How Much Gas Does a Hot Water Heater Use? Most gas hot water heaters use between 20-50 therms of gas per month. A therm is a unit of measurement for natural gas and is equivalent to 100,000 BTUs. So, if you have a gas hot water heater, it's likely using around 2,000-5,000 BTUs per hour.
Gas Water Heater
Gas water heaters cost about $30 per month to operate on average. Gas is usually less expensive in most areas, compared to electricity.
Using storage hot water, 74 litres of water heated to 45 degrees uses 17 MJ. Adjusting linearly to heat 100 litres of water 40 degrees uses 20.4 MJ, and $1 gets you 2 hot baths. Figures provided by the Australian Gas Association indicate a small burner uses 4 MJ per hour, so 10 hours using a small burner costs $1.
Generally speaking, a gas water heater should not be turned off unless you are leaving the house for an extended period of time. Even then the better choice for gas water heaters is to just turn the temperature down. In fact, many water heaters have a “vacation” setting on the temperature control.
Gas water heaters are much less expensive to operate long term. Overall, you'll likely spend less money running a gas water heater than using an electric water heater. Still, because the costs of both natural gas and electricity vary by region, you should compare the price of each before making your final decision.
Lifespan. The average lifespan of a tank gas water heater is about 8 to 12 years. Tankless electric water heaters have a longer lifespan and can last an average of 15 to 20 years or more.
How Much Gas Does a Hot Water Heater Use? Most gas hot water heaters use between 20-50 therms of gas per month. A therm is a unit of measurement for natural gas and is equivalent to 100,000 BTUs. So, if you have a gas hot water heater, it's likely using around 2,000-5,000 BTUs per hour.
While today's water heaters are better designed than older models, they still require regular maintenance in order to prolong their lives. With regular inspection, draining, and flushing, you can expect a gas water heater to last anywhere from 8-12 years and an electric water heater to last anywhere from 10-15 years.
Manufacturers typically choose a temp to set water heaters between 120-140°F. To prevent scalding and save on energy costs 120 degrees is the recommended temperature, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recommends setting it to at least 122 degrees to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Savings resulting from turning down your water heater temperature are based on reducing standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding area). Set too high, or at 140ºF, your water heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses.
The typical gas heater has an energy factor of around 0.6, so you'd need about 17,000 Btus of gas input to warm your shower. If you used a typical electric water heater, with an energy factor of around 0.9, the same shower would consume 12,000 Btus of electricity.
For instance, a medium-sized, 40-gallon water heater that uses . 205 therms per hour and is active for a couple of hours each day for a price of $1 per therm costs about $0.62 to operate per day, which is approximately $18.60 monthly or $226 per year.
While your energy bills will likely be lower with a gas water heater, gas models cost more upfront and they're more costly in terms of maintenance and installation.
Standard Gas Tank: Most new water heaters have an Efficiency Factor (EF) of . 58-. 60. That means that 58-60% of the energy that is being used to heat your water is effectively converted into heat.
New storage tank water heaters are required to operate more efficiently, and tankless (on-demand) water heaters are even more efficient than that. Typically, homeowners replace their old water heater with one of the same type that runs on the same fuel—natural gas or electricity.
120 degrees Fahrenheit is the safety recommendation against scalding, but 140° is the common default setting. Most experts agree that anything below 120 degrees creates a risk for bacteria to develop inside your water heater from stagnant water, such as legionella that causes Legionnaire's disease.
Optimal Hot Water Temperature
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) encourages homeowners to keep their water heater temperature setting at 120 degrees.
Pros and Cons of Gas Water Heaters
As for pros, gas water heaters are generally cheaper to operate, as gas is cheaper than electric. Gas water heaters can also heat more water power per hour than electric. And because they're not hooked up to electricity, your water heater can run during a power outage.
Water Heater Maintenance Tips
Flush your water heater every six months or so. If you have harder water, or water that contains more minerals, you may want to flush it more often. If you leave town, change your water heater to its vacation setting. The pilot light will stay on, but the water will not be heated.
Hard water can cause sediment to build up in your water heater, leading to corrosion and shortened lifespan. We recommend installing a water softener or using a filtration system if you have hard water. This will not only extend the life of your water heater, but it will also improve the quality of your water overall.
It is unusual for used water heaters to last 30 years. Most tank water heaters have an average lifespan of 8 to 12 years, and tankless water heaters can last as long as 20 years.
50-gallon gas water heater – can take up to 40-50 minutes to heat 40-degree water to 120 degrees. 80-gallon gas water heater – typically takes up to 60-70 minutes to heat 40-degree water to 120 degrees.
Typically, a hot water heater that uses a tank will run for three to five hours per day. So, a 4,000-watt heater used for three hours a day at $. 10 per kWh will cost $1.20 per day, about $36.50 per month, or $438 per year.