For most buildings with large domestic hot water storage tanks, the cheapest long-term option is to keep the tanks you have and maintain them. Here's why.
Your large tanks are an asset of the building
Large tanks are usually set in place before the walls go up, and the building is often built around them. They were designed to be maintained, with a manway, replaceable anodes and gaskets, and a cement lining that can be renewed on site. Looked after properly, a large tank can stay in service for the life of the building.
What replacement really costs
Getting a large tank out of a building is hard. It has to be drained and often cut apart, and the new tank has to be rigged into a mechanical room that was built around the old one. Add new piping connections, insulation, permits and commissioning, and replacing a large tank is often a six-figure bill.
What maintenance and relining cost
Regular maintenance is inexpensive. Relining, which we expect every 10 to 15 years, typically costs less than 10% of replacement. Even when a weld repair is needed, it's still a fraction of the cost. The tank stays where it is, the piping stays connected, and there's no rigging or structural work.
Why a bank of smaller tanks costs more over time
Swapping one large tank for a bank of smaller ones can look cheaper up front. Over time it usually isn't.
Smaller tanks are often disposable, lasting as little as 10 years when they aren't well maintained.
Small glass-lined tanks can't be relined, so you'll be replacing them again.
A bank of smaller tanks needs more piping, more valves, more fittings and more insulation. Every one of those is something that can go wrong and something that costs money to maintain.
When any of that isn't perfectly maintained, the system loses heat. A plumber removes insulation to make a repair and it never goes back on, or a small leak never gets fixed. That heat loss shows up as a higher utility bill, and the insulation itself is expensive to replace.
Stainless steel tanks are another replacement option, but they're much more expensive.
The cost no one budgets for
An emergency replacement costs more than a planned one. A failed tank means lost hot water for residents, possible water damage in the mechanical room, rush pricing and temporary hot water. Regular inspection is what keeps a tank in the relining range instead of the emergency replacement range.
Get a real number for your building
Every building is different. Hydrastone offers a free tank assessment with a written recommendation. Call 416-902-8265 in Toronto, 778-996-8265 in Vancouver or 403-466-8645 in Calgary, or email info@hydrastone.com.
