FrankOceanXray
Ultimate Member
- Oct 29, 2008
- 12,037
Are gas WH DIY, too? I shy away from gas stuff... the whole kaboom thing.
Ok, so our hot water tank went out this weekend. After waiting well over 24 hours for Michael and Sons (we stupidly signed a home maintenance contract with them right after we bought the house) to show up, we've been quoted an ABSOLUTELY INSANE price to replace a 50 gallon gas hot water tank.
If you are a licensed plumber, and have experience with tankless water heaters, please please PLEASE message me as soon as you see this. I don't want to go more than a week without hot water.
Tankless units are expensive as hell but labor should be no more then a hour .
Got an independent plumber in, and he seems to know his stuff. He had the burner lit within 10 minutes, only to deliver a little bad news: I've got a small pinhole leak that's dripping into the burner, which is probably why it wouldn't light in the first place.
Oh joy. $850 to replace the 40 with a 50. Tankless system will have to wait.
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This is the quote in question:
$ 144.14 - Alum Water Heater Pan w/Install of Water Heater
$ 234.00 - Water Heater Expansion Tank W/Install of New Heater
$ 337.52 - 3/4" Ball Valve
$1,349.65 - 50 Gal Gas Water Heater
$ 175.00 - Plumbing Appliance Gas Permit
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$2,240.31
Now, to compare:
$ 21.00 - Water Tank Drip Pan, Lowes
$ 50.00 - Utilitech 5-gal expansion tank, Lowes
$ 20.00 - 3/4" Ball Valve, Lowes (Most expensive option)
$698.00 - Whirlpool 50 Gallon tank, Lowes
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$789.00 - Realistic pricing.
Now, obviously there's going to be a bit of difference for labor, additional copper, etc. But $1,400 worth? I think not.
Here's the worst part: Thanks to my sticker shock, I immediately said "I'll think about it." As we've sought out other plumbers today, I've also Googled the potential issue, and it may cost as little as $12 in parts to repair.
SO! If anyone has an honest plumber they'd like to recommend, now's your chance!
A tankless heater almost always requires a new gas line installed directly to the gas meter. They use a LOT of gas but only for a short period of time. They also require separate venting and electrical power wiring. Its not a simple process if done correctly.
Somebody has to pay for all those TV and radio ads
Well, the good news there is that it would only be about 3' of new gas line. The bad news is it would be about 20' of new exhaust/intake vent, and I don't really feel like tearing out a drywall ceiling right now.
What type of regular maintenance does a Rinnai Tankless Water Heater require?
There are two types of periodic maintenance that your service technician can perform to keep your Rinnai Tankless Water Heater running smoothly:
The in-line screen filter should be checked periodically for debris (time between filter checks will be dependent on water quality).
The unit should be flushed periodically (time between flushes will be dependent on water quality) to keep the unit free of scale and lime. This process should be completed by a professional installer. Please contact an installer near you.
A tankless heater almost always requires a new gas line installed directly to the gas meter. They use a LOT of gas but only for a short period of time. They also require separate venting and electrical power wiring. Its not a simple process if done correctly.
oops, tankless- see $2500
I bought a tankless water heater on eBay for about 250 and had it plumbed by family which took about and hour. The expensive part was having new wiring put in to run the heater.
I hope your family member is a licensed plumber & gas fitter and is familiar with the venting requirements. An incorrectly installed gas appliance is a recipe for disaster.