tank less gas hot water heater

[JOG]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks

[hotpotato]

We have had ours for about 4 years and I can run the dishwasher, washing machine and shower at the same time without a loss of hot water. It takes about 1 minute, maybe less to heat in the shower. Needless to say, I love it.

[Kenswing]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks
At our current home (not in The Villages) we have a Navien model NPE-240 with a recirculation function. It's nice to have hot water throughout the house without waiting. Two things it required when we installed it was a larger gas meter because it's rated at 199,000 BTU's and needed to tap into a pipe at the end of the system to provide a return for recirculation.

When we build our Villages house we are going to see if we can upgrade to something that we can recirculate the hot water.

[Mrprez]

Works great, but takes a minute or two to get hot water to the far reaches of the house. They are quiet and our gas bill is reasonable.

[Stu from NYC]

Works great, but takes a minute or two to get hot water to the far reaches of the house. They are quiet and our gas bill is reasonable.

So you think it is worth the substantially higher price for the unit.

[Mrprez]

No. My house came with one installed. If I had a choice, I would have a conventional water heater. The big drawback to the tankless is they are installed on the outside wall and are ugly.

[retiredguy123]

If you currently have a tank type water heater, I would replace it with the same type. A tankless unit will cost more money to buy and to install. You may need to modify your gas service and possibly your electrical service. Also, if the tankless water heater breaks down, how long will you be without hot water if the technician needs to order a part? A tank type water heater can usually be replaced within a day or less by almost any plumber. I don't think the advantages will be worth the cost, if there are any measurable advantages.

[charmed59]

If you currently have a tank type water heater, I would replace it with the same type. A tankless unit will cost more money to buy and to install. You may need to modify your gas service and possibly your electrical service. Also, if the tankless water heater breaks down, how long will you be without hot water if the technician needs to order a part? A tank type water heater can usually be replaced within a day or less by almost any plumber. I don't think the advantages will be worth the cost, if there are any measurable advantages.

Price both types out for the size you need. To replace the size we had, after rebates the tankless was cheaper. Mike Scott plumbing installed ours. Fills our enormous double tub without running out of water.

[Hiltongrizz11]

No it's not with it economically speaking. It's common knowledge to the industry that the payback period for the extra upfront costs and annual maintenance (yes) takes 12-20 years.

The new standard tanks are very efficient. A water heater blanket isn't even recommended anymore. It just isn't worth it. Unless you have a specific need or desire for a space savings or on demand hot water (on demand even sounds "entitled" doesn't it?) there is little reason to get caught up in the hype ������

[rstruski]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks

If TECO is your provider check with them as they occasionally have a deal on installation and will spread the costs out without interest included in your monthly bill.

[pgettinger01]

They are more expensive to buy. They are more expensive to install. They are all 199,000 BTU. You are supposed to descale them every year. Plumber charges about $150 because you are supposed to let the vinegar circulate for one hour. I bought the supplies on Amazon for about $100. Your gas line has to be big enough to support your gas appliances and the hot water heater. If you have a regular hot water heater I would replace it with the same type. New construction is different.

[gregcharlesnelson@gmail]

TECO has a special on tankless..about$1300

[Mac1996]

Why would you want to heat water all day long in a 40 gallon tank?When you can just heat what you need.

[joseppe]

At our current home (not in The Villages) we have a Navien model NPE-240 with a recirculation function. It's nice to have hot water throughout the house without waiting. Two things it required when we installed it was a larger gas meter because it's rated at 199,000 BTU's and needed to tap into a pipe at the end of the system to provide a return for recirculation.

When we build our Villages house we are going to see if we can upgrade to something that we can recirculate the hot water.

Interesting. I never heard of a tankless system with recirculation.

[macovatto]

Tankless heaters are sensitive to minerals in water and tend to clog,
Faster than conventional types.
If you don’t have a water softener system. I suggest against one.

[rlcooper70]

I have heard that the gas powered ones are fine and that the electric powered ones are a problem.

[Joanne D]

We had Rinnai tankless unit installed yesterday by Allen Curry Plumbing. 48 month term 26.99 per month out of our gas bill or $1,295.00. We felt it was worth it - our unit was 14 years old and we had just put in a new Nova water filter and softener. This purchase was part of a Teco partner Gas advantage offer.

[Bay Kid]

My parents had one in the home I just sold. They never liked it, slow to get hot water, cost. It would take forever to pay for itself. Now have a gas hot water heater and we never run out of hot water.

[gwenhwalker@yahoo.com]

Had one in Virginia Beach and loved it for instant hot water

[donassaid]

Lowes carries a hot water tank recirculator for under $200 that you plumb in above your hot water heater. Works great and provides near instant hot water throughout the house. Has a built in timer that can be set for peak times of usage. Highly recommend.

[Windguy]

OK. Just for grins. Every time I hear someone talk about a “hot water heater,” it reminds of what I heard a comedian say once when I was much younger. You don’t need to heat the hot water because it is already hot. 😃

[JoniEaton]

We had them in our old house and they worked great and you get off that big tank. Be sure you get enough of them to cover all the areas that you would need hot water. Let me know please, how is goes putting them here, because we are thinking of putting them in our house here. Thank you, I hope all works out well.

[pdp07]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks
I had our water heater replaced a couple of years ago. At that time the gas company was offering a program that they would install a new water heater and hauled away the old one for a charge of $9.99 per month added to your bill for 60 months. So $599.40 and no additional charges. You may want to contact them to see if that program still exists.

[JoniEaton]

Does TECO's price include labor?

[MandoMan]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks

Tankless heaters sound like a great idea, and for a long time I wanted one. But I’ve read a number of articles about installing them and about the pros and cons of having them over the past few years in Fine Homebuilding and in The Journal of Light Construction. Plenty of people think they are great. However, installing one properly is a LOT of work, very complicated, and it’s also of course expensive. Also, it ends up not saving nearly as much money as people expect or are told to expect. Don’t trust the advertising! In fair side-by-side reviews, these contractors are saying that in general, if you are moving from one system to another instead of new construction, it’s better to have a tank. However, if you need to replace your hot water heater soon and you’d like to save money, get a tank with the highest energy rating you can afford. Some of that is extra insulation, so the gas isn’t needed as often. Thus very little of the heat is lost. A system without a pilot light also saves money.

If you look at the chart below, the right hand column is price over 13 years. Even if the tankless heater saves you $120 a year over the cost for your regular gas heater, that is only $10 a month you save. That’s not all that impressive.

[doecats]

have had one for 5 yrs and it is really the best investment you can make. Your not heating 40 gallons of water (lotsa of energy wasted) and you get hot water in the same time as your old system. water is FRESHER HOT really a good choice

[condomom22]

A plumber who came to my house (via TECO) about a month ago told me that for two people, we would not get enough energy savings to warrant the high price of the tankless system. Also, the recirculation pump, which will get the hot water to the far reaches of the home much faster, costs $500 for a tank system and $1,000 for a tankless system.

[$EGeownz]

It used to be you had to flow a certain amount of water through the unit in order for it to turn on. So if you wanted to just run a slight stream for rinsing something ,you couldn't w/o going all out.Do the ones T.V. is installing require that and how do you reset the unit or error code? Where do they mount the control panel?

[Villages Kahuna]

I’ve had tankless water heaters in two houses up north and two here in The Villages over the last 20 years. The heaters today are far superior than those years ago. I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Things to know or consider:

— They are more expensive than tank heaters. But when you consider they last as much as twice as long, the cost evens out.

— Have the heater installed by an authorized plumber/dealer who also services the product. Down here I think I’d buy from Lowe’s or Home Depot for the confidence that they back up what they sell. Having said that. I did have one installed here in TV by Curry Plumbing. They also did the necessary “de-scaling” required about every five years. I never had any malfunction that required repairs or parts.

— Unless you can get a gas-powered tankless I’m not sure that the electric units heat the water quite as quickly (instantaneous with gas).

— You will have to have some plumbing and probably a new vent/chimney installed for the tankless.

— Make sure you size the tankless you buy thoughtfully. A “middle size” unit will permit you to take simultaneous showers and do the laundry at the same time.

— If your home has a water heater in the garage, a tankless doesn’t necessarily have to be there. Tankless heaters are quite small and can be hung on a wall inside the house.

— This thread mixes the issue of hot water distribution with the heating of water. If you have a delay in getting heated water at a faucet a long way from your water heater, it will be the same whether you have a tank or tankless water heater. The decision to purchase an additional device to assure immediate hot water at faucets a long way from the water heater is an altogether different purchase decision than buying the device which actually heats the water.

In summary, I would never buy a tank-style water heater again.

[OhioBuckeye]

Don’t live in the state of Florida but here a tankless water heater is about $300. cheaper but both have there advantage’s & disadvantage’s. I found out both takes the same amount of time to get hot water to our Master bathroom. Personally I don’t see an advantage in switching from one to the other because of the labor price involved.

[Astron]

We had Rinnai tankless unit installed yesterday by Allen Curry Plumbing. 48 month term 26.99 per month out of our gas bill or $1,295.00. We felt it was worth it - our unit was 14 years old and we had just put in a new Nova water filter and softener. This purchase was part of a Teco partner Gas advantage offer.
We took advantage of the same offer. We love the tankless system and it’s limitless hot water and lower gas use. We are not very happy with Allen Curry Plumbing as their installation failed building installation 3 times and I think could cause issues in the future as the power cord is hanging in midair across an inside wall corner.

[retiredguy123]

Don’t live in the state of Florida but here a tankless water heater is about $300. cheaper but both have there advantage’s & disadvantage’s. I found out both takes the same amount of time to get hot water to our Master bathroom. Personally I don’t see an advantage in switching from one to the other because of the labor price involved.
$300 would be a very low price for a tankless water heater in The Villages. The price is based on the flow rate capacity needed for the whole house. I would expect to pay at least twice that amount for just the cost of the water heater.

[Kenswing]

Tankless heaters are sensitive to minerals in water and tend to clog,
Faster than conventional types.
If you don’t have a water softener system. I suggest against one.
Just like any water heater, a tankless system needs periodic preventative maintenance. I descale ours annually. Very easy to do.

[retiredguy123]

Just like any water heater, a tankless system needs periodic preventative maintenance. I descale ours annually. Very easy to do.
I have had tank type water heaters, electric and gas, for more than 50 years, and I have never done any maintenance on them at all. In fact, most people I have asked, also perform zero maintenance on their water heater. A lot of people don't even know where their water heater is located.

[OhioBuckeye]

$300 would be a very low price for a tankless water heater in The Villages. The price is based on the flow rate capacity needed for the whole house. I would expect to pay at least twice that amount for just the cost of the water heater.

No, $300. cheaper than a tank water. Tankless Water Heaters run about $500. here! I understand what you mean though. The home we had in TV is the same size that we have now. Water Bill is about the same.

[meme5x]

We have one at home..said instant hot water.. didn’t happen and was expensive

[safield905]

Best thing I ever had installed.

[Hiltongrizz11]

Why would you want to heat water all day long in a 40 gallon tank?When you can just heat what you need.

Um, better read the previous posts...there are plenty of good reasons. Don't be so cocky.

[allsport]

I do not have one but my son just put one in his home in Seattle and cannot say enough good things about it. His problem was that his gas hot water heater went out and it was improperly installed so to bring it up to code was going to cost as much as the tankless. He did have to make sure that the outside connections were good enough to handle the system but it was an old house. I would do it in a minute if my heater went out.

[oemsp1]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks

PITA, takes forever to get hot!

[Joanne D]

This install included labor.


We had Rinnai tankless unit installed yesterday by Allen Curry Plumbing. 48 month term 26.99 per month out of our gas bill or $1,295.00. We felt it was worth it - our unit was 14 years old and we had just put in a new Nova water filter and softener. This purchase was part of a Teco partner Gas advantage offer.

[Larchap49]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks
I have had one for 20 years. At previous house and now here. I highly recommend them but the conversion is not inexpensive. Only get a gas heater the electric ones are not efficient among other things. Consider the cost versus how long you are going to be in your current home. Good luck.

[Mohawksin]

Does TECO's price include labor?

Did for us 2 years ago.

[ron32162]

not worth the price increase of a tankless.

[tallyhoer]

In Ohio I have a Renai tankless hot water system. I have had it for twelve years. I like it, but it takes quite a long time for the hot water to get heated and to the tap. I do like the fact that it is very easy to drain and shut down when it is time to come to the Villages. It makes sense to only heat the water you use as opposed to heating water all the time. Has to be an energy saver.

[retfc2@yahoo.com]

The only negative, it takes longer to get hot water when you first turn the HW faucet on.

[KRM0614]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks
I have a house and it takes a long time to get hot water on the kitchen sink and shower

Not worth the money

[KRM0614]

So you think it is worth the substantially higher price for the unit.
It’s not worth the extra money

[joelfmi]

JR licensed Master Plumber. Florida and hot southern states climate it is the best to use of these units . You save a lot of fuel costs. Their are a lot of them that Home depot sells which designed for occupancy in the home, amount of bathrooms, amount of hot water gallons per minute used, recovery see a plumbing master trade specialist in your location they are licensed plumbers that are project managers in almost every home depot store. Even though I work as one for them in North East, the store stands behind every unit they sell joelfmi@aol.com

[Ooper]

No. My house came with one installed. If I had a choice, I would have a conventional water heater. The big drawback to the tankless is they are installed on the outside wall and are ugly.

They don't have to be on the outside. Your's just happen to come that way from the previous owner.

[Ooper]

TECO has a great deal going this month to install a tankless and remove your existing h/w heater. You just pay for the tankless heater. Our installation took less than 3 hours. Works great and estimated savings with this deal will pay for itself in about a year compared to a standard h/w heater. It has unlimited hot water.

[ldj1938]

Going need a new gas hot water heater soon. Please give me your opinion on a tankless model if you have one.
Thanks
Spend a few bucks and recirculate your hot water. Nearly instant hot water at all your faucets for the price of a small electric pump at the tank and a cross over valve at your furthest sink. If I install "instant" hot water I still have to recirculate for a cost of $2K. Crazy.

[retiredguy123]

I'm confused by some of the comments about how long it takes to get hot water. If you install a tankless water heater in the same location as your tank type water heater, the water still has to travel the same distance to the shower or other fixture. The hot water delay time is caused by the water in the pipe being cold, not by the type of water heater. The way to reduce the time to get hot water is to install a recirculating system. A recirculating system can be installed with a tank or tankless type of heater.

[Debfrommaine]

Spoke with Mike Scott. The price is $875 for the recirculation system. If there is not an outlet within 6' of the tank, Mike Scott will arrange for the electrical to be done, then the total for both is $1050. The 2 minutes I now wait for hot water will be reduced to about 25 seconds. The system comes with a timer as well.

[TNLAKEPANDA]

No. My house came with one installed. If I had a choice, I would have a conventional water heater. The big drawback to the tankless is they are installed on the outside wall and are ugly.

They can be installed on the inside and vented to the outside!

[Mrprez]

They can be installed on the inside and vented to the outside!

Not in the TV! Unless you are doing a retrofit. They would have to be vented somehow or another if installed inside.

[hamsterfay]

We had Rinnai tankless unit installed yesterday by Allen Curry Plumbing. 48 month term 26.99 per month out of our gas bill or $1,295.00. We felt it was worth it - our unit was 14 years old and we had just put in a new Nova water filter and softener. This purchase was part of a Teco partner Gas advantage offer.

Me too, same program. Mine is getting installed next week. Can't wait! Our WH is 22 years old so great timing for this program.

[BostonRich]

We just recently had a tankless installed through the TECO program. It takes forever for the hot water to get to our master bathroom. Sink gets full of cold water while waiting for the hot water to get there. It is outside and therefore further away than our old inside tank. It wastes a lot of water.

Also our bill for the last month was the highest it's ever been so I can't tell there it is any savings. I understand that many peoples' gas bills were very high last month.

Would I do it again? Probably not.

[Freehiker]

Tankless hot water systems are great and I will never have another home without one. The real key to them is getting the recirculating system with it. If you have that installed then you have hot water instantly at every faucet, all the time.

Best purchase ever for those of us that love crazy long, steaming hot showers!

[RaunchyRich]

How long do you plan on living?
The offset in price to increase a gas line and the cost of the tankless unit may not be worth it in the long run! Go with a quality water heater and spend your money on yourself rather than a plumber

[amexsbow]

No. My house came with one installed. If I had a choice, I would have a conventional water heater. The big drawback to the tankless is they are installed on the outside wall and are ugly.

Just a note, I spoke to a friend in Texas, all outside tankless heaters which the owner did not drain were ruined when they froze. You must drain them when there is a really hard freeze. Frankly, I would not have one.
We lived in La. and for the hurricanes and electrical outages we went thru, the gas tank type hot water heater always provided hot water and a 50 gallon reserve of water in an emergency. Tankless hot water heaters need electricity to operate the igniter in order to work. No electricity, the tankless gas HWH does not work. Most tank type gas HWH do not need electricity to work.