Marathon Water Heaters

Marathon Advantages - Marathon FAQs - Contact Cooperative Light & Power

The Marathon electric water heater offers these advantages:

• Technologically advanced design is clearly differentiated from short lived steel water heaters.
• It’s the most durable water heater made, with a warranty to match
  Envirofoam™ insulation is completely free of CFC and HCFC ozone depleting gases. Marathon leads the way in environmental friendly manufacturing, design and operation.
• Tank comes complete with a factory installed vacuum relief valve, ¾" brass tee and ¾" brass nipple for easy, professional installations.
• Replaceable brass drain valve
• All wiring run in conduit for easy control wiring
• Seamless blow molded polybutylene tank with no anode rod required for a corrosion free life
• High temperature, commercial-grade diptubes for greater durability
• The filament wound fiberglass outer tank is designed to be more flexible and withstand more pressure than conventional tanks Our unique high temperature dip tube is offset from the concave bottom, creating a "whirlpool effect" which helps prevent sediment build-up
• Every tank includes 4' of pipe insulation for even greater savings.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much more is the Marathon than a conventional water heater?

The smaller Marathon units will cost approximately 2 to 3 times more than a basic steel water heater. That is not a real comparison though, as you are comparing a lifetime warranty product that is super insulated, against a 5 or 6 year warranty product with minimal insulation. Installation for the Marathon is no more and sometimes less than for steel units.

Larger units such as the 85 and 105 gallon models are typically the same cost or less than short-lived steel units. Our manufacturing process is technologically advanced and very efficient so our incremental cost between our smaller tanks and our larger ones is much smaller than that of steel tanks.

Is it worth more than a conventional water heater?

Yes. Typically it will pay for itself in energy savings over a conventional water heater. The Marathon will save you energy year after year and after five years it won't have to be replaced. The cost of the water heater is usually only half your cost however. Installation is the other cost and you won't have to pay for that and another water heater in five years. The other thing people often overlook is the damage to their floor and belongings when their cheaper water heater fails.

Why should I bother, my last water heater lasted 22 years?

That's impressive but not uncommon for older water heaters. Older water heaters had much thicker steel and more porcelain than today's units. Because manufacturers have cut so many costs from the manufacturing process, most steel water heaters made today will not last much longer than their warranty.

I am building a new house, wouldn't gas be cheaper?

Not necessarily. Although gas may be slightly cheaper, gas water heaters are more expensive than electric units and the venting now required for safety can be quite expensive. The thing to remember is that electric water heaters are nearly 100% efficient, as all of the heat generated stays in the unit instead of some going up the flue. Also, the Marathon is like a Thermos® in that it keeps the water hot once you have made it. It's the most efficient water heater made.

Many people are now building tighter, more efficient homes than they used to and indoor air quality is becoming a concern. Any fossil fuel water heater can be a problem with carbon monoxide, NOX, and other pollutants needing to be vented. You can eliminate this issue entirely, however, with the energy-efficient, electric Marathon