What a PITA. We rent ours. It costs more, but they haul away the old one and it includes a really good service plan.I just changed my hot water tank. $514 I did not intend to spend on something that I could not have fun with. The last tank I changed was seven years ago and was around 350 or so... I imagine if this one goes in seven years I will not be able to get the old one out of the basement myself