Quote:
Originally Posted by Arctic Fox
We have a 40-gallon tank (electric) that is 26 years old and seems to be in perfect working order.
When it does fail, does it make sense to install a smaller one as there are only the two of us?
Most online references say a 30-gallon would be sufficient.
Would it be cheaper to run, or are they all so well-insulated these days...
Thank you
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I neglected to mention that with whatever size tank you settle on, you should add a Watts recirculating pump. If it matters to you, a recirculating pump will pay for itself in reduced water usage over the life of the pump. The beauty of the pump is that you will have near-instant hot water at your shower and faucets. It is a great pleasure to not have to stand off to the side of the shower or outside the shower, waiting for the hot water to arrive.
The Watts pump is an ingenious device that sits on top of the outlet of your water heater. The pump runs at a very low pressure and the electric motor is a synchronous type like those used i electric clocks and cost pennies a day to operate. If you are really frugal, the pump has a built-in timer and you can choose the hours for it to operate.
The ingenious part of the Watts system is that the hot water is circulated or returned to the hot water tank through the cold water lines. This is done by a small manifold installed at the faucet that is furtherest from the hot water tank. When all of the faucets, showers, washers etc. in the house are turned off, the manifold directs the hot water into the cold water line which carries it back to the tank. When any faucet etc in the house is open, the valve in the manifold closes and only cold water runs in the cold water line.
Depending on the model of your house, the incoming hot water line may "split and run hot water in two directions. In that case, you will need a manifold at the last faucet on each line. The Watts pump with one manifold costs around $200. The extra manifold is under $50. They are easy to install for a DIYer, although you do have to lie on your back under the sink to install the manifold. When installed by a plumber at the same time as the new water heater, the additional cost to install the Watts system will be minimal.