dear lazyweb

[solarbird]

Our water heater is leaking. Anyone replaced one lately? We have natural gas, and I'd like to go tankless, but I'd like it to work during blackouts like our current thermocouple-driven one does now.

Comments

[stickmaker]

Yeah, and I think you know about it. That heater kept failing, in the pilot or the thermostat or both. Finally, a plumber persuaded me to replace the whole unit while it was still under warranty. That model was so notoriously bad the company didn't ask many questions. Most of those were about who I was and which Lowes to contact for the free replacement. New one (a different model) works fine, so far.

I replaced two water heaters before that due to leaking. One came with the house and gave out a few years after I moved in. Then, about twenty years later, the replacement went out on a cold Winter night. (I do flush the tanks at least a couple of times a year.)

I've thought about getting an on-demand heater for the pipe under the kitchen, which goes to both the clothes washer and kitchen sink. However, the only real problem is how long it takes the hot water to arrive, due to the low water pressure in my neighborhood. So I've never taken it far enough to check into the tankless types.

Residential water heaters aren't hugely expensive, though since my most recent one was free (well, paid for with the aggravation the previous one generated) I don't know what current prices are. If you have good access, the replacement takes a couple of easy hours by professionals. I do recommend having a professional do the work. You've got both water and gas or electricity to deal with, and none of those can leak. Oh, and they will dispose of the old unit.

I do know that a good quality modern water heater is very well insulated.