Water Heater Replacement Strategy

[Big_Hitter]

My water heater replacement strategy is, when the water heater stops working, I replace it.

that's what we do

 

[pb4uski]

For us the extra 2-3 inches diameter and height will make a big difference. We don't have a basement, and the utility closet is so small that putting anything bigger in the space would require realligning the plumbing pipes, gas line, and exhaust.

Also, many natural gas water heaters (the most popular type in MN) are now power vent, so they require air intake be installed to get combustion air to the burner.

Our last replacement 5 years ago was just under $800. Estimate for a new install now would be $1100 to $1200 (non-power vent) to $1500 to $1600 (power vent). Of course inflation accounts for some increase, but higher product cost and more labor definitely affect the total.

My tankless gas water heater costs about the same (perhaps a bit more), but takes up a lot less space (a little bigger than a 30-pack and hangs on the wall) so it may avoid some of the installation challenges a new tank heater would create... have you considered going tankless?

 

[jimbee]

I don't buy extended warranties on anything.

Odds are you'll save money. I don't buy extended warranties either.

 

[meierlde]

I'll need to replace my 15+yr old gas water heater but like a few other neighbors was thinking of upgrading to the small instant electric ones. I can free up room for more tools in my garage.

Tankless electric water heaters to provide a reasonable stream of water need a very large power supply. For example assume 4 l/min flow (i use metric because it is easier here), and a 33 degree C rise in temp. 1 l is 1000 g and takes 1000 calories to raise 1 degree so you are talking about 33,000 calories per min of heat input or to use proper metric units 132,000 joules per min or 2,200 joules per second, which works out to 2.2 kw Now many appliances need more than 4 l per min (typically 11 l/min, which i will make 12 because it makes the math easier) meaning 6.6 kw or 27.5 amps minimum. Implying at least a 40 amp circuit to make it work. So you have to check the size of the service entrance, and also ask what other electric devices need to be on in the house at the same time. You might have to put a new service entrance and panel in.
We tried on in the house I live in in 1986, but it would not heat water at the flow rate for the dishwasher. (since this house has heat pumps/ backup electric heat it has a 400 amp service entrance)

Of course you could just go to an electric tanked heater, which eliminates any venting problems just needs a drain for if the relief valve goes off. If done one might want to put an off switch in the circuit, so that if you go away for a while the water heater can be turned off.

Note that a modern low flow shower is easier to do at about 6 l/min.

 

[samclem]

I'll need to replace my 15+yr old gas water heater but like a few other neighbors was thinking of upgrading to the small instant electric ones. I can free up room for more tools in my garage.

If your utility rates are typical, it costs a lot more to heat water with electricity than it costs to heat it with natural gas. And, as mentioned by meierdle, a "full-flow" whole-house tankless electric water heater takes a sizeable electric circuit/panel capacity.

 

[Sunset]

My water heater replacement strategy is, when the water heater stops working, I replace it.

I just ignore the screams and replace it when it leaks...

Cost me about $750 total as I bought the tank and used a dolly to bring it to the basement, then called around for a plumber to hook it up (due to IL codes about rigid connections).

 

[laurence]

CA resident here, did it myself with a unit from Home Depot for less than $500 including the flex connectors (shark bite for water?) The tankless just didn't seem to make sense. Maybe next time.

 

[NW-Bound]

I will never use a tankless heater because of the rate structure I have. My on-peak rate is 22c/kWh, while my off-peak rate is 7.2 c. The 50-gallon tank is enough to coast through the peak-rate period of 7 hours. I installed a timer to cut out the heater during the on-peak rate.

 

[homestead]

My first electric 50gal water heater lasted 16 years. Replaced it and it has
been working for 22 years now. It had a 6 yr warranty.

 

[wolf]

Thanks for the replies. Agree, Sears may go bankrupt this year. And also,
agree, they may drop coverage when heater gets old.

Also, cost for replacement/install does very greatly by area. San Francisco,
Bay area. Calif., always more expensive.

Local, Home Depot, started carrying Rheem. (used to be GE), prices in $900 range.

Yep, installed my last water heater myself, just thought maybe this was an
easy way to get around it...Guess, I'l wait till heater gets around 10 years old and replace before it starts leaking.

 

[H2ODude]

Agree replacement is relatively easy UNLESS it's located in the attic, as mine is. I'm pretty sure this isn't allowed by code here anymore in new homes, but it's crazy to put a leak prone appliance up in an attic. Oh yeah, those little pans will catch any drips and leaks, uh huh. Didn't on mine. Plus you get blown around insulation to clog drain pipe. In my case water ran across pipe and out past the pan. Plus they're plastic and deteriorate.

I replaced mine when it leaked about 5 years ago. Getting it out of attic and new one up was horrible. Owe my neighbor forever for helping. I'd expect materials and labor to be about $800 here, or more. Doubt I'd do it again myself.

 

[Dan6912]

I just had one of mine replaced right before Christmas. $1290 labor and materials!

I am going to pro-actively have the other one replaced this month.

 

[Music Lover]

I replaced my HW tank myself last time...$400 from Home Depot and $30 in plumbing parts as I chose to move it to a different location.

Not a fan of tankless...the savings seem very overstated, and being in a cold climate, the "wasted" heat is not wasted half of the year as it helps to heat the house. I seem to recall $17 gas bills in summer, which was the cost to heat hot water as that is the only gas appliance being used in summer months. How much of that $17 is "lost" heat once you remove what was needed to heat the hot water that was used daily?

 

[samclem]

Not a fan of tankless...the savings seem very overstated, and being in a cold climate, the "wasted" heat is not wasted half of the year as it helps to heat the house.

+1. Also, more stuff to go wrong (flow switches/sensors, etc), and a higher upfront cost as well.

 

[frank]

put in a new 40 gal natural gas 2 weeks ago. cost was 320.after rebate and sale price plus 30 for a couple flexible water lines and a few plastic fittings.

 

[street]

I had mine changed out 3 years ago it cast me about $1000. That one was in for 12 years and had no problems. I knew it's life was about and just scheduled it to be done before any problems occurred. My is natural gas and that is one reason I don't like to change it out. I hate gas and hate even more working with it.

 

[misanman]

Wow, our water heater is 21 years old - could we be living on borrowed time?

 

[mpeirce]

Our new house came with 2 ng water heaters (w/ tanks). At about year 10 one of the units died and needed to be replaced.

We took the opportunity to remove both and installed a high efficiency, condensing, natural gas based, tankless unit.

For us the main benefit is that we never have to worry about running out of hot water - even at Christmas when the house is full of people who all seem to take a shower at the same time.

There is also no need to turn it off when we're gone. Since it only runs when it's actually being used.

It's also very efficient. I was surprised that the exhaust coming from the unit is basically room temperature air (really H20 and C02) and uses a simple PVC pipe to the outside.

It's now year seven and it's still working fine.

 

[ERD50]

Wow, our water heater is 21 years old - could we be living on borrowed time?

I had ours replaced at 30 years old. It was still running just fine, but I was having the furnace/AC replaced, so just got it done at the same time. I wonder how long it would have gone.

I know someone else with one that old and no problem. I wonder, are the walls thinner on the newer ones to gain efficiency? If so, I bet the few % delta in efficiency and cost savings is more than made up by the energy/cost to replace them years earlier.

ETA: One thing in common, we are both on wells. With a private well, you have a storage tank with an air bladder, this would also absorb any expansion from the heating of the water. On a municipal line, would this pressure build? I've just read about the use of expansion tanks for this purpose, but I don't recall seeing those used around here on municipal lines.
Unless they put check valves in those, I would think the expansion would just force a bit of water back into the system (but that does sound bad from a sanitation view, so maybe check valves are required?). But with a check valve and no expansion tank, seems that expanding water would have no where to go. Could that be why a warter heater might be lasting longer on a well?

On the downside, our pump/tank cycles between 45 and 60 psi (pump turns on at 45, off at 60 as it compresses the air in the storage tank). I would think that change in pressure would be bad for a tank over many years, compared to municipal which seems to be a steady 60 PSI (I'm kinda guessing at that, I don't know what is typical).

Further ETA: This table http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/water-specific-volume-weight-d_661.html shows ~ 1.37% increase in volume between 60F and 130F. In a closed system, that has no place to go, water is non-compressible (I suppose there is a small amount of dissolved gasses), so it seems pressure could go way up until a valve is opened. Not sure what pressure the safety kicks off at, but I assume that's pretty high.


-ERD50

 

[pb4uski]

+1. Also, more stuff to go wrong (flow switches/sensors, etc), and a higher upfront cost as well.

-1 our tankless has been wonderful. We use it for both domestic hot water and heating... avoiding the need for an expensive boiler, with the consequence that we will need to replace the unit more frequently because it runs more than if it was used just for domestic hot water. In the over 5 years we have had it we needed to replace the heat exchanger (cost ~$500 IIRC) ... but that's it.

samclem, do you actually own one or is the "more stuff to go wrong" just speculation on your part?

 

[LastOfTheBoomers]

On the subject of water heaters - we never drained ours - and when we tried to the plug clogged - lesson learned the heavy way

 

[H2ODude]

I believe requirement for backflow preventers on residences is the exception (check valves). Plus, the extent of pipes is likely to absorb what little expansion there would be for the range of thermal difference as a hot water heater goes on and off. I think expansion tanks are more intended to absorb the water hammer as solenoids shut on and off within the house or from surges on the main water system (firefighters testing hydrants by shutting them quickly is one of the largest problems for broken water mains).