How much should replacing a gas water heater cost with a heat pump-based one?

[Deguza]

I am planning to get quotes from contractors who do this type of work. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the cost of living is high, and contractors usually have to charge more.

From what I understand the work involves:

- Hooking up a new 50 gallon Rheem heat pump water heater to the existing lines.

- Getting a 30 amp 240v line to the point of use from the electrical panel. The panel is on the opposing side of the house, so it may involve getting into the crawl space under the house and making a hole through the wall to the point of use.

- Getting permits from the city.

I am estimating at the most 20 hours of labor.

How much should this cost?

Thanks,

Deguza

[trader_4]

Probably 4X the cost of a nat gas water heater, if that's what's there now.

20 hours of labor? That's $2K right there. What is there now?

[Deguza]

Thanks for your response trader_4

Rheem costs $1300. Permits around $300, material for the 30 amp line probably around $150 at the most. All of these add up to $1750.

Going with your $2000 for your labor, the total cost would be $3750. One contractor told me over the phone $6250!

Deguza

[trader_4]

My $2K was based on your estimate of no more than 20 hours of labor. No way of knowing if that is right or not, since I can't see it. But it is a lot of labor. You didn't answer the question. What's there now? No nat gas? Since you have to run electric, it suggests nat gas may be there now. If so, why switch?

[Deguza]

Yes, I do have a gas heater. The reason I want to change the heater: My existing gas heater is 15 years old. Also, the city is giving a hefty rebate.

Also, I read that heat pump based electric heaters are very efficient, much cheaper to run than the gas ones.

Deguza

[Deguza]

I just talked to a contractor friend. He cannot do the job, but he says it should cost $3K to $4K. He says it should not take more than 8 hours to do.

Deguza

[trader_4]

I would thoroughly vet cost factor, before I went ahead. CA isn't known for low electric rates. Nat gas in most of the US is low in cost and will remain that way. If an nat gas heater fails at 10 years, it costs $500 for a new one, not $1300. In any place I know of in the US that has nat gas available it would be a losing economic case to switch from that to a heat pump. And what's the recovery time of that heat pump? I can take a couple showers, run the washer, not miss a beat because nat gas has a quick recovery. With a heat pump, I'd be hosed. The only reason I see for going from nat gas to a heat pump is if you're a crazy hippie.

[gfretwell]

Just as a stick in the dirt I just paid a contractor to renovate my FIL's bathroom. Demo, remove tub, replumb the drain, pour a new shower pan, drywall, raise toilet flange, tile all around (floor and walls) and install the new toilet and vanity. It took 6 days. One guy for 48 hours, the other guy around 20. I figure he computed at $100/man hr extended cost. I bought the materials and did the electric. Labor was $7k.

[Deguza]

Good points. Will look into them right away.

Thanks!

Deguza

[Deguza]

Ouch, that is expensive. My buddy does that type of work here in the Bay Area. He is an excellent professional with decades of experience in home building to fine furniture making. He charges only $35/hour.

Deguza

[Ralph Mowery]

Yea, by the time you figuer in the cost of the water heater instalation and it will need replacing about every 10 to 15 years you would have to save a lot of money.

The house I used to live in had a gas water heater and it recovered much faster than the electric one I have in this house.

One thing to factor in the cost is the company doing business and how they want to rip you off. I had my electric water heater replaced a few months ago. One company wanted $ 1800 to do it. Water heaters like the one I put in cost about $ 500 to $ 600. I just could not see $ 900 to $ 1000 labor . When I told them that , they told me they could do it for $ 1300 but the warrenty would only be for 3 years instead of 6.. Another company did the whole job for $ 950. The labor was only $ 200 for 2 men to come out and do the job. The other was for the heater and parts. They probably did mark those up some, but I thought it was reasonable.

Many things that are hyped up can really cost especially if reworking and not a new house. The instant heat water heaters are another if you have to do a rewire. One other thing is that if you are in a place where the power goes out, a 5 kw generator can be used to heat the water for a while and then you can get a hot shower. With gas you either do not need electricity or if you do, it is almost nothing and any generator will power it.

[Deguza]

I suppose I can use this to calculate the costs with local utility rates:

It would be interesting to see what I get.

Deguza

[gfretwell]

Not as much as they seem to want to swap a water heater and cap a gas pipe.

[Deguza]

You are right!

Deguza

[trader_4]

Do you have other gas usage, besides the WH? Even if you do, you should have a good idea of how much it's costing per month. In the summer months there won't be furnace usage, if you have one. Only WH, cooking, maybe a dryer. Here in the summer the gas bill for just the water heater is $20 or less. It would be a hell of a long payback to switch that out. And that's with just the old style WH with pilot. Newer ones that are more efficient are another choice. Maybe there is a rebate for those?

Beware the hucksters and hippies.

[trader_4]

Or run new gas piping and maybe that has to be larger piping all the way back to the meter to support the extra demand. Depends on what size pipes and how much extra capacity.

One other thing is that if you are in a place

+1

[Ralph Mowery]

If there is a furnace that is not used for many months, I bet the minimum connection fee (however it is called) would be more than what the gas water heater uses, or close to it every month. In that case you could almost say you are heating the water for free.

Even at the $ 20 per month you are looking at over 10 years for a payback. Then it is probably time to replace the water heater with another that is much more than a standard gas heater.

While many things like the heat pump water heater are nice, they are just not redy for 'prime time'. Just like the electric cars for many areas.