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Tough Choices: Buying, Renting or Leasing?
Buying a Storage Tank Water Heater

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Follow these five basic steps to buy an energy-efficient storage tank water heater that will meet your needs for years to come:

• First, estimate your household's peak hot water demand, which usually occurs during showering. For example, 40 minutes of showering should be enough to shower at least three people, allow for hand- and face-washing at a sink, and still leave some hot water in the storage tank. Assuming you are using a low- flow showerhead, these hot water requirements can be met by a water heater with a first hour rating (FHR) of 270 litres (60 gallons). FHR is a measurement of how much hot water the heater can supply during a busy hour.
• Your next task is to determine the right tank size for your home's circumstances. Don't confuse tank size with your home's daily hot water consumption. Selecting a small water heater tank with a high FHR should result in good performance during the busiest time of the day while minimizing cycling and standby losses when hot water is not in high demand. The table below provides some guidelines on what size of tank you will need, based on typical recovery rates.