Hot water

[bobemm]

• I ran into a2andy in the hall yesterday and he said "You look perky...no, you look like you're going to kill somebody." I've been told that my moods are largely indistinguishable, but I think he was kidding. (It was the latter.)
• My water heater has forgotten how to stop heating my water. It's nearly 25 years old, so I suppose it's probably getting senile. My first instinct is to try to fix it, but really, I'm not even going to bother looking for a suitable control module. Unless - have they stayed the same for the past 25 years? Anyway, this is all very horrifying, because the basement is turning into an appliance graveyard. In fact, the old water heater that was replaced 25 years ago is still down there. You'd understand if you saw the "stairs".

  So I guess I need to figure out what kind to buy. I'm sort of wary of the tankless ones because I don't know if they last as long, and they cost more than twice as much, but they're 95% efficient as opposed to 92%. The difference seems small, but I'm sure it pleases mother nature nonetheless.

[Poll #933796]

Comments

[peccavo.livejournal.com]

I'm think the difference in efficiency is much bigger than 3%. All reports I've read make it seem like the US is completely backwards to use tank heaters.
But because I'm in the US, I can't get a consistent story on tankless hot water heaters... or a very good variety of them. I think I've seen one or two models- and I don't know how they compare to the ones in Europe.

I say, if something must be done immediately, go for the tank heater. However, if you have a week to research it, find the best version- and maybe find someone (a handy european?) who knows a thing or two about tankless heaters, then go that route. Everything I've read about tankless heaters says their energy efficiency comes from being "on demand" because they're not keeping water hot all day long waiting for you. But the down side of this is no long hot showers.

Don't get yourself into something you don't totally feel comfortable with. Especially if there's a high probability of messing up, and resale value is an issue.

[chucknoblet.livejournal.com]

I guess the % efficiency thing may not be the best # to look at, cuz...percent of what??? I'm sure there's a standard, but I don't know it, and I don't know if it assumes a tank or what.

Anyway, I got a $13 replacement thermostat on the way home from work, so I have plenty of time to research and decide.

[peccavo.livejournal.com]

I'll be interested to see what you decide on. My current hot water heaters are junk, and I've been looking into tankless for some time.