Plumbing and/or solar guys (1 Viewer)

[Terminalxylem]

I have a RUUD RSPER-80 water heater, a direct solar thermal system with an 80 gallon roof-mounted tank. I noticed a water leak a few days ago, which I originally thought originated from a wall-mounted external pipe to my split AC unit. On further inspection, the leak was actually coming from behind the pipe, through the stucco wall, a few inches off the ground. Although I can't see the source of the leak, I assume its from the water heater, as the water is hot, and the leak is almost directly below where the tank is mounted.

The company who installed my PV and hot water systems went bankrupt a few years ago. How would you go about getting this repaired?

1. Call another solar company
2. Call a plumber
3. Open up the wall to locate the leak

It's late in the day, so this won't happen right away. The leak is slow and steady, and only apparent outside the home.

 

[MTskibum]

I have a RUUD RSPER-80 water heater, a direct solar thermal system with an 80 gallon roof-mounted tank. I noticed a water leak a few days ago, which I originally thought originated from a wall-mounted external pipe to my split AC unit. On further inspection, the leak was actually coming from behind the pipe, through the stucco wall, a few inches off the ground. Although I can't see the source of the leak, I assume its from the water heater, as the water is hot, and the leak is almost directly below where the tank is mounted.

The company who installed my PV and hot water systems went bankrupt a few years ago. How would you go about getting this repaired?

1. Call another solar company
2. Call a plumber
3. Open up the wall to locate the leak

It's late in the day, so this won't happen right away. The leak is slow and steady, and only apparent outside the home.

I would call a plumber first. Water heaters go bad with some frequency.

Although since you already have drywall damage, might as well open it up to give the plumber more information when you call.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I have a RUUD RSPER-80 water heater, a direct solar thermal system with an 80 gallon roof-mounted tank. I noticed a water leak a few days ago, which I originally thought originated from a wall-mounted external pipe to my split AC unit. On further inspection, the leak was actually coming from behind the pipe, through the stucco wall, a few inches off the ground. Although I can't see the source of the leak, I assume its from the water heater, as the water is hot, and the leak is almost directly below where the tank is mounted.

The company who installed my PV and hot water systems went bankrupt a few years ago. How would you go about getting this repaired?

1. Call another solar company
2. Call a plumber
3. Open up the wall to locate the leak

It's late in the day, so this won't happen right away. The leak is slow and steady, and only apparent outside the home.

I would call a plumber first. Water heaters go bad with some frequency.

Although since you already have drywall damage, might as well open it up to give the plumber more information when you call.

Yeah, it’s hard to know exactly what has gone bad, and how it managed to create a hole in the stucco a few inches off the ground.

I suppose a plumber would be a more inclusive solution, just in case the leak isn’t directly due to the solar heater. But there’s nothing else nearby that continuously uses hot water, plus the solar company installed both the roof heater and the tank on the ground. That’s located in a closet which isn’t too far from the leak, with no water adjacent to the tank itself.

More importantly, I’ve had bad luck with local plumbers. So I had already reached out to a local solar company, before your response. The scheduler made me a little suspicious when she immediately mentioned it would probably cheaper to update my system. I guess I’ll see what they find.

 

[Galileo]

Flex Seal

 

[GroveDiesel]

I would say plumber probably too, but also definitely agree that you need to get that wall opened up ASAP to prevent mold growth. Get it opened, fixed, and dried out. You may end up in insurance claim territory depending on how much damage there is an if there is mold already. But you need to cal your insurance company within 24-48 hours of finding out typically.

 

[Hawks64]

I have a RUUD RSPER-80 water heater, a direct solar thermal system with an 80 gallon roof-mounted tank. I noticed a water leak a few days ago, which I originally thought originated from a wall-mounted external pipe to my split AC unit. On further inspection, the leak was actually coming from behind the pipe, through the stucco wall, a few inches off the ground. Although I can't see the source of the leak, I assume its from the water heater, as the water is hot, and the leak is almost directly below where the tank is mounted.

The company who installed my PV and hot water systems went bankrupt a few years ago. How would you go about getting this repaired?

1. Call another solar company
2. Call a plumber
3. Open up the wall to locate the leak

It's late in the day, so this won't happen right away. The leak is slow and steady, and only apparent outside the home.

Based on the other thread...call a plumber ASAP. You can open the wall but with your level of handiness be very careful to not cause any damage, you don't want the issue to be blamed on you opening the wall when you talk to the insurance. I'd also document it all with video and pics before you open the wall.

 

[Gally]

Flex Seal

Don't do it. Don't get sucked into the hype....ha

 

[culdeus]

I would call the vendor of the hwh and ask them who does installs in the area and pick one.

I also don't understand keeping water running to a leaking heater that is damaging your house. I'd shut the water off to the hwh immediately.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I would call the vendor of the hwh and ask them who does installs in the area and pick one.

I also don't understand keeping water running to a leaking heater that is damaging your house. I'd shut the water off to the hwh immediately.

Good suggestion, though I’m not sure I know where the leak is, so turning off the water heater may not mitigate it - I don’t know the specifics of how the 80 gallon solar tank and the regular one interact. I can turn the master valve in the interim though.

ETA vendor who sold and installed the heater went bankrupt 3 years ago, unbeknownst to me, until now.

 

[culdeus]

I would call the vendor of the hwh and ask them who does installs in the area and pick one.

I also don't understand keeping water running to a leaking heater that is damaging your house. I'd shut the water off to the hwh immediately.

Good suggestion, though I’m not sure I know where the leak is, so turning off the water heater may not mitigate it - I don’t know the specifics of how the 80 gallon solar tank and the regular one interact. I can turn the master valve in the interim though.

ETA vendor who sold and installed the heater went bankrupt 3 years ago, unbeknownst to me, until now.

Vendor maybe not right word here. The hwh mfg should be in business and can point you to someone that installs their systems now in your area.

 

[ChiefD]

I would call a plumber asap on that.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Based on feedback in this thread, I contacted my home owners insurer and started filing a claim. The recommended a water mitigation specialist right away, who came to my home within a couple hours. Fortunately, no moisture was detected in the house, though the wall hasn’t been opened yet - given what they saw, the water guys said I can wait on the solar company to check it out Monday.

And I closed the water heater shutoff valve.