Water heater crapped out

[Sixguns]

My water heater took a dump yesterday and now I must buy a new one. I was thinking of going to a tankless one since the tank on mine cracked. Anyone have a tankless, and if so is it worth the extra cash?

 

[BoomerD]

IMO, no. The ones I've seen don't keep up with demand very well. I know a couple of people who use them to supplement their normal water heater.

Mine is getting old. I checked the other day, between purchase price, installation, and city permits...$1100-$1300...

 

[Fritzo]

Every person that was bragging to me three years ago about their new tankless water heater has had it uninstalled already. They're OK if only one or two people live in the house, but any more than that you need to have more than one installed.

 

[bignateyk]

How old is the water heater? Is it gas or electric? Is the tank itself still in good condition? Did you try replacing the elements? It's pretty easy to do and it's really cheap. You can get them for like $10-$20 at lowes/HD.

Just turn off the power, drain the unit, replace the elements (you need a special wrench available at home depot), fill the heater all the way back up, turn power back on.

 

[Sixguns]

How old is the water heater? Is it gas or electric? Is the tank itself still in good condition? Did you try replacing the elements? It's pretty easy to do and it's really cheap. You can get them for like $10-$20 at lowes/HD.

Just turn off the power, drain the unit, replace the elements (you need a special wrench available at home depot), fill the heater all the way back up, turn power back on.

Its 3 years old and is no longer under warrenty. The tank cracked on it so I am having to replace the whole thing. I was hoping that it was just the hot water outlet pipe but it wasnt.

At least now I have a reason to upgrade to a 40 gallon from my 30 gallon.

 

[bignateyk]

Its 3 years old and is no longer under warrenty. The tank cracked on it so I am having to replace the whole thing. I was hoping that it was just the hot water outlet pipe but it wasnt.

At least now I have a reason to upgrade to a 40 gallon from my 30 gallon.

Wow, the tank cracked after 3 years? Mine is going on 7 years without any problems.

 

[Dirigible]

I have had tankless in two houses. In my experience, they have provided more hot water for simultaneous showers/dishwasher/whatever than the tank ones. And they are great for when I just want to zone out in the shower for a looooong time.

I was surprised that my natural gas bill noticeably declined after installing the tankless. Not huge savings, but some savings. Probably not enough to offset the higher price of tankless.

The immediate drawbacks were increased waiting time for hot water, and more expensive initial price. Don't know how frequent or expensive repairs are - haven't had any.

I first got one because my house was tiny. Getting rid of the tank gained me a second closet (Whoooo! Two closets! My wife was psyched.). That made it worth the price for me. Got the second one when we moved because my wife had become accustomed to endless hot water and since we were gutting and redoing the whole house, made sense to put one in at the time. Dunno if it would be worth it to you.

 

[seepy83]

I just replaced my water heater a couple of months ago. I was also considering a tankless heater. I spoke to a couple of companies that do water heater installs in the area, and based on their advice I stayed with a 50 gal tank. My water heater uses natural gas, and they estimated that it would take between 12 and 15 years for me to break even on the cost of a tankless heater (and installation costs) due to savings in the amount of natural gas I would be using. I don't expect that I will be in my current home for 15 years, so it just didn't make sense for me. If I was using electricity instead of natural gas, it would be a different story.

 

[BurnItDwn]

If it's 3 years old it may still be covered under warranty. Did you install it yourself or did you have a plumber install it?

Call the manufacturer and find out what their RMA procedure is.

I replaced mine in 2010. had a 40 gallon with a leaky tank (it was almost 20 years old), I bought a new one with a 9 year warranty (had higher R value vs the 6 year warranty and higher BTUs... and, it was "energy star" so it was discounted, and I got a tax writeoff.... so it was originally marked for like $500, but I got out of the store paying about $350, and then wrote off the $350 so it really costed like ... under $300 in the end ...

Took my uncle and I about 1 hour to install...

 

[richardycc]

you must have crappy water, you might need a water softener or you will see this same problem 3yrs down the road again.

 

[Linflas]

If it's 3 years old it may still be covered under warranty. Did you install it yourself or did you have a plumber install it?

Call the manufacturer and find out what their RMA procedure is.

I replaced mine in 2010. had a 40 gallon with a leaky tank (it was almost 20 years old), I bought a new one with a 9 year warranty (had higher R value vs the 6 year warranty and higher BTUs... and, it was "energy star" so it was discounted, and I got a tax writeoff.... so it was originally marked for like $500, but I got out of the store paying about $350, and then wrote off the $350 so it really costed like ... under $300 in the end ...

Took my uncle and I about 1 hour to install...

When ours finally dies I plan on replacing it myself as well. No reason I see to pay all that money to get someone else to hook up 3 pipes for me.

 

[ichy]

Wow, the tank cracked after 3 years? Mine is going on 7 years without any problems.

I had my old water heater replaced last year, that sucker was originally installed in 1984 :0

Re: tankless, I looked into it but the installation costs would have been substantial. New gas line, probably a larger exhaust vent as well. Wasn't worth it.

 

[Modelworks]

If your tank went in under 3 years, pull out the anode, I bet there is nothing left of it.
Nobody every discusses the anode in hot water heaters and it is the one part that will make your heater last the longest.
http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pages/WHRpages/English/Longevity/water-heater-anodes.html


Also you should be draining your tank once a year. Hook a garden hose to the valve at the bottom and drain out all the sediment.

 

[Sixguns]

As for the water, I have a softner in the house so that isnt an issue. As for the warrenty, when I bought the house 3 years ago, the seller had to put a new one in to be up to code. That cheap bastard went and got some crappy one that only had a 1 year warrenty on everything.

 

[vshah]

be sure to get one with a longer warranty this time.

 

[slag]

IMO, no. The ones I've seen don't keep up with demand very well. I know a couple of people who use them to supplement their normal water heater.

Mine is getting old. I checked the other day, between purchase price, installation, and city permits...$1100-$1300...

Ouch.

Water heaters are one of those things that every man should know how to change out. Its not too difficult, a few water connections, perhaps extending or reducing the pipe a bit depending on water heater size, connecting the electrical up or gas if so equipped, and finally, if gas fired, hooking up the chimney.

Permit? What permit. Why pay someone for something simple in your house they will never know about. I don't do permits for wear and tear items. You aren't adding to anything, but simply replacing existing that has failed.

I replaced a water heater about 5 yrs back. Set me back about $400.00 and a couple hours from start to finish. Neat little trick about sweating copper pipe that has water dripping out of it. Take a few slices of white bread, rip out the center, roll it into a ball, and insert it up in the pipe. It stops water drips for a few minutes and allows you to sweat your copper tubing and keep it dry. When you turn the water back on, the bread flushes down the pipe, dissolves, and goes through the system, none the worse for wear.

 

[squirrel dog]

a.e.smith which makes this for GE
Home depot 02/14/2011
GE 50 gal. Tall 12 Year 40,000 BTU Natural Gas Water Heater
Model # SG50T12AVG top rated by consumer reports.org
Store SKU # 185191
Store SO SKU # 607988

Average Customer Rating

4.7/5

Reviews (35)
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[Modelworks]

As for the water, I have a softner in the house so that isnt an issue.

There is the answer on why it failed so soon. The way a water softener works results in water that is more corrosive. You will need to keep the anode checked in the new hot water heater or be prepared to replace another one in 3 years or less. Or better yet get a new water heater with an electric anode that doesn't have to be replaced.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

we had to replace our tank, considered tankless but our venting setup was not sufficient and that added cost made tankless even less appealing

 

[BoomerD]

Ouch.

Water heaters are one of those things that every man should know how to change out. Its not too difficult, a few water connections, perhaps extending or reducing the pipe a bit depending on water heater size, connecting the electrical up or gas if so equipped, and finally, if gas fired, hooking up the chimney.

Permit? What permit. Why pay someone for something simple in your house they will never know about. I don't do permits for wear and tear items. You aren't adding to anything, but simply replacing existing that has failed.

I replaced a water heater about 5 yrs back. Set me back about $400.00 and a couple hours from start to finish. Neat little trick about sweating copper pipe that has water dripping out of it. Take a few slices of white bread, rip out the center, roll it into a ball, and insert it up in the pipe. It stops water drips for a few minutes and allows you to sweat your copper tubing and keep it dry. When you turn the water back on, the bread flushes down the pipe, dissolves, and goes through the system, none the worse for wear.

I know how to do it...I've done it before. Part of the problem is my FUBAR'D back and knee...I can't lift, and I'm sure my old A.O. Smith water heater is going to be HEAVY.
Then, the laws have changed since my house was built. New seismic standards have specific requirements for earthquake strapping and mounts.

http://www.modestogov.com/forms/pdf/bds_res_Water Heater.pdf

 

[Engineer]

If the tank has already cracked, it's possible that the water pressure is too high and that the popoff, pressure relief valve might be stuck. Also, some states now require a relief bladder to be installed on the cold water line to allow for the hot water expansion, especially since most municipalities have check valves installed in the line that won't let the water pressure (expanding hot water) bleed back into the system.

I've installed my last two water heaters and used a bladder on the last one per code. Didn't get it inspected....simply walked into Lowes, picked up a dolly and went to the back. Placed box onto dolly, went up front and checked out. No questions asked. YMMV.

As for tankless, it's tempting but I just don't have the warm-fuzzies about them. Good luck OP.

 

[Adul]

I wanted a tankless water heater but it wasn't offered on the house at the time we had it built. It was an option later on when a friend of ours bought in the same neighborhood. It is a gas tankless heater and he loves it. Its been 5 years since they moved in as well without an issue. He has 2 daughters, his wife and MIL law who will stay for extended period of times. So yeah hotwater never lasted before he got home.

Electric tankless heaters suck, gas ones are the ones to get and they can easily supply enough hot water for a couple showers at the same time. Just do your research before buying and get a good one.


OH yeah our water heater failed buy almost blowing up, it was under warranty though. It died after 3 years of life. We are waiting for this one to croak before we get a tankless installed. We have a 3/4 inch line which is needed already plumbed though I am not sure on the exhaust yet.

 

[Mark R]

There is the answer on why it failed so soon. The way a water softener works results in water that is more corrosive. You will need to keep the anode checked in the new hot water heater or be prepared to replace another one in 3 years or less. Or better yet get a new water heater with an electric anode that doesn't have to be replaced.

Umm. No.

Softened water is no more corrosive than the hard water that was treated. In fact, it is likely to prolong the life of the heater, by avoiding scale build-up (which builds up first on hot-spots on the heat exchanger, thereby exacerbating it's own formation). The reason is that the process of cation exchange does not change the total cationic equivalent molarity of the water.

Naturally soft water is different. These waters, tend to contain few dissolved minerals, and thereforetend to be more corrosive. This is due to the lower cationic content of the water, which increases the tendency to leach traces of metal (cations) from the tank.

A water softner is recommended for all hot water supplies in hard water areas. In some areas, it is mandatory for permitting of a water heater.

Also note that water codes increasingly prohibit the use of protective anodes in drinking water supplies, and even where anodes are permitted, manufacturers are increasingly making them irreplaceable. (E.g. in my heater, the anode is riveted to the center of the bottom of the tank; there is no possible way to replace this). This is unfortunate, as copper tanks do corrode relatively quickly. For a long life, you should consider the extra expense of purchasing a stainless steel heater.

 

[Mark R]

If the tank has already cracked, it's possible that the water pressure is too high and that the popoff, pressure relief valve might be stuck. Also, some states now require a relief bladder to be installed on the cold water line to allow for the hot water expansion, especially since most municipalities have check valves installed in the line that won't let the water pressure (expanding hot water) bleed back into the system.

You don't need a bladder to prevent overpressure due to expansion. Your tank must already have a pressure relief valve (usually a combined temperature-pressure valve and a second backup pressure relief valve).

The purpose of the bladder is to prevent the expanded water from being discharged via the pressure relief valve and wasted.

My apartment came with a cheap-ass unvented water heater. There is no bladder - the only provision for expansion is a domed top to the tank trapping an air bubble above the draw-off outlet. This isn't very effective, as in time, the bubble dissolves in the water. The expansion of the water is allowed for by having the pressure valve open and allow the excess volume to drip into the drain.

Good practice for installation of a water heater should address the following points:
1. A pressure regulating valve to reduce the mains water pressure to the pressure specified by the heater manufactuerer.
2. A filter to protect the pressure regulating valve
3. A check valve to prevent pressure rise in the tank discharging heated water into the mains supply/cold circuit
4. A pressure relief valve as specified by the heater manufacturer
5. A temperature/pressure relief valve as specified by the manufacturer
6. A visible drain for the relief valves to drain into
7. A drain system capable of safely draining water at the maximum flow-rate of the heater, and at the maximum temperature. (If the heater thermostat gets stuck on, the T&P relief valve will open due to the water temperature reaching 212 F. At this temperature, the relief valves opens full on. Boiling water will erupt from the vent at full flow rate until the heater becomes refilled with cold water) The drain must be capable of safely containing this flow, without spillage and must be made of material that will not melt or soften at 212 F (usually must be made of metal, although some codes do permit the use of specially authorized plastics).

 

[BUTCH1]

Ouch.

Water heaters are one of those things that every man should know how to change out. Its not too difficult, a few water connections, perhaps extending or reducing the pipe a bit depending on water heater size, connecting the electrical up or gas if so equipped, and finally, if gas fired, hooking up the chimney.

Permit? What permit. Why pay someone for something simple in your house they will never know about. I don't do permits for wear and tear items. You aren't adding to anything, but simply replacing existing that has failed.

I replaced a water heater about 5 yrs back. Set me back about $400.00 and a couple hours from start to finish. Neat little trick about sweating copper pipe that has water dripping out of it. Take a few slices of white bread, rip out the center, roll it into a ball, and insert it up in the pipe. It stops water drips for a few minutes and allows you to sweat your copper tubing and keep it dry. When you turn the water back on, the bread flushes down the pipe, dissolves, and goes through the system, none the worse for wear.

Yea, I bought my WH at HD for $215, (GE Smartwater) to replace a 38 yr/old Reem unit. Installation was a $210 option, F that, I bought a basic soldering kit and an extra "4 of pipe and a few joints to practice with and installed it myself the same day, fairly easy and I paid myself $100/HR, not bad IMO..