damselindistress3
New Member
Hello,
Three weeks ago I purchased an (expensive) Bradford White 40-gallon water heater and had it installed by a professional plumber. Today I discovered that it was leaking. There was a large puddle under the heater (it is on a stand) which had seeped under the wall into the carpeting of the neighboring room. The leak was found to be coming from the pipe at the top (which wasn't tight enough). The water entered the heater a drop at a time, eventually exiting out of the bottom of the heater. Today, the plumber repaired the connection with metal pipes/connectors (instead of the PVC which the original guy had used) and it looks much better. I currently have 3 fans and a dehumidifier drying out the carpeting (which the plumber is paying for) and my question is this: should I insist on getting a replacement unit since this one was brand new and might be water damaged? I am worried that because there was a significant amount of leaked water the insulation inside is ruined/wet and that rust or mold could be an issue. The plumber told me that it would dry out quickly because of being near the heat source and that I don't need to worry. Is he right? I worry that there might not be enough air flow to dry it well... or that maybe the insulation is now damaged and less efficient. Or that my 10-year warranty will be invalidated due to their carelessness. I paid so much for the "peace of mind" of a new water heater, and am worried that this problem will shorten its life. Thanks for any advice you can give me!!
Three weeks ago I purchased an (expensive) Bradford White 40-gallon water heater and had it installed by a professional plumber. Today I discovered that it was leaking. There was a large puddle under the heater (it is on a stand) which had seeped under the wall into the carpeting of the neighboring room. The leak was found to be coming from the pipe at the top (which wasn't tight enough). The water entered the heater a drop at a time, eventually exiting out of the bottom of the heater. Today, the plumber repaired the connection with metal pipes/connectors (instead of the PVC which the original guy had used) and it looks much better. I currently have 3 fans and a dehumidifier drying out the carpeting (which the plumber is paying for) and my question is this: should I insist on getting a replacement unit since this one was brand new and might be water damaged? I am worried that because there was a significant amount of leaked water the insulation inside is ruined/wet and that rust or mold could be an issue. The plumber told me that it would dry out quickly because of being near the heat source and that I don't need to worry. Is he right? I worry that there might not be enough air flow to dry it well... or that maybe the insulation is now damaged and less efficient. Or that my 10-year warranty will be invalidated due to their carelessness. I paid so much for the "peace of mind" of a new water heater, and am worried that this problem will shorten its life. Thanks for any advice you can give me!!