My oil fired water heater sprung a major leak!

[Bald Bill]

I was out tonight when my wife texted me and informed me that our oil fired water heater had sprung a major leak (it is 12 years old).

I have oil and Propane available (I live in the 'burbs of Philly).  Obviously I need to move quickly.  I know I should have bought a Bock oil fired heater 12 years ago (my mother has a Bock that is around 30 year old, working like a champ).

I can use oil and tie in to the existing flue or I can go Propane and direct vent (I'm a contractor, although an electrical one, I am fairly well versed and can follow codes)

My home has a powder room on the first floor, a full bath on the second floor and a shower stall bath in the master bedroom.  It is just my wife and I living here but I do take fairly long showers in order to shave both my face and head, then my wife takes her shower.  I take a good 20 minutes, my wife takes around 10 to 15.  We do one or two loads of laundry each day as well as one dishwasher cycle.

Question one:

Should I stay with an oil fired, 32 gallon tank system or go with tankless?

I will be doing the install labor so that time is not a factor.

Question two:

If I go to Propane ( I have 1-1/4" lines in the house to service our commercial kitchen) what brand do you recommend?  Bosch, Rinnai and Noritz seem to keep popping up.

Thanks in advance for any and all help!  Obviously I need to do something quickly or be relegated to taking cold showers (hold the jokes!)

[Scottthewolf]

I recommend a Bock or Triangle Tube 32 gallon oil fired hot water heater. Tankless is expensive and you will need to do alot of retrofitting to install it.

I wouldn't bother with propane either.