This official White House photograph shows Obummer retaking the oath of office from Chief Justice John Roberts January 21st, 2009 in the Map Room of the White House in Washington, DC. In the highly unusual move, Obummer retook the oath of office after Chief Justice Roberts led him into a stumble when he was originally sworn in to become the 44th US president a day earlier.
I am sorry Tammy —— I had really hoped this problem would be solved for you, Dave and family by now. I know how very frustrating it is to try to get warranty work done and / or to figure out why something that should be working — Isn’t!
#Memories You mentioned Whirlpool which reminded me about a similar tale I have about my first new refrigerator, which I can’t immediately recall the brand, but had warranty trouble. But I said I would tell my particular water heater tale and I will. Maybe tomorrow I will bore you all with the refrigerator saga.
So the story starts like yours did —— no hot water for the morning shower and that really sucks! At the time I was a young bachelor living in my first house in Pekin. I have no idea how old the water heater was, but it was old.
I fussed with the pilot light several times over the course of a few days. It would light very easily and it would stay lit —— for a while. It might go a few hours or only a few minutes but I couldn’t figure out what the deal was.
I talked to guys at work and the consensus was about 60 / 40 between change the thermocouple and get a new water heater. So I did what is the cheapest and easiest right?
I changed the thermocouple and life was good for a day. Then another cold shower morning the next day. That evening I light the blasted thing again and just as I was about to walk away from it I heard a hiss.
I threw myself to the floor to look in the little cutaway and the pilot was still burning. So what was the hiss sound? I pondered and I watched. I heard it again and it sounded like it was right in front of me but still no joy so I went to get the biggest flashlight I owned that had batteries that worked in it and I watched some more.
After at least a half-hour of laying on the damp concrete floor (which seemed like an eternity, but what the hay, what else had a young single guy to do?) I saw a drop of water land on the little aluminum cover thingy above the pilot light and heard the hiss as it evaporated from the hot metal. AHHAA!
This was not good and I could see that eventually one of those random drops could fall right down on the little fire and put it out. Sure enough about ten minutes later as I was pondering this I heard the hiss and this time the pilot light was out.
So something was leaking and I decided I could find the leak and fix it. The next day I came home from work with one of those extendable mirrors I had borrowed and I practically stood on my head trying to see above the pilot to see where the leak was. I finally found it clear up on one side just before where the bottom of the tank connects to the side of the tank.
There was a corroded pin hole in the tank and there was a steady drip, drip which would then randomly run down the curved bottom of the tank and fall. It was slow enough that it evaporated without leaving a puddle but enough to eventually kill the poor little pilot light.
I messed around for another couple hours trying to figure out what to do with it before surrendering to the best advice. I bought a new water heater the next day and it was installed in less than a half-hour. After about six hours —— I went and took about an hour long shower! Hot water is what separates us from the savages I am sure!
MjL 23 Jan 2009, 5:29 a.m.
I just wish I could figure out how to get them to replace the water heater. I don’t want to keep fixing it every couple of years. I also don’t want to spend the large sum of money to buy a new one. I think they messed up so they should fix it!
I’m going to investigate American Products more and see if I could pester somebody enough to get them to replace the water heater. If this doesn’t fix it, or if Dave can’t figure out how to put this part in, we won’t have hot water until next week! I will definitely pester somebody then!
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