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With
your overnight guests on their way, you ask yourself will
my hot water heater be able to provide enough hot water for
all of us? The ability of your hot water heater to handle
the challenge is dependent on a couple of key characteristics.
First of all, chances are your home is equipped with a tank
style hot water heater. Tankless styles, although more energy
efficient, are less common in the United States than Europe.
The size of the tank and the type of fuel will determine your
hot water heaters success in meeting the challenge of your
overnight guests.
The size
of the tank is the greatest predictor of the hot water heater's
ability to keep up with the expanded demand. Obviously a larger
tank will supply more hot water than a smaller tank. How the
water is heated, gas or electricity will determine how fast
the heater can recover and supply hot water once the hot water
is used.
A
hot water heater's first hour rating refers to the volume
for which the system can supply water at the right temperature
for the first hour of use. The first hour rating for
gas will range from 48 to 140 gallons depending on manufacturer
and tank size. For an electric hot water heater, the range
is 15 to 120 gallons. Simply put, a gas hot water heater can
heat cold water to the right temperature faster than an electric
heater. The following tables provide a general classification
of the intended performance for gas and electric as it relates
to the size of household.
| Gas |
| Size
of Tank |
# of
People |
| 30
Gallon |
3-4 |
| 40
Gallon |
4-5 |
| 50
Gallon |
5-6 |
| 60
Gallon |
6-7 |
| Electric |
| Size
of Tank |
# of
People |
| 30
Gallon |
2-3 |
| 40
Gallon |
3-4 |
| 50
Gallon |
4-5 |
| 60
Gallon |
5-6 |
The
age of the hot water heater will impact it's efficiency and
ability to meet it's initial performance rating. Most hot
water heaters have a life span of 10 - 15 years. Over time,
especially with the hard water in Arizona, sediment will begin
to collect at the bottom of the tank. As a result, much of
the energy used to heat the tank is wasted heating the accumulated
sediment as opposed to the water. Ultimately, the first hour
rating will decline and the heater will not be able to keep
up with demand.
To
prevent the build up of sediment within your hot water heater.
It is recommended that you drain your hot water heater once
to twice per year. Instructions can be found at the DIY Network
: http://www.diynetwork.com/diy/pl_water_heaters/article/0,2037,DIY_14194_2277696,00.html
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