Today I was cleaning the house and checked on my hot water tank that resides in a rubber overflow pan with a drain that lets water out safely to drain somewhere outside the house. That pan was full of water and there was water on the floor underneath it. I checked the ceiling downstairs and no water damage. I had caught the water heater leak before it ruined the carpet and the ceiling. I called a plumber and he came out with a new heater to install. He tried to blow air into the overflow drain as it appeared to be clogged. No dice. Fooling around with the drain pipe he noticed it was very loose. He pulled on it and what he found was pure fraud. The drain pipe that should be at least 30 feet long that would drain excess water from the pan was only six inches long and capped at the end! Can you believe what scummy people will do. I paid good money to the original plumber who is no longer in business and he puts in a fake drain to get by the plumbing inspector. I hope that these kind of people that prey on the unsuspecting consumer will get theirs in the end. I can just see this plumber having a big laugh with his buddies when he tells them of the fake drain pipe he installed. My new plumber says he will bring me an alarm device that will beep like a smoke detector when it comes in contact with water. Other than ripping the walls apart in my home to install a drain pipe this is about all I can do. You know you read about what all goes on in Iraq and how cruel people treat one another but in reality you can just look around and see how we treat each other in this country. It is sad. For almost 18 years I have lived with the knowledge that if my upstairs water heater would leak (and they all will sooner or later) I would be safe with the pan and drain pipe. The older I get the wiser I get. Too bad about the time we catch on it's time to leave this life and go the next. Buyer beware could never be more true than in this case, even when you are suppose to have inspectors making sure that fraud like this does not happen.
