UPDATE: Hey, so it turns out converting to tankless will cost us a TON of $$$ because of (our house always makes shit hard) reasons, so we will be getting a regular water heater put in again. Boo. I’m sad, but it is what it is and maybe if/when we get solar we can look into an electric tankless water heater.
ORIGINAL POST: Hey all, so it turns out our water heater needs to be replaces, which should not surprise me as it’s 10 years old. I had vague plans to replace it with a tankless water heater, but I honestly know nothing about them. And now I need to learn more about them ASAP because I want hot water again and I have to figure out what kind of new tank that water is going to come from.
Thanks in advance if you have any info or experience to share!
PS – I’m very interested in hearing if anyone has a just electric tankless water heater. I was already more interested in that, and the installers said they would have to run a dedicated gas line to a tankless gas water heater and it would cost $$$$ so now I really want only electric. If anyone has any experience with an electric only tankless water heater I’d love to hear about it. The installation guy was saying they don’t make enough hot water for a family of four, but we only run our appliances (washing machine and dishwater) late at night, so I feel like it would be enough… Maybe I’m wrong though.
This might not be a bad thing. There are downsides to tankless heaters. They take awhile to warm up. And, if the system detects an error, the whole thing shuts down and you have to order a replacement part. We’ve had a lot of problems with ours and rarely could the problem be resolved in one day.
WOW! Only 10 years these days on water heaters. Had not known that. Got + 20 yrs on my last one…. but I am not 4 users which may make a difference (I don’t know). Discouraging given how much it all costs.
Do not know about tankless but do know advice these days in earthquake country is that gas lines increase rupture problems in event of big wiggle that present bigger problems than downed electrical lines. Am expecting more and more CA cities to stop allowing new installs of gas appliances in effort to convert housing off gas lines. BUT your husband may be able to get better idea of where SF is on that idea.
Do know last time I looked at water heaters thank tank-less was WAY higher cost. Think seems to be same is case for replacing a/c & furnace versus putting in heat pump. DO you know about that question? Expecting to face that choice reasonably soon based on appliance age and trying to save for it. My electric bill still too low for any reasonable break even equation on installing solar…….. a reality of not being a family of 4 and living in small space as result.
SO GLAD you got home with everyone and all baggage! Actually glad water tank went out now and not two weeks from now when it would be Bigger nuisance with you having to be in class…… but 10 years from now would have been even better.
Hoping school is big win for you children and they come home filled with positive energy about the school year. Hope that is true for all your reader’s children.
Best wishes and MUCH JOY to you all.
We’ve had a tankless hot water heater for 8+ years now and (knock on wood) have had zero problems with it. We absolutely LOVE it. No matter how many people shower before you or how long their showers are, there is always hot water “left”. Although the upfront cost was a little more, you save a lot of money over time by only heating the water you need instead of heating it all of the time. I would never choose to go back.