Average Water Heater Capacity

Tankless water heaters capacities aren t measured in gallons stored but in flow rates.

Average water heater capacity.

Utility water heaters usually range in size from 2 5 to 19 gallons. But if you only need a loose estimate of what size you need versus an exact calculation follow these guidelines. Typically residential water heater sizes range from 40 to 100 gallon tanks. 5 or more people need a 50 80 gallon water heater.

On average gas fired heaters are more efficient and heat the water. You can estimate the necessary tank capacity in gallons based on the number of people in the house. Consequently these are the two most frequently installed sizes. Water heaters running on 120 volt power have a long recovery time which is impractical for most households.

1 2 people you ll need a water tank with at least a 30 gallon capacity. Tankless water heaters come in two types gas or electric. Once you have your total flow rate and the required temperature rise you can find the right size tankless water heater for your home. The largest of these miniature units can also be used to provide hot water to secondary bathrooms that may be situated far from your home s main water heater.

A tankless water heaters flow rate should be equal to your family s peak demand. The first hour rating is the number of gallons of hot water the heater can supply per hour starting with a tank full of hot water. To properly size a storage water heater for your home including a heat pump water heater with a tank use the water heater s first hour rating. However every family has different water demand requirements.

Usually most homeowners find that either a 40 or 50 gallon hot water tank is the best fit for their needs. 120 volt elements consume 1125 watts while residential 240 volt heaters use 4 500 watts. For 2 to 3 people. Well to get an accurate answer you d have to calculate out how much hot water you typically use during your busiest hot water using hour.

Simply locate the appropriate water heater sizes on ecomfort using your information. Below we ve highlighted what size water heater you would need in our example of 6 5 gpm at a 63 f temperature rise. If you re going with a storage tank water heater here s a rough guide for storage tank capacity. How to determine the required size of a tankless hot water heater.

2 3 people you ll need at least a 40 gallon capacity tank. For a tank style heater household size is a simple indicator of hot water needs. 3 4 people need a 40 50 gallon water heater.