Hybrid water heaters, are they worth the extra $$$

[gomer pyle]

The house we purchased has an all electric tankless water heater. It is awful! It pulls 120 amps every time it comes on(I checked with amp meter, not guessing) and still can't keep up with demand in the winter time. I have been looking at tankless outdoor gas options but I'd have to buy a tank, run lines to house, mount the unit outdoors(with fear of lines freezing) and the cost is a lot more than I can spend right now. We really don't have run in the laundry room for a tank water heater but we may have to work around it, so I've been looking at tallest, skinniest options(due to EPA regs these are not that much skinner than a standard). I've been looking at the hybrid option, are they worth the extra $$$? Then again is there too much electronics to go bad?

Anyone have a hybrid? Thoughts?

[Magiccarpetrides]

I have a gas water heater with a Recirculator on it....works great...hot water comes out of any tap in the house within approx. 60 seconds or less...seems to keep up really well and fairly inexpensive setup....downside to the recirculatory is a constant power draw...though it is low....another upside to gas...power goes out...still have hot water...i'd never use anything else.

[MacGyver]

The heat pump based hybrid water heaters are great. 

Doing a yearly maintenance to rescale it will significantly increase its life expectancy. 

[gomer pyle]

3 hours ago, MacGyver said:

The heat pump based hybrid water heaters are great. 

Doing a yearly maintenance to rescale it will significantly increase its life expectancy. 

Is the rescale done the same as a traditional tanked heater or do you back pump it like a tankless?

[gomer pyle]

7 hours ago, Magiccarpetrides said:

I have a gas water heater with a Recirculator on it....works great...hot water comes out of any tap in the house within approx. 60 seconds or less...seems to keep up really well and fairly inexpensive setup....downside to the recirculatory is a constant power draw...though it is low....another upside to gas...power goes out...still have hot water...i'd never use anything else.

I'm trying to stay away from gas if at all possible due to not having any gas on my property. If not for that....

[MacGyver]

38 minutes ago, gomer pyle said:

Is the rescale done the same as a traditional tanked heater or do you back pump it like a tankless?

I’m not sure.  It probably varies by maker.  

The pumps are pretty inexpensive. 

[gomer pyle]

I built one with a pond pump for my current tankless. All I’ve ever done for my tanked was to drain them once a year. 

[Magiccarpetrides]

15 hours ago, gomer pyle said:

I'm trying to stay away from gas if at all possible due to not having any gas on my property. If not for that....

Dont blame ya....propane is not a good alternative $$$$