Reddit reviews SharkBite U3088FLEX18BVLF, 3/4-Inch x 3/4-Inch x 18-Inch lgth, Silver
We found 2 Reddit comments about SharkBite U3088FLEX18BVLF, 3/4-Inch x 3/4-Inch x 18-Inch lgth, Silver. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
INSTALLS IN SECONDS: Flexible Water Hose requires no special tools, no soldering, or glue. Just push to create a watertight sealPERFORMANCE: Rated to 200 PSI and 200 Degrees F. Use in potable water and hydronic heating applicationsVERSATILTY: SharkBite connects Copper, PEX, CPVC, and PE-RT Pipe in any combinationQUALITY: Only SharkBite's quality and performance is field-proven with more than 550 million connections. SharkBite is the only push-to-connect brand than can ensure a clean, leak-free connectionRESIDENTIAL and COMMERCIAL: All SharkBite fittings meet the same standards for commercial and residential plumbing applications
First get a Lowes 10% off coupon -- I believe these are available from the post office by looking/asking for the packet of stuff they provide with change of address forms. Then go to Lowes and look for the scratch and dent stuff. Many of these will only have cosmetic damage to the relatively thin outside skin, while the important part, the vessel which actually contains the water, is perfectly fine. IIRC, there's relatively little difference between models, and you're effectively paying for the rated (warrantied) lifespan. So with a smaller (40G) scratch-and-dent unit with a shorter (6Y) lifespan plus the 10% coupon, you might just be able to get away with spending under $300/electric, $400/gas for the water heater itself.
As for installation, the plumbing is straightforward if you use "shark bite" connectors and flex hose. It's not as good as soldered copper, but if you're not looking to get 40 years out of it, it's a viable alternative -- and very simple to DIY. See: http://www.amazon.com/SharkBite-U3088FLEX18BVLF-Flexible-Connectors-18-Inch/dp/B005O19OTS and a million youtube vids on how to do this. Oh, and get a simple copper pipe cutter to cut your existing pipe to the right length -- they're only a few bucks.
The hard part is electrical or gas work. This is the part where you might want to call in a pro -- especially if it's gas. But if everything above is already done, getting someone to work on only this part might save you a bundle. And if you live in Columbus, you might also be able to skip whatever permit fees an installer will collect for the city.
This concludes the cheapskate's guide to water heater replacement. Don't forget to post back and let us know how it goes, whatever the solution you end up with.
If you have an exposed cold supply line not on a heater that has a copper-galvanized connection, can you splice in a short CPVC run to create that same barrier between the metals? Or use something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005O19OTS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_UoMDDb5NPQJK9