February 1, 2025
Water heater installation in Drexel Hill, PA

The water heater in your Drexel Hill, PA home allows you to take comfortable showers and baths, provides hot water for cleaning your dishes and clothing, and allows appliances to run as intended. When your water heater malfunctions or fails and needs to be replaced, you’ll be faced with choosing a new unit. It’s imperative that you select a properly sized water heater for your home. This will ensure efficiency and reliability for years to come. While the goal is to repair your water heater as needed, replacing it is, sometimes, the more efficient and necessary choice.

Water Heater Size and Life Expectancy

Your water heater is designed to last approximately 15 years with regular maintenance. If you choose a water heater that is undersized, this can cause the life expectancy of your unit to decrease. This is because ongoing system strain and increased wear and tear can break down components faster than usual. If you must replace your water heater frequently, this can greatly affect your household’s budget.

Number of People in Your Household

The number of people in your household will determine how much hot water you need over the course of a day. Family size will also impact the size of your water heater. Using a unit that is too small can lead to a lack of hot water. A unit that is too big can result in inefficiencies.

If you only have one or two people living in your home, you should be fine with a hot water heater tank that is approximately 25 to 35 gallons. Households with three to four people should upgrade to a hot water tank that is between 35 and 45 gallons. For households with five or more people, a hot water heater tank that provides approximately 10 gallons of water (a total of 55 gallons or more) per person is ideal.

Run Time

Many people don’t realize that, even if you’re not using hot water now, your water heater may be running. This is to ensure that the temperature of the water inside your tank is retained. If you have a water heater that is very large but you’re not using anywhere near that volume of water over the course of a single day, you very well may be overpaying on your energy bills.

If your equipment is undersized, your heater may be running nearly nonstop to keep up with hot water demands.

Considering the First Hour Rating

The first-hour rating of a hot water heater is the volume of hot water that a heater provides over the course of one hour. The first-hour rating can be used to compare the efficiency of a specific water heater model. You’ll want to think about the hot water demands that your household has at one time. The first-hour rating should be able to handle that demand or maybe even exceed it.

Water Heater Flow Rate

The flow rate of a water heater describes the volume of water that passes through the heater each minute. Flow rate is often measured in GPM or gallons per minute. This measurement is important. It tells you how much hot water you can access at any given moment. If your household has high water demands and you choose a large heater size, a low flow rate will result in a negative experience. You want to ensure the flow rate is high enough for the size of the tank you’re choosing. Ideally, choose a flow rate that is at least 3.25 gallons per minute.

Energy-Efficiency Ratings

Most hot water heaters come with an Energy Star rating. This rating usually explains how much it will cost you to run your water heater each year. By paying attention to this rating, you may be able to choose a larger-sized tank based on the affordability of running it. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) runs the Energy Star rating system. An electric water heater that has an energy efficiency rating of 0.67 or higher qualifies for an Energy Star label. Gas water heaters that have an efficiency rating of 0.8 or higher also qualify.

The Cost of a New Water Heater

Hot water heaters are a substantial investment. The larger and more elaborate a heater is, the more expensive it’s going to be. However, it’s important to note that you can save money over the course of many years by investing in a more efficient and properly sized water heater. Also, a variety of rebates and incentives may be available depending on what you select.

Consider a Tankless Hot Water Heater System

If your household has excessive hot water demands, you may want to think about purchasing a tankless system. This setup doesn’t include a tank, so it takes up a lot less space. Also, tankless water heaters often save you money since you don’t maintain a specific temperature inside of a tank regardless of water usage.

Fuel Source Choices

In addition to choosing the correct size of water heater for your home, you’ll want to consider the different fuel options that are available. Gas and electric water heaters are the most common options. Depending on where you live and the cost of these two power sources, you can decide which one is more affordable. You can expect a gas water heater to function with a lower operating cost in most cases. This is ideal if you’re investing in a large water heater. If you don’t require a lot of hot water and you want to save money on maintenance and repairs, consider an electric hot water heater instead. Other options include geothermal energy, solar energy, and propane.

Enlisting the Help of a Professional

It’s ideal that you work with our team to ensure that you’re choosing a water heater that is going to serve your household well in the coming years. Our goal is to properly size your new heater so that you always have hot water when you need it. However, we don’t want to decrease the efficiency of your hot water heater by choosing something that is too large.

We can also provide ongoing routine maintenance, inspections, and repairs of your water heater. These services will ensure that your water heater functions efficiently, regardless of its size. We recommend that you schedule an annual appointment with our team for water heater maintenance and other plumbing needs.

O'Brien Heating & Air Conditioning is available to assist with selecting the right-sized water heater for your Drexel Hill home. We also provide a variety of other services, such as routine maintenance, emergency repairs, tankless water heaters, and more. Our other services include installing, repairing, and maintaining commercial and residential heating and cooling systems. We can also help you address the quality of your indoor air using whole-house air purification and duct cleaning.

Contact O'Brien Heating & Air Conditioning in Drexel Hill today to schedule an appointment with our knowledgeable team.

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