They say home is where the heart is, but I say home is where the warmth is. Do you know why? A good hot bath after a long day of clumping in jackets and sweaters trying to beat the cold.
Unfortunately, it can go from bad to worse real quick when all you find is ice-cold water, and upon checking, your water heater is on the blink. Damaged and you can’t do a thing about it! How about replacing the entire unit?
This means having to pick sides in the contentious debate of tall vs. short water heaters. But do you have a choice?
Eventually, you will have to decide which one to take home, and as luck would have it, we are here to help you make the right choice. We are here to help you understand whether the size of the heater matters and to discern between the two pieces of equipment.
Let’s dive right in.
Tall Vs. Short Water Heater Gas
Did you know that heating water accounts for about 18% of the utility bills for an average American? Well, that is according to the department of energy and as it may seem jacked up, taking it into consideration is critical in ensuring you make the right choice.
Of course, you wouldn’t want a unit that takes a chunk out of your cheque. When deciding on which water heater to pick, the heating source is one factor to consider.
Yes, there are many options available, but if the one you are trying to replace was made for gas, you need to replace it with a gas water heater. This takes us back to the tall vs. short water heater debate. Which one should you take? Which one best suits your needs? Do they all consume the same amount of energy?
Well, the main difference is basically the height. You can pick a tall and slim water heater or a short and fat water heater, and it will consume the same amount of gas provided the water volume is the same.
Energy consumption typically depends on the rate of hot water consumption in your household and the amount of water your water heater can hold. A 100-gallon water heater will consume more gas than a 75-gallon water heater.
Check out this 75-gallon gas commercial water heater.
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Does the Height of a Water Heater Matter?
So you’ve been wondering whether the height of your water heater does really matter. Maybe you think that a taller one will give you more hot water, or maybe the shorter water heater heats up faster. All in all, you have to make a choice. But which one?
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For one, it probably doesn’t matter the way you perceive it. Maybe you expect the taller water heater to carry more water. But don’t they all carry the same volume? You perhaps think the shorter one will heat up faster. What you don’t know is they use the same amount of energy.
But the height of the water heater does really matter if you take your space into consideration. You want it in a location where it doesn’t create an eyesore.
More so, you have your plumping infrastructure to consider. But take a look at efficiency, you will notice that the performance of the tall and short water heaters is all the same.
You won’t get more water just because you are using the taller one, neither will your water heat up faster because the short one is flat and round at the bottom. Well, provided they carry the same amount of water, these variables stand.
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What Size of Water Heater Do I Need?
If your water heater is taking its last blinks, before buying a new one, take some time to consider if the current one meets your consumption needs. If not, you will probably need to get one that can serve your entire household efficiently.
But first, how many are you in your household? True, more family members certainly use more water. Therefore, you have to get a bigger water heater if you have a larger family or just an average one if you have a small family.
It is easy to estimate the size of your water heater based on the number of people in the house.
Check this out:
- For 1 to 2 persons, you will need about 23 to 36 gallons
- 2-4 people you will need 36-46 gallons
- 3-5 people you will need 46-56 gallons
And for more than five people, you will need more than 56 gallons, basically, an addition of about ten gallons for each additional person.
However, you should also consider that different individual use water differently, so if you can’t set standards to limit water usage, you should probably buy an even bigger water heater.
Check out this tall water heater on Amazon.
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What is the difference Between a Short and a Tall Water Heater?
One of the most basic classifications of water heaters is either tall or short. Now that you are looking to buy one, you should understand how different they are. For one, the functionality is the same.
Depending on their sizes, they will carry the same amount of water and consume just about the same energy. However, it is still right to compare a high-volume water heater to a short, low-volume water heater and consider them as either tall or short, respectively.
Therefore, the main difference is height, in that tall water heaters can measure up to 76 inches while short ones can go as low as 49 inches short. Tall water heaters will require taller plumbing infrastructure to function properly.
Additionally, it will require about 100 gallons of water to fill a tall water heater, while a short one may only require about 23 gallons, and it will be full to the brim.
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Tall vs. Short Water Heaters: Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better short or tall water heater?
When choosing between tall or short water heaters, there are several factors you need to consider. First, you need to figure out your plumbing infrastructure and decide if it matches the water heater’s height.
Also, estimate your average water consumption because the water heater’s volume can also influence the height.
Are short water heaters more efficient?
Some would argue that short water heaters are more efficient because they provide more gallons per minute. However, they also run out faster and don’t hold that much water.
To answer the question of efficiency better, everything needs to be in the plain field. For instance, the volume needs to be the same, and if that is the case, both tall and short water heaters are equally efficient.
How do I know what size of water I need?
The best way to determine the size of the water heater for your household is to count the number of people in your house.
More people means more water will be used. For instance, if you have a household of two to four people, you will need about 36-46 gallons. For each additional individual, add 10 more gallons of water.
Every household deserves a water heater; sometimes, they get worn out and require replacement. Choosing between a tall vs. short water heater is the first step you will take when replacing it.
To do so, you will need to consider factors such as your plumbing infrastructure and the number of people in your household to determine the water heater’s volume.
I fathom how challenging it is to decide, but it won’t be so hard to consider the above pointers.
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