Tankless Water Heater

Had someone recommend a tankless to me in my last house. I said no way. It was in a cul de sac that lost power all the time due to storms and transformer issues. Lost power for a week one time and still had hot water to take a shower with the good ole gas water heater.

Hi Roy!

 

I replaced a tank heater that furnished hot water to the most used half of my house in TN with a Rinnai, driven off propane. It was awesome - so much better than the tank heater. The only downside was the dreaded cold water sandwich effect, but it was minor compared to the advantages. I would buy one again.

BTW, most of the gas-fired tank heaters made now use electronic igniters, not pilot flame, so if you lose power your tank will get cold.

 

I've had my original 80 gal electric water heater with the original elements since 1991. Lifetime depends on water quality.

 

If having hot water to shower during a power outage is your concern than none of you have mentioned the one thing that should be bought and installed. A natural gas or propane fueled generator....

Tank or tankless won't matter if the electronic controller on either has no grundles hitting it to make it work. I use different criteria for making the decision. If you are someone that forgets about maintenance until a problem arises go tankless. Tankless will make less of a mess when it fails due to your lack of attention.

 

Replace it...now. Even if you don't get the best deal on it replacing it will still be cheaper than replacing it and replacing and repairing the damage to the basement.

 

Yes. That’s how mine was installed.

 

I appreciate this thread because of the marketing factor and an episode of this “Old House “ that indicated that a large amount of power was necessary to heat the water instantaneously with a tankless system.

 

I like that show because they’re real professionals and always get into the technical aspects. Whereas HGTV, DIY, etc just show the icing they put on the cake.....a cake that may be complete shit.

 

Yes. I dislike those shows because it’s too much drama and not enough technical know how. Bob Vila is another show that provided detailed info.

 

When I bought my house in 1992, it had a then 12 year-old 40 gal gas water heater. It lasted another 13 years before it needed replacing - it didn't leak, but its regulation of temperature became too erratic to tolerate, and it was so old (25 years) it wasn't worth replacing the control.

The replacement, installed in 2005, is still working fine.

Unless you will suffer significant damage from a leak, wait till it leaks and replace. Most start leaking slowly and don't fail catastrophically.

If its in a location where a leak will cause significant damage, make sure the replacement is installed in a pan.

 

Modern gas fired water heaters are self contained. They do not require an electrical connection in spite of the lack of a pilot light. I think they function on some kind of gas flow static energy magical shit.

 

Plus another 4k for the tank and plumber, right? RIGHT!?!

 

For ~$500, a Grundfos will keep everyone happy. Plus, it effectively increases your volume, with the supply lines acting as slave tanks!

 

The selling feature was that the system “would pay for itself” by not constantly having to keep a tank full of water hot waiting to be used.

 

Fucked if I know. Blows my mind when some twit will drop $9k on a tub without blinking an eye and pitch a fit that the floor heat is going to cost $800

 

Ah, the P. T. Barnum school of salesmanship

 

Gas Tankless are a useful tool if you are a heavy water user where you constantly drain the tank and especially with an electric water heater don’t have enough tank recovery to reheat the cold

Tankless running costs are going to depend a little on if the OP has Natural or LP Gas at the house, LP costs can get a little salty especially if you are that long shower/bath type of person

If you are staying on electric one choice to save some money is to go Heat Pump Water Heater, they are a little (lot) more than an electric water heater but would be less than a full tankless install
Depending on the type you can get some extra cooling when you make hot water also
(Full disclosure I work for a Heat Pump Water Heater manufacturer)

 

Teenage daughter who camps in the shower, wife who likes scalding hot showers and everyone showering in the AM = tankless or end I up with a cold shower. 20 years ago, a cold shower was useful. Now it's just annoying.

 

I have two 50 gal tanks in my house. Never run out of hot water. Laughed at the tankless suggestion when we built four years ago.

 

My single 50 hasn’t kicked on, all day. Having the reserve of two would mean we’d probably never have either kick on, ever. For the operating cost of just pilot lights, one would never recoup tankless costs, compared to these.