On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:11:54 -0700, Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator
wrote:
$608 SG40T12AVH/182-755 72galFHR 0.59EF ??KBTU 40gal 6-yr(drain 2x/year)
$658 SG50T12AVH/183-717 80galFHR 0.58EF ??KBTU 50gal 6-yr(drain 2x/year)
$677 SG40T12AVH/182-786 72galFHR 0.59EF ??KBTU 40gal 9-yr(self cleaning)
$718 SG50T12AVH/184-076 80galFHR 0.58EF ??KBTU 50gal 9-yr(self cleaning)
$728 SG40T12AVH/182-953 68galFHR 0.59EF ??KBTU 40gal 12-yr(self cleaning)
$783 SG50T12AVH/185-191 83galFHR 0.58EF ??KBTU 50gal 12-yr(self cleaning)

For the record, this reference, pointed to me by someone on this thread, is
FANTASTIC for helping a consumer figure out which gas water heater to buy!

http://www.gamanet.org/gama/inforeso...s?OpenDocument

The actual document for a gas water heater is
http://www.gamanet.org/gama/inforesources.nsf/vAttachmentLaunch/C2AAFB8D41D003F485256E9000607F66/$FILE/12-07-gas-rwh.pdf

I'm reading it now to learn more.
A lot of what people said is right but a lot is wrong.
It's so hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

But I'm trying!
Donna

On Sun, 10 Feb 2008 22:10:33 -0700, Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator
wrote:
A lot of what people said is right but a lot is wrong.
It's so hard to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Nobody mentioned the payback calculation yet.
I'm trying to run the calculations in the invaluable Dec. 2007 document
http://www.gamanet.org/gama/inforesources.nsf/vAttachmentLaunch/C2AAFB8D41D003F485256E9000607F66/$FILE/12-07-gas-rwh.pdf

Given current PG&E cost per therm in my area
http://www.pge.com/tariffs/GRS.SHTML#GRS
of between $1.21 to $1.44 per therm
http://www.pge.com/tariffs/pdf/G-1.pdf

For those calculations, does an average cost per therm in my area of $1.33
seem reasonable to you?

Donna

For those calculations, does an average cost per therm in my area of $1.33
seem reasonable to you?



Look at your utility bill, it should say exactly what the cost per therm is,
they may call it CCF. That number sounds a little high, but then it varies
by area and the cost has multiplied by several times in the last 10-15
years. I pay around $1.15 per therm, I still remember when it was closer to
33 cents.

On Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:24:20 GMT, James Sweet wrote:

I pay around $1.15 per therm,
I still remember when it was ... 33 cents.

I pay around $1.33 per therm.
I'm going to do the calculations today.

I just called Sears Kenmore (actually AO SMith State Industries makes all
the Kenmore brands) asking for their highest-efficiency consumer hot water
heater models.
- Sears Kenmore Home Water Heater Department: 1-800-877-6420

Here's the summary from Sears for the 40-gallon 12/1 year water heater:
- $420/$853 #33144 FHR 81 gallons, EF 0.63, BTU 40K,
- 58" tall, 20.5" diameter, 63.5" tall with diverter

Here's the summary from Sears for the 50-gallon 12/1 year water heater:
- $450/$885 #33154 FHR 97 gallons, EF 0.63, BTU 40K,
- 59.5" tall, 22" diameter, 65" tall with diverter

The installation fee includes a bunch of possibly mandatory extras.
- Mandatory Installation Fee $300
- Mandatory Disposal Fee $10
- Mandatory Plumbing Permit $77
- Mandatory Flex Pipe Replacement $46
- Mandatory Sales Tax on the water heater ~8.75%
- Possible Earthquake Straps $68
- Possible pipe retrofit fees ~100
- Possible trip charge of $35 to $80 if any service is refused

I still have to do the calculations to see if the EF makes any real
difference at a cost per therm of $1.33 particularly since the "average"
water heater at HD was 0.58 or 0.59 EF, but I could special order a HD one
with 0.62 EF but I could get from Sears one with an EF of 0.63.

I wonder how much exactly it all matters ... for that ... I need to build
the calculations.

I think I have enough now - certainly more than I ever thought I needed to
know - to make a reasonable not-dumb decision on replacing my home water
heater that started leaking yesterday morning.

Please let me know if you have any calculators on the web which can COMPARE
two home water heaters given the specs we have posted in this thread!

Thanks,
Donna

"Donna Ohl, Grady Volunteer Coordinator" wrote in
message

The installation fee includes a bunch of possibly mandatory extras.
- Mandatory Installation Fee $300
- Mandatory Disposal Fee $10
- Mandatory Plumbing Permit $77
- Mandatory Flex Pipe Replacement $46
- Mandatory Sales Tax on the water heater ~8.75%
- Possible Earthquake Straps $68
- Possible pipe retrofit fees ~100
- Possible trip charge of $35 to $80 if any service is refused

Do you get a choice of KY or Vaseline too?

Call al local plumber and save a bundle of money. The flex pipe should be
replaced with every installation though.

Look in the classifieds in your newspaper.You will find ads there of
licensed/bonded people who do plumbing work/repair, if you don't want to
install the water heater yourself.Any good handyman can do the job.I
can't figure why the city (or any city) needs to know when a home owner
buys a water heater.
cuhulin