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#1
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tankless water heaters
I bought an old house 13 years ago and they didnt really maintain
anything, so my water heater could go any day. I have been considering getting a tankless water heater. My neighbor owns several properties & swears by them. He has someone who he buys them from for $250 each, which is allot less than most of the quotes Ive heard. His home has one ; he as a family of 4,so they use allot more water than I do.(kids, laundry, baths,etc) I under stand they are suppose to be energy efficient. I know they are more expensive to buy than regular water heaters but it's possible that the energy savings might balance that out. My biggest concern is I dont know allot of people who do have one, so I don't know anyone to ask about the longevity of a tankless water heater versus standard. If you buy a standard water heater and take care of it and do the small maintenace you should, they can last 20 years or more. I like the uidea of the tankless water heater, off the floor, and energy savings but if they only last a couple years, I'd like to know. does anyone have one in their home and for how long have you had one? your experience with it? pros? cons? problems you have had? brand names would help also. thanks in advance. |
#2
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tankless water heaters
"webmz1" wrote:
I have been considering getting a tankless water heater. My neighbor owns several properties & swears by them. He has someone who he buys them from for $250 each, which is allot less than most of the quotes Ive heard. His home has one ; he as a family of 4,so they use allot more water than I do.(kids, laundry, baths,etc) I under stand they are suppose to be energy efficient. I know they are more expensive to buy than regular water heaters but it's possible that the energy savings might balance that out. If you'd like a reasonably unbiased report on tankless heaters, check this whiepaper out. http://www.nyletherm.com/whitepaper2.pdf. It was written by an engineer at AOSmith - a company that builds both types of water heaters. I don't know what your neighbor is buying, but $250 is not going to get you a whole house heater. On top of that, the installation costs (including upgrading the electric feed, any other plumbing upgrades is going to wipe out any savings you might see. Tankless has other issues as well - limited simultaneous users, problems at low flow rates (think washing hands), etc. |
#3
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tankless water heaters
Clark W. Griswold, Jr. wrote:
"webmz1" wrote: I have been considering getting a tankless water heater. My neighbor owns several properties & swears by them. He has someone who he buys them from for $250 each, which is allot less than most of the quotes Ive heard. His home has one ; he as a family of 4,so they use allot more water than I do.(kids, laundry, baths,etc) I under stand they are suppose to be energy efficient. I know they are more expensive to buy than regular water heaters but it's possible that the energy savings might balance that out. If you'd like a reasonably unbiased report on tankless heaters, check this whiepaper out. http://www.nyletherm.com/whitepaper2.pdf. It was written by an engineer at AOSmith - a company that builds both types of water heaters. I don't know what your neighbor is buying, but $250 is not going to get you a whole house heater. On top of that, the installation costs (including upgrading the electric feed, any other plumbing upgrades is going to wipe out any savings you might see. Tankless has other issues as well - limited simultaneous users, problems at low flow rates (think washing hands), etc. I don't think he specified an electric type (maybe gas??), but you are certainly correct about needing a humongous feeder for whole house elec water heater (tankless). Jim |
#4
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tankless water heaters
I was thinking of one of these for a bathroom that is on the other
side of the house from the water heater. You have to run the water forever before it gets hot. Big waste of water and more water for the septic tank to deal with. |
#5
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tankless water heaters
The only type of tankless unit I'm aware of for $250 installed are the
type that sit under a sink and supply a gallon or two of very hot water for making instant coffee and the like. I have three 190,000 BTU Takagi T-KD20 gas fired tankless heaters installed in rental units, one in my house, as well as one much larger commercial unit. In my area, installed with all required accessories, they are around $2,100 each. The 190K BTU units are fine for a 1 BR setup, they supply two draws (for example a shower *and* a dishwasher or clothes washer) with 124F water from a 38F input. However, these water heaters were selected for these locations on the basis of physical size and direct vent design, they are NOT "cost effective" on the basis of operating cost alone compared to a conventional gas fired tank type heaters. As for electric tankless, even the larger units typically work out to 1/2 of that total output, I'm not aware of any residential electric unit that approaches the capacity of the gas-fired units. See for example the notes on the limitations of this 240V/120A unit: http://www.plumbingworld.com/wholeho...ctankless.html Michael Thomas Paragon Home Inspecton, LLC Chicago, IL mdtATparagonnspectsDOTcom eight47-475-5668 |
#6
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tankless water heaters
GWB wrote:
I was thinking of one of these for a bathroom that is on the other side of the house from the water heater. You have to run the water forever before it gets hot. Big waste of water and more water for the septic tank to deal with. You may want to consider a recirculator. For a couple of hundred dollars, they bridge the hot & cold lines at the bathroom and use the cold line as a return with a pump circulating the water. |
#7
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tankless water heaters
"MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote: The 190K BTU units are fine for a 1 BR setup, they supply two draws (for example a shower *and* a dishwasher or clothes washer) with 124F water from a 38F input. How do they handle low flow situations? |
#8
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tankless water heaters
How do they handle low flow situations?
Per Takagi they require 0.75gpm to activate, and then around 0.6pgm maintain operation. No problem for tubs, dishwashers and washers, a potential problem with showers, and you will likely need to open taps at BR sinks and the like half way or more - I've not found this an issue in my own use, nor have my tenants, but some others have, and it's certainly something to think about in an older house with poor water flow. BUT.... Takagi's Chicago field tech rep tells me that they have kept track, and that around 85% of the time in new or retrofit installations when customers complain the units "cut-out" it's caused inadequate gas supply, not insufficient flow. For example, when I see any of the gas fired TWHs served by ½" pipe, or a TWH and a gas GFAF or boiler served by a common 3/4" line, I check the manufacturer's installation instructions to be certain, but in fact I'm pretty sure even before I do that the supply is undersized, and the unit is likely achieving well below rated maximum output. And this isn't just a problem in retrofits, based on my experiece plumbers not familiar with TWHs will OFTEN undersize the gas supply in new construction, they don't yet "get" that when they see a TWH they need to check the tables and do the calculations instead of just guesstimating - that the WH may require TWICE or more the gas supply of the furnace or boiler. I also know from experience that the plan examiners at many building departments sometimes don't catch this either, nor do utilities - in places like Chicago, were some areas still have low pressure NG supplies, it may be necessary to install a larger capacity meter. So IMO real-world the actual major potential problems in retrofits (and to a lesser extent in new construction) of gas fired tankless units a 1) inadequate gas supply and 2) if it's not a direct vent unit, combustion air - a 200,000 BTU TWH may well exceed the CA requirements of the existing furnace. Michael Thomas Paragon Home Inspection, LLC Chicago, IL eight47-475-5668 |
#9
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tankless water heaters
"MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote: Per Takagi they require 0.75gpm to activate, and then around 0.6pgm maintain operation. No problem for tubs, dishwashers and washers, a potential problem with showers, and you will likely need to open taps at BR sinks and the like half way or more - I've not found this an issue in my own use, nor have my tenants, but some others have, and it's certainly something to think about in an older house with poor water flow. Interesting - thanks. |
#10
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tankless water heaters
On 15 Jul 2006 19:37:50 -0700, "MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC"
wrote: Per Takagi they require 0.75gpm to activate, and then around 0.6pgm maintain operation. No problem for tubs, dishwashers and washers, a potential problem with showers, and you will likely need to open taps at BR sinks and the like half way or more - I've not found this an issue in my own use, nor have my tenants, but some others have, and it's certainly something to think about in an older house with poor water flow. Those houses must have real poor plumbing. Low flow shower heads must restrict flow to 2.5 gpm. Older unrestricted heads usually provided 5 gpm. |
#11
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tankless water heaters
LDC wrote:
On 15 Jul 2006 19:37:50 -0700, "MDT at Paragon Home Inspections, LLC" wrote: Per Takagi they require 0.75gpm to activate, and then around 0.6pgm maintain operation. No problem for tubs, dishwashers and washers, a potential problem with showers, and you will likely need to open taps at BR sinks and the like half way or more - I've not found this an issue in my own use, nor have my tenants, but some others have, and it's certainly something to think about in an older house with poor water flow. Those houses must have real poor plumbing. Low flow shower heads must restrict flow to 2.5 gpm. Older unrestricted heads usually provided 5 gpm. Depends a lot on age and construction. Around here it's common to encounter 4O+ year old galvanized supplies, in such cases it's quite possible you are NEVER getting .75gpm at some fixtures served by ½" pipes - especially on the HW side it's not uncommon to see little more than a trickle at a second or third floor bathroom sink. Then, there's the stuff that's plumbed with 3/8" galvanized.... Michael Thomas Paragon Home Inspection, LLC Chicago, IL mdtATparagoninspectsDOTcom eight47-475-5668 |
#12
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tankless water heaters
I have a Bosch 250SX in my house. Works well and vents in 3" which was
important for me in a retrofit situation in my old victorian. Why Gas Tankless? - Higher Efficiency 87% vs. 65% (tank) - Only on when you need it - Longer Life 20+ years vs. 7-10 (more with maintance) - Small Wall Hung Profile 30"x15" - Typical savings is 30% - Endless Hot Water when sized correctly - The new $300 Energy Tax Credit Bill applies to energy efficient gas water heaters with an energy rating of 0.80. Most Bosch Gas Tankless Water Heaters and Takagi Water Heaters meet the requirements of this bill. Hot water heating accounts for 20% or more of the average United States household's annual energy costs. The average yearly costs for conventional gas or electric storage hot water heater is $200 or $450, respectively. Demand tankless water heaters are what the majority of folks use in the rest of the world. They began appearing in the United States about 25 years ago. Unlike "conventional" tank water heaters, tankless water heaters heat water only as it is used, or on demand. Even if no hot water is drawn from the tank, the a tank's burner will operate periodically to maintain the water temperature. This is due to "standby losses": the heat conducted and radiated from the walls of the tank-and in gas-fired water heaters-through the flue pipe. These standby losses represent 10% to 20% of a household's annual water heating costs. The way to reduce this ever rising cost is to use a tankless water heater. How much to Install? For most people, it is half a day for a competent plumber. I pay my plumber $60 an hour, so budget about $400 for a typical install. If you need to replace your gas line then you can expect to pay more. 90% of the tankless units require a ¾ inch gas line because of the amount of BTU's involved. Here is some actual install data on the total cost from the State of Oregon web site: Year Avg. Installed Costs(with gas unit) 2002 $1,322 2003 $1,384 2004 $1,414 2005 $1,471 I don't know of any gas units that are CSA approved for $250. The cheapest unit would be a Bosch 125B recon(one shower, standing pilot). You can find one he http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/speci...cialitems1.htm Another option is a TK-JR which sells for mid $500's but you get the $300 dollar federal tax credit. You can find that he http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/Heati...agitkjrbuy.asp Alec webmz1 wrote: I bought an old house 13 years ago and they didnt really maintain anything, so my water heater could go any day. I have been considering getting a tankless water heater. My neighbor owns several properties & swears by them. He has someone who he buys them from for $250 each, which is allot less than most of the quotes Ive heard. His home has one ; he as a family of 4,so they use allot more water than I do.(kids, laundry, baths,etc) I under stand they are suppose to be energy efficient. I know they are more expensive to buy than regular water heaters but it's possible that the energy savings might balance that out. My biggest concern is I dont know allot of people who do have one, so I don't know anyone to ask about the longevity of a tankless water heater versus standard. If you buy a standard water heater and take care of it and do the small maintenace you should, they can last 20 years or more. I like the uidea of the tankless water heater, off the floor, and energy savings but if they only last a couple years, I'd like to know. does anyone have one in their home and for how long have you had one? your experience with it? pros? cons? problems you have had? brand names would help also. thanks in advance. |
#13
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tankless water heaters
"Alec" writes:
For most people, it is half a day for a competent plumber. I pay my plumber $60 an hour, so budget about $400 for a typical install. If you need to replace your gas line then you can expect to pay more. 90% of the tankless units require a ¾ inch gas line because of the amount of BTU's involved. Good info. The other cost not reflected in the statement above--and the reason I personaly shied from tankless on a recent replacement myself was the replacement of the flue that would be needed. Tankless needs not only larger gas supply lines, but also more combustion air and a larger diameter flue. Best Regards, -- Todd H. http://www.toddh.net/ |
#14
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tankless water heaters
Todd,
As to vent size: While that is true of a naturaly drafted unit like a Bosch 125B(5" B-Vent) that is not the case with a 250SX which used 3" venting(3" is the size of most tank vents). You will have to replace the venting which must be stainless steel but a side wall vent kit cost $152. If you have to run up throught the roof then you can be looking at $500+. Alec Todd H. wrote: "Alec" writes: For most people, it is half a day for a competent plumber. I pay my plumber $60 an hour, so budget about $400 for a typical install. If you need to replace your gas line then you can expect to pay more. 90% of the tankless units require a ¾ inch gas line because of the amount of BTU's involved. Good info. The other cost not reflected in the statement above--and the reason I personaly shied from tankless on a recent replacement myself was the replacement of the flue that would be needed. Tankless needs not only larger gas supply lines, but also more combustion air and a larger diameter flue. Best Regards, -- Todd H. http://www.toddh.net/ |
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