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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.
Instead of a constant flame, an intermittent pilot only lights when the unit needs to burn gas. Whenever the unit needs to start heating, the pilot automatically turns on and then shuts off again as soon as the heating cycle is complete.
Cycling occurs when the demand load on the heater is less than the minimum firing rate of the water heater. In other words, if the BTUH required to bring the water temperature up to the set point is less than the minimum BTUH that the water heater can operate at, the heater will keep turning on and off.
Here are some common heat up times for different water heaters, assuming the appliances are new and properly sized for the home: Electric storage tank water heater: 60–80 minutes. Propane storage tank water heater: 30–40 minutes. Propane tankless water heater: 0 minutes.
Your average gas tank water heater takes about 30 to 40 minutes to heat water once it gets in the tank.
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.
If your water heater is constantly running the first thing you should do is check the unit and the pipes immediately around it for leaks. Your water heater might have insufficient insulation – If the water heater is not properly insulated, it will be unable to maintain the water temperature.
If you find yourself in this situation, there are usually three common culprits: a broken dip tube, a buildup of sediment in your tank or a malfunctioning heating system.
That's important because gas is always being supplied to the pilot to keep the flame lit. But if the pilot flame goes out, then the gas would still be released. After a while, the gas could collect in your home and become a health hazard.
Although this is an area of concern for many people, the reality is that boilers are built so that the gas supply to the pilot light is shut off if the flame goes out. Whilst the cause of pilot light failure needs to be investigated, extinguished pilot lights aren't going to cause a gas leak.
Water heaters may turn off as a result of dirt or a buildup of dirt that leads to clogs, which is why it's important to get your yearly water heater clean during your water heater maintenance appointment.
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.
Your unit's pilot light is always burning when the unit is on. If the pilot light goes out, the gas will stop flowing and your unit will shut off. When heating is required, the gas control valve releases the gas into the main burner where the pilot light ignites the gas.
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.
A constant supply of lukewarm water is indicative of a defective upper heating element. A short duration of hot water supply may mean a defective lower heating element. If the elements are working properly, the unit's thermostat may be the problem. On a gas unit, the burner may be malfunctioning.
Dirty Thermopile or Pilot Light
A dirty part can cause a whole bunch of problems. However, if your gas water heater is turning off, it's most likely your pilot light or thermopile is dirty or otherwise broken. The pilot light can get dirty from soot, dust and other particles.
Water heaters might develop a failing pilot light assembly. Electric issues such as a blown fuse, tripped breaker, or electrical connection problem can shut off your water heater—especially electric and tankless units. Hard water or poor water quality could disable your sensors with rust or mineral buildup.
If your furnace keeps shutting off, check your air vents to see if any of them are closed or blocked in any way. You should keep all your vents open, even in the rooms you don't use. If your heat exchanger doesn't get enough air, it can't transfer enough heat.
The short answer is yes, as long as you don't mind using cold water. Shutting off the input to your water heater will not affect your home's main water supply. You can still run appliances like your washing machine or dishwasher, flush your toilet, and use your shower, sink, or garden hose.
Sediment Build-Up
As the particles collect on the bottom of the tank, the water heater can't effectively heat your water, resulting in lukewarm water only. To resolve this issue, open the drain valve on your water heater and see if there is sediment. The water will not be clear if there is sediment build-up.
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.
Ideally speaking, an electric water heater takes around 60 to 80 minutes to release hot water with a tank capacity of 40-gallon. If the tank capacity is 80-gallon, the recovery time can be more than two hours.