When Size Really Matters: Tanks to Bosch, we're back in hot water
Written: Feb 18 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Takes up next to no space, endless hot water
Cons: A bit difficult to install yourself
The Bottom Line: We're happy with the size and performance of our new AquaStar!
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| lynnzop's Full Review: Bosch AquaStar 125B NG Natural Gas Tankless Water ... |
Here’s the scenario: One Sunday morning, I took my usual shower and noticed the water was tepid, not hot like I prefer. As I got ready to leave the house, I mentioned to DH that either The Child had run us out of hot water (yet again) when he took his shower, or there was something wrong with the water heater.
Unfortunately, as we soon found out, it wasn’t the easy solution of simply scolding The Child for taking too long of a shower. As I went to church, DH started researching new water heaters at the local stores.
At Menard’s, he found the Bosch AquaStar 125B NG Natural Gas Tankless Water Heater Model 125B NG listed for $499.99. Because of the size (we have a very small furnace room) and potential fuel savings (even for our small family), he decided this was the best bet for our needs. DH jetted down to Menard’s, picked up the AquaStar and necessary supplies to install it (approximately $700 all told in copper pipes, PVC, fittings, duct pipes, etc.,) and that afternoon, we proceeded to remove the old water heater and install the new one.
We don’t have a history of doing home improvement projects together well…so I was really glad that the installation of the AquaStar was pretty much a one-person job. After removing the old water heater (heavy, awkward, but I only dropped it on my foot once), DH went to work on his own installing the new AquaStar. Now, mind you, he is not a plumber, nor does he play one on Desperate Housewives (although we enjoy the show and I think he’s every bit as cute as Mike the Plumber), but for the most part, he didn’t have a lot of difficulty in putting in the unit. (More on that later…)
The AquaStar hangs on the wall instead of sitting on the floor taking up space – the box is approximately 2’ x 3.5’ and about 6” deep. If you have a small furnace room, or just hate that big, heavy tank taking up space in your basement, you will love the size of this unit. Since the box doesn’t have heavy heating elements or have to “hold” water, it is easily hung on the wall using “normal” tools (a stud-finder, cordless drill and screwdriver were the only tools we needed). And while the AquaStar has a 12-year warranty, I will have to imagine that if we do ever have to replace it, it will be a snap to take out.
It took DH about 5 hours (and dialog akin to Darrin McGavin’s famed lines when dealing with the furnace in “A Christmas Story”, thank God The Child was not at home!) to install the unit. He rated the job was about a 7 in difficulty for an “amateur”. (0-10, with 10 being REALLY difficult.) DH’s comment was that he probably would have hired the installation done by a plumber if it wouldn’t have happened on a Sunday – he figured the cost of labor would have been offset by the cost of all the pipes, etc., that he had to buy at retail from Menard’s. Other tools required to install the unit were a pipe wrench, level, hammer, tape measure and long straight edge.
Once installed, lighting the AquaStar was easy. There is a pilot light switch on the front of the unit which has to be moved to the “off” setting for a minute or two. Next, slide the pilot light switch to the ½ way point, hold in the button on the switch and push on the electronic ignition switch, which is located right next to the pilot light switch. Much easier than the old unit, which required standing on one’s head to light the pilot light!
Once the unit was in place and lit, we turned on the hot water, and VOILA! it was hot. Right away. And the hot water is guaranteed not to run out, despite The Child’s penchant for 45 minute showers. Rather than water being held in a tank and having to refill, the AquaStar heats water as it runs through the system, much the same concept as the ever-popular Bunn coffee maker. I’m not intimately familiar with the workings, but since it is not constantly heating the water in a tank, it is also supposed to save us boo-coo money in fuel costs (the web site boasts 82% savings). While I can’t report on savings quite yet, it really does make sense.
A down side of the AquaStar is that the unit we installed will only supply hot water for ONE major appliance or two minor appliances at a time. That means you cannot run the shower and the dishwasher at the same time. This does put a little of a cramp in my style, but I work around it. You’ll still get hot water, but you’ll lose major pressure if you try to run two things at the same time. Larger (and more expensive) units are supposed to be able to accommodate this shortfall.
So far, based on the installation (medium high level of difficulty, which for us may have been based on the re-routing of the water and gas lines that needed to be done), the space savings (fabulous!), and the availability of hot water (endless!), I would have to say we are quite pleased with this new-fangled gadget in our furnace closet. While the AquaStar is more expensive than other water heaters (about twice the cost of a standard tank-style water heater), it is definitely worth every penny, IMO.
Recommended:
Yes
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lynnzop
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Member: Lynn Kvigne
Location: The Great Midwest
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