Water Heaters - Electric vs gas water heater
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racer766
12-07-04, 04:02 PM
I have an older (12 year old) natural gas tank water heater. It is leaking and has significant corrosion "fluffing" out of seams. Time to replace...
I just replaced my old, 1st generation Amana gas furnace with a Ruud high-efficiency. I am in the process of sorting out venting issues. I am replacing the old 2" pvc exhaust with 3" pvc exhaust and installing a new 3" pvc combustion air inlet per the installation manual.
Due to the location in my house (~8' from basement wall, with iron dwv 1' away between heater and wall, up/down bathroom supply/dwv, ac lines and power, random framing, and low ceiling) I'm having problems trying to come up with a solution for venting a new gas water heater.
The front runner is to run in/ex 3" pvc up the old stud space flue (sheathed in steel) and use the AO Smith sealed combustion power direct vent water heater. Since I can't see what's in the flue until I disconnect the old wh, I'm a little nervous about spending >$700 on a water heater to discover I can't use it.
With the current and projected rise in gas prices, maybe I should switch to an electric water heater? We have a nuclear plant just up the road that tends to even out the prices of electricity around here. It supplies something like 1/2 the power for most of E Iowa. I'm about to dive into an electric service replacement (60A currently, going to 200A) and I'm beginning to think not having another set of intake/exhaust lines would make my life easier.
The analysts are saying that gas might go up ~20% this year. Given that most new power plants are natural gas turbines, demand is going to drive prices for natural gas higher. Since I hve a big fission plant supplying my power, and am thinking of both a small wind turbine and a photovoltaic array, I'm wondering if electric isn't a better way to go in the long run.
Any thoughts?
I just replaced my old, 1st generation Amana gas furnace with a Ruud high-efficiency. I am in the process of sorting out venting issues. I am replacing the old 2" pvc exhaust with 3" pvc exhaust and installing a new 3" pvc combustion air inlet per the installation manual.
Due to the location in my house (~8' from basement wall, with iron dwv 1' away between heater and wall, up/down bathroom supply/dwv, ac lines and power, random framing, and low ceiling) I'm having problems trying to come up with a solution for venting a new gas water heater.
The front runner is to run in/ex 3" pvc up the old stud space flue (sheathed in steel) and use the AO Smith sealed combustion power direct vent water heater. Since I can't see what's in the flue until I disconnect the old wh, I'm a little nervous about spending >$700 on a water heater to discover I can't use it.
With the current and projected rise in gas prices, maybe I should switch to an electric water heater? We have a nuclear plant just up the road that tends to even out the prices of electricity around here. It supplies something like 1/2 the power for most of E Iowa. I'm about to dive into an electric service replacement (60A currently, going to 200A) and I'm beginning to think not having another set of intake/exhaust lines would make my life easier.
The analysts are saying that gas might go up ~20% this year. Given that most new power plants are natural gas turbines, demand is going to drive prices for natural gas higher. Since I hve a big fission plant supplying my power, and am thinking of both a small wind turbine and a photovoltaic array, I'm wondering if electric isn't a better way to go in the long run.
Any thoughts?
Bob Haller
12-09-04, 03:07 PM
Electric tanks cost more to operate unless your a special case. Around here its abuot 10 or 11 cents a killowatt hour. Nuclear power isnt cheap because of all the special safety concerns. whats you local complete cost per killowatt hour?
Gas has faster recovery too. Even if gas goes up in price its probably still cheaper to operate than elecetric. If you go electric buy a larger tank you will need it.
are you prepared for no hot water if the power goes out? of course this would be true of a power vent gas hot water tank too. but a small generator can run the vent fan but be too small for heating water directly.
Electric hot water tanks require perodic heater replacements. Gas its generally install and ignore till the tank leaks in 8 or 10 years. Note electric heaters fail faster in hard water that corrodes the elements.
Gas has faster recovery too. Even if gas goes up in price its probably still cheaper to operate than elecetric. If you go electric buy a larger tank you will need it.
are you prepared for no hot water if the power goes out? of course this would be true of a power vent gas hot water tank too. but a small generator can run the vent fan but be too small for heating water directly.
Electric hot water tanks require perodic heater replacements. Gas its generally install and ignore till the tank leaks in 8 or 10 years. Note electric heaters fail faster in hard water that corrodes the elements.