What Size Water Heater Should I Use?

Your home or business’s water heater is a critical component of its infrastructure, and when it can’t keep up, your family’s overall quality of life decreases, or your business can suffer. While you know you need a quality water heater that meets your needs, you may have no idea what that means for you. The good news is that a well-established Pennsylvania plumbing company can help you with that.

Energy Efficiency

To begin, it’s important to note that your water heater is very likely the costliest or one of the costliest appliances you run, which makes energy efficiency a primary factor. The U.S. Department of Energy continues to tweak requirements that help improve energy efficiency for storage tank water heaters – or traditional water heaters. In the process, however, the size of these tanks has increased in relation to capacity – due to increased insulation.

While tankless water heaters use significantly less energy – because they heat the water at the source and don’t need to keep stored water hot – there are further considerations that may not make them a good option for you:

• They are more expensive upfront.
• They can be challenging to retrofit into a specific space.
• Their output of hot water isn’t limitless, and showers, laundry, and dishwashing may need to be staggered.
• Installation, maintenance, and repairs tend to be more complex and more costly.

Factors to Consider

If you’re thinking about water heater size, you’re likely in the market for a storage-tank water heater, and there are a range of factors to take into consideration regarding your home:

• The space available to you – your tank will likely go where the old tank was located
• The size of your home and the number of people living in it
• Your family’s hot water needs
• The number of bathrooms in your home
• The extent to which you host visitors in your home

It’s important to note that the number of gallons your water heater holds is not the only relevant consideration. The matter of how quickly it heats and replaces the water that’s been used is another primary concern. In other words, a faster turnaround could make up for a smaller tank – such as if your space is limited.

A seasoned plumbing professional will help you assess your hot water needs, the space available to you, and your concerns as they relate to energy efficiency and overall cost and – from here – will help you make the right decisions for you, whether that means for your home or business.

Savvy Pennsylvania Plumbing Professionals Are Standing By to Help

When it comes to your water heater, one size definitely does not fit all. At Di Gravio Plumbing and Heating, our plumbing pros have been proudly serving Delaware County, Chester County, and Greater Philadelphia’s hot water needs for generations. This includes determining optimal water-heater size in relation to the unique circumstances involved. To learn more, please reach out and contact us online or call us at 610-565-5870 – or at 215-468-5962 in Philadelphia – today.