Hot Water Issues

While I was out partying last night, poor Tom was home trying to fix our leaky hot water tank. I'd discovered the problem when I went to put away the vacuum cleaner in the closet. The floor under the hot water tank was darker than the rest of the floor. Hmm. Has it always been like that? I don't think so. Touching the floor, EEK! My hand came away wet! Rush to the phone, call Tom at work. He couldn't come home until his usual time, but stopped at the hardware store on the way. We'd determined there was a pipe leaking. Gushing was more like it. The line was long at the hardware store and poor Tom, complaining to the people ahead of him in line--telling them how "My wife called and said the hot water tank is leaking!" Well, who says it doesn't help to complain? That got him to the front of the line!

Unfortunately, the hot water tank is in worse shape than he thought. It is only 10 years old, but oops! The life expectancy of a hot water tank is only about 10 years. Right now he's left for work and the hot water is off. We have fans going in the closet to try to dry the floor, but it looks like the fix for this is a whole new hot water tank. It won't be easy to do that, as the tank is shoved in the closet, squeezed between the wall and the furnace. To access it and the pipes that attach to it, Tom is going to have to cut a hole in the wall! It will be the hallway wall, on the other side of this closet. He is going to install an access door to make it easy to get at the hot water tank the next time this happens.

Yesterday, before discovering the leak, I ran the dishwasher and did a load of laundry, so I'm actually all set in those departments. Last night we had a shower, before Tom turned off the hot water---so I'm fine there too. But...brrrr! Hand washing in cold water, when it is chilly in the house anyway---not fun.

Word is being circulated by some unknown source that Tom is good with cars. I would like to know who is spreading that rumor so I can stomp them lifeless, because even though it is true, Tom doesn't have a lot of "spare" time! Tonight he is going out to trouble shoot a car that is leaking oil and yesterday, after I found the hot water leak, there was a call from another person whose car is "clanking" and the "starter locks up." He wants Tom to come look at his car. ARRRGHHHH!!! We are without hot water! The next person who says Tom is good with cars, I'm going to mention the name of another fellow at church (Don) who is good with cars too. Although it occurs to me that perhaps Don is the one mentioning Tom! I know Don doesn't have much spare time either...