I'm pretty sure my hot water heater just quit. Replacement suggestions?

[M A V I C]

DP wrote: If there are just the two of you in the household I would urge you to seriously consider the tankless type. They may be more expensive but in the long run you'll save money. Takes up a lot less room too.

2+ a 2.5 year old and, Lord willing, another kid sometime soon. I've worked from home for ~10 years, my wife is home much of the day. Even if we saved $10/mo on our gas bill, being about $2k more it would take 16.6 years for it to break even.

tenders wrote:
I also have not seen a compelling reason to go with a tankless system except possibly in a second home for a large family that has only occasional use for large quantities of hot water. Big outlay up front, long slow cost savings, longer wait for first burst of hot water...no thanks.

I was totally blown away when I read about how some of the tankless ones work. 0.9gal has to pass through before they kick on. If you turn the water off for a few seconds, you have to let that 0.9gal pass again before you get more hot water. My wife shuts the water off when she washes her hair. Getting a blast of cold water in between warm water would suck.

[Black]

deckeda wrote:
[quote=Black]
I don't get the "just get a plumber out" thing-- not that easy for working people to schedule visits like this, and what is that-- $100 for a visit just for someone to tell you it's not worth replacing?

Hold on, this is the part where mattkime says, "Black is to owning multiple water heaters as davester is to money."
One was my own, two in rental units, one a gift to a friend.

[Black]

davester wrote:
[quote=Black]I don't get the "just get a plumber out" thing-- not that easy for working people to schedule visits like this, and what is that-- $100 for a visit just for someone to tell you it's not worth replacing?

I'd tell the plumber to be prepared to replace the water heater if things were bad. The schedule problem is going to be there no matter what you do. That way you wouldn't be wasting a visit. If you're going to spend $400+ on a new water heater and probably $200+ on installation then it makes a lot more sense to start the plumber in by seeing if a replacement is necessary or not. If the tank isn't bad why on earth would you want to spend all of that money on a new water heater when an anode and drain valve is all you need?
The plumber would just have an appropriate water heater sitting in their vehicle?

[rgG]

Black wrote:
[quote=davester]
[quote=Black]I don't get the "just get a plumber out" thing-- not that easy for working people to schedule visits like this, and what is that-- $100 for a visit just for someone to tell you it's not worth replacing?

I'd tell the plumber to be prepared to replace the water heater if things were bad. The schedule problem is going to be there no matter what you do. That way you wouldn't be wasting a visit. If you're going to spend $400+ on a new water heater and probably $200+ on installation then it makes a lot more sense to start the plumber in by seeing if a replacement is necessary or not. If the tank isn't bad why on earth would you want to spend all of that money on a new water heater when an anode and drain valve is all you need?
The plumber would just have an appropriate water heater sitting in their vehicle?
Actually, when I called my plumber out last week to see if he could repair my water, he did have a couple of water heaters on his truck. I was surprised, but he did. I went out to the truck to look at a shower repair kit, and they were there in the back of the van. This is a big plumbing company, so they probably carry more stuff around than just the average guy.

[Plumbking]

Save yourself time and money and get a new water heater installed. Some last 5 years and some last 15 years. Depends on the water quality in your neighborhood.

It's cheaper and faster for me to replace a water heater than diagnose if it's the thermocouple or anode rod or drain valve on my rentals.

Instantaneous water heaters are not for everyone or every situation. I would never recommend one for a family or more than a two bath house. Old couple, young couple, one bath apartment sure. Four or more family members, three or more baths, no, or multiple instantaneous water heaters are required.

Good luck

[Mike Johnson]

Black wrote: one a gift to a friend.

See, I knew there was a reasonable explanation.