Forum Settings
       
« Previous 1 2
Reply To Thread

Hawt water heaterFollow

#1 Sep 16 2016 at 10:08 AM Rating: Excellent
Nexa
*****
12,065 posts
Have you had yours replaced? Did you go tankless? Pros/cons besides the obvious advertised selling points? I need to make a fast decision and I need assorted people to ignore.

Nexa
____________________________
“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.”
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
#2 Sep 16 2016 at 10:17 AM Rating: Excellent
*******
50,767 posts
We went tankless for some extra storage space and I thought it would be neat because I'm a retarded technophile. The unit itself and installation was expensive, occasionally during a shower the water goes cold for a moment and really pisses me off and maintenance certainly hasn't been cheap either.
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
#3 Sep 16 2016 at 10:29 AM Rating: Excellent
Nexa
*****
12,065 posts
lolgaxe wrote:
We went tankless for some extra storage space and I thought it would be neat because I'm a retarded technophile. The unit itself and installation was expensive, occasionally during a shower the water goes cold for a moment and really pisses me off and maintenance certainly hasn't been cheap either.


Hmm, so it doesn't sounds like it's probably saving a ton of money on the efficiency aspect. I don't really care about the storage space since our basement is fieldstone and I'm not hanging out down there. Thanks for the info - really helpful.

Nexa
____________________________
“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.”
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
#4 Sep 16 2016 at 10:35 AM Rating: Good
Scholar
****
4,593 posts
Too new. Saves space. Expensive. Permanent hot water is useful only occasionally. Requires disassembly and cleaning on a regular basis to clear out mineral deposits.

Any energy/fuel savings are eaten up in the maintenance and initial cost.

Only do it if you want the space otherwise just get an appropriately sized standard water heater.
#5 Sep 16 2016 at 11:34 AM Rating: Excellent
Liberal Conspiracy
*******
TILT
Yeah, I haven't really researched it but the minimal reading I've done suggests that it takes 12-15 years for the system to "pay for itself" over a conventional tank heater.

My hot water heater needs replacing but so far I've been doing this thing called "Ignoring it until it's a catastrophe". It's worked so far so I have no reason to believe it won't continue to work forever. Smiley: thumbsup

Also, I suppose "hot water heater" is sort of redundant.

Edited, Sep 16th 2016 12:37pm by Jophiel
____________________________
Belkira wrote:
Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.
#6 Sep 16 2016 at 11:45 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
****
4,593 posts
But we want hotter water
#7 Sep 16 2016 at 5:35 PM Rating: Excellent
Worst. Title. Ever!
*****
17,302 posts
I researched them quite a bit. I really wanted to try one, but after a lot of thought with the cost of natural gas vs electricity, and the cost of a tankless vs tank, decided not to. The amount of savings is negligible (imo) and takes so long to happen.

My current hot water heater is a tank style, electric. And is about 20 years old. It needs to be replaced. (2600 square foot house, 2 baths, designed for a family of 4, more than enough hot water for myself and my brother).

I have a propane tank heater in my basement that was set to be installed, but 2 years ago we switched to natural gas, and hot water heaters are not usually convertible (unlike furnaces and stoves) so I have to buy a new one. And try to sell my old (new) unused propane heater.

I looked at tankless electric. The power requirements are outrageous. One similar one to the usage of my current one I saw was 3 - 40A breakers. I have a modern 200A panel and that would be a difficult upgrade. Electric on demand would be foolish I think. I have one in a factory I maintain and it's a pain in the ***. Would want to go gas if at all.

With natural gas being so cheap, I am just going to switch to a tank heater, natural gas, and call it done. With an on demand, you still have to wait for your hot water, unless you have a point of use on demand. Because the period of cold (or not warm) water out of your faucets comes from the idle water in the lines between your heater and your point of use. And you hear a lot from end users about occasional cold intervals. While I haven't used one in my house, I have used the one industrial on demand in a factory, and it would periodically fail to heat the flowing water correctly and deliver intervals of cold water. Seemed very flow-sensitive. Too much or too little and it wouldn't heat the water right. Maintenance on your standard tank heater is not much other than the occasional cleaning (depending on your water quality) and possibly having to replace a T&P relief valve and that anode rod (I've never actually changed the rod in mine). And with gas instead of electric, I think you don't get as much calcium/lime buildup because you don't have the super hot element in the water collecting the scale.

So, I'm not going to go tankless when I replace my electric with a gas. Centralized tankless just doesn't seem to solve any issues with the tank system. And point of use tankless... maybe, but I'm not interested in installing them in each sink and shower. One tank under my basement stairwell is fine for me.


Is this mansplaining?

Edited, Sep 16th 2016 7:56pm by TirithRR
____________________________
Can't sleep, clown will eat me.
#8 Sep 16 2016 at 5:58 PM Rating: Good
Avatar
****
6,543 posts
Replaced ours a couple of months ago. It was leaking, badly. Water bill is now half what it used to be.
____________________________
Galkaman wrote:
Kuwoobie will die crushed under the burden of his mediocrity.

#9 Sep 16 2016 at 6:43 PM Rating: Decent
Encyclopedia
******
35,568 posts
Jophiel wrote:
My hot water heater needs replacing but so far I've been doing this thing called "Ignoring it until it's a catastrophe". It's worked so far so I have no reason to believe it won't continue to work forever. Smiley: thumbsup


Yeah. I thought the same thing. Until the catastrophe happened. And, of course, it happened on Thanksgiving (why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?). Which meant waiting 4 days to get someone out to look at it, then to discover that the specific type I needed wasn't available and had to be ordered, which meant another handful of days. Cold showers in late November sucks in San Diego. I can't imagine dealing with that in Chicago. If it actually does need replacing, I'd seriously recommend just doing it now. It'll cost less money than having to do it all emergency like, and you wont have a gap time with no hot water. Not to mention, you wont have a flood wherever your water heater is. Mine's in a little shed attached to the side of the building, so it just watered some grass with hot water. If yours is in a garage or basement, that's a lot more of a problem.

They will eventually burst and leak all over the place. Just a matter of time.

As to the OP question: I've also talked to people who've used them about tankless water heaters, and I'm not sure how great an idea it is. As several people have noted, the cost savings per gallon of heated water in a home system isn't really that great, so it'll take a long time to pay for itself (and may actually never do so depending on the cost of the model and installation you started with, and whether it's electric vs gas). The issue of inconsistent water temperature is a real problem. Not like a disaster, but it will annoy you. And the heating process is not "instant" by any means. So it'll take a bit longer after turning on the hot water before you actually get hot water (same time pushing room temp water through the lines plus the time to heat the exchanger in the unit before actual hot water comes to your faucet). The only actual benefit is that you don't technically "run out" of hot water. But unless you find yourself consistently running out of hot water due to high usage that exceeds the tank's capacity, it's not worth it.
____________________________
King Nobby wrote:
More words please
#10 Sep 16 2016 at 7:03 PM Rating: Excellent
Soulless Internet Tiger
******
35,474 posts
We've tried them out when replacing hot water tanks in some of our smaller hotels. Don't like them one bit. I'm sure commercial and residential are the same...
____________________________
Donate. One day it could be your family.


An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come. Victor Hugo

#11 Sep 16 2016 at 7:37 PM Rating: Excellent
Official Shrubbery Waterer
*****
14,659 posts
So much mansplaining in this thread smdh
____________________________
Jophiel wrote:
I managed to be both retarded and entertaining.

#12 Sep 16 2016 at 7:47 PM Rating: Excellent
Gave Up The D
Avatar
*****
12,281 posts
Have you considering digging for a hot spring yet?
____________________________
Shaowstrike (Retired - FFXI)
91PUP/BLM 86SMN/BST 76DRK
Cooking/Fishing 100


"We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary."
— James D. Nicoll
#13 Sep 16 2016 at 8:42 PM Rating: Excellent
Nexa
*****
12,065 posts
Shaowstrike wrote:
Have you considering digging for a hot spring yet?


No but I'm thinking that maybe burning the house down will be the most efficient way to heat the water. I'll get back to you all on my success.

*note to fbi and/or insurance companies, I have no actual intention of burning down my house.

Seriously though, thanks for all the feedback. I was already kinda on the anti-tankless side of the fence but I've typically been in favor of any sort of "efficiency" type upgrade whenever the occasion presents itself. So, the user-experience is really helpful.

Nexa
____________________________
“It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes. But a half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor.”
― Neil Gaiman, The Sandman, Vol. 9: The Kindly Ones
#14 Sep 17 2016 at 1:57 PM Rating: Good
Citizen's Arrest!
******
29,527 posts
gbaji wrote:
(why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?).
Have you tried NOT impregnating women around Valentine's Day?
#15 Sep 17 2016 at 5:03 PM Rating: Good
Avatar
****
6,543 posts
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
gbaji wrote:
(why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?).
Have you tried NOT impregnating women around Valentine's Day?


That's the easiest thing on Earth for SOME people. Smiley: frown
____________________________
Galkaman wrote:
Kuwoobie will die crushed under the burden of his mediocrity.

#16 Sep 18 2016 at 2:14 PM Rating: Good
Citizen's Arrest!
******
29,527 posts
Kuwoobie wrote:
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
gbaji wrote:
(why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?).
Have you tried NOT impregnating women around Valentine's Day?
That's the easiest thing on Earth for SOME people. Smiley: frown
I'm assuming by the frowny face you don't mean you're gay and spend Valentine's day being someone's power bottom.

I'm also guessing you didn't get your testicles blown off in 'Nam. Because that would deserve more than a frowny face.


Edited, Sep 18th 2016 2:15pm by Poldaran
#17 Sep 18 2016 at 11:06 PM Rating: Good
Avatar
****
6,543 posts
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
Kuwoobie wrote:
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
gbaji wrote:
(why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?).
Have you tried NOT impregnating women around Valentine's Day?
That's the easiest thing on Earth for SOME people. Smiley: frown
I'm assuming by the frowny face you don't mean you're gay and spend Valentine's day being someone's power bottom.

I'm also guessing you didn't get your testicles blown off in 'Nam. Because that would deserve more than a frowny face.


Edited, Sep 18th 2016 2:15pm by Poldaran


The frown face is adequate to represent a sexless marriage life.
____________________________
Galkaman wrote:
Kuwoobie will die crushed under the burden of his mediocrity.

#18 Sep 19 2016 at 4:27 AM Rating: Good
GBATE!! Never saw it coming
Avatar
****
9,957 posts
Wait. Are you in a sexless marriage or sexless because you're not married?
____________________________
remorajunbao wrote:
One day I'm going to fly to Canada and open the curtains in your office.

#19 Sep 19 2016 at 7:59 AM Rating: Good
*******
50,767 posts
gbaji wrote:
Cold showers in late November sucks in San Diego.
That subarctic 65F weather must be absolutely torturous.
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
#20 Sep 19 2016 at 11:45 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
****
4,593 posts
lolgaxe wrote:
gbaji wrote:
Cold showers in late November sucks in San Diego.
That subarctic 65F weather must be absolutely torturous.


LOL I was trying to figure out how he has his water heater outside without it freezing up and exploding. Didn't realize the weather there was so mild.
#21 Sep 19 2016 at 11:50 AM Rating: Good
Encyclopedia
******
35,568 posts
The One and Only Poldaran wrote:
gbaji wrote:
(why do all my water related problems happen on Thanksgiving?).
Have you tried NOT impregnating women around Valentine's Day?


I have. But after the roses and the chocolates, they just want more more more.
____________________________
King Nobby wrote:
More words please
#22 Sep 19 2016 at 12:05 PM Rating: Decent
Encyclopedia
******
35,568 posts
Yodabunny wrote:
lolgaxe wrote:
gbaji wrote:
Cold showers in late November sucks in San Diego.
That subarctic 65F weather must be absolutely torturous.


LOL I was trying to figure out how he has his water heater outside without it freezing up and exploding. Didn't realize the weather there was so mild.


I also live in a condo. I think the upstairs units have water heaters inside the units themselves (which actually bothers me a bit given the issues I've had). The downstairs heaters are in little shed thingies attached to the wall of the unit itself. In my case, right outside the mater bedroom. There is a noticeable difference in terms of default water temperature based on time of year, but it's not too bad (I have to turn my shower knob about a quarter turn more hot to get the same temp water). Cause, yeah, mild weather.

While I like having a condo for a number of reasons (far less maintenance and yard work, don't have to deal with trash pickup days, access to facilities that are included in the HOA payment, nice landscaping that I don't have to deal with personally, etc), one of the major negatives has been the stupid piping they put into them when they were built. I've had three water leak problems, and each one as a pain in the butt.
____________________________
King Nobby wrote:
More words please
#23 Sep 19 2016 at 12:20 PM Rating: Excellent
Liberal Conspiracy
*******
TILT
I'd expect that a cold water shower in November would be roughly equivalent to one in April or September because, you know, central climate controls. I suppose in July you could turn off the AC and pretend that taking a cold shower was refreshing.
____________________________
Belkira wrote:
Wow. Regular ol' Joph fan club in here.
#24 Sep 19 2016 at 12:42 PM Rating: Good
*******
50,767 posts
68 and forget it. Smiley: thumbsup
____________________________
George Carlin wrote:
I think it’s the duty of the comedian to find out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.
#25 Sep 20 2016 at 8:06 AM Rating: Good
Citizen's Arrest!
******
29,527 posts
Jophiel wrote:
I'd expect that a cold water shower in November would be roughly equivalent to one in April or September because, you know, central climate controls. I suppose in July you could turn off the AC and pretend that taking a cold shower was refreshing.
Where I live, if you turn off the AC in July, a cold shower is likely the only thing between you and a horrible, desiccated death.
#26 Sep 20 2016 at 10:25 AM Rating: Decent
Scholar
****
4,593 posts
My electricity bill doubled over last year due to the heat here this summer. Hottest summer on record. Broken heat records for every month this year so far.
« Previous 1 2
Reply To Thread

Colors Smileys Quote OriginalQuote Checked Help

 

Recent Visitors: 234 All times are in CST
Anonymous Guests (234)