Pdog
April 5th, 2003, 12:34 PM
My wife and I do not have any kids (yet) and need to replace our electric 40 gal hw heater. There is a natural gas line directly above the heater now that we can use. The heating is gas hot water baseboard heating. I was at first going to go for an indirect fired heater, but I really don't want the boiler running throughout the summer. I will probably go for a 50 gallon tank, since my house is a ranch and approx. 1800 sf. The problem comes with venting it. I don't have a chimney and my boiler uses a power vent. I will have to do the same with this. But (and this is what I don't know), do I need to buy a natural gas unit and a separate power vent or do companies sell models already fit together with the power vent attached and all that needs to be done is to wire and vent it? A plumbmer quoted me $1250 for a 40gal with vent, complete with install. I could get one from HD or Lowe's with a 12 year warranty for under $300, but then need the power vent and install it myself through a poured concrete basement wall. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.