Here is my story.....
Ok so we bought our house about 3 months ago we right away noticed dishes arn't getting as clean and the water tastes a little different and we figured we had bad water. One Saturday morning I woke up to a nice cold shower becaues the calcium build-up on the elements shorted them out. I drained the hot water heater replaced the elements and the sediment in the bottom of the hot water heater was terrible I cleaned it out the best I could. So I now I know I have really hard water as we had the sellers replace the hot water elements a week before we moved in and it only took 3 months.
To my questions.....
I have no experience or a clue on what grain system to buy. It is just 2 adults averaging no more than 3000 gallons per month or less. I would like to get a system to withstand 2 adults and 2 children at least so lets say 6000 - 7000 gallons per month. How do I gauge on what size system I need?
I'm am mechanically inclined and my father is a plumber so I am not worried about the installation part.
Is it safe to drink/cook from the softener if I pipe the entire house through the softener?
At this point with all the terrible build up in the hot water heater I plan on getting a new hot water heater at the same time as a softener and redu all the piping at once because my 50 gallon hot water heater is probably 40 gallons from the sediment build-up I'm sure.
They advertise that the water softener can save money because the water is not as "thick" and will not use as much energy to heat in the hot water heater is this true? Has anyone noticed a difference? If for some reason its not good or you are not suppose to drink water from the softener what if I drank the water directly from my fridge which also has a filter would this then be fine?

Sorry I am new to the water softener stuff. We are also thinking if we have to spring the money for a new hot water heater to go with a on-demand hot water heater or "tank-less" anyone see any real savings with tankless heaters?

Thank you for your time.

I was planing on adding a new entry door and also a new on-demand hot water heater to my home... Obama's bill introduces a 30% tax break for the next two years on insulation,doors,A/C units, Windows, roofs,hot water heaters Even if you dislike Obama or Democratic government, this is a very good way to help the economy as I will be hiring Electricians,Plumbers, and a carpenter this summer.

I Live in Maine, am a new home owner, and need some tips. We have propane as our main source of heat/hot water. We have an on demand hot water heater. What can I do to prevent my pipes from freezing etc in the middle of winter if I lose power for a few days or longer?

I recently bought a home that has a tankless hot water heater. I noticed that when i cut the water the unit cuts on lights, goes out and then reattempts to light again. Then it shows reading that says that there in not enough gas going to unit (gas company game out and said I was getting enough to the house). It actually cuts on, lights and then cuts off (saw it through viewing area). Is it possible that it is not getting enough gas even though it lights up initally? Also on it a noticed that it has a flexible pipe that connects to main gas line and to water heater. Is it possible that it is restricting the flow of gas to keep a flame in the unit?
I know that it sounds weird, but I was really wondering if this could be the problem. Thanks in Advance.

Some handy men just installed an electric hot water heater. It seemed to be working at first try-warm to hot water was coming out. Then we shut off the water and electricity to the house to do some work under a sink. They turned everything back on and left. I went to turn on the hot water only to find very low pressure and then no water. Then I turned on the cold and turned it off got better water pressure on the hot side, but still no hot water. One of the guys is coming back tomorrow, but I'm worried. I've had so many plumbing problems in this house. What could it be? Should I leave my hot side on in hopes that I finally get water running through there? Please help me and thanks in advance.
they didn't touch the temperature setting...could this be the reason for the lower flow? I'm getting a better flow, but the water isn't much warmer than the cold side

Home depot sells these 18" flexible stainless hoses with threaded, teflon sealed ends. The stainless steel is like a fine braid on the outside, i don't know what is inside. What are these hoses called and are they approved in Ma. for hot water heater connections.? My hot water heater is a tankless gas fired model. I installed them and they are working fine but neither my plumber nor the inspector know if they meet code.

A family is trying to determine what hot water heater to install in their house. They have narrowed it down to a tank style that holds 50 gallons of water constantly heated, and an instant hot water heater that heats water on demand. Which is more efficient and why?

I was looking into purchasing a tankless hot water heater, in your experience has it been worth the price of changing over?

The hot water heater is going in the basement and since the kitchen sink is on an outside wall on the first floor I want to get the hot water supply as close to the demand as possible. Would it be ok to locate the hot water heater directly beneath the demand even if it is on an outside wall and near the basement door outside entrance? Or should I move the hot water heater as far away from any drafts and outside walls as I can get it which would take that much longer for heated water to reach its destination?

I'm considering switching from our 50 gal hot water heater to a tankless. For those of you who have done this, how much did it cost and are you seeing savings on your gas bill? At our current usage, a 50 gal tank takes care of one load of dishs, two loads of laundry and two showers (10-15 minutes long) before we start to loose hot water.

The washer is in the detached garage that is too far from the house to use the hot waterheater there.

For washing whites I would like to add a hot water heater, tankless makes the most sense since its only once a week. Not sure how much GPM a washing machine requires. Its a maytag neptune front loader with digital screen.

HI, I am wondering if the fuel and the cost are the same or similar (is the propane used for a home lpg hot water heater the same as used in the small white tanks we refill?) thanks jerry
thanks everyone. To propane man...the tank I refererred to came with the grill, it is an outdoor grill with little lava type rocks?you have heard of these? I did not have to change the connection at all it came set up.

I have replaced my house hot water heater with a tankless hot water heater. I still have an old oil burning hot water heater for my baseboard heat. I figure that a gallon of water will go about 294 ft. in 1/2 in. copper tube. Can I replace the oil burning water heater with a 20 or 40 gallon electric heater? If so, suggestions on how or what not to do?
I thought about that, but paying nearly 0 USD for a month and a half of a fossil fuel is far more than the electric would be. Plus, it is for heat only and it is currently an oil water heater being used. Is there a difference?

Currently our hot water heater is located in the crawl space beneath our house. We'd like to replace it with a tankless system but are not sure where to install the unit. It would be easiest as far as plumbing and electrical to put it where the traditional hot water heater is, but is it a real option? We live in central North Carolina where temperatures are rarely less than 30 degrees during the winter months.

I'm thinking of buying a tank-less hot water heater for my whole house but i've read that the natural gas heaters don't put out the flow that they advertise and it is best to go with an electric.I have a 40 gallon electric now that i bought 2 years ago.It is turned up all the way.I have never been able to take a 15 minute shower without using up all the hot water.I never had that problem with my old 40 gallon gas heater.Also my shower head plugs up with lime deposits so often that many times i cannot finish 1 shower without taking it apart and rinsing it out.The gas heater did that only 3 or 4 times a year.That makes me very reluctant to use another electric heater even a tank-less.I don't want a water softener.I am willing to put up with cleaning the shower head 3 or 4 times a year.If anyone is using a tank-less now i would like to know what brand it is,how strong it is and how happy they are with it.Thanks!
The first 4 answers seem very knowledgable but it does not sound like you are using one in your home.I need an answer from someone who is actually using one.Do you like it? What size and brand is yours? Can you take a long,hot shower? Gas or electric? What about lime deposits? Thanks!

I have purchased a practically new liquid propane hot water heater for 0, and would like to further my savings by installing it myself. I am an intermediate do-it yourselfer, but wanted to get feedback from those with experience in installing them.

Our water heater was over 12 years old and it's kaput (leaking from corrosion).

I'd like to replace it with an electric tankless hot water heater... can anyone give me a guesstimate as to how much it should cost us for the unit and installation?

Thanks!

How important is it to use a surge protector with a gas tankless hot water heater (I have a Noritz if that matters)?
I'm talking about a surge protector for power surges, not water pressure. Also, I prefer to hear from people with specific knowledge about the issues with these types of units. I know that, in general, it's good to use surge protectors on electronics, but is there anything unique about using them with a tankless hot water heater? Thank you.

I tried flushing the water out and it leaked all over because the plastic outlet didn't fit my hose. Plus the knocking didn't get any better. I would like either an energy efficient, dependable 40 gallon natural gas replacement hot water heater or an on demand hot water heater. Also I need an expert installer, whichever I choose. Could someone offer some guidance?

I have a fairly new natural gas hot water heater but where I'll be using it at has a propane bulk tank. A friend of mine said he heard that the burner has to be changed but we aren't sure about that at all.

to increase the gas pressure from 8" WC to 2PSI when converting from a gas hot water heater to gas tankless heater? Gas line is 1" entering the house, then 3/4" to each appliance. House is in Texas, 2 stories, 3200 SF, 3-1/2 baths (with a whirlpool tub), 2 furnaces, fireplace, dryer and tankless heater. If increased to 2PSI, gas pressure regulators will be needed at each appliance, as well as a 2PSI meter installed by the gas company. Sounds more expensive than necessary to this unknowing consumer. Comments are welcome.

As of right now I have a 40 gallon propane hot water heater without a timer. I was wondering how much money a tankless unit would save on the propane bill. How big are the units? My house has one bathroom, washing machine, and a kitchen faucet that would use the hot water. I live in Louisiana so the temp never really gets that cold. How big of a unit would I need and what kind of saving would I be looking at? What are the dimensions of the unit I would need?

If I turn on the hot water in my tankless water heater, it only puts out hot water. That's good because that's what it's supposed to do. However when I turn on the cold water faucet, the hot water goes off and I only get cold water. I can't understand how turning on the cold water can affect the hot water my tankless hot water heater (gas) is producing. Any info would be great!
How can I fix it?

I am thinking of installing an instant hot water heater (electric) for our whole house (1600sq. ft.).
In your experience, is it worth it? Does it save money? Any downfalls?

I have a gas tankless hot water heater. the pilot frequently shut off. The gas valve control is controlled by water flow. When there is hot water runs, the water creates a pressure discrepancy at two sides of valve so the gas is on. I do not like this kind design because it is not reliable. about every three years the value needs replaced. It has been replaced twice by me and a plumber. I would like to replace it with a new tankless gas hot water heater with electrical gas lighting. Any suggestion.

I am considering installing a Tankless Hot water heater here in the next few months and was wondering whether or not I would have to switch part of my lines over to copper. Anybody installed the electric version of a tankless system and have problems? Thanks
First, DakotaWayne I am a bachelor living in a two bedroom, one bath trailer with a dishwasher and sink (neither get much use) and a washer and dryer. So its not like Im living in a 5 bedroom house with 10 kids. Second, I am a little bit old school so I call CPVC "PVC", you go to Lowes they are going to give you CPVC because they know what you mean. Just letting everyone know my living situation.

I am looking to replace my existing hot water heater and I don't want to go tankless.

Has anyone here switched from regular electric water heater to the tankless hot water heater. If you have please answer if you could.
How much difference did it make on your elec. bill?
Were you able to install yourself ( I'm pretty skilled in electrical and plumbing, I've done alot of remodeling).
Have you had any regrets since you changed?
Is there a brand that I should stay away from?
Any other input is also appreciated. Thanks a million.

I want to buy a tankless hot water heater to service the entire house (let's say 4 GPM range or up). I'm looking for a recommendation where/what to buy. I prefer electric but could do natural gas/electric. I would also like someone else to install it and remove the old water heater.

If you have links to any other material that might help I would appreciate that as well.

Thanks

I need a new gas hot water heater & trying to decide on whether to get a tankless or solar hot water heater. Can't anyone give me some advice on which is better or a site that could compare the two?
I do understand that solar runs on the sun & requires no electricity but, seriously, is one better than the other? Pro's & cons is what I'm looking for. I had a conventional 50 gal. gas water heater prior to it flooding my garage out.
Currently there are 2 in the household but desire a system capable for 4-6 people.
I am in Az. so the sun shines pretty much all the time during the day.

We have a jacuzzi that seems to empty our hot water heater before it's full enough. I'm thinking about the "on demand" type of water heater since it's at a cabin that we only use a few days a week. I think that would save energy but I'm afraid the water might take forever to fill a large tub like a jacuzzi has. Also, how much room does an "on demand" water heater take up compared to the normal kind?

My plumber recommended replacing my 50 gal hot water heater with a wall-mounted instant hot water heater that does not require a tank.
I was wondering if this is recommended, are homeowners generally happy with this product?

I am considering changing out our 10 year old electric hot water heater with an electric tankless system... I don't have access to gas/or lp.

The benefits I see are that you only heat the water when you need it, and it doesn't sit in the tank waiting...

The thing I have trouble wrapping my head around is going from tank electric to tankless electric - it seems like a wash - i.e still using electricity.

Is there a significant savings in going to tankless... even if I select an electric tankless system.

I have the standard electric hot water heater which is pushing 13 years old. I'm noticing that it is not supplying enough hot water when showering, etc. Thinking of going tankless to save electricity and water, but I need to know how well they work. Any comments, suggestions, etc. will be greatly apprececiated.