A basic water heater will run three to five hours a day to keep its tank heated 24/7.
In the average home, the water heater will run for about three hours each day. Total run time can range from one to two hours for new tankless water heaters to five or more hours for older tank style water heaters.
In most instances, the answer to our last question is no. If your water heater is constantly running, there is probably a problem.
Normally It will cycle every time you use a few gallons of hot water, if it is cycling dramatically more than that it is possible that you have a hot water leak somewhere.
The average adult uses about 10 gallons of water per shower (at a rate of 2 gallons of water per minute). If you assume that an 80-gallon tank has about 55 gallons of hot water to dispense before refilling, that means you have 27 or so minutes of total shower time before running out of hot water.
Are you running out of hot water quicker than you used to? That's usually caused by a bad dip tube. But, if you have an electric water heater, the culprit could also be broken heating elements or a faulty thermostat.
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.
It's generally best to avoid turning your water heater off too regularly. Some homeowners try to save money by switching off their water heaters when they don't need them, but the savings are unlikely to be significant enough to justify the additional wear and tear on your machine.
Many volume water heaters have a 5:1 or 3:1 turndown ratio. This means that, for example, an 850,000 BTUH water heater with a 5:1 turndown can operate down to 170,000 BTUH—below that, it cycles on and off. This low capacity cycling can occur under low loads and even no-load periods due to the recirculating system.
Dirt and Clogs
A clogged thermocouple is the most common problem that causes shutdowns. This part of the water heater can turn the whole water heater off if it can't sense heat from the pilot light.
Typically, a hot water heater that uses a tank will run for three to five hours per day.
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.
One of the most common complaints among homeowners who possess a furnace is that their unit runs continuously. Unless you also have a heat pump (which can cause your unit to run frequently to maintain a set temperature during extremely cold weather), your furnace should cycle on and off at regular intervals.
One way to know that your water heater is not working as it should is if you're experiencing inconsistent water temperatures. Inconsistent water temperature could signal an issue with the thermostat, but it could also point toward a problem with the heating element, which is a bigger issue to address.
Hot Water Shortage
Finding yourself running out of hot water more quickly than usual is often a sign that your water heater is on its last legs. When water heaters start to go bad, they often lose their ability to heat water properly, which can result in shorter showers and less hot water overall.
Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with your heater. It's just dirt build-up. The Pilot tube supplies gas to the pilot light for combustion. The flame will go out if the tube is clogged with dirt or debris.
This means there is no need to turn it off at night, as it will not be using energy unless you require it to. In fact, turning it off at night might even be the less energy efficient option as you will need to fire it back on every morning, which consumes more energy than just leaving it on.
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.
WAPT spoke to four plumbing companies that all said that homeowners should turn off the water heater if the water is not running for more than 24 hours. Residents can go to the breaker box in the home and throw the breaker to the “off” position for the water heater.
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.
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.
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.
Maintenance is required on the water heater to make sure it lasts a long time. This involves flushing it, adjusting the temperature and resetting, turning it off and back on, and checking the drain valve. You will want to check your water heater and make sure that it has a gas line sediment trap.
So, if you have a 40-gallon hot water tank, you should be able to get four average-length showers out of your hot water tank. This also depends on how much hot water you use for other things.