"The Garage Is Full of Water"

As my Darling Wife is about to step out with #2 and #3 to go to Wallymart, she calls into the house:

"David"
"Huh"
"DAVID"
"WHAT"
"THE GARAGE IS FULL OF WATER"

Well there goes my day of rest & recuperation trying to get over this flu or whatever it is.

#1 and I spent a couple of hours sweeping the water out (it was something like 1/2-3/4" deep (who slopes a garage floor toward the house instead of toward the driveway?)) and then I pulled the old heater out. Leaking from the tank somewhere. Oh well, what do you want for the budget model from 18 years ago?

Off to Sears to get a new heater. Off to Home Depot to get the stuff required to install the new heater. Home, install the new heater.

Either the flu pipe has water in it somehow, or there is an internal leak, dripping down onto the burner.

Great.

I'll let it set overnight (and not mess with the stupid thing when I feel like lying on the floor instead) and see if it is leaking or what, tomorrow.

********

Edit/update: everyone laugh at the newbie. The manual says it's common and should be considered "normal" for there to be condensation dripping down onto the burner with a tank full of cold water and/or on initial start-up.

Oh, and the little piles of oak pollen everywhere are probably not helping me feel any better. A couple of days ago #2 was hurting, but he seems to be over it. I guess I'm the only one (lucky) who caught a genuine case of sick. Good.