Someone in my social-media universe posted about her water heater breaking down.
I can relate to how she feels; about not wanting to impose on a friend for the costly repair or replacement.
Love what she said about her grandmother who raised her kids without having access to electricity or running water. And it was in a place with cold winters! Good reminder to us all! Especially in times when the conventional infrastructure & conveniences seem to be getting more precarious.
For some years now, I have chosen not to use a water heater (as in the big water heaters found in typical USA residences). I stopped using them for various reasons, including cost, eco footprint, and maintenance hassle.
Usually find cold water adequate for washing dishes. Those occasional times I need hot water, I heat it up in a little electric kettle, or the solar oven.
I have various ways to bathe / shower that don’t need hot water. (Have written about that elsewhere on this blog.)
But, for hot showers, the little inexpensive solar shower bags they sell at sporting-goods stores or online come in handy. Those things can get really hot!!
At an eco school I attended in New Mexico years ago, we even found out we could put the bags in an insulated cooler overnight if we wanted a hot shower early in the morning.