Need Water Heater Recommendations - By Tomorrow

[BuickBoy]

Hi all,

Went to the basement to discover my water heater had an major internal leak. Luckily there is a drain 12" from it.

I'm looking at a Richmond/Rheem 4g60-40f.

Whirlpool world HQ is just down the road but their units aren't rated that high.

What do you recommend?

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[Charles (in GA)]

Ultimate tank type heater is a Marathon. Some power companies may offer rebates or special deals on them if you qualify.

They claim less than 5° temp loss in 24 hrs if you don't draw a drop of water from it, so it is super energy efficient compared to other tank type units. My current tank is just past 10 yr and will get replaced with a Marathon. Won't leak, all plastic tank and shell with dense foam insulation.

Charles

 

[D.J.]

I had a Bradford White 40 gal 40000 btu natural gas unit go belly up and went with a new 6G40- 36 F1 40 gal 36000 btu Richmond and would recomend it to anyone looking for a new one.

 

[SMKS]

Gas or electric? The Marathon one recommended above is electric only, I think.

I recently did quite a bit of reading on this. I think Rheem is a safe bet, and it's what I'd probably go with.

 

[James-W]

Are you planning on replacing the water heater yourself, or are you going to have someone do it for you? Also, is this a gas water heater or an electric one? The reason I am asking is, there are a lot of high efficiency gas water heaters you can buy these days, but in some cases they may require a different type of venting than you currently have.

Since you need this done right away, you don't have a lot of time to spend trying to figure out which water heater to buy. So if you want a gas water heater my suggestion is as follows; If you know a plumber that you trust, it MAY be a good idea to let the plumber come see what you have and then have him recommend the unit that would work out the best in your situation. Once you know his opinion, if you feel good about the plumber's suggestion, then have him pick up the water heater and install it for you.

 

[pop pop]

FWIW, I have a 1988 AO Smith gas model.

 

[Highbeam]

You didn't specify fuel so I will share my plan. I will be installing a marathon electric tank heater soon. The upgrade cost is actually small and the benefits are extreme. Insulation is superior but I am most impressed with the plastic tank. No worry about rust through or anodes ever again. This is a lifetime water heater.

Tank electric heaters are underrated. In an area such as mine where electric is cheaper than propane, the good old tank heater is the best bet.

 

[BuickBoy]

Thank you for all the replies!

My apologies for missing details.

Current is a 40 gallon natural has Ruud.

I've never done an install myself, but my research turned up many reviews saying that a $335 6-year warranty Whirlpool 6th sense is very easy to install yourself. There are "sawtooth" fittings to assist with install.

I would be interested in a Marathon if I thought I would be in this house longer than 5 years to see returns from the upgrade.

So right now my best options are the $480 Richmond/Rheem or the $335 Whirlpool.

The Whirlpool has a 4.4 star rating after 225+ reviews. I can't find any model with as high of a rating in this price range...



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[SMKS]

Have you googled the Whirlpool models? They're not actually made by Whirlpool, if memory serves, but are just rebranded.

Have you done any research on the plumbing forums? That's where I did my reading. Plumbing Zone is a good resource, but it's for professionals only. So, you can read and do research there, but don't register and post or you'll be banned.

 

[mayday0017]

Whirlpool is owned by Emerson, wouldn't down that is why they are cheap.... Emerson leads many things in technology, but everything they do is done as cheap as possible... Bradford White is said to make one of the best water heaters, I ended up with a GE due to the cost. Ask yourself a couple questions, 1st how much energy does your water heater really consume, How many times a day do you empty you use a large volume, another good qustion is how much damage will be caused by leak (From what you stated it won't cause damage it's just annoying) Most water heaters that are cheap start leaking and that is the biggest fear, but if the leak doesn't hurt you, and your water heater sees warmer tempatures (Such as in an attic) then I wouldn't bother spending big money. If I was going to live in the house 20+ years I would look into one of the nicer ones but 5-10 years no way....

 

[Falcon67]

We looked at them all when ours died last year. Conclusion was that just buy the cheap $285 HD/Lowes 6 year tank (our is electric 50 gal) and by the time it rots out, the cost to replace over time becomes mere dollars. They will rot out, so why bust a gut over it. Just put in a shutoff leading to the tank and good lines to make R&R quick. Ours croaked at 6 PM, had hot water by 9PM including the 60 miles round trip to fetch the tank. If you get a bad one, find the receipt because it likely won't clear the warranty period. If it's good, you'll get 8-10 which is pretty good these days from what I read. As far as I can tell, they don't make those tanks that last 20 years anymore.

 

[James-W]

There is an option that hasn't been mentioned, and that is a tank-less model, sometimes called an "on-demand" water heater. I don't have one, and I don't know anybody who does, but I have read a few reviews from people who do have them and without exception they do seem to like them.

I guess they do cost quite a bit more than a regular water heater, but they cost less to operate and you never have a problem with running out of hot water. I am not sure they actually save you any money, due to the higher cost to purchase the unit and the number of years they normally last, but they tend to take up less space and as mentioned earlier, you never run out of hot water.

 

[davidlee]

I had a 50 gal nat gas tank and a 40 gal elec tank in my house and I replaced them both with two nat gas tankless one for uupstairs and one for downstairs. I love them. You never run out of hot water. The local gas co and the state both had rebates so it only cost me about the same as a tank type and I gained a bunch of storage space to boot. I will never go back to tank type.

 

[Highbeam]

There is an option that hasn't been mentioned, and that is a tank-less model, sometimes called an "on-demand" water heater. I don't have one, and I don't know anybody who does, but I have read a few reviews from people who do have them and without exception they do seem to like them.

I guess they do cost quite a bit more than a regular water heater, but they cost less to operate and you never have a problem with running out of hot water. I am not sure they actually save you any money, due to the higher cost to purchase the unit and the number of years they normally last, but they tend to take up less space and as mentioned earlier, you never run out of hot water.

Well there are plenty of people that don't like them. They are failure prone due to all the computers, relays and moving parts. The elements and/or heat exchangers are known to "crud up" with hard water deposits and of course cost is very high. Power outage = no hot water with tankless.

The benefit is the space savings, they are small units compared to a tank.

I do not see unlimited hot water as a benefit. I would rather limit the energy consumption and load on my septic.

 

[davidlee]

I have had mine for about two years and so far zero problems. Highbeam is correct when you lose power you have no hot water due to the electronic ign, but I have a 23kw generator so that is not a problem for me.

 

[James-W]

I understand what you are saying, and I agree that if the power goes out you won't have hot water. But the fact that you don't have hot water if the power goes out, is in my opinion, of very little or no consequence. The reason is as follows.

If you have a power outage, even with a tank, you only have the hot water that is in the tank at the time the power goes out. Without power the hot water will begin to cool down, so how well the tank is insulated will be a factor in determining how long the water will stay hot. Also, when you start using the hot water the supply on hand will diminish. In any case, if the power is out for a long time, the length of time you will have hot water in limited. If the power is out for a short time, all it means is you will have to delay your shower for a few minutes till the power comes back on.

In my case, I have a high efficiency natural gas fired water heater with an electronic ignition and a power vent. If the power goes out the water heater won't work. So, depending on how long the power is out, I may very well end up with no hot water and I HAVE a 40 gallon tank.

All I am saying is, with or without a tank you can end up with no hot water. So really, what's the difference if you have a tank or not? Besides that, I didn't say the opening poster should throw caution to the wind and run right out to buy one. I merely said it was another option for him to consider.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I understand what you are saying, and I agree that if the power goes out you won't have hot water. But the fact that you don't have hot water if the power goes out, is in my opinion, of very little or no consequence. The reason is as follows.......................................

If you are reasonably fast at taking a shower, You can get two or three showers over a period of one and a half to two days from a good tank type water heater.

Just last week, I shut off the water heater (50 gal) power and water to replace a valve in the tub faucet. I forgot to turn the power back on and it was the next evening after a couple of showers that I realized it was starting to get cool, and what I had done.

Charles

 

[James-W]

I don't understand why we are so concerned about what happens if the power goes out. I can't remember the last time the power went out around here. I suppose if you happen to live in an area where the power goes out frequently and for extended periods of time, this could be of some concern to you. But I would venture to say that for most of us the power goes out very infrequently and usually it is only out for a few minutes, worse case an hour or so. So why is it such a big concern?

I would think that a much bigger concern would be efficiency. Since most of us are concerned with the cost of energy these days, if it were me buying a new water heater I would be looking at the yearly cost of operating the water heater. The power going out would be pretty far down on my list of concerns. But I guess different strokes for different folks.

 

[BuickBoy]

Have you googled the Whirlpool models? They're not actually made by Whirlpool, if memory serves, but are just rebranded.

Have you done any research on the plumbing forums? That's where I did my reading. Plumbing Zone is a good resource, but it's for professionals only. So, you can read and do research there, but don't register and post or you'll be banned.

A. O. Smith = American Water Heater, Whirpool(Lowe's), GSW, John Wood, American PROLine, U.S. Craftmaster, Maytag, State, Reliance, Penfield and Kenmore(Sears)

Rheem-Ruud's/Richmond = GE

I understand the idea of rebranding.

I ended up with a 50 gallon, 40,000 BTU, 6 year Whirlpool 6th-sense (Honeywell) water heater.

I did the install and it took about two trips back to Menards/Lowes. Only reason for going back was because of the goofy plumbing done prior. Had to get a variety of fittings/hoses. I wound up with two different Gatorbite braided hoses, Richmond/Rheem 2" extensions, and a new Gatorbite ball valve.

All is good now! First shower felt great!

Heat setting is one setting above "Hot", with three more settings higher!

I feel I did well, and I couldn't agree more with get the cheapest. If my house was worth more than $150k I might consider a Marathon, Hybrid, or Geo-thermal. At the $120k range, and unsure how long I will be at the house there is no reason to spend more now and not see the returns.

Thank you again for all the input!!

 

[SMKS]

A. O. Smith = American Water Heater, Whirpool(Lowe's), GSW, John Wood, American PROLine, U.S. Craftmaster, Maytag, State, Reliance, Penfield and Kenmore(Sears)

Rheem-Ruud's/Richmond = GE

I understand the idea of rebranding.

I wasn't saying you didn't understand rebranding. I was insinuating you should do some research to see who OEMs the Whirlpool models, and see if that's a company you want to buy from

When I was doing research I read some bad things about the Whirlpool branded water heaters. But, hopefully you have good luck with it.

 

[BuickBoy]

Whirlpool is owned by Emerson, wouldn't down that is why they are cheap.... Emerson leads many things in technology, but everything they do is done as cheap as possible... Bradford White is said to make one of the best water heaters, I ended up with a GE due to the cost. Ask yourself a couple questions, 1st how much energy does your water heater really consume, How many times a day do you empty you use a large volume, another good qustion is how much damage will be caused by leak (From what you stated it won't cause damage it's just annoying) Most water heaters that are cheap start leaking and that is the biggest fear, but if the leak doesn't hurt you, and your water heater sees warmer tempatures (Such as in an attic) then I wouldn't bother spending big money. If I was going to live in the house 20+ years I would look into one of the nicer ones but 5-10 years no way....

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I would like to be linked to your source for Emerson owning Whirlpool.

Emerson has many business acquisitions but it absolutely does not include Whirlpool.

The two are separate fortune 500 companies - whom have acquired many other busniesses/brands.

 

[BuickBoy]

I wasn't saying you didn't understand rebranding. I was insinuating you should do some research to see who OEMs the Whirlpool models, and see if that's a company you want to buy from

When I was doing research I read some bad things about the Whirlpool branded water heaters. But, hopefully you have good luck with it.

I wasn't trying to come off like I felt you had insinuated such.

I was just expressing that I had done research into the rebranding aspect.

From my research, AO Smith seems highly recommended and some of the other truly branded manufacturers are exclusive to licensed dealers/contractors, which will limit choices for many people.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I don't understand why we are so concerned about what happens if the power goes out. I can't remember the last time the power went out around here. I suppose if you happen to live in an area where the power goes out frequently and for extended periods of time, this could be of some concern to you. But I would venture to say that for most of us the power goes out very infrequently and usually it is only out for a few minutes, worse case an hour or so. So why is it such a big concern?

Depends on where you live. Here, if a strong hurricane comes straight up out of the Gulf coast, we get lots of rain, massive flooding, and strong winds. Lots of trees come down and there go the power lines, sometimes takes a day to two days to be repaired, depends on how widespread and heavy the damage is.

Same with squall lines and tornadoes, couple of years ago we had a extremely heavy line of thunderstorms pass thru, spawned numerous tornadoes. One member on here did a thread on his damage and how his neighborhood recovered. The south most tornado in that same line passed a few miles south of me. One year a tornado took out the main feed for this area, and we were without power for a day or so. Any more, when a hurricane is coming up this way (as a tropical storm at this point) the power company goes around pulling all of the switches on the poles, cutting power to every subdivision and road off of the main line. For our neighborhood, I usually have to go with a POCO crew to show them where the switch is located to be reset, as it comes off the main line and simply passes thru the woods for a mile before it reaches us.

In any case, for us, losing power is a common enough experience that you give consideration to it for things like this. Our neighborhood has a private water system and we have a generator for the well.

Charles

 

[James-W]

Look, I don't want to start a big argument about the merits of tank-less water heaters versus the ones with a tank. I only brought up the idea in order to offer the opening poster another possible option he could consider. He could consider the option, or he could reject the idea, it is entirely up to him. I wish now I had kept my mouth shut and said nothing. Whether anybody likes it or not, no matter how anybody feels about a tank-less water heater, they are out there and they are available to anybody who wants to buy one.

With all due respect, if it is of major importance to you to have hot water during or after a major storm knocks out power in your area, then by all means, buy whatever you feel you need to buy in order to have all the hot water you want. Around here if power goes out during the Winter, our furnaces won't work and we will be without heat. Some people buy generators to alleviate that problem, others buy wood burning stoves or some other type of heater that will work without electrical power. If power goes out during the Summer and it is as hot as it was this past year, then we would have no air-conditioning. Again, some people have a generator to use for those times so they can at least try to keep half-way cool. But as I said, I can't remember the last time power went out around here.

All I am getting at is, if the power around here should happen to go out and stay out for an extended period of time, having hot water would not be very high on my list of priorities for things to get working. So again, not trying to be a jerk or anything, but we all have our priorities and it would seem my priorities and yours are completely different for those times when there is a power outage. But that's OK, this is America, a country where we can disagree and still be friends.