said by Lisa Mangeoni :

How much was the sales tax on this job ?
   $70, the standard 8.x% sales tax.

Was the first installer insured ?
  Probably not.

Did you find the manual ?
   Only on the A.O. Smith website. Was never given one.

Was a new ball shutoff valve installed ?
   I have no idea! Will ask.

What temperature did he set it at ?
   Two notches down from Very Hot. There are settings A,B, and C above a notch that must mean Medium. It's set for B. The temperature is good for washing dishes, not too hot or cold.

Do you use city or well water ?
   City. NY city water is soft, good.

Did plumber show you how to use the drain valve every 6 months to remove sediment ?
    NO. I'll ask him.

I called my plumber and he said your price was very high for a 30 gallon tank installed, he wanted to know if you used a well instead of city water.
   It's a 50-gallon tank, non-conservationist. The wholesale price is $420 at one local dealer. Things are expensive in NYC.

He also said something about the copper pipes have to be connected together with a wire so they are grounded on both sides.
   Egad, one more thing! Good to know.

My tank is 32 years old, I expect it to act up any year now.
   That's truly amazing. My old one lasted 13 years. The plumber never told me anything about flushing it out. I'll ask the new plumber what to do when he comes back for the faucets.

said by irked :

BTW, I was near Carnegie, PA just last week, at Connellsville. Learned a lot about the coal and coke industries. Just fascinating. Do you know what a Frick Hump is?

said by irked :

Not only that, the recommendation to install the draft hood anyway.

said by Crymeariver :

So there was nothing wrong in the first place. Four days of people overreacting, citing codes and arguing over draft hoods not to mention questioning the original installer's work.

LOL

said by irked :

The installer came back today. Told me the draft hood wasn't necessary because there already was a draft diverter in the vent flue farther up. That must explain why the plumber who installed the previous heater did not install the draft hood either.

said by irked :

Cryme's comments did sting a little despite his LOL at the end.

I sincerely hope I didn't waste anyone's time with my query, which started out as a question about whether that aluminum tape was OK or not. The solder drips were really secondary.

Evwyyting awww better now for me anyway, no longer irked or worried. Thanks once again, and apologies to anyone who feels they wasted their time. Wasn't it all interesting, though?

said by Crymeariver :

That this thread is still on the front page..

It's real simple. Call in another plumber for a second opinion. Having people on the Internet bicker back and forth over tape, screws, draft hoods and codes does nothing to improve your safety. Calling the same plumber that did the work does nothing either if you feel that uncomfortable.

Call in another professional. Pay for the house call which you're going to mostly likely get billed for. There's no arguing that you shouldn't have to, because you'll be paying for piece of mind or finding out that the first installer endangered your safety. If the latter should be the case, then you bill him for the house call and for any other charges incurred to have it fixed.

Note to self: If I ever feel that a contractor has endangered my life or the lives of my loved ones, don't ask people on the Internet for help.

said by SandShark :

The first two methods are pretty straightforward - sheet metal screws and the methods listed in the vent pipe manufacturers' instructions.

said by tp0d :

As for the NFGC issue, I may have pushed the envelope on a 'grey' topic, but does the code state that tape is legal? anywhere? Screws are certainly mentioned. Its more a matter of common sense, which a lot of people seem to lack nowadays.

said by robbin :

I did post them. Let's see if I can say this so everyone understands. The code which has been repeatedly referenced throughout this entire thread is the National Fuel Gas Code which is also known as NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 54. NFPA 54 is available for on line viewing on the NFPA site. Here is a link since you can't seem to find it

»www.nfpa.org/aboutthecodes/About···ocNum=54

said by robbin :

You obviously have not read the entire thread. To clarify, NFGC is the National Fuel Gas Code also known as NFPA 54. The code is online for anyone willing to take the effort to look it up. I posted reference to the relevant section and even quoted the relevant part.

Solder drips are a sign of using too much solder and do not indicate a poorly sealed joint.

said by robbin :

Saying that the tape is not ok per the NFGC and then stating that the manufacturer instructions require it is contradictory to the NFGC. According to the NFGC 12.11.7 Joints ... shall be fastened... (2) By vent connectors of listed vent material assembled and connected to flue collars or draft hood outlets in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.

said by mityfowl :

I do though have a 400,000 btu pool heater. When it starts up it's like a jet plane.

said by tp0d :

Tape is NOT certified by NFGC.

There is no tape certified to hold to 400°F, this is why.

said by tp0d :

Sheet metal screws or rivets are the only certified method of securely joining flue pipe.

said by treetop1000 :

Thats called flue tape and yes, that is what it's designed for. I've used it on stovepipes on indoor free-standing cast iron wood and coal stoves. Using it on a gas hot water heater is allowed, the adhesive sets with exposure to high temp, and as long as you dont try to remove it, it sets up and provides a really good seal on leaky flue joints.
Think of it as extremely high temp duct tape. I even used it to patch a cars rusted out old muffler (just before I sold it) to keep the noise down. Works well, just dont expect longevity when exposed to the weather.