No Hot Water

What do you do if you wake up and your husband tells you there is no hot water?  Did I mention that it is Saturday and many companies double their service rate just to come out to see what is wrong?  Don't even ask about the cost of the pieces to replace what is broken.  Oh, and your husband can't help because he has to go to Annual Training.  So what is a girl to do?  She calls her Dad and does some 'research' via the internet and a friend.

First thing, Electric tester.  I didn't have one so I borrowed one from my neighbor.  (similiar to this )  He explained how to use it.  No problem.  I knew where the elements are located on my water heater so I checked both of them.  The bottom one gave me a reading, but the top element did not.  So, next I called Lowe's to see if they would have replacement elements for my water heater.  Also, mentioned that I might need additional info on how to change them.  :)  

So I loaded up my kids and headed to Lowe's.  The gentleman that helped me was very helpful by finding me the correct elements and the tool.  He was a little surprised to learn that I knew to turn off the electricity  and water to the tank, drain the tank, and most importantly to not turn the electricity back on without water in the tank.  I did replace both elements since I had to drain the tank anyway.  

Armed with the tool and new element piece, I came home and turned off water and electricity to the water heater.  Then I hooked up a hose to drain the tank.  While waiting for the tank to drain, I disconnected the wires to the elements.  I then had to use a mini sledge to help loosen the old elements.  This is what one of the old elements looked like that I pulled out.  

Before putting in the new element, be sure to remove the old o-ring piece.

Place new o-ring on new element and place it into heater.  Tighten.  Do this for both elements. Turn on water, to refill tank. When tank if full, you may turn on electricity.  It may take a few minutes before you have hot water.  So don't worry, if it takes a while to warm up.  

Talk about savings?

Cost of pieces at Lowe's $25...

Cost of just service call (parts not included) from local Company $130

I SAVED over $105 by doing it myself.

Mission: Turn Basement into More Usable Space

Again, with the temperature outside in the 100s, we have been playing in our basement a lot.  I am tired of walking through the stuff.  I decided to again work on cleaning out the basement and turn it into a room for our homeschool.  (I did some things last year found here and here.)


Where to start?  Let's play what is in boxes?  I came across one box with 2 different labels...

What is really in it?  I knew that it wasn't anything corrosive or liquid, but it could be really light and easy to move if it had empty binders and folders....  Wrong again!

It was really filled with heavy hardback books.

Ever notice when you clean, you actually make a bigger mess to start?  

Notice all the stuff behind the kids...

Even the dog comes to hang out with us and to watch us play.   Really the dog is just another obstacle for me to work around when moving/sorting boxes.  

 I did most of the work when I had just my youngest little helper. 

My two older children went to Nana's house for a few days. Let's see what I can get done while they are gone.  Better yet, let's see what I can move out :)