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wrestling with the water heater

May 17th, 2011 at 04:01 am

Late last night the conversation went like this -

Me: we have got to figure out what is kitty's problem. I think she's been peeing, but it doesn't smell.

DH (feeling the carpet): Wow, kitty has quite a bladder. Wet here, here, here.

We open the swinging doors where the washer and dryer are - the floor is sopping wet, so much so that it was overflowing into the carpet pad and the carpet above it.

Turns out it was even worse than that - the water heater leaked catastrophically. From the bottom. We used every towel we had, turned the heater off and shut down the water. Still, there was plenty of water everywhere this morning.

The one good time to be a renter.

The RE management company called in the water heater guys and the carpet guy. I got home this evening with an industrial dryer running on the carpet, and the water heater replaced. Apparently water heaters last about ten years, we've been renting this spot for eleven. I would love to get new carpeting because of this, but that will be unlikely - no doubt because of the kitty, but also because its easier to change the carpet between tenants.

5 Responses to “wrestling with the water heater”

  1. Mozaik Says:
    1305612680

    Water heaters can hold 40-60 gallons of water. Check the walls at floor board to make certain there has been no water damage. Perhaps spray with a bleach mixture to ensure mold will not grow. Both carept and underpad must be totally dry as mold can set on underpad, un-noticed.

  2. creditcardfree Says:
    1305633185

    Ah yes, it does sound like a good time to be a renter!

  3. My English Castle Says:
    1305659080

    ugh.
    We have a 15-year-old water heater and are becoming increasingly nervous.
    We might do a preemptive replacement.
    I think you need new carpet!

  4. baselle Says:
    1305659641

    Thanks for the tips Mozaik, especially the wall/floor board one. We have the carpet/carpet pad drying as we speak. I think we will have to take out the wood pocket doors and put them in the sun ... sun for the next couple of days, again lucky timing there also.

    My English Castle - if the water heater's in the basement (every Wisconsin house that I've been in had it that way), could always set up a smallish ring of sandbags around it. If there's a drain nearby, incorporate the ring in there. Good luck to you!

  5. HouseHopeful Says:
    1305828334

    Glad your landlord handled things so quickly!

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