what is the best natural gas hot water heater for a home?

by Water Heaters on May 17, 2010

looking to purchase new water heater pros and cons on tankless and what is the best one? what is the best tank heater. Natural Gas.


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{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

G B May 17, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Without going into detail about which brand names are better and such.. I’ll comment on your question about tanked vs tankless water heaters.

While the idea of having the tankless heater is appealing for environmental and financial reasons, in the long term the savings don’t really add up.

For example, your standard tankless gas water heater will save the average homeowner about $25 per year in energy bills. Sounds good right?

Well the downside of that is the initial cost of the heater itself, typically costing anywhere from $800-$1200 per unit. On average you’d need to have the water heater for 22 years to see any savings, much longer than the 20 year warranty that comes with the unit.

So unless you absolutely need the space that the tankless heater provides, I’d suggest you stay with a standard tanked water heater. Just look for the most efficient model you can get your hands on.

Grandma of 2 May 17, 2010 at 7:17 pm

Check into an Aqua-Star tank-less hot water system. We have had one for a couple years now and wouldn’t have anything else in our home. We used a tank system for about 25 years and if we knew how much money we could have saved by having a tank-less system we would have done it years ago. In the first month alone we saved around $60 on our gas bill. Contrary to what someone else might say, we have never lacked for hot water. We made sure we bought a 3-stage hot water system. Not a single stage. That way it can supply enough hot water to different jobs within your home. It is very expensive at first, but the initial investment is paid for in no time with the savings on your gas bill.

Jim S May 17, 2010 at 7:17 pm

I agree with G B about the cost issue. Not only are tankless hot water heaters selling at a premium they may cost more to operate because they come on whenever the hot water is used and not just when the tank temperature decreases. Check the big box hardware stores and compare with what a plumber will charge for the installed unit in your area. If you buy one from Home Depot or Lowe’s it will probably run you about $800 installed, give or take.

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