[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Brad-tv

There's a lot of good info on this thread about water heaters. One point I would like to mention is the expansion tanks most homes have them located on top of the hot water tanks. They are a small metal tank( looks similar to a propane tank) that regulates the water pressure in the home. The hot water heats up in the hot water tank and builds pressure from the heat. The expansion tank regulates the pressure from building up too high in all the pipes in the house. They should be checked annually to see if the pressure is close to the average water pressure coming into your home ( usually around 60-80 psi). There is a Schrader valve on top and you can use a tire gauge to check the pressure. Another quick way to see if it's blown is to simply tap on the tank and see if it's full of water. Start tapping on the bottom of the tank and it will sound like a thud and continue to tap all the way to the top to see if it sounds hollow on top. Normally the tank will be filled half way with water on the bottom and empty on top. If it sounds like a thud all the way through it should be replaced ASAP. Since the average pressure in the villages has recently increased we have found a large majority of these tanks blown. This also can do damage your hot water tanks and cause leaks in fittings and hoses throughout the home if is not working properly. Tankless water heaters do not have these. And many older homes do not either. It is recommended in the industry to have one installed ( excluding tankless) if your hot water tank does not have one. Also if you check the pressure on the tank and water comes out of the valve it's blown and should be replaced ASAP. I believe part of the problem stems from the tank not being pressurized properly when installed. Most tanks seem to last a average of 3-5 years if not properly installed. Definitely worth checking to see if your tank is working properly. There's a ton of info online to explain how these work if you want to research.

I agree. I have also found that some people will replace their water heater in an older house that does not have an expansion tank, because they were not required by code when the house was built. The plumber who installs the new water heater doesn't want to go to the trouble to rearrange the water pipes, so he doesn't install an expansion tank and doesn't inform the homeowner that it is a necessary safety feature. So, if you don't have an expansion tank, make sure you get one installed when you replace the water heater.

[davephan]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I have about 1100 SF and the thermostat is set at 77 degrees 24/7. My house is all electric, no gas. My current electric bill for the month was $79.34 for 585 kwh of usage.

Thanks for your response. You simply use a lot less electricity than we use. Our house is almost three times the size as your house, and we simply use more electricity. I checked a recent statement, and we consumed 1,345 KWH, and they charge 8.8 cents per KWH. The total monthly bill for electricity was $192.62, which also includes the 'junk' fees. Besides that it was $70.88 for 126 therms of natural gas. In the deep winter, just the natural gas alone can get close to $300 in a very cold month. We have the temperature set at about 74 degrees all year, either heat or AC.