Maybe?

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After a half dozen more sites I found one that was more clear if still wrong. It suggested a double 40a or 50a switch for the water heater. Mine, in the on-suite bathroom, is a smaller heater. Further, I noted that I only have two double pulls in the switch box, both are double 30a switches. As well, the biggest switches I have, anywhere, are 30 amps. From the site I saw this on, the only other item that might take a double 30a switch is the stove. And, yep, one of the switches turned off the stove. Hopefully that means the other switch is for the problem water heater. It is off, at this point. Of course, the water heater keeps gurgling and hissing. Of course. And I don't trust it to be off, they might well have configured two 30a switches instead of using a doublepole switch. Perhaps it only even takes two 20a switches. I simply don't know. There is no written guide in the box. So I don't think it wise to turn off the water quite yet. Ugh!

After that, a bit more research lead me to believe the problem probably is the water heater itself, as the source of the leak and therefore needing replaced (pipes don't seem to be leaking and drain valve seems dry, though after turning the cold water inlet off, then back on when I rethought things, it started to leak so probably needs changed too). It is old, probably quite old from the looks of things and after having done minor research on it the last time it dumped water on the floor and coming up empty as to information on it. It may simply be easier to get a plumber/electrician in to look at the mess. While I don't like it, I may actually go ahead and, if replacement is the thing, have him put in the tankless water heater, for now. I don't think installation would be much more or less, it would save me buying a new water heater right now though. In time, perhaps, if it simply isn't up to the task, I could, when money has collected a bit again, change it out. Perhaps knowing a bit more from watching I might even consider doing it myself if it is needed.

Crap, but I hate this. It is a bit (way too!) wet to be crawling under the house, right now, too. But I may end up having to replace the bathroom flooring. Honestly though that was on the menu if I had hoped to merely be replacing the linoleum or whatever it is. The tankless water heater would make that much easier to do, as well. Since it will be wall mounted, making floor work much easier to work on/with. Problems sometimes bring more solutions than first considered. I can tell though that the floor has been flooded before, and several times, before I moved in. They knew that water heater was a problem, probably why they bought the tankless. Why they never installed it? Money. Always comes down to money. Or time? One of the two, often both.

I don't know that there is anything I can actually do more than what I have done tonight. I need to get some sleep, too. I didn't wake up easily, it seems being a homeowner doesn't allow one to rest well with problems going on is all. In the morning, if the hot water heater is truly off (which I will only be able to know, it seems, if I have no hot water), then I will turn off the cold water inlet and call around to see if anyone knows of a good guy to do these things. Simply it is too much for me for now. The other thing I may ask him to help me with is to get the fuse box figured out, at least roughly. As I said some time back I had planned to crawl under the house to check on plumbing and electrical this summer. But for now it is far too wet to be under there.

Good night, I hope.