Your best option is going to buy a tank off Craigslist or FB marketplace. It’s a gamble, but use your best judgement on the condition relative to yours. Also get a wood stove, and some wood for next season. Alternative, find a friendly inspector to okay the tank.

I’ve been in the same boat as you, as recently as October, and the best advice I can give is you’re going to have to do as many things yourself as possible, or be very very assertive with people you hire. Don’t assume that anyone is competent, or won’t cut as many corners as possible. Your best interest and theirs do not necessarily align.

In Maine fortunately DIY everything is possible. Fixing a leak is very easy, running new wire is very easy. It’s just confusing and time consuming. Take a step back and think it through for awhile and it will seem less challenging. If you go DIY the only way to justify it is if you cross the ts and dot the Is. Cutting corners on the previous owner’s end is likely how you needed up where you are.

I’ve tackled projects from a full bathroom rehab to reroofing, insulating a crawlspace, installing a wood stove. Running wire, and doing the plumbing for a bathroom. Fortunately I have a very good job and paid for everything except the bathroom from cash flow. The bathroom demolished my savings. So did the roof and the stove

The emergencies do slow down. I’ve been in my place since 2019, the first 2 years were nothing but non stop crisis from plumbing leaks to substantial roof leaks to basement flooding.