New water heater installed!

[gregk24]

As some of you know from a previous thread, our old water heater was 28 years old. It was a Reliance 30 gallon gas unit and had no issues other than some surface rust. We chose to replace due to age / higher likelihood of failure. I did get 2 quotes from local companies, one quoted me $3,370 which was all in and included a 6 year basic 40 gallon gas unit. My second quote was from a family owned company with over 30 years of experience, it was $650 all in if I provided the water heater.

I already knew what unit I wanted, a Rheem Performance Platinum 40 gallon gas (12 year unit). I purchased it the same day as the quote and had it and just had it installed today.

The work that was done:
- cut out galvanized lines and replaced with Type-M copper
- installed water shut off valve (did not have this before)
- replaced gas line and gas shut off valve (previous valve was snapped and extremely hard to turn)
- installed an expansion tank
- routed T&P valve line outside
- put in new, up to code double walled gas vent
- put new heater on a stand

Needless to say I am VERY pleased with the service I received from this company.

So far the unit is running very well. With the old unit I kept the thermostat on "B" (choices being Low, Hot, A, B, C, Very Hot), now with this new unit I find "Low" to be more than hot enough. So this should translate into a couple dollars saved over time.

 

[AZjeff]

Looks like you're good to go. Only thing wrong is you didn't wait for a failure before replacing it, who knows how long the old one would go?


Kidding.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted by AZjeff
Looks like you're good to go. Only thing wrong is you didn't wait for a failure before replacing it, who knows how long the old one would go?


Kidding.


Probably a couple more years if we were "lucky". The question is, would the failure have been a drip, or a split down the side. I didn't want to find out.

 

[JustinH]

looks like a job well done. Are those expansion tanks code where you are located?

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted by JustinH
looks like a job well done. Are those expansion tanks code where you are located?


Honestly, I am not sure. I'm happy to have it either way. I read up on them and they seem like a good addition to the main tank. Though until this point we had no issues without one.

 

[Wolf359]

Where is that relief value pipe going to? I'm surprised you didn't put a pan underneath the water heater and tie it into the same drain as the relief valve.

 

[DuckRyder]

Originally Posted by Wolf359
Where is that relief value pipe going to? I'm surprised you didn't put a pan underneath the water heater and tie it into the same drain as the relief valve.


Most of the newer ones around here have an alarm and an electronic shut off wired into a float switch in the pan...

You would be surprised (or maybe you wouldn't) at how much water they can spew while someone is at work, and how much damage clean water will do...

I'd say ice maker lines and water heaters are the biggest culprits...

 

[Kruse]

I hope your water heater has a long and happy life. However.....if you want some sleepless nights, do a Google search for "Honeywell water heater gas valve problems", the type that your water heater has.
Perhaps they have all the kinks fixed by now, but the early ones were a real PITA. Hopefully, you won't get the terminal 4 blinks.

 

[ZZman]

That's pretty. Never heard of an expansion tank on one before.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

I'd say 28 years is pushing it.
Like a 7 year old auto Battery, better to replace.

Great looking job.
Nice home improvement.

 

[Kestas]

I had a water heater installed 1964 last 38 years. On the other hand I know the water in Florida can be tough on plumbing.

 

[TheLawnRanger]

I lived in a house that had the original water heater from 1976. When I moved in in the early 2000s, the realtor said I'd need to replace it soon. It was still working fine when I moved out 12 years later. The water heater in my current house is about 7 years old. I dread the day it dies because it's in the attic. When the day comes I think my hallway closet will become the new water heater's home.

 

[bdcardinal]

We have to strap ours to the wall due to earthquakes.

 

[PandaBear]

I just did the same as you did too with the Rheem Platinum. It is working very well.

 

[Errtt]

Very nice.
Been a while since installing one, but all expansion tank installments I've done the tanks were upright from the pipe instead downward like yours. Thing is I don't know why and/or if it makes a difference. Something I haven't thought about.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted by Kruse
I hope your water heater has a long and happy life. However.....if you want some sleepless nights, do a Google search for "Honeywell water heater gas valve problems", the type that your water heater has.
Perhaps they have all the kinks fixed by now, but the early ones were a real PITA. Hopefully, you won't get the terminal 4 blinks.


I'm not worried about it, the Rheem models are top rated.

 

[gregk24]

Originally Posted by Errtt
Very nice.
Been a while since installing one, but all expansion tank installments I've done the tanks were upright from the pipe instead downward like yours. Thing is I don't know why and/or if it makes a difference. Something I haven't thought about.


I read it makes no different, you can install in any position.

 

[bcossa2001]

Congratulations. Looks like a first class job....

 

[cjcride]

Originally Posted by bdcardinal
We have to strap ours to the wall due to earthquakes.

Wow.
I'd be reluctant to slide under the car to change oil, etc.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Originally Posted by cjcride
Originally Posted by bdcardinal
We have to strap ours to the wall due to earthquakes.

Wow.
I'd be reluctant to slide under the car to change oil, etc.

During the '89 quake, my brother was under a 911 at his shop in Santa Cruz, very near the epicenter.