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Natural Gas Pressure

I posted a few days ago about my high gas bills and I still haven't had any luck tracking the cause. Since my main suspect is the water heater I contacted AO Smith and asked them how old the water heater was. They said it was made in 1973 so it's the original one installed in my house. I also sent them some pics of the water heater and the flame and they said that the flame looks too big and colorful. They suspect the gas pressure to be too high and that I should have the gas company come check it.

It will like pulling teeth to get them to come out so I'd like an opinion from the knowledgeable people here. Should I just replace the

30 year old water heater or pursue the pressure? It's got a glass tank so it will probably live for quite a while yet and if it is the pressure the new water heater will have the same problem. That is unless they're putting regulators in them now.
Reply to
Yargnits
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I posted a few days ago about my high gas bills and I still haven't had any luck tracking the cause. Since my main suspect is the water heater I contacted AO Smith and asked them how old the water heater was. They said it was made in 1973 so it's the original one installed in my house. I also sent them some pics of the water heater and the flame and they said that the flame looks too big and colorful. They suspect the gas pressure to be too high and that I should have the gas company come check it.

It will like pulling teeth to get them to come out so I'd like an opinion from the knowledgeable people here. Should I just replace the

30 year old water heater or pursue the pressure? It's got a glass tank so it will probably live for quite a while yet and if it is the pressure the new water heater will have the same problem. That is unless they're putting regulators in them now.
Reply to
Yargnits

Pressure in residences where I live is about 11 ounces. Less than a pound of pressure. High pressure, I would go "all in" against that. Utilities are controlled by the state and they would have no reason to provide you more than the equipment is designed to handle. You mentioned before that the previous owner had the meter replaced? Not likely that the utility installed another one that is mis-calibrated.

1973 water heater, just replace it.
Reply to
SQLit

I had the meter replaced as well however the regulator is separate and is much older. Would there be any reason to believe that it went bad?

I'm tending to agree that I should just replace the water heater and see what happens.

Reply to
Yargnits

This is Turtle.

After 30 years of service i would replace it and not play the hunting trip pressure game . There is a cotton mesh filter in most of these old gas hot water tank gas valves and when through the years sulpher builds up in it and the flame may become flawed and you would think there is a pressure problem.

TURTLE

Reply to
TURTLE

If your water heater is that old, it's about time it's buried.

IMO, I'd call a plumber or HVAC guy to check the pressure.

Reply to
HeatMan

....11 ounces is a pressure? :-)

Nick

Reply to
nicksanspam

You could call a plumber, but how much would that cost? and what could he tell you, pressure is low, pressure is right, pressure is too high? Anyone with the ability to connect two pipes together could go to a store and buy a gage plus necessary stuff to hook it up, go home, turn off the gas to the water heater, disconnect the water heater, connect the gage, turn the valve on, read the pressure. A lot cheaper and a lot faster than calling a plumber. This isn't high tech, it is barely one step above checking the pressure of your tires.

Heck, a little read> If your water heater is that old, it's about time it's buried. >

Reply to
George E. Cawthon

Yes Nick.

Normal burner pressure is 3.5 Inches Water Colunm or IWC (also called Inches Water Gauge or IWG). That is about 2 ounces per square inch. Th check the proper firing of the water heater, you want to measure the burner pressure, also called manifold pressure. There is a pressure regulator built into the water heater thermostat assembly. Your incoming pressure should be less than 1/2 PSI which is 14 Inches Water Column. Normally the incomming pressure should be between 7 and 14 Inches Water Column, but check the label on the water heater.

SQLit, 11 ounces sounds like too high incoming pressure. 11 Inches would be more correct.

Stretch

Reply to
Stretch

I would keep that old water heater it's working right? You no if you change it, it will just lead to another problem. Besides what the big deal about a couple extra bucks month, there is nothing like the charm of an antique in the home

Reply to
Sacramento Dave

If its possible, depending on your wiring, I'd consider an electric water heater. The cost of gas has risen past the point where it used to be cheaper than electric. Contact your electric utility and see what they have for energy usage comparisons for your area. Many have incentives for "going electric" "NG" is predicted to go up another 10-15% again this Winter.

R
Reply to
Rudy
  1. Rudy Sep 9, 1:36 am show options

If its possible, depending on your wiring, I'd consider an electric water heater. The cost of gas has risen past the point where it used to be cheaper than electric. Contact your electric utility and see what they have for energy usage comparisons for your area. Many have incentives for "going electric" "NG" is predicted to go up another 10-15% again this Winter.

Rudy, even with price increases, natural gas is still cheaper than electric for heating water in every area that I have heard of, if it is available. Faster too. Getting someone competent to check the water heater would be a good idea. BTW, not every contractor is competent.

Stretch

Reply to
Stretch

Reply to
Unrevealed Source

About gas vs electric: Much boiler-fuel is NG. Do you think that'll affect electric rates?

Anyhow, for various simple physical reasons, in most areas, a BTU delivered via NG costs about 1/4 that delivered electrically.

Let's see what Katrina brings. Where'd you hear 15%? Think 70+, depending.

HTH, J

Reply to
barry

No the regulators are pretty simple products.

Reply to
SQLit

Well, with all the great stuff posted here I'm going to price a new water heater today. One thing I didn't know was that a water heater has a regulator built into it. Who's to say that's not what's bad.

As for checking pressure myself, I think an easier way would be to buy a fitting to attach to my dryer hose and checking the pressure there (no soldering).

Once I have the new WH installed, I'll watch the meter and see how fast it spins. I actually recorded the meter when the current WH was in a heat cycle so I have something to compare to.

Reply to
Yargnits

Natural gas is mentioned in "inches of water column". Or, the pressure required to lift water. The actuall PSIG is rather low.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

in ky our nat gas pressure is 30 on inlet and 4 pounds on the outlet. you could put a good guage on it to check it. but most of the burner/pilot problems like yours that i have had were fixed by taking the burner assembly out and blowing it out with compressed air. lucas

Reply to
ds549

"o it will probably live for quite a while yet"

not necessarily, it depends on your water, hard, soft ect

33 yrs on a gas heater is enough....i have seen heaters, that old, have a problem in regards to the gas valve not shutting down the pilot if the pilot flame goes out. when it leaks, it might not drip, ive seen the glass liner go and wham, mess time.

the new heaters are more efficient

Reply to
whodat

What you really should see is not a difference in consumption while it burns, but how short a period a new one takes before the water is hot.

AMUN

Reply to
Amun

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