Quote:
Originally Posted by wdb
We went tankless (propane) 3 years ago rather than replacing our tank unit for the 4th time. The tankless unit cost quite a bit more than a tank heater would have cost, plus installation complexities drove up the total. Since there is not a 40- or 50-gallon reservoir of heat anymore, the pipes cool off and it takes a little longer for hot water to arrive at the tap, especially those further away from the source.
Those are the downsides. The upsides: there is no such thing as "running out of hot water". We use so little gas now (we have a gas stovetop too) that the last bill was $9.95! The propane folks informed us that they won't be refilling our tank as often anymore.  From all appearances this is a 'lifetime' product that can be maintained easily; I expect that this water heater will outlive me. And I'll never again go downstairs and find wet carpeting.
I can't speak to the electrics but I know enough about electricity to imagine that it would be possible to create an 'instant on' heat source for a tankless heater. I can also imagine that it would take a fairly serious wire gauge to feed it. I have a potential use for tankless electric and am curious to learn more. If you do decide to go tankless please keep us informed. |
I will update when we decide what to do with master bath.
For your propane, is tank above or below ground? Did it come with the house or did you install it after moving in? How many gallons and do you just run stove and hot water heater off it or are there other uses? Thanks.