Replacement water heater

[briansd1]

UCGal, it’s cool that you rerouted your hot water line.

I take it you installed the tankless heater outside so you didn’t need extra venting.

A few years ago I wanted to do tankless in my rental but the technology was not as good and the installation is expensive because tankless requires extra venting.

I believe that tankless water heaters have been perfected.

I was told by a contractor friend that on a regular tank water heater, the 1-year, 5-year, 10-year guarantee models are all the same. It’s just a marketing gimmick to charge more money. Just get the cheapest one.

[NotCranky]

http://www.aoreed.com/page.asp?itemid=15

I go here by habit based on earlier good experiences. Maybe not the cheapest but I trust them.

I’ll give a few miscellaneous comments;

A regular water heater is super easy and potentially much cheaper to replace than the new tank-less. Most anyone with a few wrenches and a spray bottle with soapy water for testing can replace a regular water heater…if it was set up well in the first place.

Does you current system have a recirculation pump?I have used that to accomplish on demand hot water before and while I didn’t do a comprehensive study, it was working well on economy and service. I suggest that when you compare total cost and long range efficiency of the two types of heaters, that you consider a timer operated recirculation pump on a regular tank . Hot water on demand still has to push out a bunch of cold water from the pipes depending on the plumbing layout.

The Tank-less probably needs higher available btu’s from the pipe than your old heater.Make sure you have it. The new installation is somewhat more technical and requires more materials. I would suggest a top-notch plumber or a least a technician who has installed lots of them.

You might want to study how the system that you will be getting soon would be more or less beneficial to the solar design you might choose if you might go that route someday.

[NotCranky]

http://www.aoreed.com/page.asp?itemid=15

I go here by habit based on earlier good experiences. Maybe not the cheapest but I trust them.

I’ll give a few miscellaneous comments;

A regular water heater is super easy and potentially much cheaper to replace than the new tank-less. Most anyone with a few wrenches and a spray bottle with soapy water for testing can replace a regular water heater…if it was set up well in the first place.

Does you current system have a recirculation pump?I have used that to accomplish on demand hot water before and while I didn’t do a comprehensive study, it was working well on economy and service. I suggest that when you compare total cost and long range efficiency of the two types of heaters, that you consider a timer operated recirculation pump on a regular tank . Hot water on demand still has to push out a bunch of cold water from the pipes depending on the plumbing layout.

The Tank-less probably needs higher available btu’s from the pipe than your old heater.Make sure you have it. The new installation is somewhat more technical and requires more materials. I would suggest a top-notch plumber or a least a technician who has installed lots of them.

You might want to study how the system that you will be getting soon would be more or less beneficial to the solar design you might choose if you might go that route someday.

[NotCranky]

http://www.aoreed.com/page.asp?itemid=15

I go here by habit based on earlier good experiences. Maybe not the cheapest but I trust them.

I’ll give a few miscellaneous comments;

A regular water heater is super easy and potentially much cheaper to replace than the new tank-less. Most anyone with a few wrenches and a spray bottle with soapy water for testing can replace a regular water heater…if it was set up well in the first place.

Does you current system have a recirculation pump?I have used that to accomplish on demand hot water before and while I didn’t do a comprehensive study, it was working well on economy and service. I suggest that when you compare total cost and long range efficiency of the two types of heaters, that you consider a timer operated recirculation pump on a regular tank . Hot water on demand still has to push out a bunch of cold water from the pipes depending on the plumbing layout.

The Tank-less probably needs higher available btu’s from the pipe than your old heater.Make sure you have it. The new installation is somewhat more technical and requires more materials. I would suggest a top-notch plumber or a least a technician who has installed lots of them.

You might want to study how the system that you will be getting soon would be more or less beneficial to the solar design you might choose if you might go that route someday.

[NotCranky]

http://www.aoreed.com/page.asp?itemid=15

I go here by habit based on earlier good experiences. Maybe not the cheapest but I trust them.

I’ll give a few miscellaneous comments;

A regular water heater is super easy and potentially much cheaper to replace than the new tank-less. Most anyone with a few wrenches and a spray bottle with soapy water for testing can replace a regular water heater…if it was set up well in the first place.

Does you current system have a recirculation pump?I have used that to accomplish on demand hot water before and while I didn’t do a comprehensive study, it was working well on economy and service. I suggest that when you compare total cost and long range efficiency of the two types of heaters, that you consider a timer operated recirculation pump on a regular tank . Hot water on demand still has to push out a bunch of cold water from the pipes depending on the plumbing layout.

The Tank-less probably needs higher available btu’s from the pipe than your old heater.Make sure you have it. The new installation is somewhat more technical and requires more materials. I would suggest a top-notch plumber or a least a technician who has installed lots of them.

You might want to study how the system that you will be getting soon would be more or less beneficial to the solar design you might choose if you might go that route someday.

[NotCranky]

http://www.aoreed.com/page.asp?itemid=15

I go here by habit based on earlier good experiences. Maybe not the cheapest but I trust them.

I’ll give a few miscellaneous comments;

A regular water heater is super easy and potentially much cheaper to replace than the new tank-less. Most anyone with a few wrenches and a spray bottle with soapy water for testing can replace a regular water heater…if it was set up well in the first place.

Does you current system have a recirculation pump?I have used that to accomplish on demand hot water before and while I didn’t do a comprehensive study, it was working well on economy and service. I suggest that when you compare total cost and long range efficiency of the two types of heaters, that you consider a timer operated recirculation pump on a regular tank . Hot water on demand still has to push out a bunch of cold water from the pipes depending on the plumbing layout.

The Tank-less probably needs higher available btu’s from the pipe than your old heater.Make sure you have it. The new installation is somewhat more technical and requires more materials. I would suggest a top-notch plumber or a least a technician who has installed lots of them.

You might want to study how the system that you will be getting soon would be more or less beneficial to the solar design you might choose if you might go that route someday.

[enron_by_the_sea]

The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…

[enron_by_the_sea]

The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…

[enron_by_the_sea]

The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…

[enron_by_the_sea]

The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…

[enron_by_the_sea]

The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…

[UCGal]

[quote=enron_by_the_sea]The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…[/quote]

Yes. Permits are required.

And to answer brian’s question – yes we installed it outside. The big challenge was that it had to be a certain distance from operable windows – so that gases (CO) wouldn’t get into the house. So even an outside installation requires thought about “venting”.

Replacing our old tank, in it’s location, with it’s pipe runs, would have left us with the same problem. If we hadn’t had those issues (hot water pipes going through slab, exceptionally long runs from tank to sink/shower) we probably would have stayed with a tank model.

[UCGal]

[quote=enron_by_the_sea]The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…[/quote]

Yes. Permits are required.

And to answer brian’s question – yes we installed it outside. The big challenge was that it had to be a certain distance from operable windows – so that gases (CO) wouldn’t get into the house. So even an outside installation requires thought about “venting”.

Replacing our old tank, in it’s location, with it’s pipe runs, would have left us with the same problem. If we hadn’t had those issues (hot water pipes going through slab, exceptionally long runs from tank to sink/shower) we probably would have stayed with a tank model.

[UCGal]

[quote=enron_by_the_sea]The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…[/quote]

Yes. Permits are required.

And to answer brian’s question – yes we installed it outside. The big challenge was that it had to be a certain distance from operable windows – so that gases (CO) wouldn’t get into the house. So even an outside installation requires thought about “venting”.

Replacing our old tank, in it’s location, with it’s pipe runs, would have left us with the same problem. If we hadn’t had those issues (hot water pipes going through slab, exceptionally long runs from tank to sink/shower) we probably would have stayed with a tank model.

[UCGal]

[quote=enron_by_the_sea]The main issue of going with tankless is that you will probably need a bigger gas line and better venting than what you have. Which may make the installation more expensive.

Remember that now to install even a tank heater, you need a permit from the city and a visit from an inspector to make sure it is done right. If you end up doing something to the gas line to go tankless, probably another permit/inspection will be required…[/quote]

Yes. Permits are required.

And to answer brian’s question – yes we installed it outside. The big challenge was that it had to be a certain distance from operable windows – so that gases (CO) wouldn’t get into the house. So even an outside installation requires thought about “venting”.

Replacing our old tank, in it’s location, with it’s pipe runs, would have left us with the same problem. If we hadn’t had those issues (hot water pipes going through slab, exceptionally long runs from tank to sink/shower) we probably would have stayed with a tank model.

[Author]

Posts