Help with Tank Size for Replacement of Water Heaters

Users who are viewing this thread

Pluff Mud

New Member
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Texas
I have a 2 1/2 story house in southeast SC. It is about 4400SF and was built in 2006. The home is all electric. I have two 80 gallon electric water heaters - both located in closets on the third floor. They don't leak, but given their age, I am thinking of replacing them. I was wondering if I really need 80 gallon heaters, and if not, what would be recommended. I assume that one services the second and third floors and the other the first. There are two showers on the second and one shower on the third floor. The first floor has one shower (no tub), washing machine, dishwasher and kitchen sink. What would you advise and why?
 

Phog

Active Member
Messages
454
Reaction score
84
Points
28
Location
Rochester NY
It depends on what you want the system to do. It sounds like the hot water tanks are sized so that you can have heavy use of multiple fixtures in a short time without running out of hot water. If this is the type of property where you might rent out to groups (I'm picturing a beach house for weekly seasonal rentals), then I'd leave the system as it is. If this is just where your family of 4 lives then you can easily get away with downsizing by half. Just make sure to size each tank to the largest bathtub it needs to fill, if any bathrooms have them -- you can't fill a big soaker jacuzzi tub from a 40 gallon tank.

By the way there is not much difference in operating cost between different size electric tank water heaters. Almost all the savings you would get will be in the upfront cost.
 

Pluff Mud

New Member
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Location
Texas
Thanks for the response. I was thinking of going with two 50 gallon hot water heaters. There are only two of us in the family, with occasional guests. (It is more house than we need.) Our master BR is on the first floor, and there is no tub in the master. Two standard tubs on the second floor - one in a Jack and Jill bath, and one on the third. I can't remember the last time a tub was used. Probably, the last time our young grandkids were here.

It depends on what you want the system to do. It sounds like the hot water tanks are sized so that you can have heavy use of multiple fixtures in a short time without running out of hot water. If this is the type of property where you might rent out to groups (I'm picturing a beach house for weekly seasonal rentals), then I'd leave the system as it is. If this is just where your family of 4 lives then you can easily get away with downsizing by half. Just make sure to size each tank to the largest bathtub it needs to fill, if any bathrooms have them -- you can't fill a big soaker jacuzzi tub from a 40 gallon tank.

By the way there is not much difference in operating cost between different size electric tank water heaters. Almost all the savings you would get will be in the upfront cost.
 

Phog

Active Member
Messages
454
Reaction score
84
Points
28
Location
Rochester NY
For what you're describing that will be more than adequate. In a 2-person household, even a single 40 gallon tank is usually enough unless there is a big bathtub involved.
 

Jeff H Young

In the Trades
Messages
8,766
Reaction score
2,168
Points
113
Location
92346
I would close cold water to one waterheater then go around to every fixture in house checking to ses if water came out take notes turn water back on and do same with other water heater. I know waste of time to check both but thats what I would do because I want to know what is fed in my house and take a hour to do this. then youll know and youll know if some how somebody tied them together or what ever People plumb stuff wrong and you might just have one bath on one water heater . why guess maybe this maybe that. find out what you got. If your asking us then dont assume its plumbed a certain way can almost guarantee that your assumption is wrong maybe close but probebly wrong (Im assuming your not an experiancedplumber of custom homes). just 2 people Maybe eliminate one heater completly If heaters are real close to each other above and below
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,798
Reaction score
4,412
Points
113
Location
IL
What would you advise and why?
Also consider a "hybrid WH". Those have a heat pump that heats water while cooling and dehumidifying the air around. Cost more to buy. Cost less to run.
 

Dana

In the trades
Messages
7,889
Reaction score
509
Points
113
Location
01609
Also consider a "hybrid WH". Those have a heat pump that heats water while cooling and dehumidifying the air around. Cost more to buy. Cost less to run.

+1 on that!

A 50 gallon heat pump water heater is plenty for a 2-3 person household with no big tubs to fill, will use 1/3 the power of a standard water heater. It will also help dehumidify the indoors, lowering the latent cooling load (not that it ever gets sticky-hot in SC :) ) and has effectively negative standby losses- always pulling many times more than the standby heat lost back into the tank every time the thing cycles on.

The only down side is a longer recovery time when operated in "heat pump only" rather than "hybrid" mode, which usually isn't problem until you have a few guests as well as yourselves showering in rapid succession (in which case you can switch to "hybrid" operation.)
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks