Gas Water Heater

Last week I temporarily relocated my hot water tank because I am re-insulating the basement. When I drained the tank (Circa 1994) I couldn't believe the amount of rust particles at the bottom of the tank. I'm pretty sure this 12 year old tank is probably on borrowed time and should be replaced before it springs a leak. I've looked at tankless gas units but too many people seem to think that the potential savings don't justify high price tag.

What would be the next best energy efficient solution in a gas tank unit?
What is the advantage of power vent vs standard?
What manufacturer makes the best hot water heaters?
Taking into account that the installation wouldn't cost me anything, should I still rule out tankless? (I have HVAC technicians and plumbers in the family)

Thanks,

Marc Savage

Tankless very much depends on where you live and your willingness to perform maintenance. Reading the fine print on at least some of them suggests monthly maintenance to maintain capabilities.

If you live where your incoming water temperature is lower than 50 degrees any time during the year, you may not be satisfied. You may not like the requisite pressure reduction required (via a flow regulator) to help determine the temperature rise (think hand over a candle...to get the temp you want, you have to either make the flame hotter, or move more slowly).

The things generally require significant energy when running. If dealing with gas, then your supply may not be big enough, nor do you have enough makeup air without hassles.

bradford white or rheem

get the bradford white or rheem.....


dont fool with the power vent units
if you dont need one...

they are made for homes without a normal chimmney and
their is lots that can go wrong with them over a standared unit


just put a water heater blanket on your heater
and that is about all you can do to squeeze energy out
of one...

STAY AWAY from the tankless...

heater

Unless the outside of the tank's jacket is warm to the touch, a water heater blanket does absolutely no good. And with a gas heater, most of the heat loss is up the center flue where the blanket cannot help anyway.

Another Thought

We also had a 15 year old gas water heater that we replaced this summer with a Bosch tankless system - the same one that is standard in most every household in Germany. After living there for an extended time, we learned to love em.

My gas consumption is about 8% less than with the old tank BUT the key to me is virtually endless hot water. Might be an issue if you enjoy the long showers too much. I DO have to keep turning the temp up as the outside temps drop into winter, but I expected that. I'll have to drop it off next spring, too.

The previous owner abandoned the old vent pipe from the furnace when he installed a high efficiency system, so I had to do the power vent thing. I expect it to be just like anything else with moving parts and wires - it will quit some day, probably right in the middle of preparations for the most important day of my life. Good news is, the vent kits use a square fixture that is identical in external dimentions to the height of a block. It went in on the first try and I had no trouble sealing it from the weather.

If you have any more questions for a current owner of a tankless unit, fire away.

Of course - when advice is free, you get what you pay for.