View Full Version : New gas hot water heater
Bay Kid
09-11-2025, 06:11 AM
This is the year to replace my 2004 gas hot water heater. Looking for recommendations.
RICH1
09-11-2025, 06:24 AM
Prices vary, 12-15 year heater recommended. compare apples to apples. This is one of the biggest rip offs of Villagers over paying..Remember highest price, doesn't mean the best heater.
jrref
09-11-2025, 07:11 AM
With gas I wouldn't fool around with any DIYer work or spend a lot of time trying to find the "best" and cheapest installer. Just call Mike Scott or Dove Plumbing. They both do a good job at the right price.
FastAndCurious
09-11-2025, 07:14 AM
Contact your gas supplier. If it is TECO, they have a program that will get your heater replaced quickly and you can pay over time. We did that and found the price and terms very reasonable.
jrref
09-11-2025, 07:23 AM
Contact your gas supplier. If it is TECO, they have a program that will get your heater replaced quickly and you can pay over time. We did that and found the price and terms very reasonable.
Just be careful because the "deal" from TECO is good if you can't afford a new heater and need one right away but other than that, you should call Mike Scott or Dove and they will know and be able to help you apply for any TECO credits. Also ask them if you have any choices for the replacement unit. Sometimes an upgraded tank may apply for a TECO credit and cost you less vs a very basic, low end unit that does not.
Toymeister
09-11-2025, 07:35 AM
This sounds like a tank water heater. There are two distinct quality levels.
The plumbing supply house style use brass drain valves and magnesium anodes. Translation fewer problems in the future.
Whereas big box store heaters use aluminium anodes and plastic drain valves.
Name brand manufacturers make both styles
The take away: be sure that your installer uses a plumbing supply sourced heater.
CoachKandSportsguy
09-11-2025, 08:59 AM
This sounds like a tank water heater. There are two distinct quality levels.
The plumbing supply house style use brass drain valves and magnesium anodes. Translation fewer problems in the future.
Whereas big box store heaters use aluminium anodes and plastic drain valves.
Name brand manufacturers make both styles
The take away: be sure that your installer uses a plumbing supply sourced heater.
Excellent advice: Very well typed and very good points.
Big box stores primarily sells low cost consumer items, the lifestyle and retirement strategy of most Americans. I had to replace a 20 year old electric hot water heater, and supply house sourced showed no issues in 20 years of age. . . . replaced with another supply house water heater as well. .
Gas On demand is good, but wastes water without a hot recirculation loop. . and water will be getting critical in the future with the continued building and currently hotter temps. . and no more hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. .
good luck to us. .
jrref
09-11-2025, 09:30 AM
Gas On demand is good, but wastes water without a hot recirculation loop. . and water will be getting critical in the future with the continued building and currently hotter temps. . and no more hurricanes in the Atlantic basin. .
good luck to us. .
You also have to remember the mandatory yearly maintenance needed on an On Demand gas hot water system. Many cannot do it themselves so its about hundred per year to get it done.
metoo21
09-11-2025, 11:00 AM
You also have to remember the mandatory yearly maintenance needed on an On Demand gas hot water system. Many cannot do it themselves so its about hundred per year to get it done.
If you have a whole house filter and softener you don't need maintenance. The filter will remove sediment before it ever gets to the heater and the softener will prevent scale buildup.
Hape2Bhr
09-11-2025, 11:26 AM
Just be careful because the "deal" from TECO is good if you can't afford a new heater and need one right away but other than that, you should call Mike Scott or Dove and they will know and be able to help you apply for any TECO credits. Also ask them if you have any choices for the replacement unit. Sometimes an upgraded tank may apply for a TECO credit and cost you less vs a very basic, low end unit that does not.
Are you indicating TECO installs used water heaters, and not new ones!
jrref
09-11-2025, 11:37 AM
If you have a whole house filter and softener you don't need maintenance. The filter will remove sediment before it ever gets to the heater and the softener will prevent scale buildup.
I meant yearly flushing is needed on On-Demand systems.
jrref
09-11-2025, 11:39 AM
Are you indicating TECO installs used water heaters, and not new ones!
No, I knew someone who went through TECO, recieved financing and got a very low quality/rated unit. It worked but for the money they would have been better off going with a better rated unit.
metoo21
09-11-2025, 01:30 PM
I meant yearly flushing is needed on On-Demand systems.
It isn't needed if you have a whole house filter and softener.
jrref
09-11-2025, 05:09 PM
It isn't needed if you have a whole house filter and softener.
Sorry, to clarify, with a gas On-demand water heater you need to flush and de-scale it once a year or it will eventually stop working. It's about $100 ish to get this done if you don't DIY.
With an electric tank water heater you are right, No need to flush it especially if you have a whole house water filter. With gas tank, I would flush it once a year anyway just to make sure there is no sediment on the bottom pan making it less efficient over time. But in reality, very few do this maintenance.
metoo21
09-11-2025, 06:45 PM
We will just have to agree to disagree. If you filter out any sediment prior to tank or tankless water heater there won’t be sediment in either. And if you soften the water there won’t be any calcium or magnesium to cause scale in either heater.
jimmy o
09-12-2025, 07:02 AM
We will just have to agree to disagree. If you filter out any sediment prior to tank or tankless water heater there won’t be sediment in either. And if you soften the water there won’t be any calcium or magnesium to cause scale in either heater.
Sorry but filters only remove most of the sediment and softeners replace most of the calcium and magnesium with salt. Any water heater tankless or on demand, gas or electric should be flushed periodically if you want it to last longer. Prove it to yourself: get a pot of water from your tap, now boil it for a while, 1/2 hour maybe. Empty pot, do you see that white residue? That’s a hint as to what’s going on inside your water heating unit. You can further test by not cleaning pot and boiling more water and watch the residue build.
Priebehouse
09-12-2025, 07:02 AM
Contact your gas supplier. If it is TECO, they have a program that will get your heater replaced quickly and you can pay over time. We did that and found the price and terms very reasonable.
We had TECO install an exterior mounted tankless unit 18 months ago and it works great! No more delays than the old one in getting hot water to the far side of the house. With frequent visitors (4), we never run out. Highly recommend,
Bay Kid
09-12-2025, 07:24 AM
Thank you for all the post.
Now who would you recommend to purchase a new gas hot water tank unit? Would like excellent quality.
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