Opinion on tankless water heaters...
by
Barbara
+6
I am considering buying a tankless water heater. From those of you who own one, please give me your honest opinion, thanks, Barbara
8 answers
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I don't have one, but two years ago my tank heater finally died ( installed by previous homeowners in 1982). I do my own servicing. I considered a tankless, but there were more negative reviews that good reviews. I went with a tank heater. ***** http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/Longevity/ta... ***** http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2528538/...
William
on Nov 01, 2016
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I don't own one; but in the construction of our retirement home, I asked our seasoned contractor about a tankless water heater. He highly advised against it! Went with the old faithful model!
Hou6529435
on Nov 01, 2016
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Personally, I don't think they're worth the money. Not only for the heater but also the extra cost of a high flow gas line and stainless steel flue pipes. You can add $1000 to the cost for just that. Tank less have their uses. Like in a house full of girls that run showers for 30 minutes. They will not run out of hot water. But getting hot water to a distant faucet can take longer than with a tank water heater because the flame in a tank less doesn't come on until there is demand for hot water. And it takes quite a few seconds for that water in the heater to get hot. Here in California the price of water is high while the price of gas is low. I would rather use a little extra gas to keep a tank of water hot than to send extra cold water down the drain waiting for it to get hot. Also the tank less heaters need electricity. If the power goes out, no hot water. With a tank water heater, hot water is always available. And you could buy 2 or 3 tank water heaters for the price of one tankless. IMHO Phil7782
Phil a
on Nov 02, 2016
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Sorry, I don't own one. I really don't know enough to talk about it.
Barbara Valenti
on Nov 02, 2016
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I have a natural gas one and I love it. Always hot water and didn't take long running the water to get hot. I've heard the electric don't heat as well as the gas. Plus it doesn't take up the space as the big tank.
Barbara Black Farley
on Nov 03, 2016
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We have a propane tankless which is wonderful. We also you propane for heat and cooking. By having the tankless installed we've cut our energy bills over 45%. Since we're retired and on a fixed income that has made a huge difference for us. My only regret is we didn't have it when my son's were teenagers, it's so nice to be able to always have a hot bath or shower on tap immediately. LOL
Catherine Smith
on Nov 03, 2016
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As a follow up to my earlier comment, I know people that love their tankless water heaters. In fact, I converted my hot tub spa from electric heater to gas tankless heater, although it's a small "cabin" sized unit. It has cut my utility bills dramatically and heats the spa much more quickly than the electric heater did. A common issue with any water heater is it's location in relation to a bathroom or kitchen on the other side of the house. This can waste a lot of water down the drain waiting for 20 or 30 seconds for the hot water to get to the faucet. I have customers that have to run their kitchen hot side faucet for awhile so they can have hot water for their dishwashers. Since I have a tank water heater, I was able to add an Instant Hot Water Recirculating Pump to the water heater. They cost about $200 at Home Depot and Lowe's and use a crossing valve at the sink furthest from the water heater. If the hot water side is cold, it opens up and allows hot water to be pumped through the hot water line through the connector, back to the water heater through the cold water line. Once the water at the hot side is hot, the valve closes. So, when I now go to the sink and turn on the hot water faucet, it's instantly hot. This device will NOT work on a tankless water heater because a tankless leaves cold water in the lines until a greater demand is required. For more info on the device: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Hot-Water-Recircul... ... I'm not saying tankless are bad, but they have limitations and are very expensive to install and repair. If you get one, just make sure you get a great warranty and a full list of out-the-door installation costs breakdown. Hope this helps. Phil7782
Phil a
on Nov 03, 2016
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I live in CA and for me - not a great idea. If you live in another state where things are less expensive could be a wonderful thing. Do your honework though - there is a difference between residential and commercial use systems. Also electric heated vs. gas heated. If you are on the fence and have the luxury of time, I would just call and get estimates from various vendors and plumbers then decide what works best for you and your family. I had to replace mine a year ago. I bought a mid grade 10 year warranty 50 gallon model. Cost: $750 plus tax. And lucky I have access to a truck to drag it home in. I called around for estimates to install (I was willing to pay a few bucks), uh that was a big fat NO! Average price to install was $650!!!!!! Mind you, I already drained the old one and disconnected it and GAVE it to a local salvage guy for FREE. So , I called one of my friends, to come over to help me place the new one. My friend had no idea how to install - so I gave a free lesson. And saved myself $650 - which is highway robbery in my opinion - old people on a budget and others may not have that kind of money - makes me hopping mad! Sorry for the long post, just providing my experience to hopefully make yours easier.
Naomie Moore aka baileyanddaisey, Castaic CA
on Nov 07, 2016
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