We manage rental properties. We get an average of 6 to 7 years out of the glass lined gas and electric water heaters. No, the sacrificial rods are never changed. And we have had various brands in these units with prices from 150 to 400 dollars.

In every place that has a hot water boiler we have been converting to stainless indirect water heaters. I am impressed with their lasting time (have 2 of em now around 12 years old). And of course the boiler cycles in the summertime. While its true indirects are around 700 with trim in comparison to 2 or 300 it really seems worthwhile to have them last longer.

We are running a 4 fam with 8 adults on a single 40 gallon indirect. Yes its on a big boiler (Burnham 209) with priority. We can run at least 2 showers constantly.

Then too - who knows what is really in the water in this the Boston area.

I would like to know how long those instant direct vent water heaters will last. Anyone have any guesses??

Oreo
"TURTLE" wrote in message ...

"Pat" wrote in message ...
Turtle:

I think hot water heaters will be around a long time. I am not in a
hurry to spend $900 for a new water heater and installation.

Maybe a GI bath for a day or two until i can find an honest plumber.

If I need a new one, is the one that HD sells the Whirlpool for $288 is
that a decent WH. I don't want crap either. The price I got from
plumbers to replace of $695 + $150 for installation + tax, I thought was
outrageous. I know prices have risen, but quality in products have gone
down. Isn't that quite high or am I wrong.


Pat

This is Turtle.

I could not say what high was at all for you have different parts of the country with a wide range of pay scales which it is just hard saying what norm is. The $150.00 to install it is in my words pretty cheap price and would say well worth him doing it for that. I live in a low cost of living area and the norm here is $200.00 + Tank and material. Now you buy your tank where you want and you go get it and sit it there and the Plumber here will put it in there. They don't care if you come back with a Yugo or a Roll Royce but it's still $200.00.

Now to the Whirlpool water heater or others. I have this ideal in my head now that all water heaters are border line trash and no matter what you write on the side of it. I will expect about every 10 to 15 years out of it and go get me another one like I would buying a washing machine and drier. The old ideal of buying a car to last 30 years went out the window with hot water tanks with it.

So Buy the cheapest thing that will fit in there and be happy if it last 15 years and cuss it if it don't and just replace. This sound very simple mined but it has come now days that long haul items now are become short haul items and treat them as so for the hot water tank has become a short haul item.

TURTLE