Tankless water heaters

[dufremle]

Does anyone know anything about them? My water heater is about 17 years old and should probably be replaced. I was thinking about going tankless but I have heard different things about them. Current water tank is gas.

[JTChiTown]

I've heard mixed reviews. Gas is supposedly superior to electric as most houses don't have the 150amp service they need. Biggest complaint is that the water flow needs to be more than a small trickle for it to work. Also doesn't have the gas savings promised if you don't use a significant amount of hot water.

Based off what I'd heard, for just 1 person, the cost doesn't pencil out over just replacing what you have.

[dufremle]

That's what I was thinking. I could probably replace the tank myself, too.

[JTChiTown]

Yeah. I only briefly looked at them, but since I knew I was moving soon, I didn't look past the upfront costs.

[DarcShadow]

I have one and LOVE it. The never running out of hot water no matter how long or how many people take showers is great!

Our builder wouldn't even consider an electric one though, to many problems with them, they just can't keep up. There is a threshold regarding how fast the water is running and if the heater turns on, but I've rarely had the water on that slow and when I did it was simply to wash my hands. Just like with a tank heater though, you do still have to wait for the hot water to get to the sink/shower. I also have a point of use electric tankless water heater in our 1/2 bath. It is only a 20A unit, and warms the water just enough for washing your hands, although if you let the hot water from the main heater get to the point of use heater the water can become dangerously hot. The unit we have is actually intended to be connected to a cold water line, they make another unit that has a sensor in it to turn itself off if the incoming water is above a certain temp.

As mentioned above though, with just you in the house, tankless is probably not worth the investment outside of a potential selling point in the future.

[dufremle]

I was thinking tankless to free up space in the garage, which is where my tank is. Also, not having to keep 40 gallons of water hot when I only use it about once per day for a shower. I usually wash clothes on weekends and run the dishwasher every couple of weeks.

I think I would have to make too many changes to the gas line, water lines and exhaust system that it wouldn't be worth it. I do have 150 amp electric service, though.

[fartymarty]

Slightly off topic, (I have zero experience with tankless) but if you replace both the anode and the dip tube on your current tank, many gas water heaters can be extended in life for another 10 years. The old dip tubes tend to split open near the top and the incoming cold water short circuits over to the outlet and gets mixed in with the outgoing hot water and starts you thinking about how old the tank is when you have to keep reaching down and turning on more hot water. Of course, if you always considered the tank a little inadequate to the job even when new, then this option isn't much help. Dip tubes are cheap, anodes not so much..but still easier and much cheaper than a tank replacement. If you go this way, replace the dip tube first and check for improvement, if it's good then at your leisure within the next few months replace the anode rod. I purchased a dip tube at Home Depot but I had to go to a plumbing supply place (Locke in Fort Worth, but I think also in Bedford and Arlington) for the anode for mine.

[dufremle]

I'm more concerned that the tank itself is about to rust through and leak. I don't have any problems with not having hot water.

[fartymarty]

I'm more concerned that the tank itself is about to rust through and leak. I don't have any problems with not having hot water.

Well that can happen especially if it's never been drained to get sediment out and if the anode is all used up. Mine is 20 years old and the dip tube was split in 3 places but I still had at least half of the original anode left.
I replaced both and it's like a new heater. I was even able to turn it down some without complaints from SWMBO. I only drained it once in the 20 years (around the 15 year mark I think). Do what makes you the most comfortable. At least yours is in the garage if it starts to leak, mine is in the hallway furnace A/C closet. If mine lets go there will be a lot of damage. I really should pull it and install a drain pan under it. I put a water alarm in there instead.

[dufremle]

I've never drained it. I'll do that this weekend and see what the water looks like. If it's real bad I'll go ahead and replace the water heater.

[dufremle]

I may not drain it this weekend. If it starts leaking I'll be screwed as it's a holiday weekend. Maybe I'll do it Monday.

[fartymarty]

I may not drain it this weekend. If it starts leaking I'll be screwed as it's a holiday weekend. Maybe I'll do it Monday.

Good thinking. Best to do it when the stores will be open at least 4 more hours. Sometimes shutoff valves that have never been used start leaking out the top
as soon as they are. Be sure to locate the whole house shut off either near the house if there is one, or at the meter before you start just in case. Leaving the
inlet to the tank on when you start the drain will likely (assuming the dip tube has any structure left in it) stir up any sediment to help get it flushed out.
If you then decide to completely drain the tank with the inlet supply turned off, you can either open the pressure relief valve or sometimes the closest
non-mixing hot water faucet to let air in behind the falling water level. When you turn the supply back on, I also recommend removing any strainer/bubbler faucet
tips before you turn any faucet back on so as to let any sediment loosened up to pass through. You might want to run an empty hot water cycle on the washing machine as well.
Also run the hot water closest to the dishwasher for several minutes to try and get most of any loosened crud out before it can go into the dishwasher.
Lots of stuff, and I'm starting to sound like a plumber (sorry), but it's all stuff that would happen if you had to replace it as well. I really don't like plumbing work, I prefer electrical,
but I'm cheap so I suffer through it all. Just be glad you didn't ask about pool demolition.
Good luck!

[Telomere]

Jim always asks for opinions/advice. He never uses either. *sigh*...Jim, just buy the cheapest tank out there.

[dufremle]

No point in wasting money if I don't have to.

[Telomere]

Exactly, which is why I said go buy the cheapest tank you can find. Check Craiglist or ebay. Cheap bastard.

[dufremle]

I drained the water tank on Monday. The water came out perfectly clear and no sediment came out at all. I flushed it a couple of times, too. Then I saw a sticker on the side saying it has some performance thingy that reduces sediment. Great. So for now I'm assuming the tank itself is fine and I'm not going to do anything. I would like to replace the anode, but I would have to pull the tank out to get to it, so I'm not going to do that, either.

[JeffStrom]

That's good news. Just out of curiosity, you said you can't get to the anode without pulling the tank. Does that mean that where it is sitting you do not have access to the top of the tank? Or at least very little space above the tank? Or is it something else?

[dufremle]

I have about 2 feet of room above the tank. I can't use one of the flexible anodes, either, because this one is part of the hot water outlet pipe.