Water heater vs. tankless

Josh Ormsby

Heres the situation (I'm just a customer trying to evaluate all the advice I've gotten).

My single family house in MA. has a gas boiler with a gravity fed hot water system, and a seperate 40 gal. waterheater. The boiler is so old I think that it was designed to burn coal, so I have been getting quotes to update the whole system with a Tankless water heater run on an efficient boiler.

Yesterday the 10yr. old water heater started leaking and the pressure is on (from my wife) to get this all fixed.

So just this morning I talked with a plumber who's oopinion was to just replace the water heater now with a similar one and then tackle the boiler later. He said that "over time the tankless system looses efficiency" Is this true?

I know there will be higher costs for plumbing the tankless system, but which will be the lower operating costs?

Thanks,
Josh

Guy_5

In hot water

Not knowing your personal situation, it is hard to say which option is the best. If you see increased hot water use in your near future ie: the teenage years, an indirect fired water heater would be to your best advantage. The increased cost now would be well worth it for the future. Ask your plumber.

Josh Ormsby

It's just me and my wife so far, but kids are are in the future.

also I would like to add a bathroom when I expand the house, and possibly use radient heating. Is it dificult (expensive) to mix old radiators and new radiant?

Josh

randy_4

tankless vs storage tank

If you think you'll ever try to run 2 showers at a time forget the tankless coil. Go for a hot water storage tank connected to your new boiler.

Josh Ormsby

Thanks, I'm getting the terninology down slowly. "Boiler mate" or "Superstor" is what has been suggested so far.

The system has four large main connections (two loops). Is it better to have both connected with one circulation pump, or keep the loops seperate and use two pumps?