Hot Water Tank - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Northendzone · 05-04-2012, 07:34 AM

Last night I notice that my hot water tank is leaking rust colored water (the leak is a drip) and there is a bit of a smell in the area (smelled like something was rotting).

Am I looking at a new hot water tank here or what? Our current tank is about 8 years old?

Also, I have a 50 gallon tank, if it needs to be replaced what should I expect to pay?

zukes · 05-04-2012, 07:45 AM

Rented or owned?

Northendzone · 05-04-2012, 07:54 AM

I am buying the house from the bank

Voodooman · 05-04-2012, 08:03 AM

The rust tinted water indicates that the tank is living on borrowed time. It could stay like that for 2 days, 2 weeks or 2 years, but eventually that small crack will expand, and you'll have a disaster on your hands. In my experience, 8 years is a little under the usual time span (I generally think 10-12 years is the average), but it depends on the quality of the tank.

If it were me, I'd replace it now, before you come home to a swimming pool in the basement...because these things never happen when you're at home to mitigate the damage.

I just did mine in the fall. Pete the Plumber has a 50 gallon tank with a 10 year warranty for $915 installed, taxes in. If you go to Lowes or HD, you're looking at $600-$700 for the tank alone, plus at least $350 for installation....and surprise, they subcontact that work to Pete (at least Lowes does).

Pete's price is very competitive, and I've used them 3 times and always been happy with the service. They'll be in and out in about 90 minutes, and the best part is that they take the old tank with them for disposal.

zukes · 05-04-2012, 08:47 AM

I meant is the water heater rented or owned?

I am not sure in Alberta if Reliance, or someone else rents them, but if so, make a call and they will replace it. If it is owned well, then I would say it needs to be replaced as well and I would go and buy an on demand water heater that is wall mounted. Even if they go, they don't hold much water and decrease your chances of a claim, and they are way more efficient.

zukes · 05-04-2012, 08:51 AM

Or you could do what a lot of people do (I see it all the time in my work) wait until it blows and let the water go throughout the basement, make a claim on your insurance and renovate your basement.

Regular_John · 05-04-2012, 08:58 AM

Hmm I wonder if anyone's got experience with Pete the Plumber doing a furnace install at the same time? We bought our townhome in September here and both the furnace & hot water heater are due for replacement, wouldn't mind doing em in one shot and seeing if I can squeeze a bit more space out of our laundry/utility room at the same time.

Superflyer · 05-04-2012, 08:58 AM

Does anyone have any experience with a tankless water heater? I was looking into these and they look great and seem really good but I cannot find anyone that has one for a first hand opinion.

DuffMan · 05-04-2012, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Does anyone have any experience with a tankless water heater? I was looking into these and they look great and seem really good but I cannot find anyone that has one for a first hand opinion.

Do you mean like on demand? I was at my brothers place a couple of weeks ago(in a different town) and having a shower was fun. hot cold hot cold hot cold. I suppose if there were no one else in the house using water it wouldn't have been so bad though.

core_upt · 05-04-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Does anyone have any experience with a tankless water heater? I was looking into these and they look great and seem really good but I cannot find anyone that has one for a first hand opinion.

How many people in the house? Showers or baths?

I do not have one in my house, but i have spoken to others that do have them. For normal use - ie dishwasher, washing machine, showers for a regular family, they are fine. If you're filling a soaker tub twice a day, or like extensive steam showers, then a very high capacity tank may be better.
Tankless will run cold eventually, once the heating element cannot keep up, but it won't take as long as a tank to regain heating capacity once cold.

Northendzone · 05-04-2012, 10:14 AM

The tank is owned. It is in the part of the house that is paid for.........

Called, Pete and they can't come til Tuesday. Called another place and they are coming tomorrow. Price is around $900. Going for the replace seemingly makes sense to me......not looking forwards to my navy shower (get in get wet, turn off cold water, lather, turn on cold water and rinse) but it is only one day.......

I asked about the on-demand /tankless and was told that you would be looking at $3000+

Slava · 05-04-2012, 11:16 AM

I'm pretty sure that renting the hot water heater is something they only do in Ontario.

Canada 02 · 05-04-2012, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slava

I'm pretty sure that renting the hot water heater is something they only do in Ontario.

off topic; anyone old enough to remember renting your rotary phone from AGT?

Slava · 05-04-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada 02

off topic; anyone old enough to remember renting your rotary phone from AGT?

I remember when my parents did!

speede5 · 05-04-2012, 01:09 PM

You can rent water heaters in SK.

Phone rentals, I remember our first phone with call display, cost $9 bucks a month or something like that.

zamler · 05-04-2012, 03:01 PM

A friendly warning about Pete The Plumber. I know someone that had a water tank installed by them, did an excellent job (even removed a no longer used valve/fitting where a humidifier was once connected) but the unit they installed was not energy star compliant. It might not matter to you, but this person qualified for a government rebate, but because the unit was not certified, they didn't get compensated. The unit was a Rheem made in Mexico.

edit - I think it was the Professional Guardian PRO but not 100% sure.

DuffMan · 05-04-2012, 05:10 PM

do it yourself. I've done 2 now with no explosions or leaks.

Tinordi · 05-04-2012, 05:59 PM

On demand is what you need.

MoneyGuy · 05-04-2012, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Canada 02

off topic; anyone old enough to remember renting your rotary phone from AGT?

I...um, my friend (older friend, much older) remembers that. I...I mean my friend remembers when my...er his dad got his hands on a phone that wasn't rented and swore us...er my friend's family to secrecy because he illegally hooked it into the phone line.

Those were the days. I hear those were the days, anyway.

I...er, my friend also remembers going to drive-in movies and hanging that crappy speaker off the window. I...er, my friend lost his virginity at one of those movies.

bc-chris · 05-04-2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superflyer

Does anyone have any experience with a tankless water heater? I was looking into these and they look great and seem really good but I cannot find anyone that has one for a first hand opinion.

my wife and i have one in our place - and it works awesome.

we have the rinnai water on demand and it's heated with natural gas.

the only time i've ever noticed crazy changes in water temperature while taking a shower is if the laundry is on or a toilet is flushed - but that's normal, regardless if you have a hot water tank or on demand

to me they just make sense... why do i want to pay to keep water hot that i'm not using?!?!