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Water Heater Help
hyiu:
I'm in a similar situation...
my water tank is about 10 yrs old... still running and no leaking, but starting to look for a replacement but problem starts.
thinking about doing a tankless:
a few questions...
- cost-wise - I would assume... if we span the cost over the life of the tank, it would at least be more or less the same, right ??
(for now, I don't have kids at home... so I don't need to turn on water too often, which is a plus for tankless... I read that if you have kids, and will keep running hot water thru-out the day, a tank one might be better...)
- I have read some google results... and they say the tankless has a rating...
more like how many deg it raise per gallon per min... (or something like that...)
I want to know... if I want a tankless to support like 2 people shower at the same time...
Does anyone know how much "power" is needed ? or what's the minimum rating it needs ??
- also, anyone here is using it ? or have friends who is using it?
any comments ? what to look out for ? are they happy with it ?
anyone has a specific model number for me to check on ??
(I'm located in NY, US... shipping it from overseas just doesn't make sense to me...)
any additional info is appreciated...
I'm also asking around with my friends...
if I find something, will post here to share...
thanks...
SavannahLion:
--- Quote from: Howard_Casto on December 28, 2011, 06:17:49 pm ---Heh.. yeah, I hate plumbing with a passion, mainly because I get roped into doing it so much. The way we were raised is that you do everything you possibly can yourself and to call a plumber or handyman is a "waste of money" unless it is absolutely necessary. I've ended up doing about everything at one point or another.
--- End quote ---
I used to have that kind of mentality until I opted to replace/repair a section of wall due to termite damage. What should have been a 2-6 hour repair ballooned out into a three (or was it four) day job (and I still have to replace the metal trim) that resulted in a busted toilet, a shattered candle holder, a pierced water pipe with a small investment in a handful of concrete chisels, copper preservative, a call to an old school plumber (because the new school plumbers refuse to use a blow torch to repair plumbing ???) and about oh IIRC.... $800 less in my bank account? Over $1000 if I count the money for the bug guy that started this whole thing. I felt like I was right in the middle of a bad episode of Home Improvement.
And yes, I do have my own blow torch and related tools for plumbing work but at the point I pierced a supply line I decided to do something my dad taught me. If you have a severe string of bad luck, quit for the day and start fresh the next. I opted to quit before I broke out the fire.
Now I do a cost/benefit analyses to decide if the amount of work, time and money I would invest in a DIY job outweighs what it would cost to call in the handyman or whatever. Even if I have the tools and know how, sometimes the "technician" has access to the parts at a much cheaper price than what I could pay for and paying the person + cost of parts is still cheaper than if I tried to buy the parts myself. Case in point, I had a fan fail in my Toyota and Toyota wanted over $150 (MSRP) for the part (at the time no one else carried the part :( ). I talked to a mechanic and for a six pack of beer, $80 (with his business license) for the Toyota replacement, and a hour or two of work, I got a free lesson and my truck repaired. If I did the repair myself, it would have taken at least several hours of research just to figure out the fan was the problem plus however much time to find out where the damn fan was located plus the time it would have taken to remove and install the part and I would be out $150 bucks.
DIY is no problem, but I'll happily pay for the lesson if it's cheaper.
On a side note: I'll have to double check but I've been told there's something on the books about working on anything connected to the gas lines in California. At least that is what was claimed about why it was a PITA to buy a new electric igniter for my gas furnace. No one would sell one to me without a business license. :badmood: That was one DIY I could have easily done if I had the parts. :-\
MonMotha:
I tend to refer plumbing repairs to actual plumbers. It's not that I can't do it; it's that it's a pain in the butt for someone not experienced. Initial rough-in is a bit easier, especially if you've got a known good design, and I'd probably be willing to do that myself (though I'd probably still buy a local plumber friend some drinks of choice in exchange for some help and looking over everything for me).
Also, often the reason that people won't sell parts like that to someone without a business license in the US is that they don't want to deal with having to collect sales tax. At least in Indiana, you only have to file your sales tax statements yearly if you collect on average less than $10/mo, but you have to file monthly if your collections are higher. Therefore, there are lots of wholesalers who just refuse to sell to someone who can't buy it tax exempt since they don't want to have to mess with monthly filing. If you're friends with local registered retailer (usually doesn't really matter what they do, though YMMV depending on state laws), they may be willing to buy it for you and immediately resell it at cost + collect sales tax, since they're collecting taxes anyway.
Also, termite damage sucks. I helped a friend replace a wall (yes, replace, not repair - it was that bad) due to termite damage. Might as well have been thermite damage... Keep a watch out for those buggers and get the bait stations installed if you have them. Also, damn the regs and use pressure treated sillplates. No termites then :
You should always obey all local building codes. I'm not a licensed contractor in your jurisdiction (or anywhere that hands out such licenses). Yada yada.
SavannahLion:
--- Quote from: MonMotha on December 29, 2011, 02:02:32 am ---Also, termite damage sucks. I helped a friend replace a wall (yes, replace, not repair - it was that bad) due to termite damage. Might as well have been thermite damage... Keep a watch out for those buggers and get the bait stations installed if you have them. Also, damn the regs and use pressure treated sillplates. No termites then :
--- End quote ---
Don't remind me. I think thermite might have been easier, once it runs out, you don't have to worry about the thermite breeding. I'm constantly inspecting the walls for fresh damage. Termites, sugar ants*, carpenter ants and closet moths are at the top of my ---steaming pile of meadow muffin--- list.
*Every spring/summer I have sugar ants that belong to the Devil himself. Absolutely nothing I throw at those ---smurfs--- short of a incendiary device will kill them. Every single poison I purchase and put out, they eat the entire contents then carry off the container.
Howard_Casto:
--- Quote from: SavannahLion on December 29, 2011, 12:26:56 am ---
On a side note: I'll have to double check but I've been told there's something on the books about working on anything connected to the gas lines in California. At least that is what was claimed about why it was a PITA to buy a new electric igniter for my gas furnace. No one would sell one to me without a business license. :badmood: That was one DIY I could have easily done if I had the parts. :-\
--- End quote ---
Well to be fair the regulations in CA are insaine. Somebody really needs to dial back the "safety police" in that state.
This is where your networking skills come in handy. The first thing you always try is when they ask "are you liscensed" you say "sure" and when they ask for your liscense you promptly fiddle with your wallet in frustration and explain that you've left it at home. They will usually sell it to you. ;) I'm not big on telling lies, I try to avoid it, but sometimes it can be necessary.
If that doesn't work you simply find somebody that does have a liscense and pay them 20 bucks or so to go buy it for you.
Lastly... there's always online. Turn off the heater, buy the part online with overnight shipping and you are good to go.
In most states there is some kind of a law about having an inspection after installing a new gas applicance BUT there is no real way to enforce such a law unless you hire somebody to install it for you and they report it. I've installed several water heaters over the years and never had the lines inspected afterwards. That being said I know what I'm doing at this point. If you don't then you should absolutely get them inspected. There isn't much to it though... just check your pipes for rust or damage and put some soapy water over any fittings you had to remove and make sure you don't see bubbles. A gas detector doesn't hurt either.
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