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Author:
Tom the Elder (CA)
My residence has 2 water heaters. One, a 21 year old 40-gal gas fired tank, serves only the kitchen and laundry room. I would like to replace it with a smaller electric tank*. I can get 10, 15 nd 20 gallon electric units at Home Depot but I cannot find any info on an appropriate size for the limited deman at this location. What size do you recommend?
Also, it appears Energy Guides and efficiency factors are not available for tanks smaller than 30 gallon. Can you give me a ballpark idea of how energy use of these smaller tanks compares with a 40 gallon tank? Thanks.
*I would like to have gone tankless but have hard water. The smallest gas units available are 30-gallon and all too tall for the existing space.
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
as we use only warm or cold water for laundry and a dishwasher uses about 4 gallons i would get a 20 which will actually supply 10 'hot' gallons
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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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Author:
hj (AZ)
Normally, 6, 10, 12, and some 20 gallon heaters run on 120 v. power, which reduces the recovery speed, but since those applications and NOT very demanding, almost any small one should work.
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Author:
Tom the Elder (CA)
Thanks bernabeu and hj. Most of the energy used for this tank is probably standby heating. Would a timer on the circuit (something like 12 hrs on, 12 hrs off) be likely to make much difference in energy use?
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Author:
bernabeu (SC)
not worth the time / money spent on it
keep it simple
==============================================
"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638
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