Tankless Water Heater

[matador1]

Guys, this new (old) house i bought is all electric and I hate it. The stove is hard to learn to cook on. But the biggest thing is the hot water heater, it won't heat back up quick enough. If one of the kids takes a shower and I take one right after I run out of hot water. I think it is a 50 gallon which I thought was plenty. Somebody told me it was because an electric doesn't heat back up as quick. True or not, I don't know.
I am not sure I can get a new gas one in the attic, looks like they put this one in and then sheetrocked under it. I thought about a tanless one mounted outside, should help on the price of "plumbing" in the gas also. Anybody got one?
Or any other ideas?

[H20fowlkiller]

I used to install them (only touched the gas side of it since insurance wouldnt cover water plumbing) they can be a bit pricey but if you have kids esp. girls that will use alot of water there worth it. We were invitted to check watch a test done on a house with one installed and basically they had the washing machine, dishwasher and 2 showers going ran all for 30 min and never ran out of hot water. IMHO gas is the way to go esp. when it comes to power outages whether they be from hurricanes or just bad weather gas is usually never looses service unless the city cuts it off due to leaks (which is why i would go with propane).

[duckhunterdoc]

my son just put one in his new house (tankless) think it cost a little more (like 1200 instead of 800)(recover the extra cost in a year) he likes it----down side is once you turn the hot water on, it takes a minute to heat up(and this depends on the distance from the unit to the outlet) but once it's flowing, "game on" hot water for days,,,also we looked into it for our house and depending on water source and bathroom,kitchen,etc. location,will depend on putting the unit inside or outside and there are variables with this....due to how they would have to run the pipes, we went back to the old 50 gal gas WH-hope that helps-- and what H2o said

[jchismpe]

Check to see if both of your elements are good, 50 gallons should be more than enough for two showers. You may also try turning up the thermostats a little hotter, but go too hot if you have small children or elderly there. I have a 40 gallon elec and after 3 showers we still have hot water, never has been a problem.

[matador1]

Check to see if both of your elements are good, 50 gallons should be more than enough for two showers. You may also try turning up the thermostats a little hotter, but go too hot if you have small children or elderly there. I have a 40 gallon elec and after 3 showers we still have hot water, never has been a problem.

Haven't thought about that, thanks. It is brand new but it sit in this house for 2 years before it was ever used. Will check into that.

[jchismpe]

Even though it is new the elements could still be bad, if the power was turned on before water was covering the elements the element is more than likely bad. They will burn out in no time if heated while dry.

[Blackduck]

I've got one and here is how it goes

1)Mounted on the outside of the house and it is tiny. CPU size
2)The standard kit has and ELECTRIC ignition switch. No power = no hot water. There might be some type of conversion or battery type deal but I dont know.
3)Getting hot water to wash my face takes a minute or two. Mild irratant. For the tub and kitchen sink it is a bit faster (flow volume probably) and not really noticable.
4)TEMP FLUX. This is my biggest gripe. We have the thermostat set at 120 deg. While showering I'd say the water may change 3-5 degrees in either direction. Not a big deal in the summer when you are already probably hot but in the winter I have to adjust the temp in the shower every 90-120 seconds. Not much mind you. A tiny bump of the handle and I'm set.
5)I have never run out of water. Ever. Kids bathe, wife takes mega baths, dishwasher, washing machine all running gapped wide open and there is still water for daddy at the end of it all.

All in all I'd get one again but it isn't nirvana like I thought it was going to be. I like it a hell of a lot more than luke warm showers.

[teul2]

Check to see if both of your elements are good, 50 gallons should be more than enough for two showers.

+1
Plumber's son here (which basically equals summer and after school slave labor).
I've seen that alot. It sounds like the bottom element is out. Which is not that uncommon.

[GulfCoast]

I have a gas unit installed outside on the wall. Takes a min or so to get hot water to the back of the house. IT WILL RESET the temp to the default temp (110 deg, I think) if the power goes off. It still works, but you have to go manually adjust the temp back up after a power outage. That is my only complaint with tankless so far.

[BAY KINGFISHER]

Blackduck, what kind do you have, I have never seen a temp. change with my Rinnai. and it is great because it never runs out of hot water. I know upstairs takes a little while to get hot but other than that I love the tankless.

[madisonbulldog]

There is an on-demand model that installs in the attic for retrofit/remodel applications. I have only seen the gas version, but the electric may be available. Gas will have to be run to the unit and a vent installed thru the roof. Ferguson Plumbing in Jackson should have them.

[duramax]

You can also use a tankless as a tax deduction too in most places. Not sure about MS.

[Wingman]

Are we all so blind that we can't see the real problem here?

Women.

We ran out of gas week before last and I told them just wait until Monday to bring it b/c it was like 72 all weekend. (I forgot about the hot water heater being on gas). I took cold showers for 3 days. My wife jumped in the shower the morning they brought the gas (she thought it would be instantaneous hot water as soon as the hot water pilot was lit ) and was in and out of that shower in like 2 minutes, as opposed to her normal 25 minute shower experience.

I say turn the temp down on that water heater and save money all around....less heating costs and less water used due to decreased woman-shower time.

[Blackduck]

Rinnai as well. I might call and see if we have a problem but I've heard this before.

[Denduke]

Sideline on women, Wingman.

There was a dude lying on the beach in California praying when God said he would grant him a wish. The dude thought and said, "Lord make a bridge from Ca. to Hawaii so everyone can go there without flying/exspense, so on."
God said, That's not practical my son. You need to make another wish."
"Well," the dude thought. "Please explain the female psyche once and for all, Lord"
The Lord replied, "Would you like that as a 2 lane bridge or 4 lane one, son...."

Choked down shower heads are another way of preventing wasting hot water; either way you go with heaters...$.02