LESLIE: Leo in Missouri is on the line with a water-heating question. How can we help you with that?
LEO: I’m looking to replace my water heater and I’m wanting to do an on-demand, tankless water heater. And I’m looking at a couple of different units. One of them is a stainless-steel unit, 98 – the condensing unit – 98-percent condensing.
TOM: You have an electric – you have electric water – electric hot water?
LEO: Actually, I’m going to do – I want to use propane.
TOM: OK. So you’re looking at a condensing, propane, tankless water heater. OK.
LEO: Yes. And it’s stainless steel, 15-year warranty. They’re wanting about $3,000 for it. The other one is copper and it’s 94-percent condensing and they want about 1,400 for it. And it’s only got a 12-year warranty versus the 15. It just seems to me that it’s not worth twice the expense for …
TOM: Yeah. It’s a fair point. I think that a tankless water heater is a good thing and definitely the way to go today. You’ll have the on-demand capability of having, really, an unlimited amount of hot water there that’s available any time you need it. There are lots of great manufacturers out there that make them. You should take a look at brands like Rheem – R-h-e-e-m – and Rinnai. Both great …
LEO: Yeah, Rheem – pardon me. Rheem is the copper one and I think Navien is the stainless-steel one that I’m looking at.
TOM: Well, Rheem is a much more well-known brand and they make really good products. And they’re at the top of their game, so I would not hesitate at all to invest in a Rheem product.
LEO: OK. I appreciate your advice. That was kind of where I was leaning but I just kind of wanted to hear it from somebody else.
TOM: Alright, Leo. Well, we’re happy to help. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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