Tankless Hot Water
TECO Gas sent me the FREE tankless water heater notice.
You only pay for installation: "less than $46 per month for 18 months" ($848). That's not an unreasonable installation fee, especially if all hookups, including electrical, are done. The Rannai unit they install will be worth at least $600-700 and will be sufficient for homes like ours with only two people. Since my house is ten years old, it won't be long before I have to spend at least $600 installing a new hot water tank. With a tankless system there would be a savings on my gas bill, and maybe more for me because I'm not always in town. When I'm gone I turn my tank down, but never off.
As I mull this over I think of a two potential issues: 1) The increased cost of water used while waiting for hot water, and 2) The increased inconvenience of the wait. I don't have a water recirculating system so I have to wait for hot water now. Increasing that time would become an issue.
I'd like to hear from anyone who has converted to a tankless system. I'd like to know if it takes considerably longer to obtain hot water with a tankless system, and I'd love to hear the results if anyone has been able to compare the additional water costs with the gas savings.
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