They don't make 'em like that anymore

I had a local heating and cooling contractor out to check out the furnace this week. He has been here a few times and this time, because he had just had shoulder surgery, he brought a helper. After they had completed the tune up, cleaned the burner, changed the filter (we have an oil furnace) and cleaned up the area, I stopped down to see how it was going. One of the gentlemen mentioned that he remembered installing our water heater when he first started in the business and was working for someone else.

We checked the serial number and the unit was manufactured in 1983. I mentioned that we had never had any trouble with it but it was getting older. The heating and cooling guys leaned back and reminisced how this company used to make really good water heaters and how long some of the older appliances would last and last, and how now most of their stuff is crap. Here it is, for your amazement and awe, the object of their admiration and accolades. Take a deep breath...