Hot water heater not level question.

Funny1 · 11-20-2022, 11:49 AM

Hi I have a recently acquired '13 Cougar and doing an inspection and noticed the hot water heater not sitting level. See the attached picture showing the back end not being supported to keep it level. Is this okay? It appears to me it was probably installed like this from the factory.
Thanks

**chuckster57** · 11-20-2022, 02:28 PM

Welcome to the forum

I’m on my start phone so pic is small, but it almost looks like the tank is level but the styrofoam is sagging. I’m looking at the flange in relation to the sidewall. You could easily shim it if you wanted.

jasin1 · 11-20-2022, 03:30 PM

if it’s a suburban it looks like the opening in the wall was supposed to be cut flush to the floor. yours looks like it off the floor a couple of inches.

check on your water heater owners manual and it probably has install instructions that you can verify.

i think the way it is your gonna have sediment collecting in the back or clogging the water lines eventually. i’d shim it level but not sure what’s going on on the outer wall as it looks like it’s mounted on the wall side at an angle.

**sourdough** · 11-20-2022, 03:44 PM

I would be wondering what the outside looks like? That front housing sure looks angled. As was mentioned, like the hole is an inch or two too high and the tank has dropped. Maybe shim up the back of the tank to get it square then reattach the front correctly??

NH_Bulldog · 11-20-2022, 04:48 PM

My first thought was the same as the others; it looks like the styrofoam casing, but when I zoom in, it also looks like the top metal frame projects further into the interior space than the bottom does, so it sure does look like something isn’t right. Right or wrong, I would like to see it tilted the opposite way to allow for draining and flushing sediment out. I would try to lift/shim the back end and see if you can get it at least close to level

**chuckster57** · 11-20-2022, 04:50 PM

Now that I’m home and can see a much bigger picture…WOW!! I’ve never seen one that crooked. I’ve seen lots of tanks on pedestals or a piece of wood. I’m with Danny, what does the outside look like. I’d be checking the screws along the bottom of the mounting flange.

Funny1 · 11-20-2022, 05:19 PM

Guys I really appreciate your replies. I had another look at it and I noticed a gap at the top where it meets the outside frame. It's snug at the bottom so you guys are right it does not look right. I see no signs of any water damage so I guess the exterior cover protects it from the elements. But I need to fix this and I will do so tomorrow. I will make sure it's level to the floor so that the top and bottom are snug to the front cover. I'll try to post the before and after pics.
Thanks again.

jasin1 · 11-20-2022, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funny1

Guys I really appreciate your replies. I had another look at it and I noticed a gap at the top where it meets the outside frame. It's snug at the bottom so you guys are right it does not look right. I see no signs of any water damage so I guess the exterior cover protects it from the elements. But I need to fix this and I will do so tomorrow. I will make sure it's level to the floor so that the top and bottom are snug to the front cover. I'll try to post the before and after pics.
Thanks again.

if you can shim the whole floor underneath the water heater that would be ideal. remove the screws on the outside and cut a 2x12 and/or some plywood to support the whole thing. in essence bring the floor up to flush with the bottom of the opening under the wh

Funny1 · 11-20-2022, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasin1

if you can shim the whole floor underneath the water heater that would be ideal. remove the screw on the outside and cut a 2x12 and some plywood shims to support the whole thing. in essence bring the floor up to flush with the bottom of the opening under the wh

Jasin - I'll do that. I have lots of various sizes of lumber and plywood so it should bring it nice and level.

Funny1 · 11-20-2022, 06:13 PM

Going through all the threads with the same trailers as mine I came upon this picture and sure enough it should be level like this.

jasin1 · 11-20-2022, 06:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funny1

Going through all the threads with the same trailers as mine I came upon this picture and sure enough it should be level like this.

put those wood chocks in like in the picture in post 10 to prevent movement during travel … braking or acceleration

**JRTJH** · 11-20-2022, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funny1

Going through all the threads with the same trailers as mine I came upon this picture and sure enough it should be level like this.

Yes, is "should be level like that photo" but over the years, the metal frame of the water heater face and possibly the trailer cutout framing may have been "bent or buckled" through stresses during towing and hitting bumps on our wonderful highway system.

The "objective of the water heater faceplate" is to seal the water heater from water intrusion around where it sits on the trailer outer wall. That is the "important consideration" when it comes to preventing damage from water leaking into the trailer sidewall and floor under the water heater.

I don't see any current water damage under your water heater, admittedly, we can only see a small part of that surface, but "jacking up the back of the water heater will force the top of the outer flange away from the trailer sidewall and could make a "non-problem" the source of future trailer damage.

I'd recommend you step back, reassess the entire situation and then, with answers to ALL the potential problems, move forward.

Right now, as i see it, the trailer is approaching 10 years of use with what looks like the OEM water heater. It doesn't look like it's been "problematic" at the "current skewed angle" but if you start "jacking it up to make it level" you may very well crack the porcelain tank lining, cause tank leaks, introduce sidewall leaks and even crack the burner tube causing the water heater to be unserviceable....

I'd not do anything "heroic" to make it look good until you get a much clearer picture of exactly what you've got and what you may end up with.....

In short, the old motto, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" may be your best "course of repair".....

Funny1 · 11-21-2022, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Yes, is "should be level like that photo" but over the years, the metal frame of the water heater face and possibly the trailer cutout framing may have been "bent or buckled" through stresses during towing and hitting bumps on our wonderful highway system.

The "objective of the water heater faceplate" is to seal the water heater from water intrusion around where it sits on the trailer outer wall. That is the "important consideration" when it comes to preventing damage from water leaking into the trailer sidewall and floor under the water heater.

I don't see any current water damage under your water heater, admittedly, we can only see a small part of that surface, but "jacking up the back of the water heater will force the top of the outer flange away from the trailer sidewall and could make a "non-problem" the source of future trailer damage.

I'd recommend you step back, reassess the entire situation and then, with answers to ALL the potential problems, move forward.

Right now, as i see it, the trailer is approaching 10 years of use with what looks like the OEM water heater. It doesn't look like it's been "problematic" at the "current skewed angle" but if you start "jacking it up to make it level" you may very well crack the porcelain tank lining, cause tank leaks, introduce sidewall leaks and even crack the burner tube causing the water heater to be unserviceable....

I'd not do anything "heroic" to make it look good until you get a much clearer picture of exactly what you've got and what you may end up with.....

In short, the old motto, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" may be your best "course of repair".....

Thank you JRTJH for your comment. I decided to remove the outer flange and clean it all up and reseal with Butyl. I didn't like the way it all looked either. The top anchor screw was loose going into the tank housing as it was stripped, only the lower two were holding the tank and that's it. Since I had the front off it allowed me to support the tank to make it level to the floor and the face. Everything seems square now but is not permanent yet as I decided to revisit this come back spring time and make a better brace to what I have now. It definitely seems more secure than how it was before and everything is sealed up better now for winter. I am not planning to take the trailer out till the new year anyways so this will be good for the winter and rains we get here on the Wet-Coast. I am not a fan of those fabric covers so having addressed this will make me sleep better.

Funny1 · 11-21-2022, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasin1

put those wood chocks in like in the picture in post 10 to prevent movement during travel … braking or acceleration

Yes I'll create something like those wood chocks. Seems to me beside the chocks the tank needs to be strapped down as well cause those three screws going in from the flange don't seem sufficient in holding the tank in place. Yes the chocks will keep it from sideways motion but what about up and down?

jasin1 · 11-21-2022, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Funny1

Yes I'll create something like those wood chocks. Seems to me beside the chocks the tank needs to be strapped down as well cause those three screws going in from the flange don't seem sufficient in holding the tank in place. Yes the chocks will keep it from sideways motion but what about up and down?

i think between the fascia screws and the wood chocks you will be ok..if the tank is empty it doesn’t weigh much and if your traveling with it full the weight of the water will hold it in the chocks…i guess it couldn’t hurt to strap it down and i’m thinking they show it installed with the chocks to make removal easy if there is no easy access behind it.

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