i am in the market for a new water heater. i will be purchasing a gas storage tank unit. i have a two bath home with only one person in the house most of the time. my question is this: which brand and model do you recommend that i buy? and why? any suggestions are appreciated...thanks!
2007-03-09 11:13:39 · 5 answers · asked by sock monkey 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Two companies own almost every residential water heater manufacturer in the country: A.O Smith and Ruud/Rheem. So the odds are any heater you come across is controlled by them, not necessarily made by them. However the best heater I know of is A.O. Smith. In over 35 yrs I've installed hundreds and many different makes but A.O. is the best.
The one you will most likely find for your application would be the FMG-40 or 50. It comes with a 10 yr. warranty (much more than most) and a piezo lighter so you only have to click a button to light the pilot. Don't go with a tankless or super high efficiency unless you want to spend almost as much for the new venting as you will the high priced heater. They're great for new construction but lousy for replacements relative to payback.
With 2 baths and 1 or 2 people you can easily get away with a 40 gal. (FMG-40). If you like long hot baths or are planning on selling your home any time soon I would go with the 50 gal.
Good Luck!
2007-03-09 13:19:46 · answer #1 · answered by Pat C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is interesting you would choose a storage unit when tankless will both save you money and free up space - I recently purchased a tankless unit and I really love it - cast was the same as the tank unit but the space and efficiency were so much better.
If you stick with the tank style - go with a 25-30 gallon with high energy efficiency and insulate both the tank and the pipes well for maximum efficiency and savings. Good Luck!
2007-03-09 11:27:43 · answer #2 · answered by Walking on Sunshine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
with a gas W/H 30 gal would be just fine. unless you have a larger than normal jacuzzi or bath.then I would consider a 40.
2007-03-09 19:44:08 · answer #3 · answered by oreos40 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get a 30 gallon that has a high energy rating
2007-03-09 11:17:16 · answer #4 · answered by aussie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would go with a self-cleaning, 50gal, with a high SEER rating.
2007-03-09 11:39:50 · answer #5 · answered by Fordman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋