Good points on energy savings. Another thing to think about is safety—older tanks can sometimes have faulty pressure valves or corrosion issues. Has anyone had experience with tankless heaters? Curious if they're worth the upfront cost...
We switched to a tankless heater about two years ago when our old tank started showing signs of rust and leaking. Honestly, the upfront cost was a bit steep, but I haven't regretted it yet. Hot water is pretty much instant, and we've noticed a decent drop in our gas bill. Installation was a bit tricky though—had to upgrade some gas lines and venting. Might wanna factor that into your decision... Have you checked if your current setup can handle a tankless?
We went tankless last year too, and you're right about the upfront cost being steep. Had to upgrade our electrical panel, which we didn't initially plan for—so that added to the expense. Still, the convenience of instant hot water has been worth it for us. Did you run into any issues with inconsistent water temps at first? Took us a bit of tweaking before it stabilized...
We switched to tankless about three years ago, and I can definitely relate to the upfront costs and unexpected electrical upgrades. Our panel was older, so we anticipated that part, but what caught us off guard was the water temperature fluctuations you mentioned. Initially, we had some pretty noticeable swings—especially when multiple fixtures were running simultaneously.
From my experience, inconsistent temps usually come down to a couple of factors: flow rate and incoming water temperature. Tankless units heat water on demand, so if your flow rate is too low or too high, the heater struggles to maintain a steady temp. We found that installing low-flow showerheads and faucets helped stabilize things quite a bit. Also, adjusting the heater's temperature settings slightly lower than our initial preference actually improved consistency—sounds counterintuitive, but it worked.
Another thing worth checking is your inlet filter screen. Even brand-new installations can sometimes have debris or sediment from plumbing work that partially clogs the filter. A quick clean-out solved some lingering issues for us early on.
Overall though, once we got past those initial hiccups, it's been smooth sailing. Maintenance-wise, tankless units are pretty straightforward—just remember to flush them annually with vinegar solution to prevent mineral buildup (especially important if your area has hard water). It's a simple DIY job if you're comfortable with basic plumbing tasks; otherwise, any plumber can handle it quickly.
In your case with rusty water from an older tank heater... honestly, I'd lean toward replacement rather than repair. Rust usually indicates corrosion inside the tank itself—not something easily or reliably fixed long-term. Plus, once corrosion starts, leaks aren't far behind. Switching to tankless might be pricier upfront as you've experienced already—but in terms of reliability and convenience over time, it's generally worth it in my book.
Just my two cents based on what I've seen over the years...
You're spot-on about the rust issue—once corrosion sets in, it's pretty much downhill from there. Seen plenty of folks try to patch things up temporarily, only to have leaks pop up shortly after. Tankless can be a bit finicky at first, but once dialed in, they're solid. Good call on the low-flow fixtures too; small tweaks like that make a surprising difference. Sounds like you've got it figured out now though...nice work.
