SIGMAA - QL Newsletter

This summer I had my first experience with something every homeowner dreads (and knows is coming eventually): a sudden puddle of water underneath the hot water heater. A local plumbing company quickly sent a technician out, who spared no time in pronouncing our current hot water heater dead. Then he explained that this company used flat-rate pricing: all jobs of a certain type cost the same fixed amount, which covers any expected or unexpected aspects of the job. We had two options for replacing the heater: First, he offered a standard 50-gallon electric hot water heater and installation for $1200. Second, we could install a hybrid electric hot water heater, which uses a combination of a heat pump and a heating element to heat the water, for $3200. The more efficient heating system would use, he claimed, about $30 less in electricity per month. Over the life of the heater, he claimed, the electricity savings would more than pay for the heater. Even though I knew that I was unlikely to save as much on electricity as the plumber claimed, I was attracted to the 10-year warranty (a typical hot water heater warranty is 6 years) and the comparatively smaller environmental impact of a more efficient, longer-lasting appliance. Normally, my next step would be to take down the provider’s estimate, do a little independent research, and get an additional estimate from at least one other company. In this case, though, I was under a bit of time pressure—the old hot water heater was currently leaking slowly into the garage—and this particular company was highly recommended by a major service provider ratings website. So I went ahead and had them install the hybrid electric hot water heater.