Especially with the approaching winter weather, the ability to turn on the tap and feel hot water is an often overlooked but incredibly important part of our daily routines. After all, nothing is worse than getting in the shower, only to find that there is no hot water left.
Choosing an appropriately sized hot water heater will not only ensure your family’s needs are met, but it is also an important element of an efficiently operating appliance. With that in mind, we realize that most homeowners aren’t sure how to choose the right size water heater. Next time you are in the market for a new conventional storage water heater or a heat pump water heater, use this handy guide to help you choose the right one.
Understanding the Water Heater’s Capacity
While tankless water heaters are different, all modern water heaters that use a tank-system come with a first-hour rating. Simply put, this is the number of gallons of hot water the system can supply within one hour when starting with a full tank. Most of the time, the first-hour rating can be found on the EnergyGuide label or in the product literature.
Understanding Your Family’s Hot Water Usage
Now that you understand the capacity of the hot water heater, it is time to understand the amount of hot water your family needs. To make sure you never have a cold shower, consider your peak hour demands, or the hour of the day when the hottest water gets used. For example, this may be in the morning when everyone in the household showers before work and the breakfast dishes are being washed.
Calculate the amount of water being used in that hour using these average gallons of hot water estimations:
- Showers – 10 gallons per shower
- Shaving – 2 gallons per shave
- Dishwashing by hand or Food prep – 4 gallons for 2 total minutes of running water
- Automatic dishwasher – 6 gallons
- Clothing washer – 7 gallons
Remember to consider each household member who uses the hot water during the peak hour, meaning if three people shower within the hour, then 30 gallons of hot water is used.
By adding up the total gallons of hot water needed within a standard peek hour, you understand your household’s hot water needs. It’s always best to choose a hot water heater that matches this estimated usage within one or two gallons.
Call In The Experts
Choosing the hot water option that fits best with your family’s needs can be complicated, but your Just Right Services technicians can guide you through the process and ensure that your new system is installed safely and efficiently. Contact Just Right Services today at (949) 245-6320 to get trusted advice about your hot water heating system.
