GeneT
New Member
I currently have a +25 year old water heater that lives in the garage which is at the complete opposite end of the house from the bathroom but it is next to the kitchen (laundry and dishwasher), so for the bathroom I have the long run, takes time to get hot water problem.
A part of this whole possible rework is I that I live in a 1955 construction house with galvanized pipes. I have low hot water pressure going to the bathroom that I suspect is the pipes themselves and the overall pressure to the house could be better. The only exception to the galvanized is 10 years back I gutted the bathroom and in put in copper with a dielectric break to hook to the galvanized supply lines.
Since the heater is very old and also as part of this I'd like to more the laundry the kitchen to the garage and I have some plumbing to change and I'm trying to decide on the best strategy for replacing the water heater and improve hot water to the bathroom.
One thought is to leave the water heater where it is and add a lower powered tankless at the bathroom end. I wouldn't really care if the water was hot, tepid would be fine, really anything but cold. A few years back I put in a heat pump and upgraded the breaker box to 200 amps with the wiring going under the house through my large crawl space. Breaker capacity and wiring to run to a tank less would not be a problem.
I looked at recirculation type systems and as I understand them, the approach doesn't have much appeal to me.
Another thought that does have appeal would be to put in a crawl space water heater. Do folks still use these? The heat exchanger / emergency furnace for the heat pump is located in the crawl space so getting a low boy type water heater through shouldn't be a problem but I have to figure out what would be usable and measure to be sure. I can duck walk under the house and have much better than average height clearance. The heater could be centrally located between the kitchen and the bathroom. It would take a little longer for hot water to get to the kitchen but much less time for the bathroom. The hot water line is insulated but in running new lines I think I can do better.
Moving the water heater would also help in creating space to more the laundry from the kitchen to the garage but I could live with the water heater remaining in the garage.
I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.
Gene
A part of this whole possible rework is I that I live in a 1955 construction house with galvanized pipes. I have low hot water pressure going to the bathroom that I suspect is the pipes themselves and the overall pressure to the house could be better. The only exception to the galvanized is 10 years back I gutted the bathroom and in put in copper with a dielectric break to hook to the galvanized supply lines.
Since the heater is very old and also as part of this I'd like to more the laundry the kitchen to the garage and I have some plumbing to change and I'm trying to decide on the best strategy for replacing the water heater and improve hot water to the bathroom.
One thought is to leave the water heater where it is and add a lower powered tankless at the bathroom end. I wouldn't really care if the water was hot, tepid would be fine, really anything but cold. A few years back I put in a heat pump and upgraded the breaker box to 200 amps with the wiring going under the house through my large crawl space. Breaker capacity and wiring to run to a tank less would not be a problem.
I looked at recirculation type systems and as I understand them, the approach doesn't have much appeal to me.
Another thought that does have appeal would be to put in a crawl space water heater. Do folks still use these? The heat exchanger / emergency furnace for the heat pump is located in the crawl space so getting a low boy type water heater through shouldn't be a problem but I have to figure out what would be usable and measure to be sure. I can duck walk under the house and have much better than average height clearance. The heater could be centrally located between the kitchen and the bathroom. It would take a little longer for hot water to get to the kitchen but much less time for the bathroom. The hot water line is insulated but in running new lines I think I can do better.
Moving the water heater would also help in creating space to more the laundry from the kitchen to the garage but I could live with the water heater remaining in the garage.
I’d appreciate any thoughts or suggestions.
Gene