So my medium-small conventional gas water heater gave up the ghost. It's a small, 1.5 person household. Gas and Electricity rates are both reasonable. What do I replace it with and why?
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Which water heater replacement?
- Thread starter elgecko
- Start date
we went through this a few years ago and ended up opting for another standard gas water heater, but we had reasons that probably don't apply to you.
advantages to tankless are much faster hot water which also means less waste of water. the gas tankless will still need venting, so we looked at electric. our place was built long ago, and the "new" electrics were added in 1979. if you have reasonably modern electricity with enough oomph to handle the tankless, i'd consider that as - i believe - it doesn't require venting. our local target's warm water in the smaller restroom uses electric tankless, and when i wash my hands there, the hot water is blissfully quick. also it doesn't require storing water and paying to keep it hot in colder weather.
advantages to tankless are much faster hot water which also means less waste of water. the gas tankless will still need venting, so we looked at electric. our place was built long ago, and the "new" electrics were added in 1979. if you have reasonably modern electricity with enough oomph to handle the tankless, i'd consider that as - i believe - it doesn't require venting. our local target's warm water in the smaller restroom uses electric tankless, and when i wash my hands there, the hot water is blissfully quick. also it doesn't require storing water and paying to keep it hot in colder weather.
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 2,854
- 15,665
- Disclosures
- I never actually learned to play very well
Gas because you’re already on it. Presumably that space is vented properly for fossil fuel use.
Tankless for multiple reasons displayed in the photo.
Tankless for multiple reasons displayed in the photo.
if you go with a conventional water heater, be advised that the difference between the tank with the 6-year warranty and the tank with the 12-year warranty is how much you pay for it. They are the same item. You are just buying an insurance policy.
My current standard gas water heater was installed in 1998.
I also had a soft water tank system installed at the same time.
Another way to extend the life of a water heater is to change the anode rod every few years. It is easy to check if you have top access.
Make sure the water heater inlet(cold water) is shut off. The tank is is still full of hot water. Read the manufacturers instructions. YMMV. Have a plumber do it if you're not handy.
Keeping the tank from corroding is the key to long life.
If the anode is replaced before it dissipates, your heater should last indefinitely.
And, if you have room, install/build an a insulated, ventilated closet around it to keep it from cooling off so quickly. Check your building codes. The thicker the insulation the more money saved over the life if the heater.
Be sure to include an accessable/ removable top so the anode rod can be changed.
I also had a soft water tank system installed at the same time.
Another way to extend the life of a water heater is to change the anode rod every few years. It is easy to check if you have top access.
Make sure the water heater inlet(cold water) is shut off. The tank is is still full of hot water. Read the manufacturers instructions. YMMV. Have a plumber do it if you're not handy.
Keeping the tank from corroding is the key to long life.
If the anode is replaced before it dissipates, your heater should last indefinitely.
And, if you have room, install/build an a insulated, ventilated closet around it to keep it from cooling off so quickly. Check your building codes. The thicker the insulation the more money saved over the life if the heater.
Be sure to include an accessable/ removable top so the anode rod can be changed.
Last edited:
Things I learned last year.
I needed a permit to replace my water heater.
I needed an expansion tank.
A fine for an installation without a permit, via ignorance or other, can be retroactively issued.
I needed a permit to replace my water heater.
I needed an expansion tank.
A fine for an installation without a permit, via ignorance or other, can be retroactively issued.
T B's resident plumber here. Many jurisdictions require a permit to replace a water heater. Very few actually enforce them though. Cali may very well be one of them though so you might want to do some research to be safe. As to what to replace it with , I usually recommend a straight up replacement to keep things simple. That looks like a pretty standard gas unit and that is what I would go with. For just two people in the house , a 40 Gal unit is sufficient but a 50 Gal gives you some wiggle room if anyone likes long showers. The difference in cost between a 40 and a 50 is not that much. As stated above , the warranty is irrelevant and just a matter of cost as the tanks are the same for both 5 and 10 year warranties. Most areas now require expansion tanks to be installed. For the most part , this is just a political money grab. Those systems worked fine before the tanks became mandatory. I don't know if Home Depot and Lowes sell gas units so you might have to go to a plumbing supply house if you are doing it yourself. Doesn't matter where you go , they will all cost about the same. Don't waste your money on a deluxe or super high efficiency unit. The long term savings aren't really all that great. Since it is a gas unit , I highly recommend having someone licensed and skilled with gas installations do the work. Messing up a gas connection or a flue connection can kill ya.' Almost all water heater tanks are made by the same company so one is not necessarily better than another one. It's simply a matter of who assembles the water heater that determines the name brand on it. Don't waste your time with all the external insulation. Modern water heaters are well enough insulated these days and you will be throwing your money away on the added insulation. And as always , have a nice day.
Feel free to PM me if you have any further questions , or just put them in the thread. You might want to like this post if you ask a question so I will get an alert. Otherwise , I might not know a question has been asked.
Feel free to PM me if you have any further questions , or just put them in the thread. You might want to like this post if you ask a question so I will get an alert. Otherwise , I might not know a question has been asked.
I say gas because it is less expensive to operate and it still works when the power is out!
- John
- John
Another advantage to your standard gas WH is when you have a power outage you will still have hot water.
Also gas will work if there is a power outage. 
Unless there is a gas outage then electric would still work.
Unless there is a gas outage then electric would still work.
Killer stuff.
One other "must have" is the earthquake straps and I think overflow pans?
Edit:
Invalid Link Removed
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 2,854
- 15,665
- Disclosures
- I never actually learned to play very well
I changed my vote to “Same” because I find the idea of having an extra 40-50 gallons of water on hand in an emergency to be compelling.
If you go with a conventional tank, consider a deep leak containment pan, or a containment drainage pit, with a sump pump. Go nuts!
If you go with a conventional tank, consider a deep leak containment pan, or a containment drainage pit, with a sump pump. Go nuts!
This (and your prior post) appears to make the confused claim that tankless water heaters can't leak, or somehow magically leak less than a tank. Both types can and do leak, and both types are connected to very large water reservoirs and will leak a great deal until the supply is turned off. Whether the inside of the heater holds 1 quart or 100 gallons makes very little difference to the amount of leakage.
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 2,854
- 15,665
- Disclosures
- I never actually learned to play very well
I’m listening, always want to learn.
You’re saying that a conventional 40-50 gallon tank water heater poses the same water leakage risk as a tankless. No significant difference in the potential damage in the OP’s installation.
I’m listening, always want to learn.
Are you saying that a conventional 40-50 gallon tank water heater poses the same water leakage risk as a tankless?
Yes. Regardless of the size of the tank, if it leaks, water will keep flowing into the heater from the city water supply or the well until the inlet to the heater or the house is shut off.
If you are standing around waiting for the water heater to leak, and shut if off instantly, the tank leaks more. This pretty much never happens - at which point 50 gallons one way or the other is small change by the time someone comes home, or wakes up, or otherwise notices the flood in progress, as both connect to a supply that can provide thousands of gallons in most cases.I’m listening, always want to learn.
Are you saying that a conventional 40-50 gallon tank water heater poses the same water leakage risk as a tankless?
Alkali Ike
Gold Supporting Member
- Jan 1, 2011
- 2,854
- 15,665
- Disclosures
- I never actually learned to play very well
I stand corrected on the leakage issue.
However, 40-50 gallons of water stored in a tank on your premises may still come in handy in an emergency. Or am I wrong there too?
However, 40-50 gallons of water stored in a tank on your premises may still come in handy in an emergency. Or am I wrong there too?
I'd say keep the GAS too.
We recently had similar experiences, our electric hot water cylinder gave up the ghost.
We were thinking of going gas, but were advised to try the "heat pump" / induction (?) electric one. It uses the same sorta unit as the air-conditioning systems use.
Was more $$ to get it etc, but is supposed to be a saving in the long term. It only heats the water that's used, rather than a tank/cylinder like the one we replaced.
So far so good.
We recently had similar experiences, our electric hot water cylinder gave up the ghost.
We were thinking of going gas, but were advised to try the "heat pump" / induction (?) electric one. It uses the same sorta unit as the air-conditioning systems use.
Was more $$ to get it etc, but is supposed to be a saving in the long term. It only heats the water that's used, rather than a tank/cylinder like the one we replaced.
So far so good.
