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.
If your hot water runs out too fast, you may have an issue with: Too much hot water demand from multiple sources at the same time. Sediment build up inside of your water heater tank. A broken dip tube.
This means if you have a 30-gallon hot water heater tank, you should get 21 gallons of hot water in the first hour. With a 50-gallon tank, you should get 35 gallons; and an 80-gallon tank will yield 56 gallons. This is because as hot water is being used, cold water continuously enters the tank.
Average Water Heater Recovery Times
60-70 minutes (for a gas tank water heater) 120 minutes (for an electric tank water heater)
The average gas heater takes between 30 and 40 minutes to fully heat up the water in its tank. The average electric heater takes about twice as long as the average gas heater to fully heat up the water in its tank, so you can expect it to take between an hour and an hour and 20 minutes to heat up.
For a 50 gallon tank at 1.2 GPM of hot water, your shower should last about 42 minutes.
A 50 gallon water heater is sufficient for a household of 3 to 4 people. If you have over 5 people in your home, you may require a 75 gallon hot water heater.
It could be faulty parts in the water heating unit, an obstructed flue, the build-up of sediment or a malfunctioning temperature control. When dealing with these problems it is always best to call in the plumbing professionals.
As mentioned above, several things can cause a home's hot water supply to run out faster than it should. The three most common culprits are sediment build up, a faulty heating element and a broken dip tube.
A 50 gallon water heater is the most common tank we install. It is such a common size because it can supply hot water for 3 – 5 people. Considering an average shower uses 17.2 gallons of water you can typically have enough hot water for up to five people to take a shower within an hour.
50-gallon water heaters have a longer lifespan. In general, 40-gallon heaters last eight years, while 50-gallon heaters can last 12 years. This is because 50-gallon heaters have thicker tanks. As a result, they are less likely to develop leaks.
Typically, the rule-of-thumb is that you want a 40 gallon tank for 1 to 4 people, a 50 gallon tank for 4 to 6 people, and a 50 gallon high recovery or 75 gallon tank for 6 to 8 people. Energy consumption for 40 and 50 gallon standard water heaters is quite comparable.
Distance: The farther away your hot water heater is from the faucet or shower where you want hot water to flow, the longer it will take to get there. A low volume restrictor: You may have a low volume restrictor installed on fixtures, like your shower, which can delay the delivery of water.
The most common part that gets damaged is the “Dip Tube”. When it gets worn down, it leads to the mixing of cold and hot water. So, you feel as if the hot water runs out after 10 mins. The Solution – A damaged dip tube has to be replaced.
When might you need to replace your water heater? Pete's professional advice on replacing your water heater is as follows: “If you are only getting 5-7 minutes of hot water for showers, and you can't fill the tub up with hot water, then it's likely the dip tube in your hot water tank that needs replacement.
Your showerhead mixer valve is broken
Often, if it's broken, you are no longer able to add enough hot water to keep the shower spray warm. It may work initially, but then it slips back, and only cold water can pass through. If you feel up to it, you may be able to replace the showerhead mixer valve yourself.
Faulty or burned out heating elements is one of the main reasons why your hot water goes cold quickly. Old or burned out elements account for the reduction of hot water and will cause your hot water to go cold quickly or not have any hot water at all.
If your shower is running out of hot water, it's likely due to one of the following problems: Malfunctioning thermostat. Broken dip tube. Sediment buildup in the tank.
If the water heater is installed in the attic, the upstairs faucets and showers might not need long for water to turn hot at the faucet. But for the kitchen and bathroom faucets and showers downstairs, it can take a minute or two for the water to get where it's needed.
Tank sediment: Minerals in your water supply settle to the bottom of the storage tank, where the burners often are. Sediment buildup in the hot water tank makes it hard for the burners to heat properly, and you end up getting lukewarm water from the water heater.
Faulty Heating Element
If a heating element has failed, then the hot water heater won't be able to effectively heat the water, resulting in lukewarm water throughout the home. Contact a plumber or a hot water heater technician to repair or replace the heating elements and restore hot water to the home.
Small tank-style water heaters can get installed for as low as $500 while bigger tanks can cost as much as $3,000 installed. A 50-gallon tank water heater can cost around $1,000 installed.
Because these tanks need to keep a large volume of hot water constantly heated and ready for use, they tend to be very energy intensive. In fact, according to Energy Star, a 50-gallon conventional storage-tank water heater will use about $695 worth of electricity per year – more than any other appliance in your home!
A small (50- to 60-gallon) storage tank is usually sufficient for one to two three people. A medium (80-gallon) storage tank works well for three to four people. A large tank is appropriate for four to six people.