Here’s the thing: it costs a lot to replace a water heater, and they tend to fail after 20 or 30 years. It’s completely OK to say ‘spend this way instead of that way’ when people are forced to spend anyways
Comment on Heat-pump water heaters are a winner for the climate — and your wallet
Destraight@lemm.ee 11 months ago
It’S a WiNnEr On YoUr WaLlEt! But yet they cost $1699. This stupid article thinks we’re high class people instead of poverty class, because there is no way I could ever be able to afford something that expensive
silence7@slrpnk.net 11 months ago
frezik@midwest.social 11 months ago
Expect install cost to be $500-1000 on top of that. Water heaters tend to last around 10 years (though this can extend out a lot with proper maintenance), so homeowners are going to have to have an expense like that at some point.
You could diy the install. If the old one is gas, you probably shouldn’t, though. Cities often don’t care about people doing diy plumbing and electrical, because if you fuck up, it tends to fuck over only yourself. If you fuck up gas work, it can fuck over your neighbors.
Wxfisch@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Idk, I DIY swapped out old gas water heater for an electric heat pump water heater heater and it was super straight forward. If you have the plumbing and electrical skills to add a circuit and move your hookups (since on most gas water heaters they are on top and most heat pump water heaters they are on the sides top and bottom), you probably have the skills to safely disconnect and cap off the old gas line. Just be sure to use pipe dope that is rated for gas, and check with soapy water once you pressurize the line again for leaks.
AlDente@sh.itjust.works 11 months ago
Just installed one recently. Got $500 back in a rebate frome the electric company and will get 30% back in taxes at the end of the year. I haven’t had it running long enough to see what the average electric bill reduction will be; however my last bill (and first full one with the new heater) was my cheapest in the 5 years I’ve been here. I don’t expect it will take long to pay for itself compared to the highly inefficient 20-year old model it replaced.