Water Heater Question

[<pbagrat]

Anyone have any experience with AO Smith, G.E., or Whirlpool natural gas water heaters? I have a 14 year-old AO Smith 40 Gal looking to replace before it dies. Thanks!

[Roger Shoaf]

Read this site before you pitch your water heaters.

[Phisherman]

These are standard brands. I've found out that heaters made today do not last like they did 30 years ago (like most products, I see cheaper, thinner materials). I guess the most to expect is 15 years, even with the recommended regular flushings.

[Duane Bozarth]

Phisherman wrote: ...

Depends on what you buy...cheaper stuff at Lowes, HD, etc., may well be so as they tend to target the price-conscious purchaser.

You can now get tanks w/ plastic-liners or solid that have lifetime tank warranties. W/ proper sedimentation control they'll last a long time...

[TURTLE]

This is Turtle.

The 14 year old A.O. Smith hot water tank you have now is one of the older good ones and if you buy a new one your going to the new cheaply made stuff. I would not say go to the cheapest stuff made unless you had to , by failure.

Now I'm not a expert at hot water tanks but if I was going to replace my hot water tank I would go with a Ruud - Ruudglas EnergyMiser Gas hot water tank. 6 years warranty on all parts. The second choice would be the A.O. Smith but it is a cheap one like the rest of then of G/E , Whirlpool , and Frigidaire. Thes 4 seem to come out of the same factory for they are iditically made.

TURTLE

[Erma1ina]

The local pros go with A.O.Smith or Bradford-White (sometimes State). They avoid heavily marketed brands like Rheem and Ruud.

I replaced my old A.O.Smith about 4 years ago with another A.O.Smith ProMax, made in South Carolina. So far so good. ;-)

[plumbplumbplumb]

natural gas water heaters?

Speaking of Bradford-White, here is a link to some of their tankless, and some of their competitors. Anyone have a brand preference and a reason for tankless water heaters?

Thanks in advance!

[Stormin Mormon]

I installed an AO Smith a couple years ago. So, yes, I do have experience. Replaced a dip tube in another one, and can't think of the other time I had experience with one.

[Mike]

I have a 26 year old AO Smith (40 gal electric) that is going strong. I have virtually no sediment control other than a 26 year old Culligan softner. I think these are the third set of elements on them. I worry about the energy efficiency of the unit as 26 years ago they were not so great. It looks quite ancient and the home inspector couldn't believe it still ran at all. I will just keep replacing elements on it until it quits.

If it should ever quit, I do hear good things about the tankless units so I may give that a try.

Storm> I installed an AO Smith a couple years ago. So, yes, I do have

experience.

[Peter Bagrationoff]

[Roger Shoaf]

I have an AquaStar and while the great part is when you are in the shower you never run out of hot water. The down side is if the Mrs. decides to use hot water in the kitchen while you are in the shower then you get iced.

Tankless water heaters also need a bigger gas line and a bigger vent than a tank. You also have more maintenance on a tankless and the parts are stinking expensive. Some of the real high end units can maintain a constant outflow temp but when you price them you would have to save an awful lot of gas to make your payoff.

[News]

I looked at the Aquastar 125 and 240 a few years ago, but the flow rate was too low for my house. If you are considering a tankless for a whole house, look at the gas requirements, flow rate and how it regulates temperature. Also, they work much better if you have a recirculation pump.

I have been using a Takagi tankless for a couple of years and it has been terrific. My inlet water temperature in a cold winter is about

49F and it raises it to 117F with about a 4.2g flow rate. In the summer I get about 6g flow rate.

My rationale for the heater was endless hot water and efficiency (85%). A high efficient traditional water heater will give you equal savings without the endless water.

Regards, John