Tankless water heaters

[sundrop]

Originally Posted by pink caddy

Just checked HD for tankless 50gal $298.

I just did the following: (reading from the invoice)

Provide and install new 40 gal hot water heater
Install new valves (had every cutoff valve changed in house)
Install all new connections to meet code (change from crappy to code)
Remove old toilet and install new 12" rough size white toilet and seat
Install new shower head
All materials and labor $1400

Your invoice would increase for a 50 gallon, it says 40.
Also, permitting and inspection isn't listed on there. In Mecklenburg County WH installs and change-outs have to be permitted and inspected. (or that was the rule through 2008)

Having worked in construction, primarily plumbing, I would recommend not get to excited about labor costs you get from Lowe's or HD. That is a straight change-out, pull out and put back in. If you need additional piping etc...that will charge big-time for that. We had many people tell us horror stories.

[pink caddy]

Sorry. My mistake as I read too fast and missed the work "tankless".

FWIW---with the cost of unit, installation and enegy costs combined I doubt the savings over conventional amount to more than 1-3% per year.

[lumbollo]

Opps. I guess I have not looked at hot water heaters in a while. Last time I paid attention to them you could get a 50 gallon gas unit for about $150. Looks like it's more like $300 now. That's a pretty good run up in price in about a decade's time.

For a whole house system I don't think there will be enough savings in energy to go the tankless route even though you see shows like TOH pushing them as somehow going green. Holding costs for water in a heater are miniscule compared to heating the water to temp in the first place and that will cost the same. I can see where a small unit dedicated to one room might be a bargain however if you were doing some kind of addition or rennovation.

Unless they have radically changed the technology over what I have now, I would prefer a 50 gallon old fashioned tank for this reason. They don't require electricity. So if the power is out for an extended time you have hot water regardless. My understanding is you have to plug in a tankless unit and hence, you are OL if there is no power. I know, probably not a huge concern, but I really missed hot water in my all electric house at the time when Hugo blew through here.

[karenkitz]

I just had a tankless installed a couple of weeks ago, and I am very happy. Benjamin Franklin did the work for us. We have a Rennai. Not only will we get the tax credit, but we also let our gas company know (Piedmont); they will be sending us a check (I think $250) as well!! Our water heater was in our garage; we had 2 tank heaters in the 10 years we've lived in this house - both have failed! We bought our house brand new, so this was very disappointing. We did find that we had a pressure problem (too high), so Ben Franklin did install a new pressure regulator.

We live in Union County; the installation did have to be inspected by the county. With this unit, there is no fear of running out of hot water; we could turn on the hot water on a Friday, leave for the weekend, and on Monday, it would still be running hot. I have no problem showering, running the dishwasher and the clothes washer at the same time.

It was a great experience; I would highly recommend it.