Figure out an adequately sized water tank to avoid cold showers.
Spending money to heat more water than a home's occupants require can be just as frustrating as ending up with cold showers when a hot water tank is too small. To determine an adequately sized water tank, homeowners need to figure out how much hot water they use. To do so, there are just a few steps necessary to know the exact size water tank that is right for your home.
Instructions
1. Compare the prices of using gas and electricity in your area. This alone may easily determine which one would be best for you. Gas heaters can cost more upfront and require venting to the outdoors, but cost less to use than electric heaters. Look at local building codes to determine whether you are legally permitted to do the work and consider any alterations that would be required for each unit. If the service panel will not allow for more breakers and you do not wish to hire an electrician to upgrade your system, then an electric heater may not be advisable.
2. Keep a chart of what time of day the household uses the most hot water.
3. Using the chart, calculate the greatest number of gallons used in one hour. Every household is different and while some easy-to-follow charts may suggest that a certain number of bathrooms or people equal a certain tank size, it may not be the case for you. The only reliable method is to calculate what you actually use during the busiest hour of the day. According to the U.S. Departments of Energy, there are a number of average usages to help you determine the gallons used, such as 12 gallons for a shower, four gallons for a bath, 32 gallons for a washing machine and 14 gallons for a dishwasher. By calculating how much hot water you require in one hour, you can determine the appropriate tank by looking at the first hour rating (FHR), which is equivalent to the gallons of water a water heater can provide during the hour of peak use.
4. To determine the FHR, use the chart to find the hour during which the largest amount of hot water is used. For example, if during the busiest hour, two people had a shower (12 gallons per shower, times two people equals 24 gallons) and the dishwasher is used once (14 gallons), the peak hour demand is equal to 38 gallons. Therefore, the household requires a water heater with a FHR of 38 gallons. A water tank that can hold more than this amount wastes energy by maintaining a volume of water that is not required and a tank smaller than this will not provide enough hot water.
5. Look at different size tanks to find out which one has the FHR that your household requires. On the top left corner of the tank, a label lists the "Capacity" (first hour rating).
Related posts
Calcium deposits are usually caused by the mineral content of hard water. Unfortunately, hard water is the most likely potable water available at campgrounds and RV parks where you can fill the wa...
Preparing the installationFirst, shut off the main water valve that comes into the structure. This valve is usually on the side of the building that faces the road. Turn off the cold water intake...
Numerous issues can cause dirty water in a toilet tank.We all want our restroom to be clean and that goes double for the toilet. Imagine your surprise to note the water it dingy and dirty. The com...
Use a tire gauge to bleed excess air pressure from your tank.Imagine waking up one morning and taking an invigorating hot shower only to find the water suddenly become a trickle because someone tu...
A water tank in an RV holds the fresh water used in the sinks, shower, toilet and maybe an ice-maker. It needs to be located somewhere where it can easily be hooked up to the fresh-water lines in...
