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Factors Affecting Water Heater Recovery Time With Your Water Heater Repair Technician | Harvey, LA

Factors Affecting Water Heater Recovery Time With Your Water Heater Repair Technician | Harvey, LA

Imagine enjoying a nice shower when the water suddenly turns ice cold. How would you feel? Frustrated? Inconvenienced? It is certainly an unpleasant sensation. It leaves you wondering, when will the water heat up again? Will it be a constant occurrence? Well, if it repeats several times, you should have a water heater repair technician in Harvey, LA inspect the water heater for any underlying issues. How fast the water takes to heat up depends on the recovery rate of your water heater. But what is a water heater’s recovery rate? It refers to the time reheating the water tank takes upon depletion. On average, an 80-gallon water heating unit will take about 1-2 hours to reheat completely.

Average Water Heating Unit Recovery Times

Different water heaters have varying recovery times, mostly based on the fuel type. You can check the recovery rates of your water heater by checking the manufacturer’s website. This way, you can learn how long it will take to wait until the heated water starts flowing again. For instance, the average recovery period of an 80-gallon water heater tank with a 62-degree incoming temperature is 120 minutes for electric tank water heaters and 60-70 degrees for gas-powered water heaters. However, some issues arise and require the attention of a water heater repair.

Gas-powered units heat water considerably more quickly. Gas-powered water heating units use burners, which heat water more quickly than electric water heaters’ heating coils because they reach higher temperatures more quickly. Your unique water heater’s recovery time is impacted by several important aspects, which we’ll go over next. If you need to know the recovery time of your water heater, consult your water heater repair technician for advice. Below are some of the factors that impact the recovery rate of a water heater:

The Size of the Water Heater Tank

Consider heating water in a 5-gallon container versus heating it in a 100-gallon container. Which water will take longer to heat up? You guessed it right, a 5-gallon container. The same happens to water heater tank size. Generally, heating the water will take longer if a water heater tank is too large. This means that it will have a low recovery rate. Therefore, if you have a too-large water heater tank, you should power it on a few minutes before you enter the shower. This will give it enough time to heat up and heat the water within. If you want to immediately get the hot water from the unit, have a water heater repair technician install a tankless water heater.

Most residential water heaters have a capacity of between 20 gallons and above. If the size of the water heater installed in your Harvey, LA home has a higher capacity, the burners or heating elements will take longer to heat the water. This problem is even more pronounced if the water heater approaches the end of its lifespan. Additionally, once the tank is close to the end of its supply, its recovery time is longer. This is because as cold water starts flowing, it reduces the temperatures of the remaining water in the tank. Hence, call a water heater repair technician to replace the unit if it’s nearing the end of its lifespan.

First Hour Rating

Since the tank continuously replenishes its water supply, all tank water heaters have a first-hour rating. This determines the number of gallons of water your unit will be able to supply within the first hour when it starts on a full tank of heated water. The heating source and burner size are among the key factors that affect the first-hour rating. So, if the water heater is too long to heat, you should have a technician inspect its burner. If the burners are dirty, the water heater repair technician will clean them. Hence, you should see an improved recovery rating. However, the higher the first-hour rating of your water heater, the higher the recovery rating of the water heater. To know the first-hour rating of your water heater, check the energy guide label on your unit.

Type of Fuel

Compared to gas-powered water heaters, the time it takes for an electric water heater to recover is approximately twice as long. Why? Because gas-powered water heating units use gas burners that can reach much higher temperatures than electric heating coils in a shorter amount of time. Hence, gas water heaters are better. If you use a gas water heater, you will have no hot water for as long. Unfortunately, having a water heater repair technician install one at your Harvey, LA home is more expensive than installing an electric one. If you want hot water quickly, you should have a water heater repair technician install a tankless unit. The installation costs will be lower if you have gas lines installed. Additionally, the maintenance costs for gas water heaters are low because gas is affordable compared to electricity.

Temperature Rise

How hot do you want your water? If you want it heated to high temperatures, you might have to wait for a long time. This is because your preferred temperature has an impact on the temperature rise. The water temperatures in your area vary depending on the climate there. Hence, you should consider the temperature rise when making water heater recovery rate calculations. The term “temperature rise” is the temperature difference between the water going into your water heating system and the temperature you want. The water heater’s recovery time is proportional to the magnitude of the difference between these two temperatures. If the temperature rises too high, you should have a water heater repair technician install a more powerful unit.

Contact Us

Is your water heater taking longer to heat your water? That could be because of either of the factors above. Do you need it repaired, serviced, or even replaced with a more powerful one? Contact us at bluefrog Home Services of New Orleans.

Check out our previous blog about this topic here.

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