Imploding water heater?

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Terry

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This is a critical safety Item and it would be wise to consider the services of a licensed plumber.
Watch this video... click here!

Got time to watch a video on exploding water heaters?
If it were my home, and my family, I would disconnect the water heater and get it out of my home.

Just a little North of Kirkland. I like to use Rheem and Bradford White water heaters.

 
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Jimbo

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I thought the tops of water heaters were made concave....in other words dished in looking from the top. So it must have take some serious force to FURTHER dish it in to move the nipples like that. I have seen pictures of tanks which were over-pressured, and the nipples tilt outward.


I completely agree that the integrity of the top of that tank is seriously compromised, and should be taken out of service immediately.
 

NHmaster

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Umm, as I said in the first post, I'm not a plumber, just a guy with a lot of tools who is a little too fearless.

What is a T&P valve? I guess just asking that question means I'm in trouble.

Yet another shining example of the reasons why plumbing and gas fitting require experiance and a license
 

Cass

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I have one of these tanks in my garage and will take pics of it as I strip away the sheet metal and expose the tank so we can see exactly what happened...
 

MACPLUMB

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Water heater pressure bulge

Repeat the glass ling is the least of your problems ! ! !

Poisoning your family with carbon monoxide is the most important thing that should be on your mind right now,

your bottom head of the tank has reversed onto the burner
look at the top of the vent where it go's out the top see that
the flue has dropped down into the top of jacket,
the only reason this is not more noticeable is because of the ridgid copper pipe other wise his nipples would point at each other like a tepee
i will look on water heater mfg's websites to see if i can copy and paste a picture of what i am try to tell you ! !
 

Kingsotall

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Yup!

It's just passing through without even being processed!

DPRA3.jpg

lol @ pic!
I see now why nhmaster made this quote:
On a further note. When it comes to advice about gas piping or gas appliances or for that matter gas anything, I'm done. I'm not going to have anything to do with gas related questions anymore either helpfull or not helpfull or even wize cracks. It has become a painfully obvious that there are too many that are willing to take on a task that could very well injure or kill themselves or their families, with no regard given to the professional who's advice they seek. I have no idea what your abilities or qualifications are and frankly even if you post them I would still be skeptical unless you were able to post a copy of your license. Therefore in my mind it is not ethical for me to either give advice or make criticism of your project in one way or another.
 

Dunbar Plumbing

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I'm going to use this thread as a reference for future use in regards to showing how something simple as a homeowner replacing water lines can lead to impending disaster in such a short period of time.


Just because Bob Vila does it doesn't mean you can.



"Oh but I can't afford a plumber"
"Oh, we're on a budget"
"Well we just bought a bass boat, sorry, I'll do it myself"
"Well, I'll have to get back to you after I talk to my wife"
"If I supply the material, how much will it cost?"
 

Ladiesman271

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What I'm asking is if there was anytime when the water heater was in effect a closed container while it was cooling. If you were to take a 1 gallon tin and heat it in a pan of boiling water then screw on the cover and take it off the heat it would collapse....



It would not collapse if you use a vacuum relief valve on the cover. That water heater has one installed on it, but is it any good?

I wonder how old that heater is anyhow? Even to my DIYers eyes that water heater is now toast!
 

Redwood

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It really is a moot point whether it was vacuum or, pressure...
The water heater is scrap!
 

tankman 2

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For what it is worth, the expansion tank pictured looks to be one designed for a hydronic system. Not sure if it is connected to the water heater or not. If it is a hudronic tank it will not last long on a potable water system like this one.
btw
I agree. Change the water heater and have a professional do it!
 

NHmaster

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The expansion tank in the picture is connected to the boiler, not the water heater.
 

hj

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heater

Definitely. The glass liner is not flexible so any movement of the metal would crack it. But since even a new heater might not have a perfect glass lining, that is why heaters have anode rods. One thing not mentioned in all the posting, unless I missed it while scanning them, is that it is almost impossible to create a destructive negative presssure with the heater in the basement, and even if it were possible, you have a vacuum relief valve to prevent it.
 

Jimbo

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This doesn't end the debate, but is interesting. It shows that the bottom of a water heater is concave ( dished inward ) but the top is convex ( domed upward ):

 
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Scuba_Dave

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I wasn't aware an expansion tank was needed on a WH?
My last house had gas WH & it didn't have one. But that doesn't really mean anything as I found a lot of problems with my old house. I have seen them on boilers, but never one on a WH connection. New house was an oil fired WH & was replaced with an electric model when the oil fired started leaking & the bottom let loose. I know a new pressure relief valve was installed, as the old one was leaking

I saw the exploding Wh video on another site maybe 2 months ago
I was unaware that something like that could happen
 
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