Picked a gas water heater over tankless and glad I did

Everyone in my neighborhood group kept saying tankless was the way to go. My old 40-gallon finally gave out last month so I had to choose. I went with a regular gas model for $1,200 installed instead of the $3,500 tankless quote. It's been 3 weeks and I've got plenty of hot water for showers and dishes without the fancy setup. Anyone else stick with the old style and not regret it?

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3 Comments

tessap732mo ago

Picked a gas water heater over tankless" - good call honestly. I've heard way too many tankless owners grumble about the maintenance and the upfront cost. For most households that old school tank is still the practical choice.

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carr.abby2mo ago

Read this one contractor's blog who said tankless units save energy but the payback period can be 10+ years for most families. That math just doesn't work when a standard gas heater runs half the price and lasts 10-12 years with minimal fuss. Plus with hard water in a lot of areas you're looking at descaling a tankless every year or two which is a pain nobody talks about.

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phoenix_singh252mo ago

A buddy of mine went tankless a couple years back and now he's always complaining about the descaling routine. He lives in an area with pretty hard water and says it's this whole production every year with vinegar and pumps and whatnot. Meanwhile my old gas tank just sits there doing its thing with zero effort on my part.

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