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Thomas, WOW, Maybe I can order one from Brazil? lol I think, because the tankless units have just started surfacing over the past 5 years, is what is making them so expensive. Most people in the USA have tank models. Air Conditioning, heating and water heating/plumbing is expensive here. Although it all depends on what area you live in.

I had a Rheem 10 year warranty heater installed 2 years ago and it cost me almost $900.00
 
When I go to the USA on vacations, I´ll have to take more than bottles of Guarana soda and Havaianas sandals with me...
Will I have troubles with the customs if I take 20 water heaters in my luggage and say it´s "for my personal use"? hahahahahahaha

Here in Brazil we have tankless heater since mid 70´s, but they became popular in the 80´s.
But... Heaters are not so popular here in brazil because of our hot weather. 99% of the houses and apartments has only 1 pipe for the cold water and they use electric showers.
The best manufacturer in Brazil is Lorenzetti. I have 2 units installed in my apartment and they work great. They are very cheap to install.

 
I looked at Lowe's

Yes I am stsrting to think I live there.
And they had a Reehm for $900, then installation. I don't know what labor would be, but I would think it could be brought in for much less than that.

Now the guy did tell me that you have to have a larger gas pipe to handle the larger burner for the heater. I already had that up to my house so it would just be a matter of plumbing to the unit itself.

He still didn't tell me if it would work in the basement. I am pretty sure I saw one with a powervent for this application.
 
They do have one with a powervent. So far, it is the best water heater I have had. Quick recovery also. I do not know why the prices are so high for water heaters. My parents had a gas water heater since 1962 in their new house, and yes it was replaced many times. But you did not think much about replacing it because it did not really cost that much. Don't mind paying a premium, but would like it to last more that 5 years.

My grandmother had a Sears Homart model, that lasted over 30 years. And yes, there was a lot of hot water use there.
 
Well, here in brazil there are many power vented units.
most modern tankless heaters don´t need a big vent pipe.

One of the models I saw when looking for my heater has a "supervac" technology.
The vent is thin as a garden hose, very flexible and you can make as many curves as you need but there´s an electric device you install outside home.
this device works like a vaccum cleaner (but it´s not noisy)
 
The winters here

are mild compared to your area Ray, Iheartmaytag. Last winter we saw some 16 degree temps. I'm in middle Georgia. It's much warmer in the southern part of the state and colder in the north of the state. Being in the middle it can be a mild, warm or cold season. Most winter days are mild, down in the 30's at night up to the 50's during the day. The last week of December usually gets pretty cold and the worst part is Jan. and Feb.

I don't see how folks in the north stand those bitter cold temps and all the snow and ice. We very rarely see any snow at all and just get alot of rain and overcast days. You can go for weeks at a time with overcast skies.

My tank has more than paid for itself. In atlanta my gas bill ran almost 100 dollars a month. After doing a breakdown of the bill I figured I was paying 60 dollars a month just to keep the hotwater tank heated. That was about the time the restoration in Sparta came to the point of installing the plumbing. I was dead set of having a tankless heater.
 
I just found this site on the web. Prices not too bad if you consider a 20 year useful life and a 50% savings on energy.

I have a gas heater now, but the man at Lowe's thought code would require it be outside, or a power vent because of the large burner like 144,000 btu and up. compared to the 40,000 btu tank that is there now. This is also why they require a larger gas service pipe.

 
Greg, It does get cold and damp at times. This winter we did not have as much snow.

Your utility costs for gas does seem quite high. My gas bill for last month was $32.00. That is for hot water heating and a gas grill,(which I probable only use once a week). There are only three of us in the house, we do not take long showers, and I have a front load washer, and run the dishwasher once a day, (unless entertaining).

Now in the winter that is a different story. Usually in the coldest Jan and Feb, the gas bill is $300.00 or a lot more.

However, I have a split level which is hard to heat. last year I had a small boiler installed for the 4 rooms on the slab, (2 family rooms. foyer and den. I love baseboard heat. The other two levels get heated off the forced hot air furnace(I hate this heat.).

I think the key here is getting a hi-effiency furnace, water heater, appliances, air conditioning, etc. I noticed a considerable drop in my gas bill even with the two furnaces operating. And I do like my house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
 
I was glad Ray

to be rid of the place in Atlanta. As I have restored the house in Sparta I made sure to use some money saving devices. Some are low tech. I didn't put central heat or air in the house. Even with temps getting up to 100 this summer my house stays about 74 degrees. The way it is sighted, tall ceilings, center hall, etc.. it stays comfortable. My partner insisted on having a window unit in his room. He keeps it freezing in there, about 63 degrees. The electric bill runs around 25 dollars and the gas about 15. In the winter the gas goes up around 70 dollars. We heat only the rooms we use with gas logs in the fireplaces (7 fireplaces). If we are not using a room we close the door and keep the heat off in that room.

I have only two ceiling lights. One in the hall and one in the dinning room. The windows let in enough light that we don't need to turn any on during the day. In the winter we use alot of candles and lamps. And it adds to the charm of living in such an old house. I made provsion when the electric was installed to have plenty of power outlets for lamps and appliances but so far we have kept it all minimal.

I couldn't help but laugh last week when the real summer heat set in. I noticed my dogs, two Boxers, brought all their toys in from the yard and stayed inside. They have a doggie door so they can come and go as they need. They went into the library where it stays pretty cool in summer and took the toys with them.

Here is a picture of the door I made for the master bath, it opens into a small courtyard area the dogs have their own door can come and go as they want.

8-6-2008-15-37-16--oldhouseman.jpg
 
Those US prices!

Check the availability of Calefones in Garbarino, a local store in Argentina. To calculate the prices in US dollars just divide the peso price by 3. The cheapest "Calefon" is around US$ 233, the most expensive (page 3) US$ 525. They are all built with excellent quality. You have two choices: natural draft (uses indoor air for combustion, outdoor discharge of combustion gases) or balanced draft (uses outdoor air for combustion, outdoor discharge of combustion gases).

With the larger units you can use up to three faucets simultaneously.

Gosh, I know what I can make for a living from now on! Sell calefones to the US!

Emilio

 
Maybe I don't use that much hot water either?

I loves me hot showers and the Neptune rarely does a cold water wash. All washers are hot or at least warm.

The water heater here is a 31 year old 50 gallon Montgomery Ward gas fired unit, still going strong. It's got two layers of extra external insulation - what the previous owner added, and then I added another inch of foil backed fiberglass (left over from insulating the heating ducts).

My June gas bill was all of about $19.17. An average of .4 therms/day. The gas usage will increase about 50% if I run the gas clothes dryer for all loads, so I line dry as much as posssible. So for this home I just couldn't see the economic justification for a tankless water heater. But I am considering a small one for the workshop, where the distance from the main house is far too great to justify running hot water lines from the tank in the main house. But for now the Mieles back there manage to heat their own water from tap cold just fine.
 
Hi Greg

Nice pic of the bathroom. Also....I like the pic of the front of the house. I would love to have an old house, but they do require a lot of work. I can do some of the work, but the plumbing and electrical I leave for the professionals. I do like to paint. I find it relaxing. Right now, we are in the process of major renovations. Deck is being built from Fiberon, (a composite material, no maintenance), vinyl siding, french doors in dining room, new kitchen and new front door and side lites. I started taking pics of the deck being built and also the demolition of the old porch. When it gets near the finised state, I will post the pics as I go along through the renovations.

Would love to see more of the inside of your house when you are finished.

Ray
 
Thanks Ray

the bath is, like with alot of old houses, in an enclosed porch. That is actually a shot of the back of the house where the water heater is mounted. Check out thread #18101 for more more shots of the house and a look at the front of the house. The front got an update in 1848. The back was the original front but the County moved the road going into town in 1805. I'm glad for the 1848 addition and I'm very happy they never changed anything inside from the original construction.

I would love to see some pics of your project.
 
Hi Greg

As soon as things get moving, I will take pics. I saw on another thread that you are an expert on refinishing Mahogony furniture? I have a Mahogony Governor Winthrop secretary desk that a great aunt gave me. I always like it as a little boy. However.....many years ago she got tired of it and Antiqued it in a Wedgewood blue. It does look nice as an accent piece in our living room because that is one of our colors. I replaced the wood shelves with glass, added a light to make it a curio on top. I have the chair which is Mahogony and would some day like to restore it to its original finish. The desk has got to be over 60 yrs old. She also left me a Mahogony Duncan Phyfe bedroom set. DOuble bed, chest, double dresser and two night stands. This is still in its original finish. Some scratches, but still rally nice.

What would be the right product to remove that antiquing paint? I am not ready for this now, but maybe next year.

Thanks

Ray
 
Ray

send me a pic when you can of the desk. Most of that "antique" paint from the late '60 and early 70's was oil based. I will send you an email with some instructions and tips.
 
Thread 18101

Gredg. How did I miss this thread??? The house is coming along beautiful. The fretwork, (is that the correct term?) is great. I really like the dining room....but most of all the dining room set. Is it a Duncan Phyfe?
 
Oh the dinning table,

Actually it's Chippendale, 1770 English, that's the Marlborough leg. The Duke of Marlborough wanted to give Thomas Chippendale a furniture commission but he did not like the ball and claw leg that was so popular at the time so Chippendale came up with the straight leg design and named it after the Duke. The chairs are 1760's. The globes on the table are 1820's and the Old Paris centerpiece is about 1815. The table with the the wine bottles on it is Virginia about 1770 and the shelf above it is about 1820 New England.

Yes, the fretwork, that was a real bear to repair. Took months. But the end result was worth it. Those front flanking rooms were added in 1848 with the piazza to accomodate the growing family at the time. One is my bedroom and the other is a guest room, both 18X18, a fireplace and 14 ft. ceilings.
 

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