Ask the Home Inspectors: A crash course in water heaters
May 22, 2012 | By Gabe Semenza and Joe Hanselka Originally published April 11, 2012 at 7:27 p. m. , updated April 11, 2012 at 7:27 p. m. HAVE A QUESTION. You probably never give much thought to your water heater until you step into a cold shower or become forced to deal with leaks at or under the unit. Although tankless and on-demand water heaters have grown in popularity, we find the vast majority of Crossroads residents still use the traditional tank-type units - those cylindrical vessels that often hold between 30 and 50 gallons. Within this category, we regularly inspect two varieties: Electric and gas-fired water heaters. This column will give you a general overview of ways to spot deficiencies within your water heater. Like any equipment, however, the water heater has several components that must operate in unison to safely and efficiently do its job. If you have questions about your home or want to share lessons we can all learn from, email gabe@semenzainspections. Luckily, both share several common features.
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I want to buy a house that is currently using oil heater in Brooklyn, ny. Is it expensive to change to gas?
Jul 03, 2007 by Kai T
It is a 2 family house in Brooklyn, NY with oil heater. I am planning to rent both units out, but I don't want to be responsible for their heat and hot water because I cannot control how much the tenants use since I won't be living in it. Plus, I heard oil is much more expensive than gas. Also, I don't think you can meter their usage on oil. Therefore, I am planning to change the oil tank to gas so I can setup a meter for each family, so they can pay Keyspan themselves every month. I heard that converting to gas is very expensive. Could anyone provide me with some suggestions that is best for this situation? Thank you very much!
If you were living in the home I'd recommend you stick with fuel oil until the machine needs to be replaced. As you are not paying for the heat, go with gas and have the tenant pay. You might be able to write off the installation as a business expense and have it amortized. Check with your accountant on the rules.
If the current heat is forced air, conversion to two gas furnaces without A/C should not be expensive. The gas company in your area will have a list of competent installers.
If the current system is hot water heat, you will need to have ducting run, and this may be costly, depending on if the basement or attic is finished.
Would it be inappropriate to have the tenants pay for fuel oil? It can be measured with a simple dipstick. You might factor in a fuel surcharge and incorporate that into the rent. Tell the tenants that if they don't use the allocated fuel during the year, you will give them a rebate, or if they go over the allocation it will be added to the rent. Be sure to check with your legal team before doing this, however as it may not be permissible in your area.
i just bought an eleven fin oil heater. it doesn't heat my room up. should i get a fan heater instead?
Jul 03, 2007 by uche
i live in a studio unit and there is an open staircase and also there isn't a door into my kitchen so there is a lot of space that needs to be heated. what type of heating should i purchase? does anyone have an idea of how much AUD$$ my oil heater will cost me per hour? my landlady said 35cents.
thanks.
a fan heater will distribute the heat more in your house than an oil heater,