The leaning tower at home!

We found out on Saturday that the hot water tank at MIL's had rusted and lifted itself up on the ground. And it had signs of small leaking. There are two hot water tank in the home. This tank only serves the bathroom which his sister uses, not the one which serves the kitchen and the rest of the taps. So as usual, they are not too concern about changing it immediately.

On Sunday, I think everyone were busy with their business, so no one remembered about the hot water tank, till Monday, when Eric noticed that the leaking seems worse. So he had the water mains to the tank turned off, and cut off the electrical supply to the heater. Following that, Eric did lots of calling around to the different hot water system guys to get quotes for replacing the hot water tank. His biggest fear was was that the 120L of water in the tank will leak all over the flour at the rumpus. 

However, as usual, their family members don't seem to be too overly concern or in hurry of changing it as, 'there is still another tank that could do the job'. So they just wanted to keep 'monitoring' it.

 

My reaction to all this was: if something is broken, why not fix immediately? This seems to be norm for their family. Like the tap leaking, what to do? Easy, don't use it. So the leaking tap is still there now and it's still not fixed. And it was and continues to inconvenient everyone who uses 'that' toilet. *rolled eyes*

Anyhow, I think it was like an answer to the prayer today, when the tank finally TILTED! *hohoho*

I was working on my work stuff when I heard a bang somewhere in the house, just like the hammering on the plumbing when you turn off the tap too quickly. So asked Eric if he had heard it. He said no. But my hunch was that something was not right. I 'ordered' him to go check things out, especially that tank downstairs. 

And behold, I heard a big 'OH S**T' from downstairs. 

Fumbling downstairs, thinking the tank must have leaked  or what, I saw the tank looking like this.

And the copper pipes around it had snap, holding on by only one other small pipe and the electrical cables.

So the panicking Eric called up one of the guys he called up yesterday for quotes and get them to come soon. And within an hour, they came with the brand new tank! *yay*

What happened??

Well, it rusted with age. The bottom of the tank was convex in shape, therefore it can stand flat on the ground. But with age, rusting occurs as the sacrificing anode was eaten up. And therefore, rust started building up at the bottom of the convex side of the tank. And as the rust kept building up and the tank got exposed to the changing hot n cold water, the convex shape went belly up and became concave! Causing it to be lifted up and tilt like a leaning tower. 

The guy tilt the tank over, and we can see the extend of the rust below and how it had became budging on the bottom. No wonder it can't stay up straight anymore!

And so who is the new hot water tank in the family?

It's none other than the new stainless steal hot water tank!

Stainless steel means it will less likely rust like a normal water tank.

So all good now. His sis can enjoy hot water shower in her bathroom again while we can not need to worry of a leaking water tank for at least 10 years. =)

Kcan