Floor under Hot Water Tank...

Repair help for the do-it-yourselfer.
For mobile home parts, click here.

Moderators: Greg, Mark, mhrAJ333, JD

Post Reply
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

I am sure this won't come as a shock to most of you.... :shock:

I was doing some clean up work, and noticed my hot water tank, was tilted slightly. I knew right away what the problem was. Soft Floor.
I see the two in and out hoses on the side. Do I just unthread the lines, and pop it out of the closet? They look like they unthread.
Also. Once I rip the floor out, is there joists in there, so I can just lay some 3/4 inch plywood down? I hope this wasn't a stupid question.
Just for the record. I am not moving in until June. SO I have time to do everything...

Image

Image
Top
User avatar
Greg
Moderator
Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

You can just disconnect the lines with no problem (after you shut the water off). I would add shutoffs as long as it is unhooked.

There are floor joists down there somewhere, you would have to cut the floor out to find out for sure where. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Top
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

Thanks Greg. I want to add shut offs. I have to see who has them near me. I don't know if lowes carries shut offs for that plastic kind of plumbing. I am still lost with this plumbing. Looks like gray flexible tubing. I guess it shows in the photos.
Top
User avatar
Greg
Moderator
Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

It is the grey PB tubing. You can cut it back or add in a section of PEX if you want. Stay away from the plastic body valves and go with either brass or stainless gate or ball valves. Stop valves (the type with washers) deteriorate over time and you usually find out when you need them. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Top
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

If I cut that gray plastic line, do they sale a shut off valve, that I can just splice in? I would never use a plastic shut off valve.
I am just trying to get it all liveable, so we can move, then redo stuff later.
Top
User avatar
Greg
Moderator
Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

I have tried the "Shark tooth" (and Gator tooth) fittings on the grey tube side. Lorne and otheres here have used them as well. Simple to connect and about fool proof. You can go from tube to pipe thread then to a standard valve. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Top
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

I will have to find those parts. They sound foreign to me...LOL
Top
User avatar
Greg
Moderator
Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

They are a push lock brass bodied fitting. Ace hardware, Lowes here have them. There are other similar fittings.

http://www.probite.com/ Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Top
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

Ohhhhh. I just used them on copper at my house. I didn't know they made them to slide over gray plastic. I gotcha now!
Top
User avatar
JD
Site Admin
Posts: 2696
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 11:57 pm
Location: Fresno, CA
Contact:
Contact JD

Sharkbite and Gatorbite sells a good shut-off valve that you can use instead of a bushing to a different shut-off. The package will talk about cpvc and pex, but not polybutylene if I remember right. Just use the plastic insert/ferrule that comes in the package. Also, be sure to use a dielectric bushing to separate the brass and copper from the water heater.

When doing this, I would also add some pipe somewhere in the mix to take the pressure off of that flex connector. It looks very strained to me and might even be suppressing the flow of hot water. This is on the hot water outlet side. I would only put a shut-off valve on the cold water inlet side, myself. Some local jurisdictions prohibit shutoffs on the hot side. My thinking is if for whatever reason the hot side is shut off and the pressure valve is faulty and there is a malfunction of some sort, you might have built a bomb machine. A little dramatic, I know. But, it does not take long to drain down a tank for removal and if that same scenario was to happen without a closed hot side valve, faucets would probably give before the water tank. Anyways, I only install shut-offs to the cold inlet.

JMO
JD
☯JD♫
Today is PERFECT!

All information and advice given is for entertainment and informational purposes only. The person doing the work is solely responsible to insure that their work complies with their local building code and OSHA safety regulations.
Top
User avatar
TonyPa
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:58 am
Location: Pgh, Pa.
Contact:
Contact TonyPa

Thanks very much! I am sure thats a bad angle in the photo. In the photo, the hot seems to look bent. But it really isn't. Must be an illusion the way I took the photo...LOL
Does Lowes or Home depot sale these parts? Or do I have to go to a MH parts store?
Top
User avatar
Greg
Moderator
Posts: 5696
Joined: Wed Feb 28, 2007 8:01 pm
Location: Weedsport, NY

Some do, some don't, if they do great, if they don't that was why I said you could get to pipe thread and use a standard valve. Greg
"If I can't fix it, I can screw it up so bad no one else can either."
Top
Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Mobile Home Repair”