Hot Water Heater Question

[High Plains]

Embarrassed to have to ask this question, but a guy doesn't really think about a hot water heater until it is giving some trouble. The heater in my house is quite old and it has started to seep a little water onto the floor, so I figure the tank has finally rusted out and I need a new unit. I have read that there can be some condensation that drips but this unit has been leaking every day a little at a time. This old hot water heater has three legs on it that are maybe four inches tall, they are built into the unit. So, do the new models of hot water heaters come with legs on them? Seems to me that they probably do not. If not, does a person need to build a short stand to put the heater on or is the bottom of the can/barrel just supposed to sit flat on the floor?

HP

[Big Muddy rancher]

Alot of them sit on the floor but building a small stand will help keep the bottom from rusting and it's easier to get at them if you want or need to drain it or clean the rust sediment out of it.

Good Luck.

[High Plains]

Thanks, BMR. That's kind of what I was thinking. Now, if I just had a welder and a cutoff saw...

HP

[allen57]

Built a small platform for the one I changed out a few years ago. Was either that or extend a flue since it is a gas heater. The platform was easier.

[High Plains]

Understand about the flue fit issues. My old heater is 40 gallons and 46 inches tall. A new 50 gallon heater will be 58 inches tall, at least that seems to be the standard. Flue is 61 inches at the bottom of the pipe where it goes into the wall, so that might be a bit too low if I do something to create a short stand to put the unit on. Nothing is straightforward for me, it seems.

HP

[mrj]

We used a heavy plastic (or similar material) feed pay a few inchs high, maybe close to a foot. Cut (with jig saw, I believe) arches to make three 'legs' on it for a stand. That was because of rusting problems on a damp basement (concrete) floor. Worked great for years.

Now have a larger, plastic housing electric heater, but want to raise it to make the sedimentation removal faster, not to mention turning the dang faucet on won't result in scratches on hands if there is more space!

Good luck with whatever works for you.

mrj

[Big Muddy rancher]

[High Plains]

Genius ideas Here I was locked on to the idea of a fancy angle-iron frame when I should have been thinking about alternatives. Ha! Thanks.

[Big Muddy rancher]

[jingo2]

sometimes within the box w the heater....there is a tough styrofoam base included....

[jodywy]

alot in my area have replace tank water heaters with tankless, the gas work best, the electric one you need to brace the meter pole

[High Plains]

The darn old heater isn't really leaking very much, maybe just a quarter of a cup of water or even less on a daily basis. I'm back to wondering if it isn't condensation. The basement sure isn't what I'd call hot or warm, so condensation still doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Just came across this little phenomenon a week ago. Wish I had never read the idea that condensation is somewhat "normal". Now I'm scratching my head and not wanting to drop the cash on a new unit without further evidence of leaking. I'd hate to go down there and find that it really busted loose and the basement is flooded!! I hate these maybeso situations.

I like the idea of those tankless heaters, but they are sure spendy and a whole different configuration is required. Kind of a project and a lot of time to recover the up-front costs. Probably not the route that I'll take if the silly thing actually does need replaced. On that latter point, I wonder how a person truly would know if it's a leak?? Waiting to find out the hard way seems a little like asking for trouble. Don't know what model year the old one is, but it's sure old enough.

HP