Are Gas Water Heaters Still More Efficient?
Fri 02/04/05 02:34:19 am
by Mark Bower
Dear Mark: I have a sealed combustion gas water
heater in my home. The water heater
is nine years old and not looking so well.
I priced a new water heater and the cost was over $550 without
installation. Are gas water heaters
still the way to go? Jemina
in Sioux
Falls, SD.
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Dear Jemina: When you ask if
gas water heaters are still the way to go, I assume what you are really asking
is whether or not gas water heaters are still more efficient than electric.
The answer is ‘no’. Let me explain why.
Water heater manufacturers must display on the unit itself the estimated
annual operating cost. If anyone
has recently made a trip to the local home improvement store to examine those
stickers, you’ll notice that electric water heaters cost twice as much to
operate than natural gas.
Hmmmm. Take a closer
look at those stickers and you’ll find that many manufacturers are still quoting
energy rates from 1994! Back
in 1994 it did cost twice as much to operate an electric water heater than gas
(assuming no special price breaks were given on electricity as some cooperatives
may do). So for the most
part, those stickers are worthless.
Computing the annual operating cost of a gas water heater is tough
to do because gas prices fluctuate monthly. I recently spoke to a retired technician
who specialized in gas and energy usage, and he said that when natural gas costs
reach 91 cents a therm, they pretty much equal the cost of operating an electric
water heater. Right now (February
2005), natural gas in my area is $1.44 per therm. According to the technician, right now
it’s costing me a lot more to operate a gas water heater than electric.
Then there’s the cost of the water heater. At the time of this writing, a person
could still buy an electric water heater with a 6 year warranty for
$190-$240. As you stated in your
letter, sealed combustion gas water heaters designed for manufactured homes are
$550 or more. If you have an
outside access to your water heater, then you may be able to get by with a
standard gas water heater as long as its approved for a manufactured home. Remember, if you own a manufactured
home, you can only use a gas water heater approved for manufactured homes. It’s against the law to use anything
else. Electric water heaters aren’t
so critical.
To answer your question, I would replace your sealed combustion
water heater with an electric unit based upon today’s energy costs and water
heater prices. Of course you also
need to consider whether or not you have available space/amps in your fuse box
to install an electric water heater.
Do keep in mind that new government regulations and the price of steel
have really impacted the price of a water heater. Many price increases have already been
passed on, but sources are telling me to expect even more prices increases this
coming year mainly due to high steel prices. I’m told by retailers that upcoming
price increases could easily add another $100 to the price of a water
heater. Some home improvement
chains, Menard’s for example, is stocking up their stores big-time trying to
head-off that price increase (or cash in on it – however you wish to view
it).
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The Manual for
Manufactured Home Repair &
Upgrade
UPDATED FOR 2005
 "Every winter my roof leaked... We even had a couple manufactured
home repairmen out to seal it. Nothing worked and this went on
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Maureen is referring to The
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Bower. Most just dub
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Manual. Bower
owns and operates Aberdeen Mobile Home Repair in
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Dakota.
 Maureen isn't alone. Hundreds of others have written to
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Bower enjoys the letters he receives regarding his manual. "I
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Tom of Lansing, Michigan, followed the simple instructions on
installing a shut-off valve and saved $75 on a service call. Mary of Churdan, Iowa, writes to say she uses the manual to
keep the repair guys she hires honest, "When I had my home releveled, I sent two different contractors packing
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hundreds of dollars!"
Bower has updated his manual for 2004. More information was added
regarding additions and porches. "We added details on attaching
porches so they don't leak even if they shift with the seasons. "
says Bower. With high
energy prices now upon us, Bower says he's also included a section on
building a solar heating panel. "Find an old sliding glass door
and you can build one for under $100," says Bower who built two panels for
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inch overhang is awesome - no more water running down the siding.
Great roof, great instructions, I love it!"
The
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Bower says many manufactured home owners are do-it-yourselfers, and
he's glad to be able to provide them a tool, The
Manual, to help them do more.
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The Guide
to
Manufactured Housing Repair On-Line
The
MH Parts Store On-Line MH Parts may not be very pretty...
but when you need them you just can't do with out them. Don't run all over
town to assemble the things you need for that home renovation or repair.
Order from our on-line parts store. Everything
you need is here from doors, windows, screens, plumbing and electric
parts, bath and kitchen fixtures, roof and ceiling components, and
more.... even set-up materials, The Part Store's Owner/Managers, keep it
simple, they just provide you with the best possible products available.
The Manual for Manufactured Home Repair &
Upgrade If your looking for a book
that covers all facets of manufactured home repair, you've found it! This
is the only book of its type, available to the public, that we have been
able to find. As you would expect from the title, The repair and upgrade techniques described in this
manual are specific to manufactured homes. This book will answer almost
every question on manufactured home repair that we have ever heard. Not
only does this book show you how to repair and maintain your home, but
also great methods for upgrading it.
FoundationWorkss Advanced foundation
system Designed and engineered for manufactued homes, These
foundation systems add a high level of strutural
stability and have proven most cost-effective for the manufactured home,
buyer. Advanced Foundation Systems meet or exceed industry standards, and
have been proven safer under adverse conditions. Advanced Foundation
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Finance Your MH Renovation/Repair There
are many loan programs available to MH Owners. Secure the money you need
to renovate, upgrade, or even expand your MH. One stop shopping. select your
loan preferences and we will forward your request for loan information to
as many as a dozen participating manufactured housing finance offices.
Skirting For The 21
Century Manufactured Home System-1 is what skirting should
be- 100% solid concrete. System-1 is not an imitation or a look alike – it
is the original concrete skirting system that resists the elements from
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and is designed to stay put for years of dependable service. Stop chasing
your skirting down the street and look at just
some of the benefits System-1 concrete skirting provides you.
MH Free Classifieds PARTS & SERVICE Section
Parts & contractors for the repair, renovation and installation
of manufactured homes. Parts and component suppliers... and more
Hardboard Siding Repairs Does your
Manufactured Home have hardboard siding that is swelling, rotting, or
buckling? You might be entitled to a Cash Settlement! Find out if you
qualify HERE
Manufactured Housing Yellow Pages / SERVICE
COMPANIES The Yellow Pages is an ever expanding data base
that is growing into one of the richest resources in the world for
locating and contacting companies that participate in, or offer services
to, the manufactured housing industry.
The Mobile Home
Expert The business of installing and servicing
manufactured homes is rapidly moving away from the world of the one
pick-up, one jack, local set up and repair guys and into the world of
certified tradesmen, and licensed contractors. The modern manufactured
home is greeted with stiff compliance codes regulating construction,
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the inspection of installations it gets more and more difficult to know
what the rules of the game are, especially if your operating in more than one jurisdiction. Consult with R.T. Bonney, who has participated in all phases of the
industry over the past 30 Years He can provide solutions for the modern
problems of operating most types of manufactured housing business.
Floor Repair Info Kit includes a 25 minute
VHS video about repairing the floor in your manufactured home, and a
booklet on floor repair. Price:$25.95 - Shipping
& Handling:$3.90
Painting and Texturing Paneled Walls By
following the steps in this 20 minute video, your paneled walls will look
darn near like textured sheetrock. Works on both wood
paneling and vinyl-covered paneling or sheetrock. Price:$19.95 Shipping & Handling:$3.90
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The potential for success will be apparent to you once you see for
yourself how easy the HOME/TRACK suite of products are to use. Of
course, all demos are free and with no obligation and there is always
someone available to answer any questions you may have.
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Helping your salespeople sell more homes.
Helping your service department increase their bill backs and
eliminate waste.
Organizing your business into one efficient system.
Giving you 36 reports to oversee the entire process.
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