water heater

[gingerandtabby]

A little over a year ago I bought a Rinnai electric water heater to replace a "faulty" one (Around 6,000B each) which now does not work.  Now the electrician says he cannot remove the existing heater because there is no way to stop the water flow - no, I did not think of having a turn off to the heater (I am not the architect). So now I need a plumber to install a turn off so I can get the electrician back to remove the heater so I can get the heater fixed.  My logic tells me there is something wrong with the electrical line. To top that off the bathroom fan stopped working a few weeks ago and the only way to get the fan fixed is to break the wall to get it out. My so-called "architect" figured that the fan would run eternally, I guess.

I should have thought about all this along with so many other things that the "architect" has messed up. Who is the idiot here!?

 

Can anyone make a recommendation  of some good workman/contractor to (1) get the water heater fixed (I have a tenant in that house now) 2. fix the fan without destroying the house, 3 replace my know-nothing "architect"?

[Bill97]

4 minutes ago, gingerandtabby said:

Now the electrician says he cannot remove the existing heater because there is no way to stop the water flow

And you bought that?  You may have a shut off  valve where the water enters the house and for sure there is one at the meter, if no meter at your pump or tank. But of course water systems vary but a residence with no possible way to shut off the water is very unlikely and quite foolish.

[jimmym40]

Can't you just turn off the "cold" water intake going to the water heater.    How do you turn the water on when you shower?    Have to be a valve to turn water on???

[gingerandtabby]

This not a water heater that goes on the wall next to the shower. It supplies hot water to the kitch and bathroom sinks as well as the bathtub. It is located under the bathroom sink. Yes I

[Dante99]

28 minutes ago, gingerandtabby said:

Yes I

Please do continue.

[jimmym40]

Ok, got it.     How about going to where your water meter is located.    There should be a shut off valve right there to turn the water on and off.    How else would the water meter be connected if there is no valve at the meter...

[gingerandtabby]

Yes, of course the water meter has a shut off, but that would mean that my tenant could have no water until I get another water heater (my third in 3 years) or get the water heater repaired. I feel there is something wrong with the electricity. possible?

[jimmym40]

Ok, understand your situation.    If you can (or get a guy that knows a little about plumbing.    Do a bypass of the water heater so you will still have water to the whole place and take the water heater to a repairman to see what's wrong and why it went wrong.   Or just buy a new water heater.  Have the electrics checked out by electrician prior to the install of a new heater.

 

Tenants won't be happy, but they are unhappy now without the hot water.

[Dante99]

31 minutes ago, gingerandtabby said:

Yes, of course the water meter has a shut off, but that would mean that my tenant could have no water until I get another water heater

No it does not mean that.

 

Shut off the water at the meter.

 

Remove the old water heater.

 

Install a stop valve where the water heater was connected.

 

Turn on the water at the meter.

 

That should be not more than an hour with the water off at the meter, a manageable inconvenience.

 

You may also need to plug the pipe that was connected to the heater output to eliminate any cold water backflow from valves connected to the hot line.  Or connect a flex line from the stop valve to the output pipe.

38 minutes ago, gingerandtabby said:

get another water heater (my third in 3 years) 

getting another similar water heater will probably fail within a year like the past ones.  You may have an electrical problem or your water heater may be too small to provide hot water to all the places you have connected it to thus it is failing due to excessive load.

[Dante99]

2 hours ago, Dante99 said:

Install a stop valve where the water heater was connected

you should have one anyway

 

You do not need to do a "bypass", hell no.

[jimmym40]

Dante 99, the by pass was/is for temporary.    You right.   Install a stop valve...

[gingerandtabby]

You were all very kind to help out. some of your suggestions I could not use and some very helpful. Thank you so much.