water heater??

[Beacon]

I am fixing to replace my 13 year old water heater before it commits hari kari. I talked to one contractor who was well recommended but wants $975 for the total job, including taking away the old 40 gallon water heater and installing the new one. Is this a bad price? It seemed like a lot but I don't know the market that well.

 

[bebe]

It's hard to know how much is too much. Perhaps call around and get other quotes. But that said, I know it's a tough job.
Maybe call a plumbing company and ask. Be sure to tell them the if the w/h is in the attic or a tough location, stairs ???

 

[diamondringlover]

Not totally sure it is too unrealistic, my hubby replaced ours a couple of years ago and the heater itself was around $400 (if I remember correctly lol) but ours is a short 40 gallon tank as ours is in a small crawl space area and it took him some time to put it in, so depending on where you live and the type of water heater you get, it could run around $1000, but make sure you check around to make sure you get the best price.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

Have you thought of doing tankless or on demand hot water? http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/

Plus there's a tax credit available http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

 

[movie zombie]

price is about spot on. we paid a bit more as we live rather off the beaten path.

MoZo

 

[iLander]

How the HECK did you get 13 years out of it?

That's excellent, you should be happy, because we rarely get more than 7 years out of ours. And we don't have hard water! We called Lowes, and they had a guy call us, we talked it through, and got it done for $600.

I WISH I had spent more time going over the heater, though, instead of just price shopping! I would have gotten an energy star with "quick recovery" so the hot water comes back faster after someone uses it all. Also, I would have gotten a bigger one (mine is 40 gallon), so that I can take really hot baths, and I would have specified that the guy take the old one out of the attic. It's still up there, and I know it's silly, but it's a little creepy to me,a big hulking rusty thing.

I looked into the european type (the instant ones) and I really should have coughed up the bucks for that one. They would give me instant hot water, without limit, and I would have saved money on energy. Energy is NOT getting any cheaper, and never will.

My aunt had luck with the solar water heater in the '70's, maybe that's a thought? I've never had any luck with solar pool heaters, though.

So, do the research and get a decent one, I wish I had, mine's a dud.

 

[Steel]

That price sounds spot on.

 

[Beacon]

How the HECK did you get 13 years out of it?

Darned if I know!?! It just keeps going. I read the newer ones will die faster, so that is not great but I figure mine is living on borrowed time. I tried to find out if I could get a tax credit but the only ones that could get a tax credit seemed to be $2000 to start. Mine is powered by natural gas and it seems hard to find one that can be energy star that is natural gas.

The one I now have is made by Rheem and has never failed in 13 years and we have done nothing for it. If we were supposed to maintain it, we didn't

 

[PinkTower]

This is a program we have in my state for replacing gas with electric. Don't know if it is nationwide, but it would be worth checking into.

http://www.georgiapower.com/residential/waterheater_marathon.asp

 

[afreebird]

Have you thought of doing tankless or on demand hot water? http://www.tanklesswaterheaterguide.com/

Plus there's a tax credit available http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index

My husband replaced our dinosaur of a tank over a year ago with a Rheem tankless. It has rocked my world! I can now shave my legs without worrying about the hot water running out.

 

[fieryred33143]

Um...that sounds like a heck of a lot to me! We had a $400 replacement and paid an extra $80 to remove the old one and install the new (Lowes).

 

[m76steve]

tankless waterheaters in theory work ok-even the salesman explaned they have their limits-they dont like multiple users at the same time-dont shower-wash clothes-dishwasher at the same time-the system can only handle so much at once-instaltion is a little more costly because of larger exhaust piping involved-if u live in a single household or just 2 of u-might b ok-i went with a conventional waterheater-not a bottom quality unit but middle qual.-in my house/condo the heat is from the hot waterheater-so i have it set @ 120 degrees or 3/4 on the thermostat on the heater-my unit is 11 yrs old & still works-if u set the thermostat too high u will burn up ur unit ahead of its expected life-u have to let the heater cycle on & off or ull kill it-my 2cnts-steve...

 

[Beacon]

I heard the tankless has to have a lot of ventilation. My heater is actually outside - in a little closet next to my house - so I don't know how I could get a tankless in that space. It's not so much ventilation in that little closet, just perforations on the door.

 

[Beacon]

Um...that sounds like a heck of a lot to me! We had a $400 replacement and paid an extra $80 to remove the old one and install the new (Lowes).

Yeah, that is why I am curious about the prices. When we put it in (13 years ago), it was $400-500 total. So now they are saying double that price. Lot of inflation in the water heater biz (?) or paying too much.

It's still running - I just figure I should get ahead of the inevitable

 

[m76steve]

beacon-the ventilation u are talking about is the larger vents that the tankless unit requires-the vent from the top of the unit to the outside is a little different-larger-& designed differently than the usual vent on a gas water heater-it uses more gas but only runs when hot water is called for by the user. i believe the new units are pilotless-no flame until water flows-steve...