40 Gallon vs. 50 Gallon Water Heaters: Which Is Best for You?

Everyone needs to replace their water heater at some point in time. Whether you’re noticing signs of wear like reduced efficiency or whether your water heater has just failed explosively, out you’d rather not wait when the time comes to change it. It’s important to realize, however, that bigger is not always better when it comes to a new heater. The two most popular sizes of water heater are 40 gallons and 50 gallons. Here’s a look at choosing a water heater, how to know which size is best for your NYC home and how a qualified Service Whale contractor can help.

Choosing a Water Heater

You may think that simply putting in the largest heater will ensure that you always have hot water. To a point this can be true, but you can also cost yourself a lot of money and efficiency if you select one that is too large or too small. If you install a heater that is too small, it won’t meet the needs of your home. Choosing a water heater that is too large will mean constantly running warm water that you’re not using. Like Goldilocks, you want one that is just right.

Know Your Usage

The first thing to understand is how much hot water you use. Check your existing heater’s EnergyGuide label to start. This will give you a measure of how much water the heater puts out during the busiest hours of the day (called the First Hour Rating or FHR). You can double-check this by assuming 12 gallons of hot water per person in your home, add 1 to the number of bedrooms in your house, and multiplying the two numbers. That number is the minimum water you need available.

Considering Energy Factor

The higher the energy factor of your tank, the more efficient it is and the lower it should cost to run. You’ll want to find a tank with the best EF rating for your FHR rating. At one point in time, it was very complicated for contractors to determine the best efficiency, but FHR ratings greatly simplify the process for your ServiceWhale New York contractor.

New York Contractors

You want to make sure you call upon the services of a qualified New York contractor like those available through ServiceWhale. A contractor will ensure that your new water heater is the right size for your home and will install it with professional efficiency so that you don’t have costly repairs down the road. There are a lot of pitfalls to avoid when engaging in plumbing work, and it’s always best to have a professional handle it.

If you are in need of a new water heater, don’t wait until yours fails. Look over Service Whale’s water heater replacement services for New York, and give us a call for a consultation or more information today.