No Hot Water Heaters over 50 gallons now at Lowes or Home Depot

[Gale Hawkins]

I built and plumbed/wired my own house in Hopkinsville KY in 1999. Plumbing inspector was easy to work with and the homeowner permit for doing the whole house (supply and sewer) was just $50 or so. Even if you need a permit for a water heater replacement, you can get one as a KY homeowner. The inspector will just look it over to be sure it was done correctly and then will put a green sticker on it.

I have not done it yet but started the permit to put in my new seep field last year from the septic tank and it was still the same as you found never 20 years ago in the state.

Some thought that would work at the church but it does not work that way for public buildings.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

My HeatGuard 110 D series hot/cold water to mount at the hot water heater came today and looks/feels like quality. I am going to have to take some time to read about it. The Sharkbite connection system is new to me. The same brass fitting works for PEX, Copper or CPVC and was the 3/4" size I needed. I was just going to buy the metal to CPVC like we put on the heater cold and hot nipples. Push together connectors do not sound just right to me YET.

We are doing fine with the heater set on 140. Other than the safety (no minors as of last Sept) if the wife starts the dish and clothes washers they gobble up a lot of the 50 gallons of hot water so if I jump in the shower my nice hot shower could wind up being a cold share after a few minutes. If the valve meters out only 120F water then I have a better change at a very long very hot shower plus the safety value especially should we ever have a guest.

We are going to have to redo the plumbing we just connected to the new water heater but will do it at some point. In can see the heavy valve robbing some heat so I may need to insulate it if it will not effect the way it works.

 

[IslandTractor]

I also had misgivings about Sharkbite connectors so did most of my replumbing with the crimp connectors. However, since then I've talked with plumbers who at the Sharkbites are very reliable and can be reset if needed. I'd use them certainly in areas where getting a crimp fitting is difficult or impossible. I'm not so shy about them anymore.

 

[CurlyDave]

Do you have the back up set at a lower temp? The back up will not be used as much if, you hot water demand is not always high. Atleast that is what I got from the link I posted.

It does seem to be something that is done both ways.

I leave them set at the same temperature. In my set-up, the tanks are in my shop and for over half the year, there is no such thing as "wasted heat" from the water tanks. All the heat loss from the tanks warms the shop to a tolerable temperature, around 55-60 degrees, even in the dead of winter.

The water volume figures in post #53 need to be examined a little more closely. With the first tank acting as a pre-heater, the second tank can boost temperature more effectively, and I think the total water volume available is quite a bit higher than the rated numbers because they are based on inlet water of a certain temperature, which is clearly exceeded by the preheating effect in the first tank.

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Something I learned many years ago is that the life of a hot water tank can be extended indefinitely by periodically changing the sacrificial anode in the tank. The failure mechanism of glass-lined water heaters is that the glass always has cracks -- inevitable from the thermal expansion in the manufacturing process -- and the cracks rust out quickly when the sacrifical anode becomes depleted. Pulling this out and replacing it is a quick, cheap job. How often it needs to be done depends on your water supply, but inspecting it after about 3 years will tell you a lot.

I replace mine every 3-4 years and have always moved before a tank failed, even after 30 years. The anodes are cheap compared to the cost of replacing the tank. And, the ability to schedule maintenance rather than having to do an emergency repair is also valuable.

 

[Bigkrank]

I think the anode thing has to do with your water quality in the first place. We cannot use anodes in heaters here because the water smell is horrific. I am talking you cannot be in the house bad. I have three regular heaters with the anodes out since new. Just replaced the first one at 40 years old. Still worked fine. Only reason it was replaced was the electric company was ending their deal on the Marathon ones so figured better get the money now.

 

[ultrarunner]

I to have enjoyed the waste heat from a water heater in the shop... the old 1980's heater kept the shop temp above 50 even in winter...

One of those new super insulated ones might be a problem.

 

[kenmac]

I to have enjoyed the waste heat from a water heater in the shop... the old 1980's heater kept the shop temp above 50 even in winter...

One of those new super insulated ones might be a problem.

if it's gas, keep it nice and toasty in the garage..take the vent off