Comments on: Blessing In Disguise

By: Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:52:38 +0000

Just thought you’d like to know it isn’t an incentive check. It is an advance on a tax credit. Still, nice timing for the situation.

By: fightingwindmills

fightingwindmills — Thu, 15 May 2008 17:29:02 +0000

Glad you guys are okay. Good use of your stimulus check!

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 14 May 2008 12:23:44 +0000

@ CuriousC: I forgot to mention that (hangs head in shame). It was a true blessing, because if there’s one thing I hate doing, it’s going under the house.

By: CuriousC

CuriousC — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:13:55 +0000

Did you forget to be thankful for Alan that he knew just what to do?! THAT was my first thought! LOL – glad no explosions…

By: Alyson

Alyson — Sat, 10 May 2008 23:01:39 +0000

You are the only person I know that has gotten their incentive check!

Glad everyone was safe, and how fortunate for you that plumbing is one of Alan’s interests. We would’ve had to hire a professional and spent even more money!

By: Darla

Darla — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:12:19 +0000

OMG that picture is scary. We have an electric water heater too.

LOL on the Bush comment.

By: mario

mario — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:24:38 +0000

Wow. The damage in the picture WAS from an electrical heater. Damn!

By: mario

mario — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:22:37 +0000

You don’t say whether the water heater was gas or not … however electric ones rarely go “boom”. One important “de-boom-ifier” is to make sure the unit is like 18 inches above the ground, on a pedestal. Natural gas is heavier than air, and will sink. Elevating the heater helps keep any spill gas below the level of the pilot light. Also, this helps with any accidental gasoline spills (which vapors also hug the ground)…

Another practical heads-up: in my location (Arizona), water heater installations have to be checked by a City inspector, since, I guess, shoddy installation leads to booms or watery messes.

I had a rental house, once, where there was one lousy polybutylene pipe in the attic. When it let go, the tenants had no clue how to turn off the water… What a mess! The insurance adjuster told me that water and smoke damage are actually the most frequent/costly claims, here (where there are no hurricanes or earthquakes).

– Mario