Are these Pex lines at risk of disconnecting? What's wrong with this water heater?

[Owen Lucas]

Obviously, these don't look good. Home construction is 90's according to my buddy, he's not mechanical and doesn't want to touch these. I'm a little more mechanically inclined but have not worked with pex and don't want to touch these either.

Are these lines at risk of coming apart? Looks like galvanic corrosion between the pex crimp and copper pipe in my opinion.

Also, his water heater looks horrific. Is it a bad install? What is causing this rust/flaking and does it need to be replaced?

 

[TCL]

I'm no expert, but to answer your second question, everything!
You need a real plumber.

 

[PimTac]

My guess is that the anodes in the hot water tank are gone.

 

[MParr]

Yes, a real plumber is needed to clean up that horrible mess and diagnose the water heater problem..
That is about the worst looking jack-leg installation that I’ve ever seen.

 

[walterjay]

I am a plumber. And you have a dangerous mess.

 

[Owen Lucas]

I am a plumber. And you have a dangerous mess.

Is this a ticking timebomb and is it likely to let go and start leaking because of this condition? I told my buddy I wouldn't trust this and to turn off the water main whenever leaving the house. He's worried about the pex connection the most but if a plumber comes out might as well redo everything.

 

[PimTac]

Depending on the location of that water heater your friend is going to have a expensive bill if that goes. I agree with @walterjay , that needs to be fixed yesterday.

 

[Wolf359]

My guess is that the anodes in the hot water tank are gone.

I would say the same base on a 2013 install date. I used to get 6-10 years out of my water heaters before I started to replace the anode rods. Every time the tank developed a leak, it was the tops of the intake ports that were also badly corroded. Otherwise if it weren't for the age of the tank, it'd also be possible that there was a minor leak causing the corrosion.

 

[Passport1]

Just replaced my Bradford-White electric water heater. Made in 2005 and still working great after seventeen years. I got a new insurance carrier and they required a much newer unit for coverage otherwise I would have kept it.

Sometimes they last a long time and sometimes not. Looks like that one has had the schnitzel.

 

[Rand]

replace water heater most plumbers here are horridly overpriced ie 2k for the tune of a 500-600 water heater.

I would use a sharkbite copper to pex after cleaning it up. Obviously if its hard you may need to replace a section of pex or copper too.

not a pro. I did have to fix most of the connections after the hill jack and son did a remodel after foreclosure. (my house before I purchased)

Plumber can be better if you have them doing a bunch of work. vs 1 thing.

Around me I had high higher and astronomically high.
Not knocking anyone who is a plumber. but 2000+ labor for less than 3 hours work is abit much for my budget.

I've also installed jet well pumps and replaced pressure tanks, installed undersink RO setups previously and working with pex is legos.

Now when the main water valve at in laws was busted.. and they had some other issues Plumber for 750$ made sense.

 

[RoadDukie]

Obviously, these don't look good. Home construction is 90's according to my buddy, he's not mechanical and doesn't want to touch these. I'm a little more mechanically inclined but have not worked with pex and don't want to touch these either.

Are these lines at risk of coming apart? Looks like galvanic corrosion between the pex crimp and copper pipe in my opinion.

Also, his water heater looks horrific. Is it a bad install? What is causing this rust/flaking and does it need to be replaced?



View attachment 101582View attachment 101583View attachment 101584

I'm curious Owen. Where are you located?
That's the definition of a "Hot Mess" for sure.

 

[Schandyman]

Once the hot water heater is straightened out.. check with an electrician you may have a bad or no ground

 

[walterjay]

Is this a ticking timebomb and is it likely to let go and start leaking because of this condition? I told my buddy I wouldn't trust this and to turn off the water main whenever leaving the house. He's worried about the pex connection the most but if a plumber comes out might as well redo everything.

It appears to be leaking. The residual crud you see is what is left after the water evaporates. And the water heater may be leaking. The water often time squeezes out the top instead of dripping out the bottom due to the foam insulation blocking it off at the bottom. I have seen a lot of this but usually after some basement flooding has occured.

 

[Wrenchturner44]

I learned a long time ago that a man has got to know his limitations......and household plumbing falls into that category for me.

@ WalterJay......I am sure that you have forgotten more about plumbing than most of us will ever know. Thank you for rendering a professional opinion.

BTW, that is a great looking dog on your signature.....what kind is it? I am a self admitted dog lover of all kinds.

 

[Wolf359]

Once the hot water heater is straightened out.. check with an electrician you may have a bad or no ground

It's a gas water heater, ground shouldn't matter. The tank and other components start to rust out once the anode is gone.

 

[wpod]

Now would be a better time to get it repaired than when it fails and the plumber is 4 days out.

 

[walterjay]

I learned a long time ago that a man has got to know his limitations......and household plumbing falls into that category for me.

@ WalterJay......I am sure that you have forgotten more about plumbing than most of us will ever know. Thank you for rendering a professional opinion.

BTW, that is a great looking dog on your signature.....what kind is it? I am a self admitted dog lover of all kinds.

The dog is a Shiloh Shepherd.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

replace water heater most plumbers here are horridly overpriced ie 2k for the tune of a 500-600 water heater.

LOL, I love these comments today.


Because everyone at the cocktail party is bragging about sending their kid to trade school right? Keep on thinking that "replacing a water heater" should be cheap and $600-700!!!

LOL

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

Once the hot water heater is straightened out.. check with an electrician you may have a bad or no ground

Yep, should be grounded like dust collector piping!

 

[Schandyman]

Yep, should be grounded like dust collector piping!

Electrolysis is a terrible thing to pipes.