A water heater is one of the most important appliances in your home. It provides hot water for your dishes, showers, laundry, and other everyday tasks where hot water is necessary.
Finding the right size water heater is important. If it’s too small, you’ll constantly have cold water and put unnecessary stress on the heater, leading to quicker replacements. If you get one that’s too big, you’ll pay more than you need to
What Size Water Heater Do I Need?
We generally determine the correct size water heater for your home based on the number of people. The more family members and people in the house, the larger the tank capacity you need.
- 1-2 people will require a 23 to 36-gallon water heater.
- 2-4 people will require a 36 to 46-gallon water heater.
- 3-5 people will require a 46 to 56-gallon water heater.
- 5+ people will require a 56 water heater or larger. Add ten gallons for every additional person in your household.
However, other factors may also influence what size water heater you need. For example, if you run a business out of your home, such as a daycare, or have frequent visitors, you probably use more hot water than the average homeowner. In that case, you may need a larger tank.
What Size Tankless Water Heater Do I Need?
Tankless water heaters are a bit different than typical water heaters. Rather than storing hot water in a tank, they heat water as needed.
To determine the best tankless water heater size for your home, we look at the average gallons-per-minute (gpm) you need to accomplish your everyday tasks.
For example, washing machines use about 3 gpm, a sink faucet uses 1 gpm, a shower uses 2.5 gpm, and so on. Use these numbers to calculate the hot water you use at once.
Finding your peak hot water usage will help you determine the necessary flow rate of your tankless water heater.
For an average Fox Cities home with two bathrooms, you’d probably want a tankless water heater with 8–9 gpm. For smaller or one-bathroom homes, 4-6 gpm is generally ok.
Signs You Need to Replace Your Hot Water Heater
As we mentioned before, your hot water heater is one of the most important appliances in your home. Only once your water heater starts to fail is it when you appreciate it most.
Here are a few key signs that your water heater may need to be replaced, repaired, or upgraded:
- It’s 8+ years old.
- It isn’t providing sufficient hot water for your family.
- It’s leaking.
- It’s making strange noises like clanks or a hissing sound.
- High utility costs.
If that’s the case, our team is happy to chat about energy-efficient tankless options or provide same-day water heater replacements and installations.
Contact the Professionals at Watters Plumbing
If you’d like to learn more about hot water heaters, need a replacement, or need one installed in your Fox Cities home, contact the team at Watters Plumbing today. We can help you with all of your hot water heating needs!
