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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,085 Likes: 4
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 6,085 Likes: 4 |
Electric?? You can get “spec sheets” at most home improvement stores that give the different dimensions and wattage of different units. You’ll likely notice that there’s not much difference in the 6 and 9 year units. You’re often paying for a warranty, not better construction. Sometimes, the 12 year units will have a few extra features.
Many of the fancy new “heat pump” units are efficient, but loud. Ok in a garage, but often not in a house.
Smelly water issues?? You can get a Zn-Al anode rod that helps with the sulfur smell. The standard Al rod will often start having smell issues in your hot water, just like your old one. Those things are in TIGHT. An electric impact will get one out pretty easy. Usually a 1-1/16” socket, I think.
Use corrugated lines, not those crap braided tuns. The braided runs have rubber in them, which will eventually break down with water that hot at the source.
Make sure your pan under it is good, and drains well.
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 18,544 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 18,544 Likes: 11 |
Turn-key replacement costs (including installation) for a 50 gallon natural gas hot water heater in southern Colorado is about $1750.
Every day on this side of the ground is a win.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 586
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 586 |
Rheem Marathon is worth a look if you are going to own the property for a long time.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1 |
Turn-key replacement costs (including installation) for a 50 gallon natural gas hot water heater in southern Colorado is about $1750. Holy crap !! for a standard vent ?
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Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 18,544 Likes: 11
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 18,544 Likes: 11 |
Turn-key replacement costs (including installation) for a 50 gallon natural gas hot water heater in southern Colorado is about $1750. Holy crap !! for a standard vent ? That’s for everything. Haul-off, fabrication, bringin’ stuff up to code, etc..
Every day on this side of the ground is a win.
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Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 2,795
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 2,795 |
The new water heater are not your father’s water heater. They have an electronic gas valve and other electronic features including diagnostics. You better have your chimney calculations correct because most of the new water heaters are larger BTU input also. A lot of people are removing atmospheric vented heaters and having to put in power forced draft units. You don't calculate that, the manufacturer does, The high efficiency models are recovering much more wasted energy that some do need an inducer motor to create the initial upward draft. Power vent will cost more, may require different exhaust materials and sizing. He said cheap and easy, Replace with whats there now. The chimney in the house must be calculated for capacity with the furnace which is probably high efficiency also. Look up Hart & Cooley charts. If a unit is installed outside of specifications it will shut down the pilot. There is no cheaper water heating than natural gas.
Last edited by MM879; 05/04/20.
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,783 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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OP
Campfire Ranger
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 15,783 Likes: 2 |
I am looking at 350 ish for an electric one. They go wayyyy up from there. Thankfully a buddy from high school is going to help install it as I have not done it before.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1 |
I am looking at 350 ish for an electric one. They go wayyyy up from there. Thankfully a buddy from high school is going to help install it as I have not done it before. Just make sure it's full (purged) before you throw the breaker.
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Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,949
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,949 |
Prices of comparable water heaters, installation and required materials can vary a good bit in different parts of the country. Our son and wife had their water heater (nat gas) replaced a month or so back and went back with a larger size. Their total cost for new gas water heater and all installation costs was ballpark $800 as I recall.
(I don't know if it's just me or not but something I've noticed the few times we've had our water heater replaced was the business that sold and installed went back with the same gallon capacity but different physical dimensions on each one which added more in labor time and material costs.)
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Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,990 Likes: 6
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 13,990 Likes: 6 |
A pretty easy diy project. We replaced ours about 10 years ago, a Rheem 55 gallon natural gas unit cost about 350 if I remember right. 1100 seems awfully high, unless they have increased in price substantially over the past decade. They're around $400 for an electric 40 gallon.
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Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,917 Likes: 7
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 21,917 Likes: 7 |
I don't know your deal, but I belong to an electric co-op. They subsidize a $1200 Marathon for their members. $200 is the fee.
It comes with the string that they put a meter on it to turn it off during highest peak demand. It's 90 gallon, you will not run out when they shut if off.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,184
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,184 |
How much bigger did the 18" diameter electric water heaters get? I don't have a lot of room for a much bigger one.
Last edited by victoro; 05/04/20.
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,562 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,562 Likes: 2 |
Looks like a port-a-jon sitting in the basement. That digital visual made me laugh, Thanks.
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Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,183 Likes: 35
Campfire Savant
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Campfire Savant
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 152,183 Likes: 35 |
I change them for 1200, 1400 in attic.
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 10,743 Likes: 1 |
How much bigger did the 18" diameter electric water heaters get? I don't have a lot of room for a much bigger one. they still make "tall" units that are around 18" and up,shorts are more like 22"
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,341 Likes: 6
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 28,341 Likes: 6 |
I am looking at 350 ish for an electric one. They go wayyyy up from there. Thankfully a buddy from high school is going to help install it as I have not done it before. Sounds like a good plan
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,624
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 3,624 |
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 10,824 Likes: 1
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 10,824 Likes: 1 |
Last couple I've had to replace I called an HVAC contractor I knew to be competent and trustworthy, he came, looked, gave me a quote, came on the day he said he would, got it done and when we got home from work we had hot water. I've gotten to the point where I feel it's just not worth my time to do most of that stuff. I can't be expected to keep up with all the technological changes in that field, not to mention changes in building codes, etc. I've done enough of that work in my life. When the right people do it I get a better, faster job, I've supported a local business guy, and I've not had to give up fishing or shooting time or anything else to save a few hundred bucks. Same reason I won't twist a wrench on my own truck anymore. I used to do it all. I think some of the early vehicles I owned were 50% by weight newer parts than when I bought them. No more.
Mathew 22: 37-39
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,468 |
Yep, I hear you. As I get older I am less inclined to do it all. Even though I know I could. Time is more valuable than a few bucks. Picking a good company that is local and knows what they are doing is starting to be my norm.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 37,956 Likes: 6
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 37,956 Likes: 6 |
I installed ours myself twenty years ago so it can't have been hard . Its gas, we didn't want it inside the garage so I poured a square cement pad up against the house on the outside of the wall from where it had been located and built a hut for it. The gas line came inside from the outside anyway so that was easy, pvc pipes did the rest. Our water here is exceedingly hard, but even so that water heater lasted 17 years. The only maintenance necessary was replacement of the thermocouple on the pilot light about every two years. I'm thinking about $600 would get me a new one and I could put it in myself pretty easy.
"...if the gentlemen of Virginia shall send us a dozen of their sons, we would take great care in their education, instruct them in all we know, and make men of them." Canasatego 1744
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