Do you have tips for buying a new water heater?

Louise
by Louise

I'm going to need one very soon. I don't understand why, however, since mine is just a bit over 20 yrs old. πŸ˜† It's a gas GE with a 9-yr warranty and has never given one minute of trouble. Gonna miss the faithful old gal. πŸ˜† When I got it, I bought it at Home Depot, had my regular handyman back then pick it up and install it. So what's the best way (least expensive but practical) to go about this? Should I buy the heater on my own and do the same as before? Is a plumber necessary for the installation? A few yrs ago a friend had one installed and her plumber got a discount on the cost and passed the discount along to her. Is that typical?Seems GE no longer makes water heaters. I'm going to do a Consumer Reports search on reliable ones, but does anyone have suggestions for ones with a good reputation?

  14 answers
  • Cynthia H Cynthia H on Jan 15, 2020

    New ones are much more energy efficient, if that makes you feel any better. The gas company here has to inspect the installation before the gas is turned on to any new appliance, so you will need to look into that. Personally, I would rather pay a licensed, insured contractor for gas fixtures. Consider your skill level, the requirements for installation, and how much you will actually save by doing it yourself or paying someone else to do a professional job.

  • Kathy Gunter Law Kathy Gunter Law on Jan 15, 2020

    Once you decide what you want, I would get a few quotes. Be prepared for a licensed plumber wanting to do some safety upgrades. There are quite a few changes over the last 20 years regarding spacing and placement. Hopefully you will get lucky and be able to just do a simple swap.

  • Simple Nature Decor Simple Nature Decor on Jan 15, 2020

    I would get a few quotes there are many types of water heater. here is a good artlcle https://www.familyhandyman.com/plumbing/water-heater/replacing-a-water-heater/

    • Louise Louise on Jan 15, 2020

      I could never in a hundred yrs be able to install a water heater myself. :-(

  • Mogie Mogie on Jan 15, 2020

    About 10 years ago we had a friend install a new water heater here. The friend happened to be a plumber and he bought the water heater at his cost which was much cheaper then we could have got the same unit for. Licensed contractors have a discount off the standard price compared to regular people. All I can do is share my experience. In the long run is cost less to have the plumber do this but he was a friend and gave us a break in the price also.

  • William William on Jan 15, 2020

    Get at least three estimates. Ask neighbors for referrals. Your local building department. A plumber will get the heater at contractor price and some do give a better price. Check references and licensing. After 30 years my HW heater went out. Bought a Richmond from Home Depot and installed it. But then I had a HVAC company. They are energy efficient. I got the basic model and still noticed a drop in my gas bill.

  • Lifestyles Homes Lifestyles Homes on Jan 15, 2020

    If you have both a dedicated shut off valve for the water supply and the gas or electricity (breaker) then theoretically you could do this yourself.


    But consider that many cities require a Permit to do this job, because they assume the average homeowner isn’t β€œqualified”. Just FYI.


    Also consider, what’s totally involved in this job. An old water heater is full of mineral deposits & rust and will weigh more than the new one, even when fully drained. Do you have a floor drain & a hose?


    When looking at the HD ones, look at the warranty, the energy efficiency rating & the recovery time. Add to this your time & disposal of the old tank.


    Then when you call plumbers, have your notes in front of you and ask those same questions, plus their Installation Warranty.


    Price it both ways.


    If any of your pipe unions or gas flex hose look corroded, now is the time to replace them.

    • Louise Louise on Jan 15, 2020

      I'm being given too much credit by HomeTalkers in thinking that installing a gas water heater is anywhere near in my wheelhouse. It's not anything I would ever attempt.

  • Donald Eisenbarth Donald Eisenbarth on Jan 15, 2020

    I got my water heater at Lowe's and installed it myself. The flexible gas pipe was reused and installing the fittings of copper was no problem. I would use unions in both the hot and cold which makes the next tank installation much easier.

    • Louise Louise on Jan 15, 2020

      I don't have any skills that would allow me to do that. :-(


  • Baxter Baxter on Jan 15, 2020

    Ask friends to recommend a good plumber and call one. A plumber will give you options for the new heater (size/brand) and will be able to buy it for less than you could buy one (even on sale). He will also haul off your old heater. I just had a new water heater installed last week.

  • All excellent suggestions here. You are on the right track. Some states require installation by a licensed plumber. I am in CA and I installed my own. The guys loaded it onto my truck, and I had a friend come help me move the old one and help me get the new one in place. I did the installation myself, but I am very familiar with the process. The reason I installed myself is because plumbers wanted $750+ to remove the old one (I had already drained it and disconnected the water and gas lines), and hook up the new one. I will never pay more than what the water heater itself costs, that's just highway robbery and it really irks me that they charge that much for a one hour job. Choose the best water heater within your budget and shop around for installation. If you need to hire out, here is how to hire any contractor you will ever need.


    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0242-hiring-contractor

  • Janice Janice on Jan 17, 2020

    Hi Louise, seems like you've been given a lot of tips and advice. The one thing I would add is to be sure to have a "drip pan" placed beneath whatever water heater is installed. It can save you a lot of trouble in years to come. I'm sure you'll make a wise decision.

  • Dwp7470b Dwp7470b on Jan 17, 2020

    Hi Lou, you will need a Plumber. Also dependent on how many persons take unscheduled baths, you may want to invest in an Electric Water Heater (110V) that with SwitchMate Outlets you can easily control the Schedule when it turns on (20 minutes before a Hot Bath) with Bluetooth to Save yourself from becoming ripped off with a very Ridiculous Electric Bill.

    I mean: Few People get a Bath while they are in bed or at work. So You turn off the outlet to control the Energy Ripoff.

  • Linda Linda on Jan 17, 2020

    I would do the exact same thing you did before. It sounds like it worked for you so i would repeat it. However, here is a more expensive idea but can save you money over the long run. Check into a continuous hot water heater. It is a small unit that heats water as it travels through. You never run out of hot water and you will not be paying for gas that is keeping it heated when people are not using it.

  • Martha Clyde Martha Clyde on Jan 18, 2020

    Never-ending hot water if you get a tankless, plus much cheaper to operate since it only heats on demand.