I will need to replace my hot water heater in the near future. It is fifteen years old. The original that came with the house. It is a forty gallon version. Our family has grown from3 to six in that time. If I go with a tank version I will need a 75-80 gallon tank. Otherwise I could go with a tankless type: Rheem etc... Anyone have experience and can make recommendations on size cost make model What have you done in your home? Associated costs, venting, re circulation. Thank you.

There are many existing threads on this subject. You may find the karmanator search utility helpful.

If you have gas, instant heat is possible. Electric only is a problem.

The threads detail what you must have...size of gas pipe, vents, etc.

Here's one for starters...

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...510007534#3510007534

Another...

https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...160082944#5160082944

We went from a tank style to tankless, couldn’t be happier. Endless hot water. Much smaller unit. Installation was pretty easy. Had to run a larger gas line but with where I put it it wasn’t hard to do.

Even easier if it is outdoors as you don’t have to hassle with air exhaust and intake. That was the hardest part for me.

The only thing about going tankless is you may need to be sure you know how to shut it off if you have teenagers. At least with a tank unit they bail when it runs out of hot water.

Seriously though, love the tankless. Wouldn’t put another tank in.

I have a (gas) Rheem tankless installed and it is wonderful. We are a family of two but I had it sized for 4 people for resale purposes. Yours would have to be sized by a professional to handle the increased demand. They are not cheap, ours was over $3k and they have a long pay back period but the upside is the unlimited amount of hot water. I love a long and extra hot shower and it meets every bit of our needs.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: sig229-SAS, September 09, 2019 06:24 PM

Recently had my 24 year old 50-gallon nat gas water heater replaced due to a leak. Put a 75 gallon tank in its place to get more hot water to the jacuzzi tub on the opposite end of the house. Other than a larger diameter, the only changes required to the existing house plumbing or exhaust venting was to add 3/4” to 1” adapters at the tank to connect to the house’s 3/4” copper piping and changing the 3” tank exhaust pipe to 4” (the house’s chimney connection accommodated either).

Tankless is intriguing but may be pricey in your neck of the woods. A couple things to keep in consideration:

* Do you have Gas or Electric service. Gas is better.

* How many fixtures do you plan to run on the Tankless System. The more bathrooms will require a larger system or even two to get the proper HW coverage.

* What is the temperature of the ground water? The farther North you are the cooler the ground water is. This will require more energy to get to temperature.

As noted above, tankless HW is a neat idea but the 75 gallon tank may be better suited for your needs and location.

We’ve been Tankless for 10 years and it is the only way I’ll go from now on.

My thinking is that a weekly HW heater thread is appropriate. Fresh content is exactly that, current. Further, some contributors may not say anything but might answer to another thread.

So here is the skinny from me. Lebanon PA? Wicked winters, lots of tree-lined roads, exposed electric lines? A three day ice storm in the middle of a 10-day winter blast may leave you without electric for a week. But a chimney-vent standing-pilot will deliver steaming hot showers throughout your ordeal.

However, tankless are great. The only comment I've heard is that the water is no longer scalding hot. But there is plenty of it.

You'll need a beefier gas line for the tankless, maybe just the last few feet to the fixture, maybe more, like 10-12'.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
There are many existing threads on this subject. You may find the karmanator search utility helpful.

Here is a link for those unfamiliar with SigSearch.
Karmanator - SigSearch
Search “tankless”

I live in Alaska. I didn’t want to go tankless. Now I wouldn’t want to go back. Navien.

Nobody wants to recommend using the site's search function?
https://sigforum.com/eve/forums...orum_scope=320601935

quote:

Originally posted by Woodman:
My thinking is that a weekly HW heater thread is appropriate. Fresh content is exactly that, current. Further, some contributors may not say anything but might answer to another thread.

What a cluttered mess that would be. The world of hot water heaters is not fast paced (fast paced would be microprocessors and software) and a new thread weekly would say the exact same thing last year’s thread would say. Instead, people should use the search function and add on to the latest thread if and only if their questions haven’t been previously answered. Quality discussion (aka 2nd part of Sigforum’s motto) is impossible if people won’t search and read.

Tank less water heaters must have come a long ways in the past few years. We wanted to go that route but were told it wouldn't work for us. We had NG in that (2006 new) house at the time. I know cost was significantly different.

I can't recall the issue. Maybe the house size (2,900sf)? We have two (propane) 48gal units now, both original to the current 3,000sf house. Tank less still sounds very appealing.

I put a Rinnai tankless in a few years ago, 98000 BTU and used the existing 3/4" gas line. I love it and the gas bill did go down after I put it in.

I manage a house with a tankless Rinnai. It has been installed since 2012 and is mounted on an exterior wall, outside and needs no vent pipes or anything. I am not sure if that's possible in PA. But, that being said, we've had zero issues with it. Sometimes 8 people stay in the house for a week, sometimes nobody for a month. You have endless hot water when you want it, and aren't paying to heat it when you don't need it.

What’s wrong with another water heater thread. We post politics and social bullshit ad nauseam and no one seems to have a problem

Tankless external mounted Propane Unit replaced 50 gal lp tank, unlimited hot water, lower gas use we can fill the huge soaking tub and others still get hot water.

As was said the delay at startup is longer but not that bad since you still had to wait for hot water but you can add a recirculating module if that’s an issue. Top heat setting is over 140 degrees, Ours came with a remote wire control so I can change temp or turn off easily

It also freed up storage space in the garage which is at a premium here in FL

If you have good water, a tankless will be a good option.

But, in no way, would I have a tankless outside where it subjected to freezing temps (like PA).