March Madness & A Hot Water Tank Lesson!

I'm beginning to realize that March for The Gaines Gang is truly March Madness. If you've been around this blog for a while you remember this happening last March.

Gabe being attacked and mauled at a birthday party by a springer spaniel.

Evacuating our home not once, but twice, due to grass fire threats of burning it down.

And then ending the month with my dad having a heart attack and having a few stints put in.

Well folks this March ain't looking much better!

We started off with a simple tire rotation. Leading me to having to purchase a brand new tire and having my car realigned. Let's not forget that the car is only TWO years old. Never was pulling, drove fine. But, was out of alignment and wore the inside of one tire down to the wires. Thank you Oklahoma {pot filled} roads!

This was my view for 3.5 hours.

Ryan was on the road and this was his view he texted me as I waited.

$350.00 later we were released and learned that it's best to have your tires rotated every 3,000 miles. For me that's every other month. J.O.Y.!

Then this past Sunday morning Hannah was in the shower and I was ready to hop in my shower when I got nothing but ice cold water. We have always been able to take at least 3-4 showers without any trouble. 

We built our home 7 years ago and installed a 50 gallen tank for a family of four, so I wondered what was the issue. Awe...maybe the pilot light went out. I dress my self head out to the garage and open the hot water tank door. And this is what I saw.

I know enough to know that you NEVER want to see your drip pan full of water and flowing over into your run off drain.

Running back in I asked Hannah if her shower was cold. She said yes! Crazy that she stayed in.

I being the ever want to fix it myself googled what I could do, nothing but call a plumber. It was Sunday morning. We were now going to miss church and I was going to be late for our last home game of the year {my day job}. Knowing how hard it is to get someone out on a Sunday I boiled a huge pot of water for little man and filled up the tub. I took the fastest military shower ever known to man!

Did I happen to mention that Ryan was yet again on the road in New Mexico! I called, whined and displayed by concern. Bless the man, he got someone out there that night to drain the pan, light the pilot light and tell me what I already knew. Ma'am your going to need a new hot water tank! I took the model and serial number off and went back to my computer hoping that there was still some type of warranty. Nope, it expired on January 31st, 2012! Yes, that is soooo my luck.

Turns out it wasn't really the hot water tanks fault. See those two little copper pipes up top? Noticed how the one on the right looks all nice and shinny? Now look at the one on the left...notice the build up an coarsen? That's because when the plumber that installed it, 7 years ago, did not thread it just right when tightening it up. It took that leak 7 years to reach the bottom pan. In the mean time it rusted out the entire inside of my hot water tank! So home owner lesson 101. Take a step ladder and kindly go look at the fittings on top of your hot water tank. Notice anything odd, call a plumber ASAP! Might just save you $1,000.00 and a very cold Sunday morning shower.

It's only March 7th and I cannot wait until April 1st arrives. Just hoping that we all can make it until then. As I type this we have 30-50 MPH winds and an extreme fire danger alert. I have already packed our bags with what I can grab and run with. If a fire, tornado or earth quake are in store for me during this March Madness!