Replacing a hot water heater

Our A.O. Smith HW heater is long past its natural lifespan. Any tips for replacement? This is for a 2-family house, but with only 3 full-time occupants. Does anyone have experience with Condensing HW Heaters or Hybrid Heat Pumps? Our heating is gas and HW heater and furnace are situated in the cellar. Thanks, in advance!

NeoGrec

in General Discussion 8 years and 6 months ago

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Master Plvmber | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Congratulations on your indirect water heater. It’s a great hot water option and it’s a grave misconception that running your heating boiler in summer is less efficient than running a gas-fired water heater alone instead.

murph | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Walk into Home Depot and the sign says when the stand-alone hot water heater is six years old you are playing with your life and the lives of your family if you don’t immediately buy one from them. I had one that lasted twenty-four years and then leaked.
Unfortunately the replacements on offer have new “safety devices” that when they kick in the whole thing must be replaced. You live to replace it again. So plan this one out.
When I had to buy new I had researched everything. Instant heaters(no storage tank) were new so I did trust them. I wanted the second pilot light out of the cellar(I had had a smoke leak) so I got an indirect water heater. It’s just a tank that sits next to the space heater–no moving parts but max insulation and pricey(what isn’t). Because I had an oversized space heater I could go for a smaller unit(37 gallons). The monster space heater delivered quick hot water.
Downsize: the space heater must be available all year so energy gains in winter are offset by summer losses(it kicks in when hot water is needed). I had a “computer” added to m y space heater to get greater efficiency so I’m not sure of the real savings from each segment of the set-up but I’m saving money and energy overall. Of course the cost reduction from switching to cheaper natural gas was my best move.

BobMarvin | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Get a new one! When we bought our house, in 1974, there was a Serval gas water heater with a monel metal tank that, according to a hang tag, had ben installed in 1950. The technician from Brooklyn Union Gas who showed me how to take care of my furnace told me that it would never leak. He was wrong–the thing started leaking when six years later, at age 30. That’s a phenomenally long time for a hot water heater to last and I was heart-broken to have to change it. HOWEVER, the A.O. Smith water heater I got to replace it used so much less gas that B.U.G. sent someone out to change my meter, thinking it was broken–it wasn’t. I’ve had to change out each new A.O. Smith shortly after the 10 year warranty was over (with one exception, which leaked shortly BEFORE the warranty expired–I got a free replacement). I don’t mind that they don’t last as long as the antique–the newer ones save many hundreds of $$s a year.

BTW, I presume that monel metal is now too expensive to use for things like hot water heater tanks.

Master Plvmber | 8 years and 6 months ago

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I guess it depends on who you ask. Gennady seems to have a better appreciation for old heating equipment than I do. I’ve never heard of a warranty denied for not changing an anode. What I have heard of is leaks created by attempting to replace the anode.

NeoGrec | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Thanks for all the helpful replies. This HW heater is 18 years old so maybe it’s better to replace than repair?

ellenlourie | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Yes, we replace them as a part of boiler maintenance. Extends life of water heater. This is why anods there in the first place. I actually had warranty on number of heaters denied for customers failing to do that

Master Plvmber | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Water heaters are disposable items. Putting money into them when they are past their anticipated life expectancy can’t be the best option.
Gennady, do you change a lot of anode rods?

BSDOD | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Ok, thanks.

ellenlourie | 8 years and 6 months ago

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You can buy them and get handyman or plumber do replacement. It is straightforward replacement.

BSDOD | 8 years and 6 months ago

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Gennady, are there people willing to take on that job for a decent price? I always wanted to do it, just nervous about screwing it up.

eman134 | 8 years and 6 months ago

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condensing hw heaters entail a completely different venting system than the plain vanilla setup that you have ,and in my humble opinion will not pay you back,

ellenlourie | 8 years and 6 months ago

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}

If it is not leaking already, replace anods and just use it. Water heaters usually start leaking because sacrificial anods never get replaced.