What is the Right Size?

Choosing the correct sized hot water heater depends upon the fuel source. Gas produces hot water faster than electricity. If your family has five or more people and you use lots of hot water, you should have a 75 gallon gas hot water heater. A family with three or four members can usually get by with a 50 gallon heater. Remember, you can extract more hot water from your tank if you raise the temperature setting. Because you temper the hot water with cold water to make 'lukewarm' water, you will use less volume of hot water from your heater when you wash dishes and take a shower. This means that the 50 gallons of heated water will go a lot farther. Be aware though, doing this creates a burn hazard. If you raise the temperature too high in the heater (anything over 125° F) you can cause a child or even yourself to get burned!

Insulating Heater Tanks

You can purchase hot water heater covers to help insulate the tanks. Don't install one of these unless you are certain the manufacturer permits it. There is always the possibility that adding a kit like this could void the warranty.

Burping & Bubbling

Does your heater groan, bubble, burp, etc. as it heats water? If so, this is a sign of sediment buildup at the base of the tank. The sediment is expanding and popping as it heats. Sediment is bad because it creates a barrier for the burner heat to pass through on its way to the water. The way to avoid this problem is drain one gallon of water from the heater each month.