Replies

1. 
   Steve_Hansen | Mar 13, 2002 04:47am | #1

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   Gas is usually more cost effective over time. If you are relocating the heater the cost of new gas lines and installation of new exhaust venting should be factored in. High efficiency gas water heaters use PVC vents. Although they cost more they can actually be cheaper installed. Gas heaters are safe if properly installed.

1. 
   wrhoover | Mar 13, 2002 09:18pm | #2

   *In most parts of the country, an electric water heater is about 3 times more expensive to operate than an natural gas heater. A good rule of thumb for an average family as gas heater costs $150/yr while an electric costs $450/yr. As the first poster said, if the gas heater is properly installed, it is very safe.

1. 
   Phill_Giles | Mar 13, 2002 09:22pm | #3

   *And if you're into techno-babble and fine print; read the figures on temperature recovery, temperature rise, delivered gallons of hot water/hour, etc. - gas wins hands down.

1. 
   xJohn_Sprung | Mar 13, 2002 09:46pm | #4

   *If you're on metered utilities, gas wins period. If you pay to have propane trucked in, and your electric rates are low, then you should do the arithmetic.-- J.S.

1. 
   Kathleen_Stenersen | Mar 14, 2002 08:06pm | #5

   *We've got an electric on off-peak power (about half the kWh price of peak power) and after 5 years are switching to natural gas. The electric bills are killing us and we know it's the heater and electric dryer (which is on peak power). BTW: our electric co-op gave us the heater, recommending the 120 gallon model because of the off-peak power. Yah - we were pretty broke when building our house, and free sounded great at the time. But the efficiency of the heater has really deteriorated over time (thanks to hard water) and the addition of another munchkin makes for many loads of laundry. So after the gas heater is installed, we just wait for the dryer to die so we can switch that to gas too.

2. 
   Rich_Watkins | Mar 14, 2002 09:13pm | #6

   *Just a thought:Could an electric water heater be wired to a timer switch so it shuts down for 5 or 6 hours during the day and at night?Would recovery heat eat up the savings?Rich