A modern touch…

I’ve said before, restoration is not in the cards. I *like* bathrooms, hot water, well equipped kitchens, and comfortable temperatures indoors. I also like energy efficiency to the extent that it helps produce a comfortable, usable, and well-lit home with less money.

Hey, if the new lightbulb uses 1/10th the power…I can put in 9 extra lightbulbs, yes? LOL!

Victorian “attitude” is what we are striving for…so, while we will have modern amenities, to the degree possible, we will attempt to have them blend in or look the part.

On that front anyway…the Victorians were innovative and had no hesitation in adapting themselves and their homes to the latest technologies available.

Anyway, one example for us…hot water.

There will be 3-1/2 baths in this house when we are done, along with a well equipped kitchen and laundry/utility room. We need plenty of hot water.

Tankless or tanked…that is the question.

A year ago, the tankless units just didn’t make sense from a cost standpoint. They are much more efficient, yes, but they were also so much more expensive that the cost put the recovery of the difference in price on utilities at something over 12 years. Doubtful that the unit would last that long without service, so there was no break-even point, and probably even a loss.

Efficiency at a loss is not gonna happen for us.

Of course there are other factors. The tankless have advantages over an tank model…if properly installed/sized, endless hot water, and more importantly for our purposes, the tankless ones don’t need a large water heater closet taking up your ever-so-scarce-storage space in your old Victorian!

The current water heater is installed in the master bathroom with no closet…not only ugly and in the way…and taking up space that could be better used…it must have a closet and external venting to meet current building codes. Heh…the current water heater vents into the attic (!!!) as well…but that’s an entirely different discussion.

Now, whilst we are not obligated to meet any current building codes…I do believe in doing so if it does not alter the fundemental character of the house.

If keeping a tank model, a new water heater closet and proper vent stack would be installed in the new utility room.

Tank at lower cost, or tankless with better space usage. The space for the water heater closet will be better put to use as a linen closet

Hmmm…tough decision. As usual, when I have tough decisions to make, I put them off as long as I can whilst more information trickles in. Not really procrastinating…I know from experience that things change fast if you are keeping your eyes open…

Rather suddenly, the price point on the tankless heaters has dropped enough to make them cost-effective.

We bought this one. The magic FedEx fairy dropped it off in our entry hall yesterday. For some reason I had to sign for it. Not sure why…they’ve left a thousand dollars worth of books on the stoop (in the rain) before. Is there a “sign here” threshold? Dollars per pound? Dollars per cubic inch of packing?

Takagi TK-3-OS-NG tankless water heater

On a side note…the magic USP and FedEx fairies must really be getting to hate us…the size, shape, and weight of stuff they have to deliver here is varied and … interesting …

This unit mounts outside (saving me space), needs no vent stack (saving me money), and was only a couple hundred dollars more than a 50 gallon-tank model. Since the stack for the tank model would have cost another couple hindered or so…well…Sweet!

I splurged and ordered the remote control/information panel as well. The geek in me loves that. You can view incoming and outgoing water temperatures, set the peak temperature, turn the unit on or off, and see any diagnostic warnings.

Not shown…the steel cabinet that allows it to be flush mounted in an exterior wall, thus, not detracting from the appearance of the house. The cabinet has not arrived yet. I will, of course, post pics of the install…well…that and the wall I have to rebuild for the install…

But hey, it’s “period” anyway! The new tankless water heater is just the modern, survivable version of the old monster that was once used here:

An older model tankless...

Oh, and I gotta say…this is my most very favorite “universal” label EVER:

I can imagine the screams…or the little guy yelling, “WEEEEeeeeee!”

Warning...or dare? Hey y'all, watch this!

I’m still wondering whether to take it as a warning…or instructions for the sort of thing that starts off with me handing somebody my beer and saying, “Hey y’all, watch this!”

CUAgain,
Daniel Meyer