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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16093 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
We recently converted from electric heat and hot water to gas. It cost about 8K but rebates covered about 4K. If we would have gone to tankless it would have been another 2K. Our winter monthly bill are $300 less. So it is a quick payback and our house is warm on the coldest days. Two days to put in gas line was also free, happy camper.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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iron
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Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6392 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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 Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:38 am |
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nice. wish our conversion to natural gas wouldn't cost $15k. that's a dealbreaker for us.
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Chico
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Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:53 am |
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| iron wrote: | | nice. wish our conversion to natural gas wouldn't cost $15k. that's a dealbreaker for us. |
Who says you have to do it all at once?
Get the gas piping installed with T's where you'll want appliances.
If you have NG on the street but are not hooked up, go propane until you're ready to hook up the heat. Then PP will pay for it.
There will be some work needed to swap out jets and then back again as appliances come ready for NG and you need to change them out with some minor flame adjustment.
Swap out an appliance one per year perhaps.
I still like my wood stove but have a T for a gas stove down the road. The electric dryer is still going after about 20 years but a T and valve are already installed.
When we put in the pipes we made sure the outside connection was sized for an NG connection (2 inch as I recall).
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iron
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Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6392 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays |
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iron
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Sat Mar 28, 2015 9:56 am |
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$15k just to bring the natural gas line from the main road. plus, doesn't include repairs of the private driveway we're on.
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Malachai Constant
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Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16093 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
It was over 10K just to put in the line about 10 years ago? So we supplemented wih wood in the winter, kept the stove in case of power outages or zombie apocalypse. PSE changed their policy now.
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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kbatku
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Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 3330 | TRs | Pics
Location: Yaquima |
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kbatku
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Sat Mar 28, 2015 10:30 am |
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We've done a total of two electric tankless in 25 years fwiw. One involved a service change and the total bill was $5000 - the other was about $2000 for the install. Just the electrical part. There are parts of the state where electricity is cheaper, but it would still take many years to recoup the investment.
I see them as having the most use where there is a strong demand for constant hot water - like in a gym shower or motels, not so much in a residential setting that doesn't have three or four teen girls living there.
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Navy salad
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Joined: 09 Sep 2008
Posts: 1865 | TRs | Pics
Location: Woodinville |
| Ski wrote: | | YouTube is your friend.
anything that can be fixed - somebody's posted a video for it. (like the window regulator on my truck.) |
True! I even found a video for installing a stereo in my wife's old Camry, including how to remove the door panels without breaking anything.
| RandyHiker wrote: | | Whatever you don't call Southwest Plumbing -- ripoff artists!!! |
Totally agree on this as well. We needed a simple toilet repair, which I normally could do in my sleep, except my wife had just returned from major surgery and we needed it immediately. We called them on a Sunday and they charged over $2000 dollars! (They claimed they couldn't fix the leak and needed to replace the toilet, but given that toilets can be purchased for $100 - $400 depending on quality, it was still a complete ripoff!
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Roly Poly
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Joined: 02 Jan 2013
Posts: 713 | TRs | Pics
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Well I am waiting to hear what Lowes bid is? I inderstands the tank itself is not that expensive but the labor could cost about 2k. Houses really are money pits. Its been quite a month. Moldy garage is next on the list.
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Tom
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Joined: 15 Dec 2001
Posts: 17854 | TRs | Pics
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Tom
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Sat Mar 28, 2015 1:39 pm |
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FWIW, I got a much better quote from HomeDepot than Lowes for a tankless system. HomeDepot basically calls whoever their preferred vendor is. At the time it was FastWaterHeater who gave me a quote that nobody else could touch. Not sure if it was because I went thru HomeDepot or if they were just really competitive at the time. They got the work done pretty fast too. Would recommend.
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Chief Joseph
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Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics
Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
I am looking to buy a small water heater for my recreational property. The choices are tankless, tank, gas, or electric. Pretty much all I need it for is a quick shower or for washing dishes.
I am leaning toward a tankless gas model since I could use it during power outages which are more common in the Verlot area where my property is. This one is a pretty good deal it seems, although maybe I should go for the higher output model? Also I read that tankless heaters might not work so well when the input water temperature is too low.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eccotemp-1-5-GPM-Portable-Gas-Tankless-Water-Heater-L5/205574393
I assume this will hook up to a small propane tank?
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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mike
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Joined: 09 Jul 2004
Posts: 6398 | TRs | Pics
Location: SJIsl |
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mike
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Sun Mar 29, 2015 8:25 am |
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| Chief Joseph wrote: | | tankless gas model since I could use it during power outages |
The water goes out too if you rely on a pump. When our power goes out the pressure in the tank is good for a while if you don't flush. (use a bucket). So a tank is actually better.
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Chief Joseph
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Joined: 10 Nov 2007
Posts: 7709 | TRs | Pics
Location: Verlot-Priest Lake |
| tigermn wrote: | | Our ice maker quit. I loved it.
I use a lot of ice and hate dealing with ice trays.
A definite must for me. |
I have 2 of the counter top models, no worries about spring a leak if you are away. Just add water as needed and run them dry when you are done. Plus the smaller ones are fairly portable.
Thanks Mike, I failed to consider the fact that I have a well and pump. 
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Chico
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Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:25 am |
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| iron wrote: | | $15k just to bring the natural gas line from the main road. plus, doesn't include repairs of the private driveway we're on. |
How about propane then? That's the route I took. Would have cost me only 1,100 for the hookup as it's on my side of the street. But even that was too much.
So for 250 I got me a propane tank, line and regulator.
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Chico
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Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:41 am |
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| Chief Joseph wrote: | | Also I read that tankless heaters might not work so well when the input water temperature is too low |
Water coming out of the ground will not be freezing. Been a while since I checked to see what my incoming temp is but the controller can display that.
In fact just checked. City water. 54F. Middle of winter it's somewhat cooler but not by much.
The unit will check it and the ambient air temp, and adjust both flame and water flow to get the desired output temp. I've not had a problem with flow. But I went into it knowing it's an issue.
There has been mention on the thread of using electric. DON"T! For a whole house model they are pretty inefficient and are the reason tankless got a bad name early on in this country. You'll need to consider an electrical panel upgrade.
You do need to size the heater to your needs. I've got a small place so my unit is on the smaller side. Bigger house, bigger unit. Propane is a little less efficient than NG as well so can affect your output but probably not enough to worry about.
You can install outside on the wall (an enclosure around it is a good idea) or in an inside room. They do require a good air intake so if you're replacing a tank heater inside you also need to run an air duct.
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Chico
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Joined: 30 Nov 2012
Posts: 2500 | TRs | Pics
Location: Lacey |
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Chico
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Sun Mar 29, 2015 11:46 am |
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| Chief Joseph wrote: | | I assume this will hook up to a small propane tank? |
Come ready to hook to a typical 5 gallon tank but you can get adaptors for the small tanks such as used with a torch. Best to use the bigger tank though as you'll burn gas.
But for your needs, I'd go with this. Hot shower in the woods. Hot water for laundry or dishes although you can heat water on a wood stove if you've got one. Using a gas stove on a regular basis for heating water is inefficient.
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