Plumbing questions.

[1Garageman]

Hello everyone and thanks in advance! We have two 50 gallon water tanks in our house. It is a 3,600 house with three showers and five toilets. I think we could get by with one nice newer water tank. One of the tanks just ruptured open over the weekend. I have it unhooked and drained and we our using just one tank. And we seem to be getting along ok with just one water tank. However I am thinking of replacing it with a newer tank. I am worried that it is also going to start leaking, or blowing open like its twin tank did.

1.Could you recommend some electric water heaters?

2. What shut off valves do you recommend? We currently have plastic crappy valves that need replaced!

3. Are the Sharkbite valves any good??

Thanks for your help, and yes the power is off to the wires you see.

 

[PCustoms]

Why are your toilets hooked to the water heaters?

You'll need to determine the circuit capacity, nothing is shown in the pictures that tells us how much power is available.

If the tank did indeed split you may have other issues going on, as that's a very unusual failure.

Calling a plumber might be in your best interest

 

[1Garageman]

The toilets are not hooked up to the water heaters. Not sure how you are imagining that??

They are on standard 30 amp circuits

 

[PCustoms]

The toilets are not hooked up to the water heaters. Not sure how you are imagining that??

Because you mentioned them in context of water heater capacity?

 

[mike93lx]

Cpvc is terrible. I'd be looking to change out as much of that as possible with this project.

Not sure if Sharkbite are OK? Call a plumber.

 

[jlv03]

If you are sticking with electric, I'd seriously consider replacing both tanks with as large of a heat pump water heater (HPWH) as possible - 75 gallons or so.

 

[duneslider]

You don't say how many people are in the house. I know for a fact that one 50gallon won't keep up with my family of 7 but we have had zero issues with 2 50 gallon tanks. We are on NG but if I was on electric I would for sure be looking at a heatpump water heater for sure.

 

[1Garageman]

There are two adults and one child.

 

[dcg9381]

It seems that you have 2 x 50 gallon water heaters, not water tanks.
Sure you can move to a single unit. A rupture is pretty unusual. Are you on well water?


There are a number of things that need to be addressed in that install, I'd be calling a plumber... Like expansion tanks.

2. What shut off valves do you recommend? We currently have plastic crappy valves that need replaced!

Just use brass ball valves.

3. Are the Sharkbite valves any good??

The brass ones, but in general Sharkbite is a "retrofit" deal. I'd be brass valves with PEX fittings.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

If your house has natural gas, I'd switch over to a single 40 or 50 gallon NG water heater. The recovery on our home's 40 gallon NG water heater is quick enough that we never run out of hot water. (5 people 3 baths). NG water heaters typically recover 30-45 gallons per hour. Electric water heaters (standard) are less than half of that. Plus, NG water heaters cost about 1/3 the amount to operate vs a standard electric.

If I was stuck using an electric water heater (pinches nose)...I'd do as jv013 suggests and look into a heat pump style unit of about 75 gallons. It would have a still lower recovery rate, but at least you'd be saving money during those short tepid showers.

 

[dcg9381]

If I was stuck using an electric water heater (pinches nose)...I'd do as jv013 suggests and look into a heat pump style unit of about 75 gallons. It would have a still lower recovery rate, but at least you'd be saving money during those short tepid showers.

These do a secondary job of "cooling" the area where the water heater is. So sometimes that's an advantage and sometimes it's not. IE, they'd be great in a Texas home in an attic... Or perhaps in a basement where you're taking advantage of some of the geothermal heat transfer. They are more expensive and generally recover slower as mentioned.

I like the idea of having 2 water heaters, you simply shut one down when you don't need the capacity. But I'm not sure the expense and double the failure rate justify it.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I like the idea of having 2 water heaters, you simply shut one down when you don't need the capacity. But I'm not sure the expense and double the failure rate justify it.

If you replace the tank's anode on a regular basis, it shouldn't ever fail. Most people just don't.

I never did when I could buy a new NG water heater for $150. Now that they are pushing $1000, I damn sure do.

 

[1Garageman]

We could switch to gas tanks. There is the main gas line that comes into the house right above it and then splits off into three different areas and has two spots open on the spiller that are sealed off.

 

[PCustoms]

We could switch to gas tanks. There is the main gas line that comes into the house right above it and then splits off into three different areas and has two spots open on the spiller that are sealed off.

Keep in mind the venting requirements

 

[mike93lx]

We could switch to gas tanks. There is the main gas line that comes into the house right above it and then splits off into three different areas and has two spots open on the spiller that are sealed off.

Having gas and heating with resistive electric is wild. I'd move over if you can vent and would go with an on demand if you can deal with the condensate

 

[fitter30]

Would recommend repiping the drops when you get your new heater to get rid of the dead legs going to the abandoned heater. If going back with two heaters recommend piping first in last out ( reverse return)/instead of equal pipe lengths like it is now. Like the two Fs.
FℲ

 

[PCustoms]

With gas available I'd check the feed size and strongly consider an on-demand.

Easier to vent, arguably better.

 

[PoorUB]

We could switch to gas tanks. There is the main gas line that comes into the house right above it and then splits off into three different areas and has two spots open on the spiller that are sealed off.

One 40 or 50 gallon gas will give you more gallons per hour of hot water then the two electrics you had. On demand is nice, but expensive to install. Either way with gas you will need to vent it outside and you need to be aware of any issues with windows, how close is the gas meter or any fresh air intakes.

 

[PCustoms]

On demand is nice, but expensive to install.

How so?

Sounds like he has gas* available, no venting. PVC vent is a lot easier the run then other options.

*Need to verify demand/supply

 

[Chuckster in NJ]

Best advice to OP is: CALL A PLUMBER!

 

[PoorUB]

How so?

Sounds like he has gas* available, no venting. PVC vent is a lot easier the run then other options.

*Need to verify demand/supply

You need to vent it whether it is PVC or metal, It can still be hard to do in many situations although PVC would be easier. Sure you can vent it through the sill, but if there is a fresh air intake, gas meter, or a low window it may not be possible. A power vent 50 gallon would work too.

Generally the on demand just cost more than other choices, plus you need a good gas supply 200,000 BTU for one in a family situation. I have installed them and had to re-gas pipe what was there and the utility had to put in a larger gas meter.

The OP might have electric because gas is virtually impossible. I have put 90% furnaces in homes and had just one way out and that was almost impossible.

 

[The Cobbler]

Easier to vent,

how so when compared to a power vented heater?

 

[75gmck25]

I used a 50 gal power vent gas HWH and it required 2" PVC for the exhaust. I just ran the vent out the sidewall of the house. The power vent fan is a little loud if you are near it in the basement, but you can't hear it anywhere else in the house.