My water heater died on a Tuesday and I almost called a plumber

Last Tuesday around 6pm I heard this weird rumbling from the basement. Turns out the 15 year old water heater finally gave up. I was about to drop $1200 on a plumber install but my neighbor came over and said try draining it first. I did that and the bottom element was totally corroded. $38 for a new element at Menards and some YouTube videos later it fired right back up. Anyone else ever fix something simple before calling a pro and saving a bundle?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_richard1mo ago

Yeah "I was about to drop $1200" got me. Are you serious? For a water heater swap? I had a similar thing happen with my washing machine last year, sounded like a freight train spinning up. Out of pure cheapness I took the back panel off and found a sock wedged between the drum and the housing. Pulled it out with a coat hanger and it runs better than ever. The internet makes us think everything needs a pro but half the time it's just a dumb problem. That Menards run probably felt like a victory lap compared to handing over a grand.

abbyk101mo ago

also that's just a water heater, not exactly rocket science lol