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  4. Let's talk about water heaters!

Let's talk about water heaters!

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  • ShiroKuroS Online
    ShiroKuroS Online
    ShiroKuro
    wrote on last edited by ShiroKuro
    #1

    So the water heater at our new house is 20 years old. It seems fine, but I will probably replace it rather than wait for it to die.

    It's a 40 gallon, and all the quotes I got are for 50 gallons. There's only two of us, do we really need 50 gallons. They all sort of act like it's a given that we'd want to move up to the larger size.

    Any thoughts on that?

    Oh and I'm not thinking about a tankless because it's just too expensive.

    1 Reply Last reply
    • wtgW Offline
      wtgW Offline
      wtg
      wrote on last edited by
      #2

      Wait, you mean you're looking at a conventional water heater and not tankless, right? Tankless is usually a lot more money.

      When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

      ShiroKuroS 1 Reply Last reply
      • wtgW wtg

        Wait, you mean you're looking at a conventional water heater and not tankless, right? Tankless is usually a lot more money.

        ShiroKuroS Online
        ShiroKuroS Online
        ShiroKuro
        wrote on last edited by
        #3

        @wtg Doh!! Typo!!! I'm not thinking about a tankless because they're too expensive. I'll edit that.

        1 Reply Last reply
        • ShiroKuroS Online
          ShiroKuroS Online
          ShiroKuro
          wrote on last edited by
          #4

          Well, I may have to take my water heater questions to reddit (gah!) 😄

          1 Reply Last reply
          • wtgW Offline
            wtgW Offline
            wtg
            wrote on last edited by wtg
            #5

            While I thought your HVAC system was fine as is, I'd recommend replacing the water heater. A 20 year old unit is well past its expiration date and it's living on borrowed time. And they decide to start leaking at the worst time possible.

            As far as size it really boils down to what your demand is. With two people in the house, we find the 40 gallon unit to be sufficiently large. If you have a bunch of people taking showers in the morning at the same time, a 50 would probably be in order.

            The 50 gallon is undoubtedly more expensive to buy, and over time you'll be heating quantities of water that you probably don't need, resulting in increased energy costs.

            When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

            1 Reply Last reply
            • Big_AlB Offline
              Big_AlB Offline
              Big_Al
              wrote on last edited by
              #6

              Is your water heater gas or electric?

              We have a 50 gallon hot water heater. We've never run out of hot water, even with someone showering while the dishwasher or laundry washer is running.

              Big Al

              Money seems to buy the most happiness when you give it away.

              Why does everything have to be so complicated, all in the name of convenience. -ShiroKuro

              A lifetime of experience will change a person. If it doesn't, then you're already dead inside. -MarkJ

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              • ShiroKuroS Online
                ShiroKuroS Online
                ShiroKuro
                wrote on last edited by
                #7

                WTg and Big Al, thanks for these comments... hmm food for thought here. Yes there are only two of us, both Mr SK likes to take very hot baths in the winter. He takes his bath in the evening, I generally only shower in the morning....

                Oh and Al, our water heater is gas.

                1 Reply Last reply
                • wtgW Offline
                  wtgW Offline
                  wtg
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #8

                  What do you have now, and what was in your old house?

                  When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  • ShiroKuroS Online
                    ShiroKuroS Online
                    ShiroKuro
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #9

                    In our new house, the water heater is a 21 year-old Whirlpool. I can't remember what was in our old house, I bet I have paperwork for it somewhere on my computer. Or I could call the company that installed it and see how big it was, I'm sure they still have records from 3 years ago.

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    • wtgW Offline
                      wtgW Offline
                      wtg
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #10

                      what about capacity? 40 gallon or 50 gallon?

                      When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      • ShiroKuroS Online
                        ShiroKuroS Online
                        ShiroKuro
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #11

                        You mean at the old house? Unfortunately, I don't remember. At the new house, the current water heater is a 40 gallon. But we haven't moved in yet and so the showers, washer, and dishwasher have not been used, probably since february. So that has me worried. I have a quote from a company with a good rep and I may just go with them and get it replaced before we move in (which is coming up soon now!)

                        1 Reply Last reply
                        • wtgW Offline
                          wtgW Offline
                          wtg
                          wrote on last edited by wtg
                          #12

                          What about the rental? Tankless? Or if not, can you see how big the tank is?

                          When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          • ShiroKuroS Online
                            ShiroKuroS Online
                            ShiroKuro
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #13

                            Oh yeah, good idea! It's not a tankless. I can check it out. It looks to be similar in size to the new house, but I'll see if it says on a label somewhere. And for the record, we don't have problems with water here, the hot water doesn't run out, and someone running water while the other person is in the shower doesn't mess things up etc.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            • ShiroKuroS Online
                              ShiroKuroS Online
                              ShiroKuro
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #14

                              Our rental house water heater is a 50 gallon Whirlpool. I don’t see a date on it.

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              • AxtremusA Offline
                                AxtremusA Offline
                                Axtremus
                                wrote on last edited by Axtremus
                                #15

                                Never heard any complaint from anyone that their hot water heater tank is “too big,” that they have “too much hot water.”
                                Most of the cost of changing it goes to labor anyway.
                                Just go with a big tank and be done with it. 🙂

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                • ShiroKuroS Online
                                  ShiroKuroS Online
                                  ShiroKuro
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #16

                                  Good point Ax.

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  • ShiroKuroS Online
                                    ShiroKuroS Online
                                    ShiroKuro
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #17

                                    Ok, now I'm starting to serious consider a tankless... 😅

                                    Yes, it's a bigger cost upfront, but their life span is twice as long as a traditional WH, for one thing....

                                    And tankless seems like the better option if you're going to be traveling, for example... Also they take up more space.

                                    One of my concerns with switching to the 50 gallon is that it will be taller and the current location doesn't have a lot of vertical wiggle room....
                                    Still lots more to think about...

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    • wtgW Offline
                                      wtgW Offline
                                      wtg
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #18

                                      I think Nina's water damage was because of a tankless water heater that spewed hot water and steam into her house for days, so not sure it's superior if you're away from home for extended periods.

                                      There are short tanks that are slightly wider. Let the plumber look at the space and tell you what they can fit in there.

                                      When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

                                      ShiroKuroS 1 Reply Last reply
                                      • wtgW wtg

                                        I think Nina's water damage was because of a tankless water heater that spewed hot water and steam into her house for days, so not sure it's superior if you're away from home for extended periods.

                                        There are short tanks that are slightly wider. Let the plumber look at the space and tell you what they can fit in there.

                                        ShiroKuroS Online
                                        ShiroKuroS Online
                                        ShiroKuro
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #19

                                        @wtg said in Let's talk about water heaters!:

                                        I think Nina's water damage was because of a tankless water heater that spewed hot water and steam into her house for days, so not sure it's superior if you're away from home for extended periods.

                                        😳 😳 😳

                                        I had forgotten that, thanks for the reminder!!!

                                        There are short tanks that are slightly wider. Let the plumber look at the space and tell you what they can fit in there.

                                        Thanks, I will ask. Mr SK is at the house right now and I had him measure the current unit.

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        • wtgW Offline
                                          wtgW Offline
                                          wtg
                                          wrote on last edited by wtg
                                          #20

                                          Repair costs on tankless are a lot more. They have circuit boards. A regular water heater is a pretty basic device and usually the thing that goes is that it rusts and starts leaking and you just replace the whole thing. It's the thing that our HVAC guy told us about high efficiency furnaces and boilers. They are very efficient, but they break more often and cost a fortune to repair. Kind of like owning a Tesla.

                                          When the world wearies and society ceases to satisfy, there is always the garden - Minnie Aumônier

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