Need to replace your water heater? It is easy to become overwhelmed with so many great brands like Ruud, Bradford White, Rheem, and American. What size hot water heater should you buy or should you go tankless? Mr. Waterheater can answer your questions on water heater installation and solve your plumbing problems.

Water Heater Selection Guide--Your new water heater should satisfy your hot water needs and use as little energy as possible.

Energy Source--The most economical water heater replacement will use the same source of energy for your water heater. (If you have an electric unit replace with electric, gas-fired with gas-fired) Changing energy sources will usually require additional plumbing or electrical work.

Size of Tank--The standard size for a residential water heater is 40 or 50 gallons. The capacity of a hot water heater should be based on the number of occupants and the peak hour water demand, not on the size of the house. The water heater should provide enough hot water at the busiest time of the day. Also consider the number of plumbing fixtures you have in the home. The more sinks you have, the greater the demand for hot water. Also consider extraordinary hot water demands, like hot tubs.

The ability of a water heater to meet peak demands for hot water is indicated by its "first hour rating." Read more on first hour rating. This rating accounts for the effects of tank size and the speed by which cold water is heated.

Warranty—Get the best warranty.
For greater peace of mind, buy the longest warranty. Most water heater warranties cover the tank for 6, 8, 10 or 12 years. Call to discuss your options and benefits of a longer warranty.

A longer warranty is advisable if you have a water softener in your home. Water softeners can speed up the rate of anode corrosion.

Be aware that warranty on most water heaters is on the water heater only. Labor is covered for the first year only. Longer labor warranties are available in certain areas.

The energy efficiency of a water heater is indicated by its energy factor (EF), an overall efficiency based on the use of 64 gallons of hot water per day. The first national appliance efficiency standards for water heaters took effect in 1990. New standards, which took effect in January 2004, increased the minimum efficiency levels of water heaters.

The most efficient gas-fired water heaters have energy factors ranging from 0.58 to 0.65. The most efficient electric water heaters have energy factors ranging between 0.90 and 0.95. The higher the EF, the more efficient the model. Water heaters with high EF ratings may cost more initially but save energy and money in the long run. Eventually, they will pay for themselves through a lifetime of energy savings.

Another important factor in choosing a water heater, the First Hour Rating is an indicator of how much hot water a particular model can provide. The rating, in gallons of desired temperature hot water is reached by combining the amount of usable hot water stored in the tank plus how many gallons of usable hot water the water heater can generate in one hour of operation. For example, if a 40-gallon natural gas water heater will store 31 gallons of usable hot water and can deliver 41 gallons of usable hot water in the first hour, it’s First Hour Rating is 72 gallons.

A quick recovery water heater effectively offers homeowners more capacity for the same size tank. Because standby losses are greater with a larger tank, a quick recovery water heater is more energy efficient-than a standard recovery model with the same first-hour rating.

The added capacity can be especially attractive to homeowners with teenagers, who have no problem using more than 40 gallons per shower! Often space limitations preclude a larger water heater, making quick recovery the best option for homeowners who want hot water for purposes beyond teen showers.