High Efficency Water Heater Recomendations

[Scooby074]

I think its time to replace our old heater. Its been giving problems the last year or so and now i have a burned out element. THe heater is close to 10yrs old now, so considering i have to drain it anyways, i might as well swap it out.

So my question is whats a good model? The current one is a GSW thats been good up till this year (no shame for it).

Id like to get a High efficency model if possible. Due to cost and lack of gas, an upgrade to tankless likely wont work.

Home depot carries the GE models. I havent used one , are they any good?

GSW doesnt make a high effiency model at least that i can find.

I have a Ruud heater in the barn, thats been going for at least 8 years (likely 10) on the same elements (heater itself is even older) !!! And i keep the temp on it quite high. The water at the barn is super hard too.

Are the Ruud/Rheem marithon heaters any good? THey look to be quite efficient. Lifetime warranty on tank.

 

[tanglefoot]

Scooby,
I've replaced my water heater 5 times in 15 years. Our problem seems to be minerals in the water. But the water heater never caused the hot water to smell bad until I bought this GE from Lowe's about 8 months ago. It was the most expensive model they had, and it had an aluminum anode rod in it. Now I'm trying to chase down a zinc anode rod. When this heater goes out I plan to buy a marathon.
Butch

 

[Scooby074]

Thanks for the reply butch. Good to know about the GE

What i understand about the marithons is that opinion seems to be split. The pros say they're overpriced. Homeowners have said that its hard to get warranty out of Rheem in a timely manner. Plus theres the price.

Id like to go tankless. but that would turn into a major job. I liked the marithon for their efficency (~.96 EF).

A little research locally, and i can get a 9Yr 60Gal GSW with 2" foam insulation for $498. 6YR with fiberglass insulation for 458. Id get the 2"foam.

I havent found a Rheem dealer to get a price on a Marithon.

Do any manufacturers make a electronic controled heater? One that you can set the temp back at night to save power? Edit: it looks like GE might ...opps , no they dont. It was a upcoming Hybrid model


I know i can add an external timer, but a built in system might be more efficient.

 

[heehaw]

"Do any manufacturers make a electronic controled heater? One that you can set the temp back at night to save power? Edit: it looks like GE might ...opps , no they dont. It was a upcoming Hybrid model"
i'm not sure something like that would help: i have an elcheapo gas water heater: when we go away for a couple days, i turn the gas to pilot: so it won't be kicking on while we are gone, plus i turn the water off: when we return, the water heater never kicks on, until we start running water: what i am saying, is even the cheapest water heater shouldn't be kicking on very often with out use. i have considered the on demand type heaters, but have been told by folks, they do not work if you want to run just a trickle of hot water: you have to open the faucet up wide to get them to kick on...so that put me back to the cheapo type: for electric, i don't think you can beat the marathon: seems like its made by rheem???
heehaw

 

[Paystar]

I don't know about effeciency, but I have a rheem tank and it and my house are going on 20 years old and it has never been changed other than the bottom element. I have hard water and it fills up with calcium to the point of burrying the bottom element which kills them. First time lasted 9 years, then six, now seems like every year or two, but I've been getting cheap generic replacement elements. So I would think the rheems are pretty good units to last that long.

 

[Scooby074]

Paystar: The Ruud/Rheem in the barn has been the same. Probably the best heater ive had.

I think the only Rheem bearler in town is contractor only. So that may rule one out.

A friend sells Giant, he says theyre pretty good, but theyre only 8 yr warranty. Good price though. Ill have to do a little more research.

heehaw: i was wanting the timer so i could turn down the tank over night. I understand that theres savings there, much like turning down the electric heat over night.Although a well insulated tank would reduce those savings i imagine.

 

[Highbeam]

The high efficiency tank should not fire at all overnight if the hot water is not being used. So, whether the power is on or off makes no difference. Once upon a time tanks were not so efficient and stand by losses were actually high enough to make up for reheating the cool water in the morning.

 

[heehaw]

they use to put the water heater on a separate electric meter: that could be set to come on and kick off at certain times: i have a couple of the old meters: but as mentioned, water heaters nowdays, hold the heat of the water a lot longer, so should not come on at night with out the water flowing.
heehaw

 

[LD1]

I vote for the marathon heater. They may be more expensive now, but likely to save you in the long haul. You never have to worry about the tank rusting away, and as mentioned, they are the most efficcient electric heater you can buy.

Mine is 13 years old and I have had zero problems. It's still running on the factory elements. As far as having trouble with warrenty, I wouldnt know, cause it's been flawless, but they do have a lifetime warrenty

 

[The Dougster]

Water heaters are wasteful creatures, and as you stated, you could install an external timer, which doesn't cost much and will certainly do the job....
Additionally, all of us could get more life out of the water heaters if we'd remove the candy-azz hose bib with a 3/4-inch ball valve and drain the heater a couple of times a year... the ball valve allows for the removal of more of the sediment...

 

[Scooby074]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I dont think im going to find a marithon locally at least.

I agree that a timer on one of the new super efficient heaters may be overkill. THats probably why you havent seen one yet.


The Giant heaters look pretty nice and the price is Alot less than the GSW $300 for a 40Gal. 2" foam, 72W standby loss. GIANT FACTORIES INC.- Super Cascade 9 electric water heaters.


Im going to try searching halifax for a Marithon, thats available to someone whos not in the trade (at least to get a price)

 

[WayneB]

Thanks for the opinions guys. I dont think im going to find a marithon locally at least.

I agree that a timer on one of the new super efficient heaters may be overkill. THats probably why you havent seen one yet.


The Giant heaters look pretty nice and the price is Alot less than the GSW $300 for a 40Gal. 2" foam, 72W standby loss. GIANT FACTORIES INC.- Super Cascade 9 electric water heaters.


Im going to try searching halifax for a Marithon, thats available to someone whos not in the trade (at least to get a price)

Have you considered On Demand water heaters? I have two of them and I believe they are just great, both units are propane fired and we have continuous hot water when we want it. The reason for going On Demand for us was we have a place in the mountains and then our home.

With the camp I wanted something that was easy to winterize and also that when we were not there I didn't have to worry about heating water or I should say forgetting to turn off the hot water tank and it would maintain hot water for a week or two and we are not even there.

So the benefits at camp were we could winterize without having to drain a large water tank and secondly we could have hot water as soon as we got to camp even at a late hour and wanted to take a shower before bed. This has worked great for us.

The second system I put in at home. We have a hot water boiler and a domestic coil in the boiler for hot water. My problem with this was the furnace ran year around. Really bugged me to hear the furnace kick on and it is July and 85 degrees outside.

I put the system in and started using it last October and up until today we have used less than 200 pounds of propane. Not too sure just how much. We are on our second tank and it is close to the time to have one of them filled.

There is very little to go wrong with the systems and we have had the one at camp installed for nearly five years zero maintenance problems.

 

[Scooby074]

Have you considered On Demand water heaters? I have two of them and I believe they are just great, both units are propane fired and we have continuous hot water when we want it. The reason for going On Demand for us was we have a place in the mountains and then our home.

With the camp I wanted something that was easy to winterize and also that when we were not there I didn't have to worry about heating water or I should say forgetting to turn off the hot water tank and it would maintain hot water for a week or two and we are not even there.

So the benefits at camp were we could winterize without having to drain a large water tank and secondly we could have hot water as soon as we got to camp even at a late hour and wanted to take a shower before bed. This has worked great for us.

The second system I put in at home. We have a hot water boiler and a domestic coil in the boiler for hot water. My problem with this was the furnace ran year around. Really bugged me to hear the furnace kick on and it is July and 85 degrees outside.

I put the system in and started using it last October and up until today we have used less than 200 pounds of propane. Not too sure just how much. We are on our second tank and it is close to the time to have one of them filled.

There is very little to go wrong with the systems and we have had the one at camp installed for nearly five years zero maintenance problems.

Are you referring to Tankless propane when you say on demand? It was definately a consideration, however it would likely require a rework of the hot water system (tank is located in a bedroom, behind a fake wall) as well as the installation of propane lines and tanks. So i dont think it would be cost effective in my situation. Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

[WayneB]

Are you referring to Tankless propane when you say on demand? It was definately a consideration, however it would likely require a rework of the hot water system (tank is located in a bedroom, behind a fake wall) as well as the installation of propane lines and tanks. So i dont think it would be cost effective in my situation. Thanks for the suggestion though.

That is what I was suggesting! I can see reworking the system being a major undertaking. On Demand only means there is no stored hot water and it is generated as you require hotwater. cold water is directed through a coil and heated instantly (well almost instantly) and then delivered to the requesting source.

Wayne

 

[heehaw]

ok, those of you that have an on demand gas water heater: how well does it work if you just slightly turn on a hot water faucet: i was told by a plumber, they would not respond unless the faucet was turned on pretty much all the way. like when your shaving an you just want a trickle of hot water to rinse your razor, will the heater work then?
heehaw

 

[nickel plate]

Id like to get a High efficency model if possible. Due to cost and lack of gas, an upgrade to tankless likely wont work.

Scooby, When you say due to cost and lack of gas, are you referring to street piped natural or on site LPG (propane) tank?
Four years ago I swapped out our electric water heater AKA "the soup kettle" due to constant annual element failures at the tune of $125.00 a pop. True, we already had propane in place so I bought a Rinnai tankless on demand propane water heater and have never looked back. Our electric bill dropped $40.00-$45.00 a month due to the constant heating of the standard water heater tank.Now when you turn the hot water on, the Rinnai LPG gas jets kick on. Turn the hot water off, the gas jets turn off-not even as much as a pilot light stays ignited, all electronicly controlled. The unit needs a hot water tap to be turned on to a flow of .5 GPM or greater to fire up and supply hot water.

 

[Scooby074]

NP: we have no gas at all. Were in the country and while the pipeline for Natural Gas passes straight thru our county, they havent seen fit to hook any of us up. Its a long story, but when our province sold (some say gave) away our gas, part of the deal was that Nova Scotia households would be hooked up. So far, the company has pretty much forgot about us (besides those in the city). Our government pretty much screwed us over on that one.

Propane would be an option, but we have no tanks for that. And like i said in my other post the hot water is fed from a tank which is in a bedroom behind a false wall. THere is no basement (yet). I dont imagine id be allowed to install a gas fired heater, inside a wall, and in a bedroom. That cant be up to code .

I received a email from Rheem/Marithon heaters today. Like i suspected the Marithon is sold by the "contractor only " store both here and their branch in Halifax,so its looking like ill have to go with another brand. Oh well.

 

[BobRip]

.

I received a email from Rheem/Marithon heaters today. Like i suspected the Marithon is sold by the "contractor only " store both here and their branch in Halifax,so its looking like ill have to go with another brand. Oh well.

I got my Marathon through Granger, if that helps. I like it. It has a rounded bottom inside so the dirt is easier to get out when you flush it.

 

[Scooby074]

Thanks Bob, Up here we only have ACKLANDS Granger. Same company but different selection. I checked their website and its a no go. On top of that, theyre contractor only too

 

[Alan L.]

Our Rennai whole house heater doesn't really save any energy using propane vs electronic. At least not much if any. With natural gas there might be a savings.

You can get hot water with maybe a half-gallon per minute trickle, you don't have to turn it on all the way. But there is a little delay and I'm not 100% happy I went with it, but no overly disappointed either. Just thought it would use less propane than it does. For two of us, I buy about $320 every 7 months or so - about $45 a month or so. I was hoping for half that.