Need new hot water heater - pros and cons for tankless, indirect or simply replace
I am looking to replace my natural gas 50 gal hot water heater - I would like to go to a tankless system but plumber was very negative. He recommended an indirect system off my boiler which sounds interesting but is it worth the premium on the parts and install? I am expecting to sell the house in a few years should I just replace it with a modern version of what I had? Any recommendations?
Need new to water heater - pros/cons tankless, indirect or regular gas
I am looking to replace my natural gas 50 gal hot water heater - I would like to go to a tankless system but plumber was very negative. He recommended an indirect system off my boiler which sounds interesting but is it worth the premium on the parts and install? I am expecting to sell the house in a few years should I just replace it with a modern version of what I had? Any recommendations?
If you didn't have any problems with a standard tank, then just put in that and save the money for your new place. Unless buyers will expect the hot water to be tied in to the boiler, then keep your expenses down. Pull a permit if its required in your area so it doesnt cause any inspection hang ups
Indirect is nice. And recovery time of the tank is great. You couldn’t pay me to install tankless. That may just be me and the area I’m in. If your sure your going to be selling the house soon then just replace with what’s there. Depending on price and how new the boiler system is, it might make sense on an indirect tank. Really it should just be a tank, pump, possibly a pump relay and piping. If your existing tank sits close to the boiler then hot and cold water lines shouldn’t be an issue. If you have a high efficiency boiler you also gain the efficiency on your potable hot water now. I wouldn’t put an on demand in if you already have a boiler system. I’d either go like for like or indirect.
The house I bought already had a tankless heater installed. I was always skeptical of them and had a negative view towards them because of what people say, but having owned one now for 10 years, I don’t want to go back to a tank. I’ll be replacing this with another tankless unit when it dies. The convenience it provides far outweighs any negatives that it has.
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Thank you. I think I will save tankless for the next house. I don’t understand why but there seems to be such negativity around them I’m afraid it could hurt in a sale instead of help.
If not installed and set up right they wont supply enugh hot water for high demand times.
that said if installed and set up correctly they will supply endless hot water but that can run up the water bill if you like to stay in the shower longer:O)
If not installed and set up right they wont supply enugh hot water for high demand times.
that said if installed and set up correctly they will supply endless hot water but that can run up the water bill if you like to stay in the shower longer:O)
To an extent it will. At least here in the north east. Mostly in the winter. 36-40f water temp in the winter. You tell me what that dose to your gpm. Not to mention the amount of energy it needs to flash heat water from 40f to 110-120f. Look at the temp curve/gpm chart for one when you have a minute. It “might” be ok for just a shower but if anyone else in the house tries to do anything else at that time it’s game over.
Me personally I run my tank at 130. I have a mixing valve set for 120. I have a 50gal power vent tank with the larger burner “42,000btu I believe” along with a recirculating loop I installed on a timer with all insulated lines. It runs non stop from 5pm-9pm plus around breakfast and lunch time. Hot water immediately “ranch house and kitchen is about 45’ away from tank” with zero complaints.
I hate tankless units because of how fussy they can be it's just such an overly complicated way to heat water while a conventional tank you can install and then ignore until they rust out.
I have a tankless (of course i have the luxury of installing and servicing it myself) but i would not suggest one to a family member unless they had a specific need for one (high water usage such as a large jacuzzi tub, a very small usage such as a 1 bedroom seasonal cottage or if there is no space for one). There will be little energy savings in the grand scheme of things. Sure it may save you a hundred or 2 hundred bucks a year for a small family but that is lost in the additional maintenance that will likely be needed. Sometimes they cost you MORE to operate. With a standard tank, if mom, dad and several kids are in the home then showers are short so that everyone can have a hot shower. When it is endless people tend to take much larger showers and the gas meter is spinning at warp speed the whole time. If your worried about resale value, put the additiinalmoney you would spend on it into granite countertops or fancy floors. They sell homes not water heaters
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DEPENDS on ones use and the utility services available
____ CONVENTIONAL HWT 40 or 50 gallons
with two 4500 Watt elements
for my quite limited use.
12 year tank life versus ? _#_ year tankless life
Maintenance $$$ for Tank versus tankless?
INSTALL COST:
______ $ 450 vs ~ $3,000 ?
____ Tank by me vs others for tankless
Natural Gas availability?
I don't have Natural Gas
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I have been installing tankless for 30 years... they are very reliable, extremely efficient, and take up very little space.
They do NOT lower your water bill, unless you are out of the house a lot.
Best use is if they are set at 110F, and zero cold is used when showering , most issues people have with them boils down to trying to set them to tank temps, and throttling with cold at the faucet... bad plan.
If ALL gas runs to heat, then you chill it down to comfortable temps, you are defeating the efficiency.
The TRUE highest cost system is the system not installed properly...
Tankless require a LOT of gas. Typically a 2 psi system. If you don't use a 2 psi system, you'll need a very large diameter, expensive gas line to serve that flame thrower. They can bottom out the house gas pressure causing standing pilots, such as on gas fireplaces to drop out.
Tankless requires annual flushing. Sooner with poor water quality. Get a Field Controls Clearwave water conditioner upstream
Tankless parts are not readily available at most supply houses. You could experience a significant down time if the board goes
Tankless should not be installed by someone not familiar with them.
If you screw up the venting you can die, just as recently in Ohio.
If you need hot water for anything other than a shower, someone's getting cold
Indirect much safer
Uses boiler so no expensive gas piping
Still should be flushed annually and check anode rod but not as extensive or time consuming service and more tolerant of some calcification
Anyone competent to install a boiler should be able to install an indirect
No venting.
Boilers typically can easily recover even during multiple users of hot water
If the power goes out for a brief time you still have a tank full of hot water available
I haven't found too many people who feel the benefits of a tankless outweigh the negatives but that's just my experience. I rarely find them properly installed, unlike indirects, which are harder to screw up and don't kill you if installed wrong.
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Originally Posted by Makeitcold
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