Hot water is a modern convenience many take for granted. Sometimes, you don’t know how good you have it until it’s gone – or your tank can’t keep up with demand. Water heater size is a hotly debated topic among homeowners since no one wants to pay for more than they need, but you also don’t want to be left in the lurch when all you want is a hot shower.
To settle this topic, let’s look at what size water heater you need in Florida to best meet your hot water needs.
Finding the Right Size Water Heater for your Home
Plenty of factors go into finding the right size water heater for your home, but most people’s minds immediately jump to usage. After all, how big of a water heater you need will depend on how much hot water you use, right?
The first step to figuring this out is finding your home’s peak hot water usage. Activities like showering, laundry, and washing dishes all use hot water. By estimating how much water you use with each activity (average showers use between 15 to 20 gallons of water, for example), you can get a feel for how much hot water you’ll use at peak times during the day. That way, you can estimate how big of a tank you’ll need to handle your hot water needs.
There’s also the consideration of space. Water heater tanks need to be able to hold a lot of water, even if your overall usage is lower. In some cases, the size of your tank may be determined more by the size of your home than your usage since larger capacity tanks naturally take up a lot more space.
Why Consider Tankless Hot Water Heaters
With so much talk of peak water usage correlating with tank size, it might sound strange to then consider getting a tankless water heater. However, tankless heaters are more efficient and effective at heating water on demand than the traditional water tank model. Instead of water collecting in the tank and needing to heat up, you’ll be able to have as much hot water as you want instantly. It’s more efficient and effective.
How Do Tankless Water Heaters Work?
Tankless heaters are designed to heat water as it flows through the pipes, not in a large storage tank. The heating element inside the tank activates in tandem with the water demand, ensuring it stays heated for as long as the water runs. This means the water flowing from the tap will always be hot with no waiting period. It also means less wasted power compared to traditional tank water heaters, which must continually heat and reheat the water inside them to keep it hot even when unused.
By heating water, as it’s used, tankless heaters use far less energy and take up less space. It also cuts out the refilling process, so you can never really run out of hot water the way you might when the tank is emptied. The only caveat would be that tankless heaters, which only heat around two to five gallons per minute, could be outpaced by your need for hot water, but this can easily be overcome by simply outfitting a building with multiple tankless water heaters.
Where to Find an Installer for Your Tankless Water Heater
Tankless water heaters are a major upgrade for your home or business. If you’re considering one for your building, Gas Service Center is the place to call. We serve the Southwest Florida area by installing, maintaining, and replacing gas appliances and water heaters. If you’d like to try out a new tankless water heater, contact us today to book an installation appointment.
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