# Possible theft of hot water



## theplunger (Sep 1, 2010)

This forum is my last hope in trying to find a way to prove my neighbor is stealing my hot water. I live in a four-plex. The apartment that mirrors mine is my former landlord. He lost it to the bank by being dumb and not paying his notes. I'll try and spare you guys the details, and get to my question. Is there a device I can put onto the water heater in order to see if he has tapped into it and piped in up into a storage tank in the attic? I see he has no hot water heater in his apartment, yet he has hot water! He wont let me in the attic which he can only access via his apartment. Please Help!


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## the_man (Aug 14, 2010)

there should be a valve on the cold inlet to the tank, close it almost all the way, it'll make a squealing sound any time water flows thru it.


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## nap (Dec 4, 2007)

it would be a bit of a pain but if you install a shut off valve and turn it on only when you are actually using hot water it might lead to the guy asking about your hot water.


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

You can always crank it up all the way and listen for the screams!! just be sure to turn back down before you use it!:furious:


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## theplunger (Sep 1, 2010)

"there should be a valve on the cold inlet to the tank, close it almost all the way, it'll make a squealing sound any time water flows thru it."

I might try this. But since there is a holding tank. I don't think it flows when he uses the water, but later when he as used most of it.


"it would be a bit of a pain but if you install a shut off valve and turn it on only when you are actually using hot water it might lead to the guy asking about your hot water."

I've been doing this. He is as slick as they come. He'll never ask about the hot water. And when I turn it back on, it'll just refill his tank.



"You can always crank it up all the way and listen for the screams!! just be sure to turn back down before you use it!:furious:"

This is something I would do if is was tapping straight out of the heater. On this electric heater, I see no easy dial to switch.


Thank you for your comments. Please, if anyone has any more feel free to chime in.


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## Mike Swearingen (Mar 15, 2005)

There also may be a water heater in the attic for the former landlord's apartment. He would have to have a water heater type "storage tank" to keep the water from cooling too fast. 
It is possible that the former landlord is supplying a water heater up there with hot water from your water heater instead of cold water.
An electric water heater energy usage can amount to about 14% of your electric bill, depending upon your type of heating system.
If you were away for a weekend, you could always turn off your water heater cold water supply and power.
If he is stealing hot water from you, you should be able to tell by listening to water flowing out of your water heater, or looking at the leak indicator triangle or gauge on your water meter. If all of your water is turned off the leak indicator should not move at all. If anyone is running water tied into your water system, the leak indicator will spin.
Mike


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## theplunger (Sep 1, 2010)

Mike Swearingen said:


> There also may be a water heater in the attic for the former landlord's apartment. He would have to have a water heater type "storage tank" to keep the water from cooling too fast.
> It is possible that the former landlord is supplying a water heater up there with hot water from your water heater instead of cold water.
> An electric water heater energy usage can amount to about 14% of your electric bill, depending upon your type of heating system.
> If you were away for a weekend, you could always turn off your water heater cold water supply and power.
> ...



Yes, those are things I've considered too.

Is there something I can add to the out put line of the hot water heater to see or hear the water flowing?


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

Do not crank it up all the way and leave it, you will shorten the life of the water heater.

If you do find out that your neighbor is siphoning off hot water, then what do you do about it?

Is this a condominium or coop that you own? Could you see fit to repair the plumbing so as to eliminate surreptitious connections? You may need test equipment (a stethoscope might be sufficient) to find where in the wall the illicit tap is located.


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## del schisler (Aug 22, 2010)

theplunger said:


> This forum is my last hope in trying to find a way to prove my neighbor is stealing my hot water. I live in a four-plex. The apartment that mirrors mine is my former landlord. He lost it to the bank by being dumb and not paying his notes. I'll try and spare you guys the details, and get to my question. Is there a device I can put onto the hot water heater in order to see if he has tapped into it and pipped in up into a storage tank in the attic? I see he has no hot water heater in his apartment, yet he has hot water! He wont let me in the attic which he can only access via his apartment. Please Help!


Is this your water heater ? What i would do is find a frend and tell him that you want to shower at his place. Now turn off the heater . Take out the circut breaker and hide it. Let this go on for a week or so. I bet he will ask about hot water. Tell him your's is ok. What about his (your's) ?? If thing's go right you will know the truth about hot water. If he has taped into your line . He would have to had the water shut off to do some soldering ? He would have to have done this when you were away of before your apt. was rented ?? . They make a flow meter that measure's water flo like a unit with number's on it. Now this is getting into some money to just get into a pissing contest or get evicted ?? . Another thing if you cut the hot water line their shouldn't be any water comming out of the line or not much. Now if he has a storage tank their will be lot's of water . So be ready for a flood?? Their is no way to just feed his line with cold water. Cause your's probly is in the celling? So he is taped off up above. If at all. good luck


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## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

I'd have some fun. :jester:

Shut off the water heater and allow it to cool enough so that it's just warm and not under pressure. Drain a few gallons out (probably could use the maintenance anyway if you're in a rental). Unthread the T&P valve and squirt some blue dye (the kind that leaves permanent stains) into the valve port, put the T&P valve back in, turn on the water supply to the heater, fire it up then sit back and enjoy the show!

You could even be creative and use brown food coloring just for giggles if you know he's having company over.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

If you put dye in the water you will end up flushing gobs of water through the system afterwards to be sure you got it all out before using it again for your own use.

Also are you sure you don't just have a plain old leak that is wasting hot water and running up your gas (or electric) bill?

Just observe your own water meter for usage of either hot or cold water.


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## Blondesense (Sep 23, 2008)

OK, I admit I'm blond, but there are a couple of things that confuse me.

First, you say he doesn't have a hot water heater, how do you know this? In our last home when we replaced the hot water heater we had it moved from the bathroom to a closet. Just because it is not in the same place as yours, doesn't mean he doesn't have one.

Second, you think he has a holding tank in the attic. It would have to be an incredibly well insulated tank to give him anything more than tepid water.

If there is a tank of some sort in the attic, is it possible he moved his hot water heater up there? Perhaps he is hiding the fact because it is not to code or something.

Lastly, I like Nap's idea. Just put a shutoff valve on it, and turn it off while you are out of the house. Correct me if I'm wrong fellas, but it may not be a bad idea to add shutoffs anyway, in case you ever have problems with it.

.


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## forresth (Feb 19, 2010)

just turn off the hot water valve (install one if there isn't one), then turn it back on when you want some.


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## theplunger (Sep 1, 2010)

Blondesense said:


> OK, I admit I'm blond, but there are a couple of things that confuse me.
> 
> First, you say he doesn't have a hot water heater, how do you know this? In our last home when we replaced the hot water heater we had it moved from the bathroom to a closet. Just because it is not in the same place as yours, doesn't mean he doesn't have one.
> 
> ...



He doesn't have a hot water heater anywhere in his apartment, I checked.
Yes, it is possible he moved it up in the attic. Yes, he might be acting fishy due to breaking code. Good point.

Let's say it's my hot water heater. It is a tall electric heater with two panels. One one towards the top and one towards the bottom. If I remember right it's a "GE" and looks rather newish. After flipping the breaker, I took them off. I noticed each had a thermostat. Both are at about 120F. I left it alone. I noticed that the top panel had a reset button. I pressed it. I doubt it did any good due to the breaker being off. As you can tell I know zero about hot water heaters. 

Let me try and explain some of the symptoms. Several days in a row after coming from the Gym in the early morning. (I've lost a lot of weight btw.  There was no hot water. That along with other fishy things made me start to think of my neighbor. Oh, and the fact that this unit has never given me issues and looks rather new. Another example was today. My girlfriend and I would sometimes take a shower, one after another. Today I was left with just a few minutes of hot water after she took a quick shower. 

So, is there anything I can do as a renter regarding this?


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## Scuba_Dave (Jan 16, 2009)

theplunger said:


> So, is there anything I can do as a renter regarding this?


Yes, contact your landlord
Possible one or both of your heating elements is not working all the time
Or at all


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## Mr Chips (Mar 23, 2008)

theplunger said:


> He doesn't have a hot water heater anywhere in his apartment, I checked.
> ?


maybe he put in a tankless unit


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