The Home Improvement Thread. Successes and Failures

[aparch]

Just got back from making my bank account slightly lighter thanks to my goddammed hot water heater.

Thankfully, it was just a bad pressure relief valve (six years old), but the technician also found my expansion tank (three years old) to have premature failure and needed replacing as well.

This tech actually spent some time with me to explain why the tank could have failed, and a few other tips, to hopefully minimize their visits (which seem to only happen in the dead coldest days of January). Also beneficial was this technician was actually familiar with how our house hydro heat furnace works. Which is great because there are only three neighborhoods who have this system in all of Chicagoland, and replacing it with a gas forced air furnace is what all the companies are selling.

 

[dxmnkd316]

Did you look at any rebates from the feds?

 

[Kepler]

TIL you can buy an $8k mattress.

Not bed. Mattress.

We did not.

 

[burd]

TIL you can buy an $8k mattress.

Not bed. Mattress.

We did not.

At that price, I'd lose sleep over it.

 

[dxmnkd316]

We really like our dreamcloud. An excellent mattress for us as one sleeps hot and the other sleeps cold (until she gets too hot ... :-/). It's also supportive, yet comfortable.

it somehow finds the Goldilocks zone for every attribute except the fact that it's very thick and can't be flipped. The latter of which hasn't been a problem after four years. TBD over 15.

 

[busterman62]

Looking to have my water heater replaced soon. It's still working fine but is >20 y/o. Anybody (especially those in the Northern latitudes) with any experience with the tankless models? My go-to-fix-it guy says here have been a lot of problems with them in the North country but I can't find anything that confirms his opinion. The only person I know with one swears by it.

 

[dxmnkd316]

There's no reason to get a tankless. They have 20+ year paybacks. They break more often. Repairs are complex and parts can be backordered. They don't have instant on like tanks do (some have a recirc line but you still have to wait for it to come up to temp. They leak.

 

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I've had two tankless water heaters installed in previous houses. No issues. They're wonderful. They're super expensive. I'll be buying another when the current one dies as the boss is hooked on them. Me? Meh. If I lived alone I'd by another tank and call it a day as I don't think they're worth the extra cost (but as mentioned earlier, my opinion doesn't count).

 

[walrus]

Looking to have my water heater replaced soon. It's still working fine but is >20 y/o. Anybody (especially those in the Northern latitudes) with any experience with the tankless models? My go-to-fix-it guy says here have been a lot of problems with them in the North country but I can't find anything that confirms his opinion. The only person I know with one swears by it.

Got teenagers at home? If so don't get one, endless showers : ) . Rinnai would be the brand if you really want one. Too many moving parts, keep it simple IMHO. If electric I'd go with a heat pump water heater. If Natty gas I 'd get the best insulated tank I could find. My water can get heated 3 ways, Solar, electric resistance or Heat pump. Solar starting to work again now that sun angle is up but 3 snow storms this week will kill that.

 

[LynahFan]

We finally just got our tankless installed for the master bath - it literally just came on line a couple days ago and we haven't really used it yet. We switched from the tank only because the tank was taking up space in our master closet and we wanted to reclaim that during our renovation. The tankless is outside hanging on the wall, just minding its own business, so that's a plus if space is a consideration. Fingers crossed that it survives for a while in the Florida salt air....

 

[dxmnkd316]

Got teenagers at home? If so don't get one, endless showers : ) . Rinnai would be the brand if you really want one. Too many moving parts, keep it simple IMHO. If electric I'd go with a heat pump water heater. If Natty gas I 'd get the best insulated tank I could find. My water can get heated 3 ways, Solar, electric resistance or Heat pump. Solar starting to work again now that sun angle is up but 3 snow storms this week will kill that.

Just a reminder that heat pump water heaters have several potentially massive rebate offers available.

 

[SJHovey]

We went tankless 10+ years ago and I'd never go back. We've had no problems with ours here in Minnesota, although I followed the advice of a plumbing contractor friend of mine who told me not to try to find a bargain product. You get what you pay for with tankless, at least according to him.

I don't really care how long it might take to "pay back" the extra cost. I like not having the tank taking up a lot of space. Also, when the kids are home, with their significant others and families, it is very nice knowing the hot water is there.

 

[LynahFan]

Also, when the kids are home, with their significant others and families, it is very nice knowing the hot water is there.

Heh. Our house has 2 hot water heaters, and most houses that have that plumb them in parallel, so that they both feed all the hot water taps in the house. The original owners of our house had 5 kids (2 his, 3 hers), so they plumbed it with one hot water heater just feeding the master bathroom and one for the rest of the house. So now the master bathroom has its own unlimited hot water source and the other 4.5 baths, kitchen, and laundry share a tank - sucks to be them! Our kids are really going to be feeling it when they come back to visit with their families 25 years from now....

 

[SJHovey]

Heh. Our house has 2 hot water heaters, and most houses that have that plumb them in parallel, so that they both feed all the hot water taps in the house. The original owners of our house had 5 kids (2 his, 3 hers), so they plumbed it with one hot water heater just feeding the master bathroom and one for the rest of the house. So now the master bathroom has its own unlimited hot water source and the other 4.5 baths, kitchen, and laundry share a tank - sucks to be them! Our kids are really going to be feeling it when they come back to visit with their families 25 years from now....

Oh, I will tell you precisely how that is going to work. "Dad, hey I'm going to use the shower in your room, ok. Thanks."

 

[busterman62]

Appreciate the input.

Space and teenagers are no longer an issue. It really seems to come down to the usual deciding factor: $$$$. Will the expected longevity and energy savings of a tankless offset the upfront savings of a tank? It would be a very easy decision if I knew I could get a similar amount of time that I've gotten out of my current tank (20-25yrs. I can't remember that far back).

 

[LynahFan]

No. Any alleged savings will be offset by the temptation to take longer showers. Buy the tankless to get unlimited hot water (performance), not for cost.

 

[burd]

Retirement simplifies so many things. Shower??

 

[dxmnkd316]

No. Any alleged savings will be offset by the temptation to take longer showers. Buy the tankless to get unlimited hot water (performance), not for cost.

And we (you?) did tnthe math. The loss through insulation was almost nothing compared to the costs of heating the tank. You're better off going hybrid heat pump for money savings. Plus there are juicy rebates at the utility, state, and federal level.

 

[St. Clown]

Appreciate the input.

Space and teenagers are no longer an issue. It really seems to come down to the usual deciding factor: $$$$. Will the expected longevity and energy savings of a tankless offset the upfront savings of a tank? It would be a very easy decision if I knew I could get a similar amount of time that I've gotten out of my current tank (20-25yrs. I can't remember that far back).

You’re not likely to have another water heater last that long. With rare exception, they’re made much more flimsy these days.

 

[LynahFan]

And we (you?) did tnthe math. The loss through insulation was almost nothing compared to the costs of heating the tank. You're better off going hybrid heat pump for money savings. Plus there are juicy rebates at the utility, state, and federal level.

Yeah, that was me. Didn't feel like going back to dig it out.

Good point about the rebates - my power company in Florida (FPL) will give me a rebate for switching from tank to tankless. No idea why, but I'll take the money.