Replacing gas water heater 6yr or 9 yr ?

[bamx2]

I have to replace my 19 year old Kenmore 10 yr warranty gas water heater . I will DIY replace buying a Rheem gas WH 6yr or 9yr warranty at the nearby HD. The 6 yr /38K BTU model is $434 and has an annual usage cost of $282 on the energy label. The 9 yr/40K BTU model priced at $ 606 is a "high efficiency" model having a usage $263 cost of on the label. As our household is 2 people, I don't expect avg usage. Any difference in longevity or just paying a lot for the warranty? Should I just get the more expensive tank and be done with it ?

 

[C1]

Sometimes the upper tier models have built-in or better built-in anti-sediment mechanisms.

When I bought mine (DIY), I purchased the middle range model.

A possibility would be for you to flush & refill it once a year to help keep it clean.

Some people have heaters that early fail. I have been told that most of the time this is because the units have been handled roughly (particularly during shipment) such that the glass tank inside the metal external case acquires a crack. (This actually happened to me and you could see that the corner of the delivery box/package was, in fact, crinkled or dented in; ie, the box had been set down hard). So when you grab a heater off the HD floor, carefully inspect the box to ensure that it is in pristine condition implying no rough handling.

 

[NutBucket]

High efficiency probably means better insulation too. Where is your heater located and what's your climate like?

 

[bamx2]

The water heater is located in an unfinished basement. I live in GA.

High efficiency probably means better insulation too. Where is your heater located and what's your climate like?

 

[NutBucket]

Well, if it truly saves $20/year then it would take 8-9 years to recoup the extra cost. I would buy the cheaper one and throw an extra layer of insulation on it.

 

[TheFamilyMan]

Sometimes the upper tier models have built-in or better built-in anti-sediment mechanisms.

Partially true...what adds to the warranty are three things:

- Efficiency
- More robust/thicker/different metallic profile anode rod (sacrifices itself so that the water doesn't attack your steel tank)
- Some models may have some sediment management measures built in...not common though

A possibility would be for you to flush & refill it once a year to help keep it clean.

That's one way to prolong the life. The other is to check how "hard" or "soft" your water is. Depending on your water type, a 6-year model may last over double that or it could only last up through the 6-yr warranty.

Some people have heaters that early fail. I have been told that most of the time this is because the units have been handled roughly (particularly during shipment) such that the glass tank inside the metal external case acquires a crack. (This actually happened to me and you could see that the corner of the delivery box/package was, in fact, crinkled or dented in; ie, the box had been set down hard). So when you grab a heater off the HD floor, carefully inspect the box to ensure that it is in pristine condition implying no rough handling.

Not entirely true and anecdotal at best. There is up to 3" of foam between the outer steel jacket and the steel tank. You can tell basically nothing about whether or not the heater is a failure by the condition of the box. Your best bet is to ask the floor associate to open the box on the floor and inspect the unit there. No dents, dings, rippling of the outer steel jacket, or other "compression" or handling issues should be a good unit.

The only real thing you don't want to do is transport the water heater in a horizontal position. Keep it upright as much as possible due to the dip tube and anode rod within the heater. If it ships horizontally, there is a slight chance you could have some "bell clapping" that could remotely put the anode rod/dip tube into contact with the interior of the steel tank and result in a possible failure spot.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

Hey I'm not trying to be an ass, I worked with Home Depot for a bit and I have been thinking of replacing our electric water heater. I was asking around at HD about what brands ECT. I had two different managers and one plumbing specialist all say the same thing, the hot water heaters at Home Depot suck. None would buy any for their homes.
Again I'm not trying to thread crap and I have no examples but this happened at 3 different locations.

 

[bamx2]

I believe that the water conditions in my area are good . My main concern is how long the electronic control will hold up.

The extra $170 doesn't seem to make a lot of sense at this point.
When I sell the house in few years, maybe the label of the "high efficiency" model will impress a potential buyer (wink)


Interesting about transporting it vertically. For safety reasons and for ease of unloading, I had planned to load and transport it horizontally in a pickup truck.

...snip...
The only real thing you don't want to do is transport the water heater in a horizontal position. Keep it upright as much as possible due to the dip tube and anode rod within the heater. If it ships horizontally, there is a slight chance you could have some "bell clapping" that could remotely put the anode rod/dip tube into contact with the interior of the steel tank and result in a possible failure spot.

 

[NutBucket]

Well as far as I know the thermostat is still "solid state". IMHO not a whole lot has changed in that regard.

 

[bamx2]

Which brand do you recommend ?

Hey I'm not trying to be an ass, I worked with Home Depot for a bit and I have been thinking of replacing our electric water heater. I was asking around at HD about what brands ECT. I had two different managers and one plumbing specialist all say the same thing, the hot water heaters at Home Depot suck. None would buy any for their homes.
Again I'm not trying to thread crap and I have no examples but this happened at 3 different locations.

 

[echo4747]

From what I've been told in most cases the 6yr and 9yr are essentially the same quality. If you opt for the 9yr the price difference you pay, is basically the same as buying an extended warranty. In the case you mention in orig post. it seems as if the 9 yr may have better insulation due to the slighty lower operating cost

 

[TheGardener]

These water heaters are more expensive. I've had mine since 1989. They make the best ones out there IMO. Don't know if they are available for a DIY project.

http://www.vaughncorp.com/residential/

 

[Scarpozzi]

The tank started leaking on my last one... That's what kills me...the elements and everything were fine, but it started leaking because of corrosion. I switched to a gas tankless....it dropped my electric bill $30/month and raised my gas bill about $5-10/month. It cost me more to install because I moved the location, but bought the water heater off eBay for around $860 with vent and everything.... Consider checking out tankless if you want something efficient that never runs out of water. We can take 2 showers at once....just has a slight delay in coming on.