The Space Cadet (emerging from the bathroom): The water's not very hot in the shower.
Me (testing the water at the kitchen sink): Hmm... you're right. Check the water heater.
- Water tank was checked.... yup, making all the right noises.
- Water heater outside exhaust was checked.... uhoh, stone cold! Water heater is kaput!
- The result: Lukewarm shower for me!
THURSDAY:
Gas Company Serviceman: Yes, we will be happy to replace your rental gas fired water heater, but there must be 3' space between the water tank and the electrical panel, and you don't have enough room, so you'll have to build a wall before the installers come tomorrow.
The Space Cadet: groan.
THURSDAY EVENING:
The Space Cadet builds the required wall.
FRIDAY:
Water Tank Man: I can remove the old water heater, but I don't have enough room to install the new one.
The Space Cadet: Why not?
Water Tank Man: This wall's in the way.
The Space Cadet: Ahah! I knew you would say that so I made the wall removable.
Water Tank Man: Why did you build the wall?
The Space Cadet: Gas Company Serviceman said there must be 3' between the water heater and the electrical panel.
Water Tank Man: Hmmm.... looks like there's tons of room.... you definitely don't need a wall.
The Space Cadet rolls his eyes heavenward and removes the wall.
Water Tank Man and his helper turn off the water, drain and remove the old tank, only to discover a big hole in the concrete floor where the old tank stood. Believe me, nothing is a surprise in a 110 year old house.
Water Tank Man: You'll have to fill that hole up before we can install the new tank.
The Space Cadet: I'll mix some concrete.
The Space Cadet goes to the workshop, gets the concrete ready to mix.... but no water available.... Water Tank Man has turned it off! TSC throws the dry concrete mix into the hole keeping his fingers crossed that any dampness in the ground will turn it into concrete, puts a board on top, and the new water heater is installed on the board.
The removable wall is returned to the workshop in pieces.
Within an hour we have hot water again! Oh YESSSSS... a hot shower...what a luxury!
What a relief to have hot water again, my biggest fear that something goes wrong with our water heater at at the motel. So far so good, 14 yrs and have never run out of hot water.
ReplyDeleteFunny saga of the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
ReplyDeleteLuke warm showers just don't cut it.
Really nice and amusing story!!! ... and with a happy end!
ReplyDeleteReally curious to see what you will do about the X, Y, Z. Not the easiest letters of the alphabet!
Gosh what fun you folks have! Sounds like the sort of thing that would happen to us!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of faffing about to get a new tank! I'm glad it's in now. Long may it live.
ReplyDeleteWhat does this say about men, I wonder??
ReplyDeleteI totally understand the sheer hell of not having HOT WATER in the morning.
ReplyDeleteGlad you hear you have hot water again.
We do tend to forget how dependant we are on technology, no matter how wierd the circumstances can get. Hot showers are great! ;)
ReplyDeleteHi, you were commenting on the sculpture in my last post. It was taken at the Hilton Times Square. All of the art pieces are rounded little figures with very minimal facial features. For some reason I forgot to get the artists name and I can't find any information on him now. The front of the hotel has a huge clock with these little characters around the outside edge. They are almost cartoonish.
ReplyDeleteMy husband said why did you crop the picture so tight you can't tell what it is. My answer was and is ,.. Because...I like it that way and it says what I want it too. I guess its artists perogative...
Sue
Amazing. Sounds like you have had some fun.
ReplyDeleteI actually came to thank you for visiting my blog. So thank you very much.
By the way, you can go to Lowes or some other big box stores and buy a little device that sets on the floor under the water heater and should it ever drip it will contact the feet of this thing and the thing will make a loud sound to alert you the water heater is leaking. It saves a lot of grief.
Brookville Daily Photo
Murphy's Law and figures!!!
ReplyDeleteSomeone was risking a poke in the nose with all that confusion, I imagine. But it was fun to read, even if it wasn't fun to go through it while wanting a nice hot shower.
ReplyDeleteSpace Cadet is a saint, and a clever one at that! Glad the story turned so well - at some stage I thought you were in for weeks without hot shower!
ReplyDeleteI was waiting for them to quote you a price for the removal and disposal of the old one..!
ReplyDeleteThey used to charge for that until recently as you were not allowed to just 'discard' them. I think they have a department that is there just to devise rules and regs to make things unnecessarily difficult..!
I'm glad it all came together and you got the work done..!
couldn't help laughing - sorry, it prob. wasn't funny at the time!
ReplyDeleteglad its sorted tho.
i couldn't do without the shower for long.
I can't believe he built a removable wall!!! The space Cadet sounds handy - I'm just starting to realise he's your husband, isn't he!!
ReplyDeleteI loved the post about the wonders of Canada - I am still reading but have little time to comment..
Now there's a real man. Hats off to the Space Cadet.
ReplyDeleteWow! That sounds like a fun experience (NOT!) What perseverance Space Cadet has!
ReplyDeleteREPLY ALL:
ReplyDeleteOh yes, it's divine to have hot water as soon as I turn on the tap. One of the best inventions ever, in my opinion. When I was a child in UK, all our water was heated by a coal fired Rayburn so even on the hottest days, the fire had to be kept going for cooking and hot water, and we had to plan ahead for anyone to have enough hot water for a bath. Thats probably why I really appreciate the ability to turn on a tap and have HOT water come out immediately!
As I think I mentioned in a previous post, The Space Cadet can fix just about ANYTHING!
heehee! that's a great story. Love how you retold it. So glad that it all worked out.
ReplyDeleteUn-frickin-believable! (Did I say that?)
ReplyDelete