Paloma Tankless Water Heater ( Archived) (17)

I have had a couple of Paloma tankless water heaters and they are great! If you decide to buy one, you won't be sorry! They are relitively easy to install and as long as you have propane...instant hot water! The temp does not fluctuate when someone else flushes a toilet or anything!

I payed 250.00 for my first Paloma back in 1989 and it hung on the outside of my house in Hawaii until 1996 and someone stole it while I was away and I bought another one in 1996 for 450.00 and built a locking box around it and it is still working today!

Damn, for that kind of money, I'll travel around the country and install them. For someone even "semi-handy" it shouldn't take over 4 hours.

With the electric, especially if you're a novice, label your wires when you unhook them. Shut the breakers off (and make sure there's no current to the HWH. That's a biggie.

Once you get the new HWH in, drain it from the bottom about once a month. That'll reduce lime build up in the tank and on the elements, to some degree. Just drain off about a gallon. I think you'll get more than 7 years out of it.

(I bought a place once that had an elec. HWH and it had gallon buckets of lime build up in it. Ended up just replacing the whole unit.)


That'll be $25.00 consultation fee.

(oh, remember teflon tape too)

Susie
This is not something I remember well. The company have some products I have worked on and there back up is not goo, at least down here in Daytona Beach. The leak is most probably coming from a seal and not from an intrinsic crack so if you have any mechanically minded person (with good eyes) he may be able to ascertain the spot. Now there should have been some literature that came with it. It has a phone number on it for you to call. They will also be able to render you what we like to call 'tech support' and talk you through any repair and also fax you a parts diagram if you don't have it. It's been a few years since I last worked on one but of course I will give you any help I can, so any silly or otherwise questions just mail me or post, but I only got onto this chat site by accident. Must have hit the wrong key. If needs be my mail is.. I do not know if you can get it or how the system works. Story of my life?

I suppose the first question should be "where" is the water heater leaking? In the greatest number of cases, it's an indication that the unit is going to fail soon, most probably because it was not "blown down" on a regular basis, causing the particulate matter to settle in the bottom of the tank. This creates an insulating layer so the tank has to run for longer periods of time in order to heat the water to the desired temperature. Over time this puts greater strain on the metal at the bottom of the tank, causing it to overheat and fail.

Tankless water heaters work by the simple principle of a large amount of surface area exposed to direct heat. They are expensive to operate, but since they only operate as you need the hot water, in the long run they tend to be must less expensive. Be very cautious about having them in-line with a water softener (according to the Mfg) and inspect it at least 1-2 times a year for leaks and indications of overheating.

If you have other questions feel free to write and good luck with your selections!