Tank-less Water heater Vs. Traditional Water Heater

Cherokeekid88

Cherokeekid88

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2007
Location
High Point, NC
Anyone gone from a traditional style gas water heater to a tank-less style? I am guessing the tank-less + installation is going to be run more $$$, but is it worth it?
 
In our old house, we had a small (30 gallon tank) and the switch was worth it. If you have a large tank and don't experience hot water shortage, it is hard to justify the costs.

I think after rebates, my install cost $3k. I didn't have a choice because my previous unit was buried under a counter and completely non-serviceable without destroying the counter/cabinets.
 
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shelby27604 said:
I had a small (30 gallon tank) and the switch was worth it. If you have a large tank and don't experience hot water shortage, it is hard to justify the costs.

I think after rebates, my install cost $3k. I didn't have a choice because my previous unit was buried under a counter and completely non-serviceable without destroying the counter/cabinets.
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I agree with this. The house we bought has a tankless heater and it is annoying waiting for it to turn on when the kitchen sink faucet has to run for close to a minute before anything hot comes out.

Although unlimited hot water once everything is going is pretty kewl :D
 
A timer system and a pump can cure the long wait for hot water at the tap. Ours circulates hot water from 6am to 8pm. Of course, this is also an additional up-charge (previous owners install it in our new house).
 
NickMaul said:
I agree with this. The house we bought has a tankless heater and it is annoying waiting for it to turn on when the kitchen sink faucet has to run for close to a minute before anything hot comes out.

Although unlimited hot water once everything is going is pretty kewl :D
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your hot water heater needs a circulation pump.
shelby27604 said:
A timer system and a pump can cure the long wait for hot water at the tap. Ours circulates hot water from 6am to 8pm. Of course, this is also an additional up-charge (previous owners install it in our new house).
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most of the new ones have a circulation pump built into them, just takes a return line and some programing on the unit itself.
 
Loganwayne said:
if you dont have gas in your house already. its 100% not worth the cost to run an on demand on electric.
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I knew this but looked recently, as I am considering buying a new heater. The electrical load required for one not very big was ridiculous.

What I have wondered, are the heat pump versions worth the premium?
 
shelby27604 said:
In our old house, we had a small (30 gallon tank) and the switch was worth it. If you have a large tank and don't experience hot water shortage, it is hard to justify the costs.

I think after rebates, my install cost $3k. I didn't have a choice because my previous unit was buried under a counter and completely non-serviceable without destroying the counter/cabinets.
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How much is a normal tank replacement cost? around 1k?
Is it the install on the tank-less heaters or the actual cost of the tank-less heater that makes it more expensive?
 
Loganwayne said:
your hot water heater needs a circulation pump.

most of the new ones have a circulation pump built into them, just takes a return line and some programing on the unit itself.
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Doesn’t that defeat the point of having a tankless system? It would have to run just to keep water in my pipes warm?
 
I've got tankless and I like it. It doesn't take any longer for hot water to get to you than it does with a regular hwh. I have a built in circulator but I'm a cheap ass and felt like it was wasting gas keeping the loop hot so I cut it off. Our master bath is only 15 ft from the unit so I don't wait but maybe 30sec for how water. The boys bathroom is across the house, but I don't care how long they wait 😂
 
NickMaul said:
Doesn’t that defeat the point of having a tankless system? It would have to run just to keep water in my pipes warm?
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The volume in the pipes is tiny compared to a typical water heater tank.
 
NickMaul said:
Doesn’t that defeat the point of having a tankless system? It would have to run just to keep water in my pipes warm?
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It doesn’t run continuously has a high and a low tigger for it to run and circulate. If you insulate all the pipe work as it’s installed they retain heat fairly well.
 
Cherokeekid88 said:
How much is a normal tank replacement cost? around 1k?
Is it the install on the tank-less heaters or the actual cost of the tank-less heater that makes it more expensive?
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Both.

A gas tankless heater requires someone who is licensed in gas piping and you’ll have to vent the water heater. Possibly an electrician, depending on what a plumber is willing to do or not you could require 3 separate subs.

A tank hatwater heater you can get a cheapo one from lowes a couple shark bite 12” flex line adapter pieces and disconnecting three wires and re attaching you can replace it yourself for under 500
 
I know a few contractors and plumbers who say they won’t own one. I don’t recall specifics.
 
Loganwayne said:
Just be like everyone else and turn the shower on and take a poop by the time that’s done you got hot water
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and then you flush the toilet and have 30 seconds where there' no water pressure and its really hot.
Or do like me and say, "Oh I'll flush after the shower to avoid that," then forget, and get yelled at by your wife later for leaving a giant turd.
 
RatLabGuy said:
and then you flush the toilet and have 30 seconds where there' no water pressure and its really hot.
Or do like me and say, "Oh I'll flush after the shower to avoid that," then forget, and get yelled at by your wife later for leaving a giant turd.
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Soo how shitty does your water pressure have to be for this to occur?
I have seen it in the movies but never had it happen in person.
 
83oldyoda4x4 said:
Soo how shitty does your water pressure have to be for this to occur?
I have seen it in the movies but never had it happen in person.
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You can tell here when somebody flushes. Our peak pressure is 50 psi, on a well so it varies. If it happens to be at the bottom of the tank cycle (30?) you can definitely tell the difference.
 
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RatLabGuy said:
If it happens to be at the bottom of the tank cycle (30?) you can definitely tell the difference.
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You can turn that up.

No difference in pressure here, regardless of whether it's at the high or low point in the cycle.
 
shawn said:
You can turn that up.
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its a 30/50 switch. I do have it dialed to go a little higher.
When we bought the house it had a 20/40. :( that was awful.
Been nervous to crank it up too much bc there's no telling where I'll find that one remaining shitty fitting that's settled juuuust enough and can't handle it.
 
I switched from 50 gal electric tank WH to an electric on-demand in an effort to reclaim a huge chunk of a closet in my master bedroom. I decided to get the 3-electrode version versus the largest 4 electrode version due to the sheer amount of power these things draw. Each heating element requires a separate 50amp breaker. The electrical hum coming from the breaker box scared me the first few times someone took a shower :eek:. This WH services three bathrooms. I have a second 30-gal tank WH that services the kitchen, laundry room, and half bath.

Pros:
Unlimited hot water
Despite the massive electrical load when in use, I did have reduction in energy usage overall
More space

Cons:
Initial Cost
Only 1 shower at a time in the winter due to increased groundwater temperature delta (would be resolved with larger unit, but would have potentially exceeded the limits of my 200 amp panel)
Cheap LED light bulbs strobe when WH in use, switched to cfls

If your tank WH is in the garage or otherwise out of the way, don’t bother switching to electric tankless. I would only recommend it to reclaim space. If you’re running out of hot water, install a larger tank WH or take shorter showers. :cool:
 
We have a Rinnai tankless water heater. We have been in our house 8.5 years. I didn't know that the unit has to be cleaned/flushed every year. Ours took a shit at year 7. Had a new one installed last year. We like it because you never don't have hot water, and my wife can fill up her HUGE bathtub. I don't find the delay in hot water to be a problem.

I've also never experienced the movie toilet flush water problem. We are on a well too.
 
One thing to think about is if the power goes out. If on county or city water, you can have hot water for a whole day, at least. That depends on whether you take a shower or not. Even with a well, if you have a gen to run your pump. Not that it is a major concern.
 
A buddy of mine installed an electric one years ago. He said he had to change out all of his shower heads for lower flow. He’d run out of hot water if multiple things were being used. Supposedly that helped.
 
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