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I have a 20+ year old, 115 gallon, electric water heater. Works like a champ, but I'm considering replacing it for a couple of reasons.

  1. It's leased - I pay $20/mo.
  2. It's 115 gallons for a house with 3 adults
  3. It's 20 years old

Based on that high level criteria, I'm looking to replace it with an energy smart, 50-gallon, electric water heater - specifically - this one

Does this seem like a reasonable idea? I'm looking to save money, obviously, over the long run between eliminating the monthly bill and the energy savings.

DMoore
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Calvin Allen
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1 Answers1

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The math says that you should replace the water heater - especially if you can install yourself.

In my opinion the water heater should be sized for the house - how many faucets/bathrooms?, not how many people are currently living in it.

If you are looking to downsize, save money, be green... I would go tankless. Here is an example. Also Tester makes a good point going natural gas. If you have gas chances are it runs by your current heater so it might be worth looking into.

Tankless water heater calculator

Sizing a water heater

DMoore
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