When it comes to sizing a storage water heater, it’s important to choose an appropriate new unit. If you choose one that’s too small, your family will run out of hot water when they need it most. If you choose one that’s too big you’ll be consuming more energy than your family needs and have an increased utility bill as a result.
These three tips will help you get started on the path to sizing a storage water heater that’s a perfect fit for your home.
- Calculating need – When trying to determine what size storage water heater your home needs, calculate your family’s hot water consumption during the peak time of the day. Your home’s peak time is the time that the most hot water is being used at once. If, for instance, at 7 p.m. you run the dishwasher, the washing machine, and two family members take showers, then you need to add up all the hot water used in that hour to determine the peak hour demand. In this example, assume each shower consumes 10 gallons of hot water, the dishwasher consumes six gallons, and the clothes washer consumes seven gallons. Therefore, this home’s peak hour demand for hot water is 33 gallons.
Sizing a storage water heater
In order to purchase a storage hot water heater that can meet your family’s needs, its first hour rating (FHR) should be within one or two gallons of your peak hour demand. In the above example, the home would need a storage water heater that was between 31 and 35 gallons.
Hiring a reputable contractor
Hiring a reputable contractor is just as important as correctly sizing a storage water heater. Be sure to hire a contractor who’s well established and well-known for quality work within your community. Ask for a list of their certifications and references.
For more information on correctly sizing a storage water heater for your home, contact our experts at Team Bob’s Heating Cooling Plumbing today. We’ve been locally owned and operated right here in Grand Traverse County for over 30 years.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Traverse City, Michigan and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Sizing a Storage Water Heater and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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