<h1><img src="images/stories/waterheaterstank165px_width.jpg" alt="Bradford  White Water Heater" /><img style="margin-left: 60px;" src="images/stories/rheem_water_heater_single165px_height.jpg" alt="water heater" /></h1>
<h2>Water Heaters Come in a Variety of Sizes</h2>
<p>Both residential gas and electric water heaters come in a variety of sizes  but the most common are:</p>
<ul>
<li>40 gallon </li>
<li>50 gallon </li>
<li>66 gallon </li>
<li>75 gallon </li>
<li>80 gallon </li>
<li>120 gallon </li>
</ul>
<p>The majority of homes have a 40 or 50 gallon tank with the 50 gallon tank  being the most common.&nbsp; Larger tanks such as a 66 or 80 gallon tank are usually  only used&nbsp;for very large homes&nbsp;or for&nbsp;homes that have a large soaking tub or  jacuzzi.</p>
<p>It&nbsp;is possible to upsize or downsize your water heater.&nbsp;&nbsp;Customers are often  interested in installing a larger tank if they have recently&nbsp;installed a large  soaking tub.&nbsp; When&nbsp;upsizing to a larger tank, we will ensure that your entire  system is installed safely and typically this will entail&nbsp;increasing the size  of&nbsp;the vent on gas water heaters.&nbsp; Larger tanks emit a larger volume of carbon  monoxide and as a result, must have a larger vent in order to be safely  installed.&nbsp; We&nbsp;can also check space requirements with you&nbsp;over the phone to  ensure that&nbsp;a larger tank will fit.&nbsp; Occasionally&nbsp;a customer will choose to  downsize their tank as 66&nbsp;and 80 gallon tanks are often&nbsp;more expensive than more  common 50 gallon tanks.&nbsp; We do not recommend downsizing from a 50 gallon tank to  a 40 gallon tank, however, as 40 gallon tanks are typically comparable in price  to 50 gallon tanks.</p>
<h2>Smaller Tanks are Also Available</h2>
<p>There are a also a variety of smaller tanks used for special applications  such as an under sink water heater (sometimes called a lowboy) and very small 2,  4, 6, 20, 25, 20 and 30 gallon tanks which are sometimes used as supplements to  your water heater system or used as application-specific tanks.&nbsp; Tanks of this  size can be useful for a single sink or in same cases are used as an additional  heater for a recirculation system.&nbsp; Tanks of this size, however, are typically  only available in electric powered and not gas powered.</p>
<h2>How Do Tanks Compare in Terms of Efficiency and Hot Water Output?</h2>
<p>Typically, there are four measures of how a hot water tank operates:</p>
<ul>
<li>Efficiency rating </li>
<li>Recovery rate assuming the temperature is raised by 90° F </li>
<li>1st Hour recovery rate </li>
<li>Estimated operating cost </li>
</ul>
<h2>Efficiency Rating</h2>
<p>Efficiency rating is a measure of the percentage of heat transfer from the  energy source to your water.&nbsp; Standard electric tanks range from 88-95%  efficiency while standard gas tanks range from 55-65% efficiency.&nbsp; Electric  tanks allow for higher energy transfer because electric tanks heat your water  through heating elements which are submerged in the water, while gas fired tanks  are heated from below through a gas burner.</p>
<p>Despite higher efficiency ratings, typically electric tanks are more  expensive to operate as the cost of electricity needed to heat your water is  higher than the cost of gas needed to heat your water.&nbsp; So, while heat transfer  is more efficient in electric tanks, this does not mean that your overall energy  usage is less in an electric tank.&nbsp; Because of this, many utility companies and  governments often encourage residents to use gas heating if choosing between gas  and electric.</p>
<p>Regardless, the higher the efficiency rating of your tank, the less energy is  wasted in heating the water.</p>
<h2>Recovery Rate</h2>
<p>Recovery rate is the amount of hot water your tank can produce in the space  of one hour assuming a 90° F increase in water temparature.&nbsp; Electric tanks  typically produced approximately 20-22 gallons of hot water in an hour while gas  tanks 30-40 gallons in an hour.&nbsp; So, on average, gas tanks produce more hot  water at a faster rate.</p>
<h2>Is a Permit Required to Replace my Water Heater?</h2>
<p>While there are some exceptions, in most geographies where we operate a  permit is required to replace your water heater.&nbsp; There are some small plumbers  that are willing to replace your water heater without processing a permit.&nbsp; HPS will process a permit for you if it is required and we will not  perform work without pulling a permit.&nbsp; In most areas, because water heater  replacement is considered an emergency service, your city or county will allow  us to replace the water heater and apply for the permit at the same time so that  you do not have to wait until the permit is processed to perform the  installation.&nbsp; Typically, we are able to perform your installation the same day  that you call us.&nbsp; When we collect for the installation, we will also collect  for the cost of the permit.</p>
<p>Applying for a permit on your water heater replacement is a good idea.&nbsp; Water  heaters have caused more accidents, injuries and deaths than any other home  appliance.&nbsp; Most jurisdictions have adopted plumbing codes to make sure your  water heater is installed properly.&nbsp; Once your permit is processed, depending on  where you live, an inspector may come to your home to determine if the work was  done up to current safety code.&nbsp; For your safety and the safety of your family,  we recommend you only deal with a contractor that plans to process a permit on  your behalf.</p>