This is a very important question that needs to be answered. By answering “yes” you will allow your heater to be able to keep up with the demand for hot water in your home. If you choose the opposite answer your heater may get hot water too quickly and it will not be able to keep up with the demand. There is a large difference between the two.
The reason for the importance of temperature is because hot water is needed. With hot water being needed, your water heater will be needed. The water heater of your home is one part of a system that is needed. There are two main parts of a system that are needed;
1. The main water heater is needed
2. The hot water tank is needed
Water heaters are needed because they take cold water and make it hot
A standard water heater takes in cold water and then heats it to about 105 degrees F. Some water heaters have an upper limit on how hot they can get the water so water heaters need to be sized to take in cold water that is not as hot as the heater. The biggest problem people have with their heater is they run it at too high a temperature thereby making their tank get too full to store enough water to keep up with the demand. If your water heater is not sized properly your tank may fill up or even burst. This can flood your home and you will have no water. how to size your tank is extremely important to remember. A size of “small” may make your tank become to full to hold enough water to fill the home, a size of “medium” may make the tank become to full but allow the tank to hold enough water for a normal shower and about two filling loads of laundry, and a size of “large” may make the tank become to full but allow the tank to hold enough water for a normal shower plus about 3 or four filling loads of laundry. These sizes are just guidelines so choose wisely.
The third part of water heater installation is venting. Vents are a vital part of the system because they allow the heat to escape to the outside world. Without vents your water heater may eventually become a drafty nightmare. Vents come in two varieties, a small vent that takes the place of a flue and a larger vent that takes the place of a well. The vent that takes the place of a flue is a far better choice because it frees up your bathroom to have water running outside without the bothersome intrusion of flue gases.
With these three components (tank, vent and burner) complete your water heater can be used in approximately 60,000 BTU increments. This equates to approximately 2,945 gallons of hot water per hour at a setting of 65F or 1.05 gallons per second at a setting of 70F. If you plan to fill your water heater with water every hour at 65F you will require a capacity of approximately 150 gallons.
Water heater specifications have changed over time. Please read the manufacturer’s directions prior to installation.
The four corners of the tank must be covered with R-6 metal sheeting. The vent pipe must be placed exactly 2″ on top of the R-6. Do not overtighten the vents as they must be able to breathe over time.
Your water heater must be a minimum of 3/4″ in diameter and 4′ long. The bottom of the water heater must be covered with R-6 metal sheeting. There is a 1/2″ opening in the bottom of the heater. If your water heater is installed with a gas burner there must be a gasket placed between the gas burner and bottom of the water heater. This allows gas to escape and prevents foul weather from causing an explosion. If your water heater is gas operated, there must be a 1″ hole in the bottom of the heater.
* After installation, check your hot water heater every three months. Check the pressure relief valve. Inspect the burners for rust, corrosion or damage. You should also inspect the connections and floats.
Safety Considerations:
It is important to keep the flame of your water heater out of the area where we can get into the tank, water pipes and the water heater. When we turn the water on in our home, the water heater heats the water and then sends it to the burner. If we can’t see the flame, we may think that there is water in the tank and we turn the hot water on. We can burn ourselves by accident if we turn the water on without checking the flame. We must put a person into the tank to turn the water on, this ensures that the water heater will send the heated water to the burner.
Inspecting our home is not expensive and we can ensure that our home is safe. There are many inspectors that provide home safety inspections, for more information, contact your insurance company.
