Tackling a Block and Tackle job

[John Kogel]

We're laying new engineered hardwood, and the water heater is parked in a closet, right on the subfloor, no drain pan. Here's how I rigged a lift for the tank. I fashioned a custom pan out of aluminum flashing and slipped it under. The pan has a hole punched in it corresponding with an existing hole in the subfloor. Silicone at the hole and at the corners.

For non-Boy Scouts (non-Sea Cadets), the knot on the right is a bowline, the knots on the left and around the two tank stubs are clove hitches. The friction of the rope over the 2X2 helped hold the tank up while I tied it off. []

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Do I get a MacGyver Badge for that, or what?

[Bain]

Ha, ha. Very well done.

My only concern would be lifting the tank by the inlet and outlet nipples, though I assume they survived. What's up with the 1/2" pipes? Wouldn't you get better flow with 3/4"?

[Erby]

Hmm, self made drain pain. Shades of Brian G!

[resqman]

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[Marc]

The tank is empty right?

Marc

[John Kogel]

The tank is empty right?

Marc

Yep. It's actually pretty light empty, but there was some resistance from the pipes. The idea was to just levitate the tank a couple of inches without doing any plumbing work.

The closet is 20" deep, and the tank is 20" in diameter. A homemade pan was the only way, and it had to be slipped in under the tank. I folded the corners, origami style.

Half inch pipe works ok. We're conservative folks up here. I won't be changing anything that isn't leaking.