Tankless Water Heaters - Anyone have one of these?

[CL82]

My current water heater (40 Gal, tall) has been a work horse and still is chugging along, but after 30 years (yep 30) I figure it is time to replace it. I could just swap it out for a new 40 gallon, that would be easiest plumbing-wise, but I guess I should consider a tankless heater. I know very little about them. Does anyone have one? How is it? Is it possible to outrun the capacity (i.e., if volume gets high enough does performance drop)? What should I look for regarding specs? What you do different, if you were to buy one again? Have you seen any savings?

My utility is offering $250 off if I get one, so that makes them pretty affordable. I'd be using a gas one, does that makes a difference?

 

[CTMike]

Had one for 5 years now at it’s been great, never going back to the tank. Maybe takes a few seconds longer to get the hot water at first, but then it just goes.

 

[Minicoop69]

My current water heater (40 Gal, tall) has been a work horse and still is chugging along, but after 30 years (yep 30) I figure it is time to replace it. I could just swap it out for a new 40 gallon, that would be easiest plumbing-wise, but I guess I should consider a tankless heater. I know very little about them. Does anyone have one? How is it? Is it possible to outrun the capacity (i.e., if volume gets high enough does performance drop)? What should I look for regarding specs? What you do different, if you were to buy one again? Have you seen any savings?

My utility is offering $250 off if I get one, so that makes them pretty affordable. I'd be using a gas one, does that makes a difference?

Are you able to do the work yourself or are you hiring the job out?

 

[GG]

I had to replace my hot water heater last year. I did not go with a tankless system, but I went with a Rheem hybrid high efficiency tank. It was on sale at Home Depot and I also received an instant $750 rebate from the State of Connecticut. There are three modes that you can use, including energy savings mode. I love it and have saved on my electric bill.

 

[CL82]

Are you able to do the work yourself or are you hiring the job out?

I could do the plumbing, but I won't do the natural gas. So I will have someone install.

 

[WestHartHusk]

Had one for 5 years now at it’s been great, never going back to the tank. Maybe takes a few seconds longer to get the hot water at first, but then it just goes.

Exactly what i was going to say. Much for efficient in that its not working if it isn't needed. Also saves a lot of space.

 

[CL82]

I had to replace my hot water heater last year. I did not go with a tankless system, but I went with a Rheem hybrid high efficiency tank. It was on sale at Home Depot and I also received an instant $750 rebate from the State of Connecticut. There are three modes that you can use, including energy savings mode. I love it and have saved on my electric bill.

I am thinking about the Rheem or an equivalent AO Smith if I go back to a tank.

 

[husky429]

The place I rent has one. I've had the washing machine, dishwasher, and taken a shower at the same time... never an issue with heat.

From what I read about them, they may not be worth the extra cost over a tank unless you plan on staying in your home a long time... I'd look into that.

I have been told the electric ones are not so good.

All secondhand info here... could be totally off

 

[Kathy]

My current water heater (40 Gal, tall) has been a work horse and still is chugging along, but after 30 years (yep 30) I figure it is time to replace it. I could just swap it out for a new 40 gallon, that would be easiest plumbing-wise, but I guess I should consider a tankless heater. I know very little about them. Does anyone have one? How is it? Is it possible to outrun the capacity (i.e., if volume gets high enough does performance drop)? What should I look for regarding specs? What you do different, if you were to buy one again? Have you seen any savings?

My utility is offering $250 off if I get one, so that makes them pretty affordable. I'd be using a gas one, does that makes a difference?

Had one in the mid 80's in my first house and hated it. But this house I just built has one, runs on propane and I love it. The tech is definately better. Have had no issues with hot water. Like CTMike said takes a a little longer for the hot to start but no problems with volume once it does

 

[CL82]

The place I rent has one. I've had the washing machine, dishwasher, and taken a shower at the same time... never an issue with heat.

From what I read about them, they may not be worth the extra cost over a tank unless you plan on staying in your home a long time... I'd look into that.

I have been told the electric ones are not so good.

All secondhand info here... could be totally off

Just checked and I can get $300 from NJ and $150 tax credit from the Feds, so the net differential between a standard water heater and tankless one will be minimal. There will be at least a little additional install cost since I will be converting from a conventional water heater.

 

[ClifSpliffy]

odd timing on the question for me. just a few weeks back while working on a design project, i incorporated electric tankless into a 100% sustainable smaller homes thing (well, septic, solar, battery, fluid radiant floor heat, etc). i luv them and have used them for years. the key is to right-size the units for the task at hand. don't lie to urself when calculating demand.
now, iffn you can wrangle a reasonably priced and simple geothermal system as well.....
anyhoo, the future belongs to on-demand water heating.

 

[imno1]

I have a Navien and love it.

 

[GG]

I am thinking about the Rheem or an equivalent AO Smith if I go back to a tank.

With the state incentives, the hot water tank cost me under $400 (installation not included).

 

[huskiesouth]

Built a new home which was completed in October of last year, have tankless/natural gas HW system, always enough hot water and electric bill savings compared to former house is a lot, I believe the HW is largest part of an electric bill unless you are someplace that has an actual winter and have central air with a heat pump, will never have a HW tank again.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

I’m more impressed the OP got 30 years out of his HWH. Did he flush it every year?
I’m told expected life is 10 years which is about what I got from my last one.
A local plumbing company has a deal where the changes you RO filters , test the water and flush your heater annually for $100.
i was hit or on maintenance on my old one that lasted 10 years.
I looked into tankless but I could never recoup the cost. It was 2 1/2 times the cost off a tank type with just two people at our age it just wasn’t worth it.
Gas and Electric are significantly cheaper in AZ. My worse electric bill July/Aug is cheaper than my average Ct Bill during summer. Gas except for Jan-Feb is $25-30. when it doubles
Even on the coldest days the sunshine will keep the house warm with the shutters open it’s called old fashioned solar heating. Also because the houses are so well insulted the temp will only drop a few degrees overnight.

 

[NJHusky]

Don't have one but researched a few years back...

Was told by plumber that they wouldn't recommend an electric one...but would a gas one. We had electric so stayed with tank.

I think you also need to consider your water source...if you have hard water without a softener, it will degrade the efficiency as it scales over.

Just curious...did you change the zincs in your current tank?

 

[Exit 4]

I have a twin set of gas fired tankless hotwater units. Yep, have to wait a bit for hot water.....and yep, I'm addicted to 15 minute endless hot showers. Never ever ever worry about robbing anyone of the hot water in your house when you have a tankless system. Never going back to the tank.

 

[don356]

I still can't believe you got 30 years out of a water heater!

 

[uconnfan68]

Had to clean the mess a few times when they fail.

 

[Minicoop69]

I could do the plumbing, but I won't do the natural gas. So I will have someone install.

Natural gas will have to be 3/4" coming to the heater. The old tanked models only used 1/2", so that will cost for that. Some of the newer Tankless models can use 1/2" gas lines, but only for the smaller sizes. I would recommend going with the next model up than you are calculating to future proof it.

There is a lot of thought on if Tankless heaters really save money or not. The thought is that if you know that you can run a shower for days without losing hot water then you will not be saving any money at all. If you are going to be using it for the same time as a tanked model then yes you will save money.

Check into Recirculating pumps also. Some tankless models they come with it. They will raise your electric bill because they are running almost all the time, but you will never be without hot water at any faucet for more than a couple of seconds. The Con is that your cold water will run hot for a little while getting the hot water out of the line.

 

[CL82]

I’m more impressed the OP got 30 years out of his HWH. Did he flush it every year?

Nope

Just curious...did you change the zincs in your current tank?

No

I still can't believe you got 30 years out of a water heater!

Me either. My plumber's reaction was disbelief and then when he looked at it, he said "Damn, that thing looks brand new!"

I take zero credit for its longevity. It's a unicorn. Part of me wants to see how long it will go but I think about the hassle of the clean up from a major failure and I figure it isn't worth it. @uconnfan68.

 

[Edward Sargent]

Put one (Rinnai) in my condo 10 years ago and its been great. Replaced a nearly 20 year old Rinnai when I bought a house 5 years ago. The 20 year old still worked fine but thought it might be on its last legs, so when I upgraded the plumbing I included a replacement. They added value in terms of selling, especially the condo which normally had the smaller water heaters.

 

[Baltic]

My current water heater (40 Gal, tall) has been a work horse and still is chugging along, but after 30 years (yep 30) I figure it is time to replace it. I could just swap it out for a new 40 gallon, that would be easiest plumbing-wise, but I guess I should consider a tankless heater. I know very little about them. Does anyone have one? How is it? Is it possible to outrun the capacity (i.e., if volume gets high enough does performance drop)? What should I look for regarding specs? What you do different, if you were to buy one again? Have you seen any savings?

My utility is offering $250 off if I get one, so that makes them pretty affordable. I'd be using a gas one, does that makes a difference?

Live on the shore in North Carolina. Installed a tankless on my old house and in the new construction a year ago. Both used propane. Definitely would recommend a tankless if you have access to natural gas or propane. The old house did not have a circulating pump and the run to the kitchen was at the opposite end of the house from the heater and it would take a minute or two for the hot water to arrive. The new house has a circulating pump and the hat water is literally instantaneous throughout the house. Probably costs more heating the circulating water but I do enjoy instant satisfaction.

 

[ZackB05]

My house was 8 years old when i bought it back in 2014. Had to replace the tankless combo furnace/water heater 3 months after moving in. I can't remember the brand name but apparently everyone thought it was a good model when it first came out so they put them in all the houses in our development. Turns out it was junk and everyone has had to replace their's within 10 years. Was turned off by the combo idea at the time so went back to the traditional tank.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

Just getting the, "I hear it can be a tankless job" mention out of the way.

 

[uconnfan68]

My house was 8 years old when i bought it back in 2014. Had to replace the tankless combo furnace/water heater 3 months after moving in. I can't remember the brand name but apparently everyone thought it was a good model when it first came out so they put them in all the houses in our development. Turns out it was junk and everyone has had to replace their's within 10 years. Was turned off by the combo idea at the time so went back to the traditional tank.

Our newest house was tankless, and we had to replace it in first 3 years, and again last year (18 years apart). I would never go back to a tank. We don’t have gas access unless we pay for it from main gas lines about .5 miles away. Access fee is per foot. Not worth it.

 

[huskypantz]

I have a rinnai - e110cn. It's awesome. I received tax breaks on the purchase 4 or so years ago. There was one problem where there is an external thermostat which malfunctioned and caused the unit to not work in the first month or so. Fixed and resolved. I did not do the install.

 

[Watchdog]

We installed a Rinnai in our former home (WMass) about 20 years ago and it was great. I proudly take (to this day) long showers because I get my best and creative ideas in the shower so the ideas and hot water both flow.
As someone mentioned, a long run can mean waiting for hot water for 10 or 15 seconds. We built a "stepped" cape so the house was 82 feet long and we chose to put the tankless nearer the kitchen and laundry room than the master bath. More water used in those two places than the master bath.
The only problem we had in the ten years we were there was when a mouse got chewed up in the fan about two months after it was intalled and caused the unit to shut down. The solution was a strong metal screen with very small openings. Not like a screened window or door, but not like a fence either. The rest of the mouse family was annoyed but grateful.

 

[hank970]

We've had a gas-fired Rinnai R75LS for eight years and love it. Units are available with different capacities based on anticipated need. Though ours is a lower capacity unit (just two of us most of the time), we needed a larger capacity gas meter to supply it. That was provided free of charge by the gas company. Result? Endless hot water, but only when you need or demand it. Tankless heaters aren't necessarily maintenance free. We have ours serviced every other year. Service includes checking adjustments and circulating several gallons of vinegar through it to dissolve any accumulated scale.

We bought it because the relief valve stuck on our old tank-type and the damn thing blew up in the wee hours one morning. Flooded the garage and ran out onto the driveway where it froze into a sheet of ice. No more of that for me. Besides, what's the point of constantly maintaining 40 gallons of water at a specified temperature 24 hours a day?

 

[HuskyHawk]

Nope

No

Me either. My plumber's reaction was disbelief and then when he looked at it, he said "Damn, that thing looks brand new!"

I take zero credit for its longevity. It's a unicorn. Part of me wants to see how long it will go but I think about the hassle of the clean up from a major failure and I figure it isn't worth it. @uconnfan68.

Soft water perhaps. I have an indirect fired tank. Have been through 6-7 of them, all with lifetime warranties. Hard water. Even with the water softener, they can't take it. Killed a dishwasher too.