FHR (65 to 75 gallons in an hour seem appropriate for me)
ER (I'd like to find a 0.62 or better but have NOT found any above .59)
PRICE (I have plenty of money but I don't want to waste it needlessly)
SERVICE (I want to trust that the plumber does the gas job well)
I just wish there were a freeware water-heater calculator out there

Here is the best freeware water heater FHR/ER calculator I can find:

http://www.geappliances.com/smar****...aters_form.htm

It's not even close to what we want and need by way of water-heater
calculators, but, it seems to be the best freeware out there to date.

If you can find better, please post so we all benefit!

Presumably it would ask you the basic questions that the one above asks,
but, then it would take into account the FHV and ER and the current cost
per therm. It would then take the price of your water heater into account
to tell you which is the best buy per FHV/hour and the all-important
recover period when comparing two different water heaters.

I'm sure this calculator, which millions of households could benefit from,
exists somewhere ... I just don't know where so I include the freeware
folks who seem to have a knack for finding jewels on the Internet!

Donna