I don't know that gas fired water heater technology is allowing the new
heaters to use a fraction of the energy. They are pretty low tech.
I agree on other technologies can do this. We just upgraded our old 80% gas
furnace to a high efficiency heat pump, with another 80% gas furnace as back
up. I chose the low efficiency gas furnace because in Seattle, the heat
pump runs fine almost all the time. The gas furnace rarely fired except
during one or two cold snaps, so the extra cost to go to higher efficiency
(cost + new flue, etc.) did not make sense.
I still think changing out anodes and flushing tanks makes sense, until
better technology comes along. Simply flushing your tank every year or so
will increases your gas fired tank efficiency, as it removes the insulating
layer of crud from the bottom of the tank.
Jack
-----Original Message-----
From: shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of eric at megageek.com
Sent: Sunday, June 05, 2011 7:26 PM
To: shop-talk at Autox.Team.Net
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] anode rods-- was the air saga continues
Ben writes...
> It takes about an hour to replace it and the last
>one I bought was under $300.
My motivation for just replacing the unit every ten or fifteen years or so
is that the technology to make them more efficiency is also increasing
with each replacement. Sure, the old ones are built like tanks, but the
new ones use a fraction of the energy. That is a net gain in my book.
BTW, I'm also in the process of installing a total house solar system.
Should be done this week. Once I gauge how well it works, I'm going to
convert my two gas water heaters to electric (maybe.) I'd love to get rid
of the gas systems on my outbuildings (one for the guest house and one for
another building.)
We'll see how it goes.
Moose
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph
Waldo Emerson
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