Will replacing old heater result in faster hot water?

[eyc]

I have a really old water heater. When I moved in 6 months ago, the inspector noted that it was "past its useful life," but noted that I could continue to use it until it actually physically broke down.

Now that winter is upon us, I've really began to notice how long it takes for the hot water to reach the faucet in use. I have a kitchen sink less than 10 feet from the tank, but it still takes 30 seconds for the water to even get warm. (I have a feeling there is a lot of piping between the heater and sink.) Upstairs is almost 2 minutes before I get hot water.

Ignoring--for the moment--things like re-circulators, will getting a new water heater actually affect the time it takes before I get hot water?

From a layman's point of view, I want to say yes. But, I don't want to buy and install a new water heater if it's not going to make any difference in the speed in which I get hot water.

 

[johnjh2o]

It wouldn't make any difference. It's the length of the line that determines how long it takes the hot water to reach the fixture. It may be more noticeable in the winter because of the colder air temperature.

John

 

[havasu]

If you own the house and plan on being there for a few years, I would recommend purchasing a very energy efficient water heater. I would also install a recirc pump to keep water hot during normal usage times. lastly, I would find every hot water pipe and wrap the crap out of it with a very energy efficient thermal wrap, probably starting with the hard foam sleeve, then wrap in the rolled insulation.

If you plan on selling the home soon or are a renter, I would just leave it as it is today because this would take a few years to recoup the money spent and probably would not add much to your sales price.

 

[eyc]

If you own the house and plan on being there for a few years, I would recommend purchasing a very energy efficient water heater. I would also install a recirc pump to keep water hot during normal usage times. lastly, I would find every hot water pipe and wrap the crap out of it with a very energy efficient thermal wrap, probably starting with the hard foam sleeve, then wrap in the rolled insulation.

If you plan on selling the home soon or are a renter, I would just leave it as it is today because this would take a few years to recoup the money spent and probably would not add much to your sales price.

Thanks for the insight. I just bought the [town]house, and I plan on living here for about 5 years. Sometimes I wonder how much more efficient the water heating system could be. Or said another way, how much energy I'm losing with this old, old water heater.

In terms of efficient water heaters, is there something that is commonly understood to be the gold standard here on these forums or elsewhere? I did about 30 minutes of research on tank vs. tankless, and I get the impression that tanks are better. But, that said, I also ran out of cold water today for the first time -- and that was after taking a 20 minute shower in the morning with no other hot water use.

Also, finally, you mentioned getting a recirc for hot water during "normal usage times." What do you mean by that? Does the recirc only run at certain times of the day? Is it on a timer?

 

[havasu]

There are many very experienced plumbers here who will tell you that A.O. Smith is a very good water heater. Stand by, as I am sure there are many others that they will recommend and hopefully will chime in soon. There is a small water pump (peruse http://us.grundfos.com/) that connects to your hot water outlet adjacent to your water heater, and will circulate to the farthest faucet in your residence. This will allow nearly instant hot water. The beauty is these pumps can be adjusted to work during peak shower and face washing times, and turned off while your family is at work. I had one (actually purchased at Costco for ~$250) and worked great. They also have a button switch which you can place in your bathroom to pump the hot water to your bathroom so there is no water waste.

 

[stevemachine]

Tanks are cheaper upfront, cost a bit more to run and you're limited on the amount of water, and require minimal maintenance. Tankless require lots of maintenance, a water softener, but you have unlimited hot water, and up front cost is substantially more, but they run more efficient. Personally I think tanks are just fine, I agree with havasu, I've installed John woods and AO smith. Even though AO owns John wood I believe, AO smith is my personal favorite. Even if you replaced your tank, you won't get hot water faster a recirc pump(previously posted) is the only thing to fix that. But even if you get a new tank It'll be more efficient and recover hot water faster than your old unit. For the money you'll spend replacing it, it is totally worth it in my opinion. Tanks usually last 10-15 yrs if you're lucky.

 

[KULTULZ]

There is a small water pump (peruse http://us.grundfos.com/) that connects to your hot water outlet adjacent to your water heater, and will circulate to the farthest faucet in your residence. This will allow nearly instant hot water. The beauty is these pumps can be adjusted to work during peak shower and face washing times, and turned off while your family is at work. I had one (actually purchased at Costco for ~$250) and worked great. They also have a button switch which you can place in your bathroom to pump the hot water to your bathroom so there is no water waste.

I have been researching hot water recirculation system(s) and noticed the Grundfos System(s) uses a return valve at the end of the run. WATTS has had trouble/failure with their valves. Does this manufacturer actually have a better quality valve?

 

[havasu]

I believe so, but again, opinions are like *******'s and everyone has one.