New water heater - gas hookup
Hooking up the gas was the scary part of the project for me. I'd never done it before. But the new yellow pipe is flexible so the heater can be moved a little if needed. Also, the loop highly amused Joyce.
New water heater connection
My new water connections. Better than the old ones but I'd like to redo them already. For example, there shouldn't be a shut-off valve on the hot (left) side, I should have run flexible metal or braided pipe for the first foot or two instead of plastic, and a metal shut-off valve would be much more dependable.
New water heater
The new water heater, in place and ready to be fired up. It's 50 gallons instead of 40 to give them a little extra hot water for their showers.
Old water heater top - close-up
The tank was only four years old but the top was an indistinguishable mix of fiberglass, rust, sludge, and steel.
Old water heater top
For a long time (years?) water leaked out of the pipe and filled the fiberglass insulation on top of the tank like a sponge. The steel tank rusted away underneath.
Old water heater connections
The old water connections (set loosely in place for the picture). Most of the corrosion was actually cleaned off by this point. The cold water input (right-hand side) was the one that caused the trouble.
Old water heater
This is the old water heater, disconnected and ready to be hauled upstairs.
Heavy corrosion
In late Oct '06, their hot water heater started leaking heavily. The pipe in the foreground was the problem. For years there was a tiny leak above the valve. Most of the sediment has been brushed away in this photo.
Sealed stacks
The rubber cuff of the vent pipes was originally too big for the pipes and the sealant used hadn't held. Water was leaking in around the pipes and damaging the interior of the house. I slipped on large pipe clamps to hold the rubber tight and slathered them in more sealant to stop the leaks.
View from the roof
In June of '06, I did a little roof work for the Newbys. This is my typical view of a Newby project. I am in some strange place while the Newby's bemusedly look on. From left to right, it's Molly, Dale, and Joyce. Melvin is off digging in the garage.
New under-sink plumbing
Shut-off valves and flexible supply lines will make future work easier. The new side-tee drain pipe is simpler and follows newer code standards The small and simple tee for the dishwasher drain frees up a lot of space too.
Working sink!
After about four or five nights of work, the sink is working!
Working sink!
After about four or five nights of work, the sink is working!
Scratched basin
We just couldn't get a good seal with first baskets that we tried. I tightened them until I scratched the sink and they still leaked. I bought a less fancy pair and they worked flawlessly the first time. There's probably a lesson in that...![A flattering picture of me](_data/i/galleries/newbyprojects/IMG_3469-la.jpg "A flattering picture of me (1341 visits) Joyce tried to get a picture of my "plumber's crack" but had to settle with a shot of my t...")
A flattering picture of me
Joyce tried to get a picture of my "plumber's crack" but had to settle with a shot of my thinning hair.