Good Old American Quality - Bah, Humbug!

Early last year, we bought and installed a brand new electric hot water heater in our rental unit. Recently, our current tenant complained that it was leaking. We investigated and found that water was squirting out of the cover for the lower heating element.

The hot water heater was manufactured by Richmond on January 17, 2017. One would think that this failure would be covered by the manufacturer's warranter. I send them an email, but I never heard back from them.

Today, a plumber came to fix the problem. He removed the lower element cover and found water leaking out past the seals around where the element enters the tank. In the photograph below, you can see where the water leaking out stained the side of the water heater.

Here is a somewhat closer view:

When the plumber removed the element, he found that most of the element was missing. It had fallen to the bottom of the tank. It is still there.

He installed a new element and I paid the bill. I will have to take this matter up with the manufacturer for at least a partial reimbursement.

Just Another Day in Paradise - Water Line Version

Just as we were rounding up the chickens for the night, liquid began bubbling up through the ground. No, it was not the "bubbling crude" of The Beverly Hillbillies. It was water. One of our water lines had sprung a leak. We very quickly determined that the line was completely severed.

Oh, well, time the turn off the shut-off. Murphy's <censored> Law strikes! Turn the shut-off and the water only diminishes. It does not stop. The shut-off valve has failed. Time to put up some water and shut off all the water at the meter. We put up fifty gallons for the livestock and eight gallons for us to drink and cook with.

Tomorrow will be lots of fun! First, dig up the shut-off valve and replace it. This will allow us to turn on the water to the house. Then, we can fix the failed line in front of the barn. If we don't get the line in front of the barn fixed tomorrow, we can at least run hoses from the outside spigots at the house to ensure that the livestock has water to drink.

When you live on a ranch, as long as no person is in jeopardy, the rule must always be "care for the livestock first" Staff comfort is always second to that rule.