My water heater died on Christmas Eve and I had to drain it myself to save $300 on an emergency call

So the pilot light went out on my 15 year old Rheem water heater two days before Christmas. Plumber wanted $400 just to show up on the holiday. I watched three YouTube videos, bought a thermocouple for $18 at Ace Hardware, and swapped it out in the dark with my phone flashlight. Hot water came back in about two hours total. Anyone else had to DIY a fix during a holiday because you just couldn't stomach the markup?

2 comments

2 Comments

davidh886h ago

Man that's rough, especially on Christmas Eve. Good for you for figuring it out yourself though, those holiday markup prices are insane.

wells.reese36m ago

You bet those holiday prices are a total racket. They know people are desperate and they just pile it on. It's good to see someone beat them at their own game for once. People forget that a little patience and know-how can save you a bundle.

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