I have an electric water heater that is due for replacement. My range, and central heat is gas. There is no gas line piped to the location of the water heater.
I am considering a tankless water heater. I am considering electric, because the house is already wired for it. If I go with gas, then I will have to run a pipe to it. What do you think?
What do you think of hybrid (gas/electric) water heaters?
Is a tankless water heater really better than a conventional water heater with a timer attached?
2007-04-15 09:39:26 · 8 answers · asked by Marvin 7 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
Stick with wut works.replace the electric heater.
2007-04-15 09:44:41 · answer #1 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 5⤋
Tankless water heaters come in both electric and natural gas or propane. Electric units are usually best for single purpose (heating the water for a single bathroom) or back up heating for a solar-or geothermally-heated home.
Gas tankless are for whole house water heating. Still you need a larger gas line than is standard and the initial instalation will be at least twice that of a traditional gas water heater......so you could be looking at $4,000. Granted, the payback can be just a matter of a few years.
If your water is hard, you'll need a water softener or the darn things plug up about every year......then you are looking at a $400 repair bill.
2007-04-15 11:43:49 · answer #2 · answered by fluffernut 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Do your research carefully. If you decide on a gas unit, you will need to inform the plumber that installs the new gas line, how many B.T.U.'s, the new heater will use, so he can size the pipe correctly. I have seen older houses, that needed a complete gas line re sized, because the gas needs are so great on these units. Also, the water pipes need to be inspected, as a pipe that is too small, won't deliver the proper amount of water, flowing through the heating coil, thus reducing the amount of hot water. Also, the flue pipe has to be a triple wall stainless steel vent pipe, due to the increased heat output of these units. A timer is useless on a tankless water heater, as the unit only comes on, as water flows through it. Make sure the plumber understands how to install a tankless system, and ask how many units he has installed. Ask for names of satisfied customers, and ask them if he performed a successful installation. Check with consumer reports, to see which units are holding up. Good luck!
2007-04-15 18:21:01 · answer #3 · answered by poppyman54 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's hard to say what you'd actually save on the utilities, but you would save something. You'd also save some space. You'd never run out of hot water. And they last longer than a tank water heater. $900 is the absolute cheapest price for an installed tankless I've ever heard - it's a little less than the cost of a good unit by itself. Note that the better units are from Noritz, Takagi, or Rinnai.
2016-04-01 03:02:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
I guess it really depends on the needs of your household. A gas heater is pretty reliable and long lasting. The tankless heaters are compact and economical in that they use less electricity. They also provide all the hot water you need without running out.
I think the best thing to do would be to consult with someone at a Home Depot or Lowe's and do some internet research to see which one would work best for you.
2007-04-15 09:48:54 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 3⤋
tankless water heaters are much more efficient than normal heaters because they only heat the water that you actually use. if you decide to install a gas water heater, not only will you have to run a gas line but you will also have to run a vent for it, whether it is tankless or a normal heater. gas heaters have a better recovery time than water heaters. hope this helps.
2007-04-15 13:38:22 · answer #6 · answered by christoper s 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋
A tankless electric will save you money, but there will be no hot water if the power goes off. And it takes about 60 amps at 240V, so you'll need a high capacity electric circuit (14.4 KW).
2007-04-15 09:48:51 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
tankless is good because you will have no heat loss from tank
tankless is bad because it uses electronics and has a very high power draw when it is operating.
consider marathon electric water heater...
superior insulation means no meaningful heat loss from tank
no electronics for reliability and normal power draw
2007-04-16 16:57:11 · answer #8 · answered by Justin S 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋