. Apparently, the slow drip of water and 24-year accumulation of sediment simply barricaded anything coming from the shower.

Called the installer company. Called Home Depot. This means war.

The water was up to your ankles in the shower but you didn't notice it until you looked out at the bathroom floor and saw water?

Everyone should have to witness what comes out of a water heater while draining. Sometime you have to remove the spigot to get all the big chunks out.

Um.

When I've dealt with changing a water heater, including my own, the hose just goes outside the house. Not into a storm drain, certainly not into a cleanout or any other part of the plumbing.

I've seen some nasty water come out of water heaters, but enough sediment to clog plumbing? No, but that's also why you wouldn't drain it into the plumbing of a home.

Something happened, and I'm curious whether the people you hired are actually plumbers.

Weird man. Weird.

Also, 24 year old unit? Great that it lasted that long, but for a unit in an attic rather than a basement... talk about gambling.

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Originally posted by straightshooter01:
The water was up to your ankles in the shower but you didn't notice it until you looked out at the bathroom floor and saw water?

That's what I was kind of wondering. I expect I'd have noticed it before it got over my toes.

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Originally posted by arcwelder76:
Also, 24 year old unit? Great that it lasted that long, but for a unit in an attic rather than a basement... talk about gambling.

Indeed.

When we were preparing to go on a week's vacation a couple years ago I insisted the water heater be replaced well before we went. It was fifteen years old. I wasn't gambling.

Going to be tough to prove, considering it drained thru a garden hose but clogged up a 4 inch main drain line.

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Originally posted by ensigmatic:
When we were preparing to go on a week's vacation a couple years ago I insisted the water heater be replaced well before we went. It was fifteen years old. I wasn't gambling.

I learned my lesson on that. Nowadays when I go out of town for more than a day I cut the power to the water pump.

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Originally posted by Gustofer:

quote:

Originally posted by ensigmatic:
When we were preparing to go on a week's vacation a couple years ago I insisted the water heater be replaced well before we went. It was fifteen years old. I wasn't gambling.

I learned my lesson on that. Nowadays when I go out of town for more than a day I cut the power to the water pump.

We have cats. And somebody that comes in to feed them, scoop the litter boxes, etc. So cannot do that.

What I am considering doing is installing ball valves to cut off water to everything but the water heater, and kitchen and laundry room sinks.

quote:

Originally posted by straightshooter01:
The water was up to your ankles in the shower but you didn't notice it until you looked out at the bathroom floor and saw water?

To avoid lower back problems, I shoot the shower spray directly on the lower half of my back for five minutes. I just sort of stand there, close my eyes, and relax.

quote:

Originally posted by arcwelder76:
Um.

When I've dealt with changing a water heater, including my own, the hose just goes outside the house. Not into a storm drain, certainly not into a cleanout or any other part of the plumbing.

I've seen some nasty water come out of water heaters, but enough sediment to clog plumbing? No, but that's also why you wouldn't drain it into the plumbing of a home.

Something happened, and I'm curious whether the people you hired are actually plumbers.

Weird man. Weird.

Also, 24 year old unit? Great that it lasted that long, but for a unit in an attic rather than a basement... talk about gambling.

The house is a two-story custom home from 1960 and it would have required some remodeling to move the water heater downstairs. The city okayed the way we replaced the original unit the year after we moved in.

As far as the guys who replaced the water heater actually being plumbers, I'm checking into that on Monday.

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Originally posted by XLT:
Going to be tough to prove, considering it drained thru a garden hose but clogged up a 4 inch main drain line.

Maybe, but there's no other explanation for the shower draining perfectly on Tuesday and not draining at all on Saturday, with the shower not being used at all in between.

I'd guess is they dropped something into the line that subsequently spent all week collecting toilet paper. You'll probably have to get the line scoped to see what's going on.

Anybody flush a box of tampons?

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Originally posted by snoris:
We had to get a new water heater (or hot water heater, to cover everybody’s preferential term). We bought it at Home Depot, which uses an independent plumbing contractor to install their units.

...But they gouged us on the additional parts and labor. The itemized prices on the bill were appalling. I was at work, and they had us over a barrel, so I had to give them approval to do the work or be without hot water.

Home Depot tried to do that to me a couple of years ago when I knew it was coming time to change out my cold water heater. They sent out some guy to give me an estimate. I knew the price of the heater was about $600 so estimating labor and other materials and whatnot, I had an idea in my head what it might cost. The guy quoted me over $1,600. I laughed out loud and literally told the guy to "take a hike." He said hey man, don't shoot the messenger. I said no offense but we're done here.

I then proceeded to put off changing the heater for another few months while I got busy and went back out to sea. I figured I'd find the time and just change it out myself. Of course the thing failed while I was away leaving the wife without a hot shower. I proceeded at that point to contact Home Advisor from the ship who hooked me up with a local installer who over the phone quoted me $800. SOLD! He was at my home and was finished in 2 hours. Took away the old heater and everything. My wife paid him cash. Screw Home Depot. My wife was without hot water for three hours. $1,600 my ass.

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Called the installer company. Called Home Depot. This means war.

I'll be surprised if you win that battle.

I will not allow Home Depot to install water heaters because they seem to use the lowest bidder for these jobs. I found out later the installation of the water heaters was not up to code. In fact the installation services by both big box retailers leave much to be desired.

I will pay more to have a licensed contractor of my choosing to do the work.

Last time I had to replace my hot water heater, the so called plumber plumbed it backwards. Had another contractor come in shortly to repair the damage from the old water heater and he barely put one foot into the room before he said “your water heater is plumbed backwards”. No wonder I was only getting lukewarm water and had the temperature control set to high. After the contractor fixed it by plumbing it correctly, I had to go and turn the temp down a little.

I can't specifically address Home Depot's practices, but many of the Big Box stores source their installation/service labor from several web-based platforms. They'll post an opportunity, usually with a perilously low price. Registered users can then either accept or, in many cases, counter-offer. The Big Box (or usually a third-party that contracts to source labor for the Big Box) then usually selects the lowest bid.

I do low-voltage and network support work. I've seen many jobs in this field being offered at $20-25/hr. As a 1099 contractor, I know this isn't going to work, yet there are a lot of unqualified contractors going after it. Many do not have (nor do some of the companies require) proof of insurance coverage. Hell, a lot of them don't even have the right tools!

There are a couple of companies that I've developed a relationship with for whom I will work--they know my rates, know my abilities, and have certificates of insurance from me. We get along well. Many others have gone on the "Ignore" list, so I don't even see what kind of garbage they're pedaling. Most of my national/Big Box work comes from several companies with whom I've had direct (no web sites involved) relationships for almost 20 years.

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I will not allow Home Depot to install water heaters because they seem to use the lowest bidder for these jobs.

That would have been my expectation, which is why I would never consider any big-box store for such a thing.

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I will pay more to have a licensed contractor of my choosing to do the work.

This ^^^^^.

If I'm not going to do it myself, I want it done be the least-careless, least-incompetent crew my money can buy. Most times that means a crew from a local company with a good reputation they wish to retain.

We took low bidders on contracting jobs twice. Never again.

quote:

there are a lot of unqualified contractors going after it. Many do not have (nor do some of the companies require) proof of insurance coverage. Hell, a lot of them don't even have the right tools!

This is prevalent among many of the big box stores that sell safes. You get a great deal on delivery, and yet you may also get an uninsured felon that knows where your safe is.

I don't put too much stock in "Licensed" contractor.

In some cases that simply means they paid a fee for the right to contract for work and the ability to pull permits. At one time, I could get a General Contractors license from the state, good for jobs up to $100,000, for a $10 yearly fee.

When I changed out my water heater the crew went to install the drain hose. The old drain went into an interior wall, then went, who knows.we walked the outside of the house and found no outlet. We then plumbed drain another way.
I have no idea where the old drain was supposed to go. I’m just glad it wasn’t used.