The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[dxmnkd316]

Do tankless have leak issues? I vaguely recall that being a problem. I know the upfront cost is significant. Any other issues?

[BassAle]

Do tankless have leak issues? I vaguely recall that being a problem. I know the upfront cost is significant. Any other issues?

I haven't had any issues. Ours is a combo unit that has on demand hot water as well as a boiler for a hydronic heating system.

[SJHovey]

Do tankless have leak issues? I vaguely recall that being a problem. I know the upfront cost is significant. Any other issues?

We haven't had any leak issues per se. Very early on there was a seal inside the box that I don't think was appropriately sealed or placed and as a result, there were some drips inside the box that ended up shutting off the machine. However, the plumber who installed it came back and that was quickly resolved.

There is an upfront expense that significantly exceeds a standard water heater. I believe we got a couple hundred credit on our utility bill through the local utility company for energy savings programs, or something. We are also saving money not heating water that's just sitting in a tank.

The only other thing is that they really recommend that you stay on top of keeping your water softener working and filled. Supposedly going an extended period without the water softener operating has a potential to cause build up inside the machine.

[Kepler]

Sorry, but what? They're still just insulated vessels, a mechanical relief valve, a flame, and a temperature element. I don't see how they could have advanced that much.

I was mostly joking about the "technology" part -- a water heater is a glorified Sterno.

However, the engineering of every element of the system has improved.

Look, alls I know is Dr. Mrs. used to b-tch all the time, the thing broke, we replaced it, and now she doesn't* b-tch any more.

* About that.

[Jimjamesak]

You're gonna be so happy.

Water heater technology has advanced faster than quad cores.

Quad cores like CPUs?

[walrus]

if you have electric hot water, look into a heat pump hot water heater, pay for itself in 2 or 3 years.

[state of hockey]

Rats. The carpet feels completely dry, but it stinks a bit. I was hoping we'd avoided peeling it back and replacing pad. Anything else I can try first?

[burd]

Rats. The carpet feels completely dry, but it stinks a bit. I was hoping we'd avoided peeling it back and replacing pad. Anything else I can try first?

What any man would do: sprinkle Old Spice on it.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

Anyone else go with the tankless water heater? My wife and I needed a new water heater in 2008 and decided to go tankless. Besides the nice feature of just having a small metal box on the basement wall instead of a forty gallon drum on the floor, it's really nice with a house full of guests.

I've put one in each of the last two houses I've owned and will purchase a third when the one in my new place goes. I really like them.

[The Sicatoka]

Rats. The carpet feels completely dry, but it stinks a bit. I was hoping we'd avoided peeling it back and replacing pad. Anything else I can try first?

More air. (Carpet was dry but I bet it was still wet under pad.)

[dxmnkd316]

If you have a dehumidifier, run it until you stop pulling water out.

We keep ours on continuously in the laundry room/furnace room.

Edit: Unfortunately, once the stank is there, it probably won't go away. :-( You could try deep cleaning it, but likely nothing you can do.

[The Sicatoka]

Bought the Maytag Neptune washer and drying cabinet combo when I built the house. I set up the laundry room for the drying cabinet with it in the corner. (It's the size of a refrigerator.) Roll forward 15 years and Maytag is since bought out by Whirlpool and they don't make spare (controls board) parts. I really liked the versatility of that drying cabinet.

So now I don't have built in upper cabinetry above the new dryer, and I have two choices of a new washer/dryer pair*. Why? Because the room is set up washer on the right and only two brands have reversible doors: GE and Electrolux.

So meet my new GE washer/dryer combo with WiFi to comm about the laundry load (and to signal back to the NSA <-- that was for you Kep).

Why the < bleep > does a washer or dryer need WiFi.




*A friend had the same combo and their washer failed within a week of my dryer going out. I gave them my washer until their new pair came in. He's going to put the working pair in a rental unit (and store the dead pair for parts) after that.

[Kepler]

What any man would do: sprinkle Old Spice on it.

That's Phase 1. Phase 2 is you move an old chest or filing cabinet over it.

Men. We have a plan for that.

[Kepler]

Why the < bleep > does a washer or dryer need WiFi.

So you can run them over a VPN connection from work, of course.

Robot to move the loads sold separately.

[LynahFan]

So you can run them over a VPN connection from work, of course.

Robot to move the loads sold separately.

The voice-activated delta faucet commercials are the worst. "Faucet, fill the dog dish." So you carried the dish over to the sink and positioned it precisely under the faucet, but you're somehow too lazy to twist a knob to control the flow of water? Ridiculous.