To select the right water heater for your home, you need to consider family size and whether your usage would be considered high or low demand. We'll assume you know the family size, so all you have to determine is your usage profile. Review the following criteria. You are considered high demand if…
- You have more than two full bathrooms in the home.
- There are now or will soon be teenagers living there. Teenagers can significantly increase the amount of hot water needed for washing clothes and showering.
- You have a very large bathtub or oversized whirlpool bath. The guideline is, your water heater tank capacity should be equal to your bathtub capacity. For example, if your tub holds 75 gallons, you should get a 75-gallon water heater.
Find your Family Size in the chart, and read across to find the First Hour Rating Requirement for your family. If your family qualified as high demand, consider moving up to the next First-Hour Rating level.
|
FAMILY SIZE |
FIRST-HOUR RATING REQUIREMENT |
|
2 People |
45 - 55 Gallons |
|
3 People |
55 - 65 Gallons |
|
4 People |
65 - 75 Gallons |
|
5 People |
75 - 85 Gallons |
|
6 People |
85 - 100 Gallons |
|
7 or More People |
100 or More Gallons |
Source: A.O. Smith
