Hot water heater access door update

[busybee1952]

Hi everyone! This is not a question but more of a "what I did to solve my problem" post, mostly relevant to those with old trailers and no money to just go buy new stuff.

My hot water heater access door was bent from the wind whipping it open and the pipes inside had frozen and broke this past winter. I replaced the broken copper and pb pipes with pex, had my dad straighten the aluminum frame to the door and put the whole thing back together again with improvements against these cold Michigan winters.

I wrapped the hot water heater, pipes and all, inside a blanket of insulation made for such purposes. ($2.00 for the blanket at a yard sale) Then, I put those foam pipe insulating jackets on the pipes that went down through the floor. After reinstalling the door frame with a bazillion screws over the new putty tape, (I love that stuff), I still had to come up with a way to keep the door from sliding down out of the frame when opened. I rummaged through my cans of "cool stuff" in the garage and found this piece of metal thing that I think actually goes to a shower door and screwed that in at the bottom right of the door to stop the door from sliding out. On the outside of the door, I caulked all around the edge with the piece of paneling and metal that fit inside the track of the door frame. I'm no good at caulking, as you can see in the photo, but at least, it's sealed. I also put about a half a tube of caulk over top of the main door frame to seal it up good.

For a new handle, I rummaged through the "cool stuff" I'm saving in the pole barn in the "I might need this someday" pile and found a shower curtain rod. Antenna brackets (still don't have antenna) were used to mount the handle which is long so that it gives some stability to this door when you yank the frozen door open in the winter to light the pilot light. The handle was also stabilized by screwing a couple of side rails I removed from an old wobbly table to the back side of it.

Then, from my new bundle of styrofoam, purchased recently for insulating the back side of my metal skirting, I cut a piece and glued it on the inside of the door to provide some small measure of protection between my pipes and the great outdoors. I also screwed in a couple of pieces of lath so the styrofoam doesn't come off in the wind when the door is opened.

To make sure the door doesn't blow open anymore, I used a piece of metal bar (about 4") that somehow was originally attached to this door in the first place but I don't know what it did so I used it as a latch lock. There's a small hook screwed into the trailer wall that the metal bar latches into.

I've also cut another thick piece of styrofoam (I think it came in a box of something or another) that fits inside the compartment and can be slid up and down to provide a little more protection to those pipes that go through the floor. After I did that, I was thinking that I could cut a piece that would slide up and down the full length of the compartment but I guess I'll wait and see if I have enough left over from the skirting job.

Voila! Yes, it needs paint. That comes next year, I hope. You can see all of the pictures from beginning to the end in my photobucket album.

http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t243 ... %20heater/

I'm pretty sure I spent less that $10.00 to fix this door. Caulk (which I had from putting in the new bathroom sink) metal screws, antenna brackets, putty tape and latch hook) and about $25.00 to fix the pipes and insulate the heater. (Pex pipe and fittings, foam jackets, hot water heater blanket) I could have bought a used door for $45.00 but it would still not be insulated or have a sturdy handle and latch system.

[Yanita]

Hi Busybee,

Well you have certainly been busy.

Now I am no expert on gas hot water heaters but I was under the impression these were not to have a insulation blanket on them, also how does this get fresh air ventilation.....

Yanita

[JD]

Hi Pat,

I am really impressed with the way you take on any job that comes up. Just following your posts since you joined MHR.com is quite a DIY story.

However, I would recommend that you have a professional look at your water heater and compartment repairs. I agree with Yanita about fresh air intake. The water heater installation is so critical to the safety of you and your mobile home that you should not take any chances. Your local gas company would be the best source for this inspection.

On your pump house, do you get a lot of wind in your area? It looks to me like the shingles might get blown off. Roofing felt and rolled roofing is inexpensive and easy to install. Just my thoughts on it.

Again, kudos on your tenacity and willingness to take on these repair projects.

JD

[busybee1952]

Thanks for the concerns. I checked the label on the heater and it didn't say anything about NOT putting a blanket on it. Fresh air comes up through the floor and of course, I didn't put the blanket around the part that has the fire. This heater also vents through the roof and there is a lot of air space above it. Believe me, there is enough air going through that compartment to freeze the pipes in spite of all my efforts. I'm more worried about freezing than anything else. Anyone got any better ideas for preventing frozen pipes in this compartment? I sure would like to hear them.

I don't have a gas company. Just a guy from the hardware store who delivers 100# tanks when I call him. I'll see what he thinks though next time he delivers propane.

But, while we're on the subject of gas, can anyone tell me if there is any reason I cannot run my 10/3 wire for the dryer through the same holes in the frame underneath that the gas pipe runs through?

[Harry]

Hi

Yes...an insulation blanket can be added to a gas water heater. If you have a gas water heater, do not cover the burner access or the flue collar. Leave about 2" of exposed area around the flue collar.

Follow JD's suggestion and have a pro look at the repairs.

Here's a link:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=h ... cient.html

Harry

[altasnowman]

Hi, God job on the door. Just a thought would it be to your advantage to purchase or lease a bigger tank for propane, talk to your local propane dealer to see if they sell 500 or1000 LB pigs (tank). think it would be cheaper in the long run, and then you have a truck come out 2-3 times a year rather than every couple of days.

[busybee1952]

Hey Snowman! LOL, I have 2 100# propane tanks that I work from and I heat with wood and use the propane only as a back up and for hot water and cooking. One tank usually lasts me 4-6 weeks in the winter and costs me $78.00 to have filled and delivered. If I had a bigger tank, it would cost me $500.00 (most of my two-weeks pay) to fill it at one time, plus the tank rental fee, cost to establish the service, ($65.00), mechanical permit (also $65.00) and they MAKE you get it filled at least twice a year or they come and get your tank. If your tank has more than 10% propane left in it, they charge you another fat fee for emptying it. Not a good deal for me.

Not only that, but I know me and if I thought I had a whole bunch of propane, I would be tempted too many times to just crank up the thermostat instead of getting up and building a fire or bringing in wood after a long day. Heating with wood is just plain hard work for a 55 year old woman but unfortunately, economics is a fact of life.

Thanks for the compliments on my door work though. I like it so far.