Follow up on my post: Time to replace water heater?

Assuming I do buy a new water heater, what brands do you recommend? Thanks.

Much depends on your water conditions and how much water you use....
Best Wishe

Wheelchair, excellent questions - wish I had thought to include that info up front. Our water is hard - the latest report says 250 ppm. Water use is a little complicated. The house is 3 bedrooms with 2-1/2 baths but it has 2 water heaters: one for the kitchen, laundry and half-bath; the other for the 2 full baths. Both existing heaters are 30-gallon. Both my kids are grown so use is fairly minimal. Thanks.

Thank You for the update. Most water heaters are sold.... rather than purchased. The main reason is consumer ignorance about the product. Water Heaters, compared to those of 10 years ago are much different and will continue to change with new efficiency requirements. Is electric better for you than gas. If not, what size? How efficient? Is solar heating more for your needs than non-solar?

Best Wishes

If you are just buying a conventional gas or electric water heater, put them all in a basket, put a towel over the basket and then pull one out. There is very little difference between any of them.

Wheelchair,

Existing is 30-gallon gas. Gas will be more economical to run and the closet holding the tank won't allow anything bigger. Unfortunately, the combination of roof orientation and large shade trees make solar impractical.

hj,

Thanks for your input. That makes the decision a calculation of price divided by warranty; whichever brand/model comes out lowest wins.

A simpler question: Am I correct that the dielectric nipples, flex water lines and flex gas line on the old tank can be re-used on the new one? Thanks.

..."the closet holding the tank won't allow anything bigger...

Be sure your closet is sufficiently supplied with fresh combustion air. With todays' DoE tighter restrictions on efficiencies, and the move to smaller tanks with greater BTU input, what has worked in the past may not work now. You may even consider a direct vent water heater if you currently don't have one now.

m&m,

That sounds like good advice. The old one was a sealed combustion chamber and worked for 6-7 years but I will increase ventilation just to be on the safe side. Thanks.

quote; Gas will be more economical to run and the closet holding the tank won't allow anything bigger.

A gas water heater in a closet has some very PRECISE requirements to make it safe and legal.

Not usually. The new heater should have its own dielectrics, the flexible lines will probably be tempered by now and the gaskets worn out.

quote; Be sure your closet is sufficiently supplied with fresh combustion air

That is only HALF of the ventilation required. There is also "high level" exhaust required.

Sealed combustion chamber, meaning both combustion and exhaust gases terminated outside the structure, do NOT need combustion air, but should have ventilation in the event of a gas leak.

hj,

So glad you are online today - you have been a wealth of information. Thanks.

if you can swap it out yourself go for cheap price


if you need a plumber go for long warranty


+ consider adding a 'cheapo' flammable gas detector outside the closet +

maybe $45-75 ~peace of mind~ priceless

this would be in addition to the code required CO detector




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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

quote; if you need a plumber go for long warranty

You will NOT get a "better water heater", just the same "cheap one" with an expensive extended warranty.