US $376.75
♥ ☆ StarLiteGrl~98☼1 ☆ ♥ asked:
Our current hot water heater is 28 years old, believe it or not. We've been shopping around and trying to decide if tankless is the way to go.
Any advice? Recommendations??
Our current hot water heater is 28 years old, believe it or not. We've been shopping around and trying to decide if tankless is the way to go.
Any advice? Recommendations??
Thanks all!☺
Caffeinated Content for WordPress
February 24th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
I would advise a regular water heater, and a mini instant on water heater at the bathroom furthest from the water heater, if it takes a long time to heat up
February 26th, 2009 at 4:44 am
Tank less water heaters are very economical, they give you unlimited amounts of hot water since water runs thru a serpentine and is heated as it flows thru it , does not consume much gas , since it only ignites the burner when you open a valve. I’ve personally used both systems and prefer tank less, saves space and money
February 27th, 2009 at 4:14 am
I just put a small one in the small rental unit on my property. It cost a lot for the unit, and a whole lot to put in. I like that it is compact, just a small box on the wall. I’m told that they are much more energy efficient because you aren’t holding a tank of hot water all the time. My brother says his makes a huge difference in his gas bill. We’ll see.
A larger unit, like for the main house, would cost twice as much. And living in a fairly remote area my power is off for at least two weeks a year. The instant hot water heater has an electrically powered lighter, so if I don’t have power I wouldn’t have hot water. I’ve set up the house so I can be self sufficient and comfortable with no power so I wouldn’t like that.
March 1st, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I’ve been told by different water heater dealers…….one an A. O. Smith dealer just two weeks ago that in another 4 or 5 years they will be a thing of the past…they don’t heat fast enough an cost way to much to operate. if i were you i would get an energy efficient one….with the size compatible to the size of your home……and keep the extra money
March 3rd, 2009 at 5:26 am
Asolutely they are! Yes they cost more, but in the long run it’ll save you money, less repairs and you’ll never run out of hot water. Always on demand.
Chris-of course a hot water dealer will tell you that! LOL
March 6th, 2009 at 8:01 am
I don’t think as one suggested standard water heaters will be a “thing of the past” at the prices they want for them. Like the flat screen thin T.V.’s, maybe down the line when they get more people buying them the prices will come down.
With Home Depot, figuring for a residential tank less for my house, my wife and I only, installation, all the whistles and bells for $1800.00. I can put in a standard water heater for less then $300.00 that’s 60 years of water heaters, I’m 68 years old.
My sister on the other hand is wealthy, she just built a multimillion dollar home and didn’t want the fuss, put one in for $2200.00 but can well afford one. So, I don’t think a standard water heater will be a “thing of the past” in four or five years, maybe ten or fifteen, when they get reasonable.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Cowboy”s right on this one. Tankless water heaters are expensive to buy and expensive to have them installed. And, with most models, they will not work if there’s a power outage.
Repairs could be a problem as well. Tankless heaters are much more complicated than regular water heaters, so they are apt to break down more often. Unfortunately, there aren’t many technicians out there trained to repair all the various models and parts are not locally stocked as yet.
Efficiency-wise, I’d throw a double blanket on a standard tank-type water heater and call it good. In time, as the tankless become more common, their prices will drop and can be bought when the sticker shock is not so great.
Another negative is that many tankless heaters require installing a larger gas line than had been previously required……….
To sum it all up; more expensive to purchase, more expensive to install, more apt to experience a breakdown, less reliable during power outages, more complicated, more expensive to repair and less likely that a homeowner can repair it themselves…………..
March 9th, 2009 at 3:55 am
tankless is a better way to go you will have more storage where the old one was you get the same results with water temp but you only use electricity when tap is turned on
March 12th, 2009 at 5:46 am
My wife and I installed one of these ourselves about 1 year ago. Prior to that we had a High Efficiency HVAC system installed by contractor also. The combination of the 2 cut 12 to 15 % off our gas bill.
Also makes for more room in the laundry room, you can dial in what ever temperature you want the water to be heated to remotely or at the machine, and they are way cool looking!!
Seriously, they are a good investment and great improvement to your home. We installed a BOSCH that we bought at Lowe’s for around $1,100.00
Legal;
I have opinions about everything but expertise in nothing, so do not take my word for anything. All answers are for entertainment purposes only. By taking my advice you agree too do so at your own risk and hold me harmless in any criminal or civil action.
Mr. Obvious
Patrick
March 12th, 2009 at 11:38 am
It’s the last water heater you’ll need to buy, They last forever & only use power when you use hot water. They pay for themselves
March 14th, 2009 at 10:20 am
get a booster tank to go with it. it keeps enough water hot to provide hot water until ther tankless can meet the demand. Otherwise you might be wasting quite a bit of water until you get hot water out of the tap. you can also get pumps that circulate the water through the lines to give almost instant hot water.
The energy and water savings will make up for the initial added expense. also make sure your not running water that is too hard to get the most life out of your system
March 17th, 2009 at 3:53 am
The price is he big difference between a tank and tankless water heater. Tankless are about 3X -4X as much as a tank water heater. You might save some money because it’s not heating the water all the time. But what would the yearly saving be between a tank and tankless water heater. If it’s only $20-$50 a year, then it would take almost 10 years to recoup the money for the tankless water heater, even at $100 a year, it would take 5-6 years to recoupe the money. So I would go with a tank water heater, unless you can find a tankless one that is reasonably priced and close to a regular water heater, then go for it.
March 18th, 2009 at 5:15 am
I worked on them about 18 years ago. I serviced the gas and electric models. I don’t how they could operate any differently now. The only way to make the water hotter is to slow down the flow of water so it picks up more heat. Most complained that to get the shower hot enough they then lacked sufficient pressure. Some added a second one in series with the first to get the temp. up and still have good pressure. Also many had to turn on the water heat cycle on their dishwashers. This is a very expensive way to heat water. The new tank type heaters are very well insulated and a blanket is a waste of money. They run an average of 8 minutes an hour when not using hot water. This may vary depending on ambient temprature. I think a lot of people are unhappy with the tankless heaters but wont admit it because of the initial expense.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I find it amazing that your water heater has lasted 28 years! Tankless water heaters are the way to go. They are very inexpensive to run, they don’t store the water like ordinary heaters do, they work on demand. You don’t have to worry about them overworking themselves and running up the electric bill, and you don’t have to worry about the bottom rotting out and flooding the house.
March 19th, 2009 at 10:05 pm
They do use less energy and provide endless hot water, but they cost more up front. If you plan on staying it you home for a while and can afford the initial expense you will recoup it it energy savings.
March 21st, 2009 at 12:09 am
Getting 28 yers from a standard water is excellant and a little unusual. The tankless heaters can do a great job and save you $$$$ on your fuel bill.
Have a professional plumbing company or HVAC company look at your existing plumbing and venting system. If a tankless system can be installed they will give you the price. Stick with a name brand that includes warranties.
I’ve seen houses that cannot use the tankless systems due to venting issues.