Instant Hot Water Dispenser

When we had this house built 15 years ago we had an instant hot water dispenser installed by the kitchen sink. If we had know what a great thing this was we could have just installed one in our old house and stayed there. We wouldn't have had to build a new house. It is like the greatest thing since sliced bread!

However, there have been a few problems. Three, actually. It seems that every five years it springs a leak and needs to be replaced. The first time I opened it up and discovered that the tank itself was leaking. The tank was made of two cup shaped pieces of copper that were soldered together in the middle. The solder job was poor, the two pieces weren't properly aligned, and the seam had sprung a leak. I dinked around with it for a bit, but did not manage to repair it. I suspect that was because I was trying to make do with a propane torch, or maybe I just let it drag on too long and my wife put her foot down.

The next time it failed I called the plumber and $500 later we had a new one. That was when I was working, so while it was a big hit, I was able to cope. (It was a big hit, I still remember the amount.)

We discovered a leak under the sink around 6PM last night and quickly determined that the Instahot was once again the culprit. Pulled it out and took it apart in the vain hope that I could fix it. Discovered that it was leaking around the gasket where the heating element was installed. I don't have a gasket (rubber washer) like that, and I'm not sure where I could get one. Bah.

Look on-line for a replacement unit and find one for $150. Fine, we'll just replace it and be done with it. Only problem is when I get to the store, the $150 dispenser is very different and will require more work to install. The unit comparable to the one I have is almost double, but I will only have to replace the tank, which is a five minute job, and not the faucet, which mounts to the counter and is bound to be a real pain.

So I cough up the big bucks (Merrry Christmas, sweety), take it home and hook it up. By 9PM we are back in business with instant hot water once again.