WATER HEATER WOES

Part of what we have needed at the farm, to make it truly livable, is a water heater.  When we closed, the inspector said it was well beyond its life. It was a 10 year water heater about 20 years old.  We tried not to use it very often, but I'm here to tell you, no regular hot water makes for cold showers, and very difficult cooking/cleaning.  With Winter here, and us not staying overnight at the farm, we figured we'd put it off till this year.  Well, it's here, and so last Friday we went to the local big box store and bought a water heater.  Our problem was the place it's in.  I found out from 2nd Family that the water heater that exited there was installed and then a cabinet built around it.  Great.  Just great.  

So with the plumber the past weekend doing our other projects (connecting the new utility sink in the mudroom among them), we had to just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.

Here is the end result.  As you can see above and below, sections of the cabinet had to be removed, doors, shelves, trim, etc.  Being an old farmhouse, it wasn't perfect to begin with but now there will be some repairs to be made, painting to be done, etc.  There was trouble getting the old one out, he had to beat it with a hammer to dent it in so it would come out of the built in closet with less (!) damage than already done.  To top it off, when he drained it, the water smelled horrible.  Glad we weren't using it.  

Going in with the new one was a bit easier.  It sort of worked to let gravity get it into place, just push it to the opening and then let it fall in (gently of course).  However, even with that, there were problems and it's STILL not working!  Because of the original hookup and the modifications necessary for the old one to work, the new one needed some special connections.  The plumber started installing it on Saturday, and almost finished it Sunday. He needs a couple of special parts and will coming be back out this coming weekend.  Should only take him an hour or so but until then, we don't have hot water.  That was the frustrating part of the weekend; he was a nice guy but seemed easily distracted and not focused.  He could have finished it, but he let time slip away, he left early on Sunday and said he'd get the part this week and bring it back on the weekend.  Really?  You can't just drive and get it?  Sigh.

We can see the finish line, or perhaps the light at the end of the tunnel

(just as long as it's not a freight train coming head on, LOL) and so we'll wait until it's done.  We've been patient thus far, no sense in ending that trend now.

Once we have hot water, the house comes alive again.  The shower is usable.  We can wash dishes.  And clean.  And cook.  Even something as simple as washing our hands after working outside in the yard will now be possible.