Fast: chip the foam back slighly below flush with the wall. Skim coat with spackle. Paint.

More: if you want to pull it apart, put a collar on it, kind of an escutcheon to cover the seam between wall and pipe.

Most: box it in. Build a frame, drywall that, and then never, ever see it again.

You will want the wall spaced off the concrete. Typically it is an inch gap. Fasten the bottom plate to the floor and use brackets to fasten the top plate to the concrete wall while keeping the studs plumb.

Edit. Space brackets every 4' or so will be plenty. Simpson strong tie has many options available

Thank you! Didn’t know about that site, should be a big help. I’ll look into this and mark the post solved tonight after I try the new one out.

As a Mommy Mcguyver I would get a cute piece of fabric tack it up , cut a hole for the hose, and sew the bottom. ( its not a joke, I covered a big hole in the wall, where the plumber cut to fix a plugged drain, with Finding Nemo cloth. Its still there years later. I figure if he ever has to flush the pipe there again, its easy access).

Look up a parts list for your model of water heater on a trusted site such as seasrpartsdirect

Once you have the GE part number it’s easy to find other compatible parts.

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If the test button doesn't trigger the AFCI then either you have have LINE and LOAD reversed, or the AFCI may be defective.

First thing to try is: disconnect the pigtail for the two efferent cables and then retest the AFCI with the TEST button and with your outlet tester.

I'm a licensed plumber all you ever need to do is look at the shape of the thread to determine what makes the seal. The threads we create on steel pipes when screwed together are tapered. This means that the threads diameter increases as the thread goes which creates a joint so tight water can't force its way through. Threads that are straight usually require some sort of washer rubber etc to create a seal.

Are you planning on putting XPS foam insulation on the walls? That might change your calculus a bit as it would bump out your wall 2" anyway and you could do a normal top plate around where (2) is.

It may not be getting air circulation. If there's space under neath try vacuuming with a brush. This worked for me a month ago and I was able to relight it.

This is a great addition.

Could be other outlets are wired incorrectly, which is throwing off this outlet. Got one of those simple polarity/ground testers, ran around checking all my outlets and found an entire room where the polarity was swapped because of one outlet.

I had the same situation as you. I put down 8 24" x 24" pavers I got from Lowes for my resin Suncast shed and it works great! Definitely go with big pavers like mine not the small ones, It helps even out small differences in level. For wind, I took a rotary hammer drill and drilled holes in the pavers and anchored the shed to the pavers, not the ground underneath. It won't stand a hurricane but has otherwise withstood some pretty strong wind.

Thank you! Repeat of my earlier questions:

https://imgur.com/a/M7922PD there’s some kind of bracket of hardware holding the current thermocouple in place. Will I need any special tools or anything to remove that? Will the new thermocouple have instructions on how to do that?

How proprietary are thermocouples? How can I make sure I buy the right one?

Thank you! Repeat of my earlier questions:

https://imgur.com/a/M7922PD there’s some kind of bracket of hardware holding the current thermocouple in place. Will I need any special tools or anything to remove that? Will the new thermocouple have instructions on how to do that?

How proprietary are thermocouples? How can I make sure I buy the right one?

More tape

As the last two posters have said, the thermocouple seems to have gone bad. Even cleaning it won’t work. It’s a relatively inexpensive part. I’ve replaced mine on my water heater and also my furnace. Pretty simple repair to do on your own.

What I did is searched Amazon for water heater thermocouple and found one that matched what I had. There are a couple different types. Try including the water brand and model in your search. Such as “Rheem MODEL water heater thermocouple”

>Cut a rectangle of dry wall out that goes above the bad patch and below the current pipe.

Head to the hardware store first. I think they sell 2'x2' drywall pieces. Take your patch home and cut a hole to match. A larger hole isn't much more work and it's easier to hide.

It's a free service...call before you dig...your local utility locating services 811

Just get a new thermocouple, they are cheap

Thank you for taking the time! That seems very reasonable, especially since I know this water heater is 9+ years old. Two questions,

https://imgur.com/a/M7922PD there’s some kind of bracket of hardware holding the current thermocouple in place. Will I need any special tools or anything to remove that? Will the new thermocouple have instructions on how to do that?

How proprietary are thermocouples? How can I make sure I buy the right one?

I would try and remove second layer of subfloor using the skill saw at the required depth once you have made it into small strips. It will come up easy.

The thermocouple has failed. Its super common.

Remove it and go to your local hardware store and get a replacement.

Usually under 20 bucks.

Reinstall it and it will now light.

Repair as loihsdtmh wrote. They sell a sheet metal collar instal around the duct, caulk in, and voila you will get the finished look you are after

Fix the wall and re-do the metal tape much neater.

I actually 3D printed ring collars on mine, matches the wall trim & hides the rough edges.