Anyone here knowledgable about water heaters?

[The Sauce]

I have a VERY old house. All oil/steam heating. I do not have gas available (out in the country) and can not get propane installed for lack of a good, ventable area. My plumber/heating guy recommends that I get an "indirect" water heater which works off of my boiler - this one in particular. For a 70 Gal tank total cost with installation is $2400.

I later took a trip to Home Depot and saw their electric water heaters in the range of $60 - $250 dollars (with a minimal cost for professional installation by them). Anyone know if the one he recommended is worth the money in longevity or long-term cost savings?

 

[sharkeeper]

Go with either oil fired standalone or electric if you have 30A double pole circuit available. (space in panel)

 

[mchammer]

How old is your boiler?

 

[FoBoT]

get a standard electric , unless there is no space for one
should be ~$300-$400 installed unless you have some radical problem

 

[yokomo]

Man I am no plummer but screw that I would go the home depot route... Even if you have to replace it 24 times it is still cheaper and ALOT easier.... Electric one are a snap give them a water source and power and you got hot water.. That other one you have to link into your boiler and hope you don't break any thing doing that man I could go on and on here.. Been there done that ... Go the home depot route... Just make sure you don't need a building permit in your city. I got a fine for this when I tryed to have the old on taken away. I called the city to have it removed and they said "oh you did an improvement" because the new one was 15 gallons bigger... well long story short ask first.. then goto home depot and if you are kind of hand you can do it your self...

 

[miniMUNCH]

Electric heaters are less effective thas gas heaters so if you have to get an electric heater then go for one with quality insulation.

Whay can't you get propane?

 

[OutHouse]

how about a tankless water heater? would that work for your situataion? Oh and what are you using now for hot water?

 

[QuitBanningMe]

No question. Electric.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: mchammer
How old is your boiler?

1995 - Smith Co.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: Citrix
how about a tankless water heater? would that work for your situataion? Oh and what are you using now for hot water?

I have heard nothing but bad things about the tankless systems. We have a propane one in the cottage and our tenants hate it - it's hot-cold-hot-cold all the time. Currently we get our hot water indirectly off of a coil in the boiler. That is just as bad - water is hot-cold constantly. And in the summer the boiler is running all the time just to make hot water - very inefficient.

PS - LMFAO at your sig.

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: miniMUNCH
Electric heaters are less effective thas gas heaters so if you have to get an electric heater then go for one with quality insulation.

Whay can't you get propane?

Apparently you need certain space requirements in order to vent a propane heater and we have no such space in our basement. Something to do with windows or something. They assure me that it's housing code in my area - and that was the propane guys so I know they weren't lying.

 

[rahvin]

Well the simple answer is to add an addition onto your basement so it meets code for propane, either that or sink your own NG well.

 

[The Sauce]

That's the simple answer? Build a new addition to my home for a hot water tank???

 

[jaedaliu]

Originally posted by: Snatchface
That's the simple answer? Build a new addition to my home for a hot water tank???

that was obviously a joke, didn't you see the wink? and the thing where he told you to mine your own natural gas?

I'd go to home depot to check prices, then find a plumber who'll install it for you at the standard house rate.

 

[Chunkee]

i replaced my gas water heater with an electric from LOWES, a whirlpool 50gal. Lifetime warranty on it, autocleaning, very very efficient. like 279.00 bux with install kit. Install it yourself.

jC