Got fast and efficient installation of the water heater - but the appointment was 10-2 and they showed up at 2:55pm. Not okay. And then they brought the wrong unit and told me that no-one was available to bring the right one. I insisted on service that day since they'd kept me waiting in the house all day and it wasn't me who made the mistake. The installer was great and he did work late on a Friday to get it done. That was appreciated.
There is no 'right answer' about water heaters: your decisions are based on a complex set of variables such as projected gas/electric costs for the duration, your use of hot water (and have you run out), your home's size/number of bathrooms/appliances needing hot water, your projections about how water heaters and their efficiency will improve during the life of your unit, whether you think you will need service calls, whether you plan on moving within 7 years, your environmental goals, your space requirements. Rent/Own? Tank/Tankless? Here's my take on it: if you plan to stay in your home for more than 8 years, want more model/brand choice, and have confidence in the unit, BUY. If you might want to change the tank (either size or technology), are concerned about costs of service, are cash-poor and want to spread the costs over a number of years, then RENT. I switched to Reliance rental based on our home's use and needs - and I found their call center helpful and not pushy. They should provide more information available for consumers. They rent Rheem which are at an energy star .67 rating/ for 40 or 50 gallon tanks. That's not great, but it's what the other guys' tanks also provide. Rental companies care about reliability so they don't have to service the units - they don't care about energy use which is what you pay for. I like that there's no contract (and they are clear about the exit costs) - and the fact that they got me next day installation because I was without hot water for a week while I made my decision about what to do. Ontario might be the only province where we rent hot water heaters - most of the country just buys them. I was fairly certain I was going to buy and spend the serious bucks to get a tankless system - but between the complex venting upgrades, installation costs, the costs/savings ratio, and the actual needs of our home, I discovered that a 40G tank was best suited to us. Ask friends what they did and why. They can't give you a solution for your personalized needs, but their reasoning will help you ask the right questions. It's a crap shoot since you can't control even 1/2 of the variables involved - so I'm not sweating the small stuff just enjoying hot showers again
