Water heater recs please

[etpm]

Well, I figure even rural folks, like me, need to heat water now and then, so posting this here is appropriate. Anyway, my 17 year old propane water heater is probably getting close to the end of its life and my wife and I figured we should replace it. Consumer Reports was no help. I was surprised and disappointed. I currently am using an AO Smith heater and the reviews on CU say they are junk. They come with a 6 year warranty and last about 6 1/2 years. Rheem got similar results. CU itself didn't even review the different brands. This really bugs me.
So, because CU let me down I am turning to the experts here. I need a new propane water heater. I don't want a tankless heater because all of the tankless water heaters I have experienced were no good for showers. But maybe they are better enough for me to buy one. I am willing to be convinced. Maybe. However, the immediate need is for a propane water heater. Electric is out because of how hard and expensive it would be to run wire to one. I think a heat pump is out too.
Thanks All,
Eric

 

[kenmac]

6 yr warranty means the anode should last 6 yrs. So they only provide a 6 yr tank warranty. You can always buy a larger anode ,or just keep one on hand and replace it every 5 yrs
I really don't understand your comment about tankless being no good for showers .
Never had an issue with mine . I installed it 5 yrs ago

 

[ponytug]

We have had an AO Smith commercial one for easily twice that. We did add an electronic anode, which I highly recommend if you aren't in the habit of pulling the anode rod out and scrubbing it clean annual and replacing it every few years. (We weren't...)

However, I would seriously consider a heat pump hot water heater instead. Much more energy efficient, and there are some nice incentives available these days.

All the best,

Peter

 

[jyoutz]

We love our tankless water heater because it never runs out of hot water. No short showers unless you want that.

 

[ning]

I just replaced my water heater... um... not last summer but the previous one.

Last water heater was a "State Select"; we installed it in 1997. It literally lasted 25 years with zero maintenance. State Select was purchased by AO Smith in 2001; not sure how that figures into quality. Regardless, that water heater was not necessarily a residential model as it was 75 gallons (I couldn't find specifics about it online a few years ago when looking into another problem).

I did a lot of research and decided to replace with a tankless. Part of the reason I chose this is that we don't expect to be in this house for more than a few years, and everyone likes the "energy efficiency!!!1!" of tankless heaters. The other reason is that it was literally cheaper than a replacement 75 gallon propane tank heater, though it probably took a lot more labor to install since the form factor of the two heaters is entirely different. It was a learning experience for me as I'd never done copper plumbing, but that was really easy to learn - no leaks first time.

I chose Takagi; I bought everything from supplyhouse.com and did all the work. If you go this route (tankless) make sure that you check your propane gas line size before pulling the trigger as tankless may use 2-3x the propane - my old 75g tank heater had an 80k BTU burner, and the tankless has a potential burn rate of 199k BTU at maximum flow (and you need to understand all of the gas uses in the house and on the different branches of the gas pipe). This won't be an issue for you if you replace your heater with one of the same or similar BTU.

My tankless has a recirc pump built in, with an automatic shutoff if it thinks that the recirc loop is warm enough. Given that the heater itself requires a minimum of 0.4 gpm flow before it'll fire up, it's a pain in the @$$ IMO because it means that you can't turn on the sink on "low" with a mixture of hot & cold water such that you're using under 0.4 gpm hot water - it'll literally run cold if you do that and never turn on the burner until the recirc system measurement spot finally senses that its reservoir has cooled. This sort of thing never happened with the big tank because you were always pulling water from the tank regardless of recirc; and of course the tank was always hot.

IMO while they may be more "energy efficient" (I'm not convinced about this either), they're definitely not more water efficient as a result of this because it encourages you to use more hot water in order to avoid getting no hot water.

 

[Dman1981]

My power goes out to much for tank less hate cold showers
Gas stays on no matter just a thought

 

[ning]

My power goes out to much for tank less hate cold showers
Gas stays on no matter just a thought

Definitely a valid point. Mine was power vented so it wouldn't run without power anyways, but it's a small draw.
Besides with a big tank it'll stay hot enough for a decent amount of time event not running. The tankless sucks for that lol but I've got backup power so no worries.

 

[lman]

My water heater was installed in 1995, so I have been thinking about a replacement. There is no gas here. I can get an $800.00 rebate from the electric company for a heat pump water heater or should I just hope I'll get another 30 years from my current unit?

 

[mikester]

I initially bought a GE Geospring Heat Pump Water Heater (HPWH) from the GE Outlet store because it was advertised as having a 10 year warranty. The heat pump failed after 13 months service...turned out to be a factory defect (read class action lawsuit).

When I contacted GE they said too bad, in Canada they don't honour their written 10 year warranty I get only 1year in Canada FU and thanks for my money.

I will never buy GE products ever again.

I replaced the unit with an 80 gallon OASmith HPWH. It's been running without problems for 7 years now knock on wood.

The HPWH reduce electric water heating costs by 30-50%. They also do a great job of dehumidifying which is a plus in a damp/humid basement. On the minus side they are noisy and take heat from the room. I have a wood stove in my basement so I figure I'm getting assistance from the wood heat for my water.

 

[workinonit]

My next two will definitely be gas, tankless. Both of my tank heaters have been great. My main heater has been in for 25 years.

 

[duffer]

I've had tankless water heaters (gas only) in the last 2 houses. 8 years on the first one, 7+ on this one. Unlimited hot water, uses far less gas than heating a 40-60 gal tank 24/7/365.

You can adjust the hot water temp in 5° increments to your liking. Unless you're using 4 showers at once, a sufficiently sized tankless will work fine. I have a 195k btu (or maybe 199k, can't remember). Would not recommend a 40k-60k btu unit. (not that much difference in price). Especially if you want to run a shower, dish washer, and faucet at the same time.

And a poster above is correct to make sure you run a properly sized gas line to the heater. They use the same amount of gas as a whole house furnace. Only 5-10 minutes at a time.

I've only owned Rinnai. None of the cheap ones, and I would never own an elec tankless. They're not nearly as efficient.

There are a few plumbing supply houses on ebay that list their inventory, and sell the unit to you at the same price they sell to plumbers. You take out the middle man, and still get the Rinnai warranty. That's how I bought mine for both houses. Just paid a plumber to install.

 

[groundcover]

Love our Rinnai tankless, shower as long as you want, which our grandsons try to test out when they visit !

 

[2manyrocks]

The actual life of a water heater usually varies with what kind of water you have along with sediment accumulation.

 

[KennyG]

I think the tankless heaters are pretty good now, but my Rheem conventional natural gas heater is going on 14 years old with zero maintenance (I know I should flush it, etc, but I never do). Life may have something to do with water quality. We have very good municipal water. Also, I'm kind of skeptical of Consumer Reports. They seem to think everything sucks except Japanese cars and Korean appliances.

 

[Gem99ultra]

We love our tankless water heater because it never runs out of hot water. No short showers unless you want that.

Same here; 13 years with endless supply of hot water. And no propane to waste 24/7. No breakdowns. My only regret is that I didn't also have a tankless installed under the kitchen sink so wife would always have instant hot water. I may still go ahead and add that.

 

[jyoutz]

My power goes out to much for tank less hate cold showers
Gas stays on no matter just a thought

I have a gas tankless water heater.

 

[2manyrocks]

Water heaters have an inner metal tank coated with baked on frit. The layer of frit tends to get damaged when the bottom of the tank is welded to the upper hull of the tank. Over time, corrosion will work on the exposed metal and that tends to be where tanks eventually leak.

 

[ponytug]

The actual life of a water heater usually varies with what kind of water you have along with sediment accumulation.

This is where semiannual or annual maintenance comes into play. Get the crud out of the water heater before there is much of any, or better yet keep the crud from getting in, and keep your anode clean and up to the job and/or add an electronic anode. If you do get crud forming in the bottom, I would recommend replacing the cheap drain valve normally supplied on tank type water heaters with a high quality brass or bronze gate valve.

I think that corrosion is the enemy longevity in water heaters.

FWIW: Tankless water heaters tend not to have sacrificial anodes, and are more susceptible to corrosion, and if you are getting crud in your current water heater tank, I would strongly encourage you not to get a tankless as there is no place for the deposits to go, except in the pipes/heat exchangers of the tankless. The crud build up makes for a short life. I would add to the comments about how water inefficient tankless heaters often are in practice. I have had them in a couple of homes, and I'm not a fan. They are great for a sink full of hot water, or a shower, but not so great at intermittent uses like hand washing, dishwasher, and laundry usage, at least in my experience, unless you have a house full of folks using hot water semi-continuously, at which point the purported advantages over a tank style water heater really disappear.

The IRA will rebate 30% of the cost of installing a heat pump water heater (up to $3,000). There are also state incentives, e.g. Puget Sound Energy that will rebate up to $750 for the most efficient models.

Buying a Heat Pump Could Get You Thousands in Federal Tax Credits and State Rebates - Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports explains the tax credits and rebates available through the Inflation Reduction Act for the purchase of a heat pump.

www.consumerreports.org

Heat pump water heater

Receive a $500 rebate on qualifying energy-efficient heat pump water heaters. Find out which units qualify and search for a contractor to help install the unit.

www.pse.com

If your propane and electricity costs are typical of Washington state, heat pump water heating should save you considerably in energy costs, but do your own math. Heat pumps, without the "hybrid boost" feature typically only use about 2.5kWh/day.

@etpm More here:

How Much Energy Does a Heat Pump Water Heater Use? (Save)

A heat pump water heater uses about 20.1-31.3 kWh/day (0.68 -1.068 therms/day), assuming it's used in a four-bedroom home. In contrast, a standard electric heater uses about 26.4-36.2 kWh/day (0.901-1.235 therms/day). Therefore, a heat pump water heater saves around 14-24% on heating costs.

www.attainablehome.com

Heat Pump Water Heaters: Complete Guide, Pros and Cons And More

Get expert advice on improvements to your home, including design tips, how much you'd expect to pay for a pro and what to ask when hiring experts.

www.forbes.com

All the best,

Peter

 

[jyoutz]

This is where semiannual or annual maintenance comes into play. Get the crud out of the water heater before there is much of any, or better yet keep the crud from getting in, and keep your anode clean and up to the job and/or add an electronic anode. If you do get crud forming in the bottom, I would recommend replacing the cheap drain valve normally supplied on tank type water heaters with a high quality brass or bronze gate valve.

I think that corrosion is the enemy longevity in water heaters.

FWIW: Tankless water heaters tend not to have sacrificial anodes, and are more susceptible to corrosion, and if you are getting crud in your current water heater tank, I would strongly encourage you not to get a tankless as there is no place for the deposits to go, except in the pipes/heat exchangers of the tankless. The crud build up makes for a short life. I would add to the comments about how water inefficient tankless heaters often are in practice. I have had them in a couple of homes, and I'm not a fan. They are great for a sink full of hot water, or a shower, but not so great at intermittent uses like hand washing, dishwasher, and laundry usage, at least in my experience, unless you have a house full of folks using hot water semi-continuously, at which point the purported advantages over a tank style water heater really disappear.

The IRA will rebate 30% of the cost of installing a heat pump water heater (up to $3,000). There are also state incentives, e.g. Puget Sound Energy that will rebate up to $750 for the most efficient models.

Buying a Heat Pump Could Get You Thousands in Federal Tax Credits and State Rebates - Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports explains the tax credits and rebates available through the Inflation Reduction Act for the purchase of a heat pump.

www.consumerreports.org

Heat pump water heater

Receive a $500 rebate on qualifying energy-efficient heat pump water heaters. Find out which units qualify and search for a contractor to help install the unit.

www.pse.com

If your propane and electricity costs are typical of Washington state, heat pump water heating should save you considerably in energy costs, but do your own math. Heat pumps, without the "hybrid boost" feature typically only use about 2.5kWh/day.

@etpm More here:

How Much Energy Does a Heat Pump Water Heater Use? (Save)

A heat pump water heater uses about 20.1-31.3 kWh/day (0.68 -1.068 therms/day), assuming it's used in a four-bedroom home. In contrast, a standard electric heater uses about 26.4-36.2 kWh/day (0.901-1.235 therms/day). Therefore, a heat pump water heater saves around 14-24% on heating costs.

www.attainablehome.com

Heat Pump Water Heaters: Complete Guide, Pros and Cons And More

Get expert advice on improvements to your home, including design tips, how much you'd expect to pay for a pro and what to ask when hiring experts.

www.forbes.com

All the best,

Peter

We installed a Takagi tankless and it has a replaceable external sediment filter/anode type of feature.

 

[2manyrocks]

Often, water heaters and HVAC systems are replaced with similar units instead of having to change plumbing, wiring and vents.