Gas Water heater replacement - Recommendations

[bkuether]

MDS has never steered me wrong.

We live in Eldersburg, and our builder grade gas water heater is 13+ years old. I know it is a ticking timebomb, and I don't want it to go off.

I heard a water heater replacement (50 gal) is about $1400 bucks.

Anyone have this done that can recommend a reputable local-ish licensed firm to do it, and about what it cost?

Thanks in advance!

 

[PJDiesel]

Swap of your exiting unit should be no where near that, closer to $850.

Get a tankless, thank me later.

http://www.sears.com/rheem-rtg-84xl...0001i&kpid=SPM7659031828&kispla=SPM7659031828

 

[TonyB.]

+1 for tankless since you've got gas.

 

[pbharvey]

Installing a tankless heater requires a new flue and usually a new gas line back to the meter. It's not a one-for-one swap. It's also about 3x the initial cost of a standard tank heater and it requires annual maintenance.

 

[PJDiesel]

Installing a tankless heater requires a new flue and usually a new gas line back to the meter. It's not a one-for-one swap. It's also about 3x the initial cost of a standard tank heater and it requires annual maintenance.

New Flue? He's got gas already, tankless are forced vents, so, could be as little as 3 feet of PVC and a $30 dollar termination cap.

That wouldn't deter me, but I'm a plumber either.

I have FULL electric tank-less, was told it would never work, I'd never be happy, blah blah blah. They were wrong, never been happier.

 

[TonyB.]

Installing a tankless heater requires a new flue and usually a new gas line back to the meter. It's not a one-for-one swap. It's also about 3x the initial cost of a standard tank heater and it requires annual maintenance.

And totally worth it.

FWIW, lime scale builds up in a traditional water heater as well and should be flushed periodically depending on the hardness of the water. IMO that point is moot.

Sediment buildup is a problem with tanks, but not tankless.

Cost of a new gas line and/or flu can be negated by the increased efficiency of the tankless heater but he should already have a flu in place with his current GAS heater.

 

[pbharvey]

New Flue? He's got gas already, tankless are forced vents, so, could be as little as 3 feet of PVC and a $30 dollar termination cap.

That wouldn't deter me, but I'm a plumber either.

I have FULL electric tank-less, was told it would never work, I'd never be happy, blah blah blah. They were wrong, never been happier.

Could be 3', could be 30', could be impossible if he has a finished basement and the water heater is in the center of the house.
I like tankless heaters but its a different animal.
The Rinnai service manual is 90 pages.

 

[bkuether]

And totally worth it.

FWIW, lime scale builds up in a traditional water heater as well and should be flushed periodically depending on the hardness of the water. IMO that point is moot.

Sediment buildup is a problem with tanks, but not tankless.

Cost of a new gas line and/or flu can be negated by the increased efficiency of the tankless heater but he should already have a flu in place with his current GAS heater.

This is correct. And it is a passive flue.

The tankless seems appealing, however I really don't want to go without hot water for a week or have to drill holes in my basement foundation walls.

Think I will stick with a tank for now.

 

[bkuether]

Could be 3', could be 30', could be impossible if he has a finished basement and the water heater is in the center of the house.
I like tankless heaters but its a different animal.
The Rinnai service manual is 90 pages.

Sorry missed this post.

This is exactly the situation I am currently in. Water heater is mid basement, surrounded by finished basement. There is one wall of the unfinished portion I could go through, however some dummy built a deck there!!!! Nowhere for hot gas to exit without risk of a fire.

 

[Bertfish]

The tankless seems appealing, however I really don't want to go without hot water for a week or have to drill holes in my basement foundation walls.

What is stopping you from setting up the tankless heater completely and then just swapping piping when you were ready? I forsee a day of down time at most

EDIT: I see now that its mid-basement and it seems like you'd have to tear up a bunch of stuff.

 

[Traveler]

Alpha plumbing replaced mine recently, and did a great job. They replaced an ejector pump for me some time back, and did a great job then too.

IMHO tank-less is an expensive fad. Just had my water heater replaced with a conventional natural gas one. The old one lasted 17 years. It didn't owe me a dime. I suggest you look at the return on investment. Sometimes we over-complicate things.

 

[pbharvey]

This is correct. And it is a passive flue.

The tankless seems appealing, however I really don't want to go without hot water for a week or have to drill holes in my basement foundation walls.

Think I will stick with a tank for now.

You won't go without hot water if you get a tankless. It's a one day job.

A compromise is a very efficient tank heater. It still needs a new flue (PVC) but it costs about half the cost of a tankless and much more efficient than a standard tank heater.

 

[slowpoke]

This is interesting, I am overdue for a new water heater.

Anyone with experience with a tankless that converts to use propane?

 

[PJDiesel]

Tankless: Expensive Fad?

Literally LOL'd.

So were cell phones, people on chat boards in 1994, portable music, diesel engines in passenger cars.

Egh, I've head it all. I can assure you MY water heater is currently NOT heating any water, just sitting there politely not costing me dime right now, until I need it again.

Also, "mid basement? Can't think of a better location for a tankless, but, alas, I'll let the pros (who don't have one) enlighten everyone.

 

[Traveler]

Tankless: Expensive Fad?

Literally LOL'd.

So were cell phones, people on chat boards in 1994, portable music, diesel engines in passenger cars.

Egh, I've head it all. I can assure you MY water heater is currently NOT heating any water, just sitting there politely not costing me dime right now, until I need it again.

Also, "mid basement? Can't think of a better location for a tankless, but, alas, I'll let the pros (who don't have one) enlighten everyone.

Confrontational as always. Thanks for being consistent. My plumber, who could have made more money off a tank-less, saw no reason for me to buy one. He said the better insulated versions of the classic design, work fine for most people.


Here is a link that says it depends on your needs:

https://www.ncconsumer.org/news-articles/is-a-tankless-water-heater-a-worthwhile-investment.html

More data:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/are-tankless-water-heaters-waste-money

 

[Bertfish]

Something many people fail to do to make their conventional water heater more efficient is to put it on a timer. As with the tankless heaters this prevents it from sitting there heating water while no one is around to use it. Set it for an hour before you wake up in the morning and have it run for a few hours then have it come on an hour before you get home and run til you hit the sack.

 

[DutchV]

If you're handy a water heater replacement isn't that hard to do yourself. Use SharkBite stainless whips for the water, and flex line for the last couple feet of gas. Don't forget the drip leg in the gas supply. You may need a helper and a hand truck for moving the heater around. It's not that bad once you get the water drained out.

 

[PJDiesel]

Confrontational as always. Thanks for being consistent. My plumber, who could have made more money off a tank-less, saw no reason for me to buy one. He said the better insulated versions of the classic design, work fine for most people.


Here is a link that says it depends on your needs:

https://www.ncconsumer.org/news-articles/is-a-tankless-water-heater-a-worthwhile-investment.html

More data:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/are-tankless-water-heaters-waste-money

Confrontational? Must be pretty soft if you think that is someone confronting you. Sounds to me as if you describe the situation well, your plumber said "work fine", which I agree with. Work fine, and "are superior to" are two different terms.

Fighting newer designs of things is nothing new. If if were up to people who didn't accept change for the better NOTHING would be wireless or touchscreen (which, I prefer).

 

[Traveler]

Confrontational? Must be pretty soft if you think that is someone confronting you. Sounds to me as if you describe the situation well, your plumber said "work fine", which I agree with. Work fine, and "are superior to" are two different terms.

Fighting newer designs of things is nothing new. If if were up to people who didn't accept change for the better NOTHING would be wireless or touchscreen (which, I prefer).

Once again, your words speak volumes. If your point is so strong, why resort to grade school tactics?

 

[PJDiesel]

My point was only that I personally have one and know people that moved into housees that already had them, not only do they like them, they'll never go back to a conventional heater.

My words speak the truth, you're seeing a differing opinion as "confrontation".