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WyrTwister · 12-24-13, 05:34 AM

My situation is thus ;

The gas WH is pretty close to the main bath . Quite a way to the kitchen and even further to the back bath .

House is pier & beam construction .

None of the water lines are insulated .

I am to old and fat to get under the back bath . I am almost too old and fat to get under the kitchen . With some difficulty I can get under pretty much the rest of the house .

The gas WH is starting to grumble , burp and belch . :-( Approaching the end of its useful life .

Due to the current plumbing code requirements of 2 air ducts , I will most likely go back with an electric WH . I realize the energy costs will be higher , but I am just going to live with that .

One of the first things I am going to try is to insulate the HW lines I can get to .

Due to the long wait for HW , the water to the dish washer cools down in between fill / wash cycles . I thought about a small under counter electric WH . But when I priced them , they are close to the same price as 30 - 40 gallon " conventional " WH's . :-(

Do not think I am going to do that .

I am thinking about installing a 40 gal electric WH in the laundry room . We do not use HW for washing clothes , but there is space there and it would get the WH closer to the kitchen and the main bath . A little further from the back bath .

The back bedroom & bath are for guest use only . So , that is a lower priority .

I have never had an electric WH . But here is my take on them . They use energy when they are heating water . It seems that all the 30 - 40 gal WH's have one or two 4500 Watt elements . When two , they are wired for non simotanious operation & need to be feed with a 30 amp 240 VAC circuit .

After an electric WH gets the water up to temp , the only energy they use is to replace heat lost through the outside of the tank .

The better insulated , the less heat loss . Plus , a timer can be installed for off hour energy reduction / consumption . May put a fiberglass " blanket " around it ?

I do not know about Pex pipe ? There have been several generations of plastic pipe through the years ( Quest was one ) . Seems like flaws were found with them and they were withdrawn from the market ?

So , I will probably swallow the cost and use copper .

I might install another electric WH in the back bath , at some point in the future ?

God bless
Wyr

PS The only difference I see in energy consumption between a 30 & a 40 gal heater is the increased surface area ( to loose heat ) of the 40 ?

12-24-13, 05:34 AM	#15
WyrTwister Master EcoRenovator Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: USA Posts: 543 Thanks: 6 Thanked 44 Times in 38 Posts	My situation is thus ; The gas WH is pretty close to the main bath . Quite a way to the kitchen and even further to the back bath . House is pier & beam construction . None of the water lines are insulated . I am to old and fat to get under the back bath . I am almost too old and fat to get under the kitchen . With some difficulty I can get under pretty much the rest of the house . The gas WH is starting to grumble , burp and belch . :-( Approaching the end of its useful life . Due to the current plumbing code requirements of 2 air ducts , I will most likely go back with an electric WH . I realize the energy costs will be higher , but I am just going to live with that . One of the first things I am going to try is to insulate the HW lines I can get to . Due to the long wait for HW , the water to the dish washer cools down in between fill / wash cycles . I thought about a small under counter electric WH . But when I priced them , they are close to the same price as 30 - 40 gallon " conventional " WH's . :-( Do not think I am going to do that . I am thinking about installing a 40 gal electric WH in the laundry room . We do not use HW for washing clothes , but there is space there and it would get the WH closer to the kitchen and the main bath . A little further from the back bath . The back bedroom & bath are for guest use only . So , that is a lower priority . I have never had an electric WH . But here is my take on them . They use energy when they are heating water . It seems that all the 30 - 40 gal WH's have one or two 4500 Watt elements . When two , they are wired for non simotanious operation & need to be feed with a 30 amp 240 VAC circuit . After an electric WH gets the water up to temp , the only energy they use is to replace heat lost through the outside of the tank . The better insulated , the less heat loss . Plus , a timer can be installed for off hour energy reduction / consumption . May put a fiberglass " blanket " around it ? I do not know about Pex pipe ? There have been several generations of plastic pipe through the years ( Quest was one ) . Seems like flaws were found with them and they were withdrawn from the market ? So , I will probably swallow the cost and use copper . I might install another electric WH in the back bath , at some point in the future ? God bless Wyr PS The only difference I see in energy consumption between a 30 & a 40 gal heater is the increased surface area ( to loose heat ) of the 40 ?