Looks like I should replace the water heater which I would estimate is a
40 or 50 gallon unit. Do not want tankless. Any brand recommendations?
Water is "city" water in Florida.

Put in a marathon electric unit in Maryland a few years ago and so far
it is fine on well water.

"Pointer" wrote in message ...
Looks like I should replace the water heater which I would estimate is a 40 or 50 gallon unit. Do not want tankless. Any brand
recommendations? Water is "city" water in Florida.

Put in a marathon electric unit in Maryland a few years ago and so far it is fine on well water.


Lochinvar

On Aug 25, 8:07*pm, "Chainsaw" wrote:
"Pointer" wrote in ...
Looks like I should replace the water heater which I would estimate is a 40 or 50 gallon unit. *Do not want tankless. *Any brand
recommendations? Water is "city" water in Florida.

Put in a marathon electric unit in Maryland a few years ago and so far it is fine on well water.

Lochinvar

I have a State that I bought at Home Depot maybe 10 years ago.
Just an average one, nothing fancy. About 6 years old, the
thermocouple went bad. It was under warranty. I called them
up and they sent me a new one, had it here in two days.
No charge at all. Very happy with the service and would buy
one again. Been working fine ever since.

Often overlooked is the Sears Power Miser models ( made by AO Smith) I
just installed a 50 gallon unit in my house in January. Works like a
champ.
I'm also happy that if Hurricane Irene knocks out power here in NY, at
least I'll still have hot water because its a stand alone with a
pilot, no power exhaust venting.

On Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:05:49 -0700 (PDT), Mikepier
wrote:

Often overlooked is the Sears Power Miser models ( made by AO Smith) I
just installed a 50 gallon unit in my house in January. Works like a
champ.
I'm also happy that if Hurricane Irene knocks out power here in NY, at
least I'll still have hot water because its a stand alone with a
pilot, no power exhaust venting.

Good point about the power vents.
Since I don't want to keep a backup generator, I'm always leery
about gas appliances that need electric power.

Hard to recommend water heaters. By the time anybody knows when they
fail, the model isn't sold anymore.
I put a 40-gal in last year when the old 40-gal started leaking.
Don't know how old that one was.
Richmond/Rheem 6G40-36F1. Cost about $280.
Measured the old tank and found one close in size.
First place I looked. Menards. Tied it to the car top.
Just used 2 couplings and 2 close nipples to match it to the old water
lines, and didn't have to modify the gas line.
Personally, I'd go with the cheapest that's the closest fit.
Avoid anything branded Acme or Ajax.
I don't think you'll ever get your money back spending on super high
efficiency or long warranty period.
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

--Vic

On 8/26/2011 9:49 AM, Vic Smith wrote:
On Fri, 26 Aug 2011 05:05:49 -0700 (PDT), Mikepier
wrote:

Often overlooked is the Sears Power Miser models ( made by AO Smith) I
just installed a 50 gallon unit in my house in January. Works like a
champ.
I'm also happy that if Hurricane Irene knocks out power here in NY, at
least I'll still have hot water because its a stand alone with a
pilot, no power exhaust venting.

Good point about the power vents.
Since I don't want to keep a backup generator, I'm always leery
about gas appliances that need electric power.

Hard to recommend water heaters. By the time anybody knows when they
fail, the model isn't sold anymore.
I put a 40-gal in last year when the old 40-gal started leaking.
Don't know how old that one was.
Richmond/Rheem 6G40-36F1. Cost about $280.
Measured the old tank and found one close in size.
First place I looked. Menards. Tied it to the car top.
Just used 2 couplings and 2 close nipples to match it to the old water
lines, and didn't have to modify the gas line.
Personally, I'd go with the cheapest that's the closest fit.
Avoid anything branded Acme or Ajax.
I don't think you'll ever get your money back spending on super high
efficiency or long warranty period.
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

--Vic
Thanks for all the suggestions.

Could be wrong. *The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

I was told when I was looking for one a couple of years ago the only
difference between the 6 year warranty and the 10 year one was the
warranty. Otherwise they were the same tank.

" wrote in
message
...
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

I was told when I was looking for one a couple of years ago the only
difference between the 6 year warranty and the 10 year one was the
warranty. Otherwise they were the same tank.



I bet the price was different too!

On 8/27/2011 11:42 PM, wrote:
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

I was told when I was looking for one a couple of years ago the only
difference between the 6 year warranty and the 10 year one was the
warranty. Otherwise they were the same tank.


The 12yr GE at HD have thicker foam installation over the 6 & 9yr gas
models.

On 8/29/2011 1:10 PM, Congoleum Breckenridge wrote:
On 8/27/2011 11:42 PM, wrote:
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

I was told when I was looking for one a couple of years ago the only
difference between the 6 year warranty and the 10 year one was the
warranty. Otherwise they were the same tank.


The 12yr GE at HD have thicker foam installation over the 6 & 9yr gas
models.

The extra foam may well be worth the extra price. But the foam doesn't
make the WH last longer.

Gas WHs are dirt simple: just a tank lined with glass on the inside
with a tube down the middle to carry the heated air and combustion
products from the flame at the bottom. Eventually too many cracks
happen in the glass and the tank starts to leak as the water corrodes
the tank.

Likely a significant portion of the purchase price is for "insurance"
against a tank failure for which the manufacturer might be liable.

The implication of differing warranties is that the makers cut some
corners when they made the cheaper tanks. That's a dangerous game from
a liability standpoint and I doubt that they deliberately play it.

On Aug 30, 11:48*pm, John Gilmer wrote:
On 8/29/2011 1:10 PM, Congoleum Breckenridge wrote:

On 8/27/2011 11:42 PM, wrote:
Could be wrong. The one I bought says "6-year."
I'll be surprised if it doesn't last at least twice that.

I was told when I was looking for one a couple of years ago the only
difference between the 6 year warranty and the 10 year one was the
warranty. Otherwise they were the same tank.

The 12yr GE at HD have thicker foam installation over the 6 & 9yr gas
models.

The extra foam may well be worth the extra price. * But the foam doesn't
make the WH last longer.

Gas WHs are dirt simple: * just a tank lined with glass on the inside
with a tube down the middle to carry the heated air and combustion
products from the flame at the bottom. * Eventually too many cracks
happen in the glass and the tank starts to leak as the water corrodes
the tank.

Likely a significant portion of the purchase price is for "insurance"
against a tank failure for which the manufacturer might be liable.

The implication of differing warranties is that the makers cut some
corners when they made the cheaper tanks. * That's a dangerous game from
a liability standpoint and I doubt that they deliberately play it.

I have a theory GO BIG, since a larger gallon tank likely thermal
cycles less, which should add to tank life, besides you can get
multiple showers etc and not run out of hot water.

a bad approach is setting a tank to MAX TEMP, since the hotter
temperature likely shortens overall tank life

you can buy those supper high efficeny tanks can cost 1500 bucks they
are tank type but probably not worth the money