Don’t get into hot water by running out when you have guests

December 8, 2017

It’s the cold, hard truth – no one likes to run out of hot water. But having guests over the holidays can tax your water heater – and a little forethought can help you avoid the cold shoulder – and cold showers.

A water heater is often an overlooked appliance tucked away in a garage or utility room, so it might be helpful to review a few basics on how it works:

• Hot water is stored in a reserve tank.
• When hot water is turned on from a faucet, the hot water tank sends the hot water to the tap or line.
• A water heater is rated by how much hot water it can produce in one hour. (For example, a hot water rating of 30 means it can supply 30 gallons of hot water in one hour before it needs to refill and reheat.)

Not all water heaters are the same

There are standard storage water heaters and hybrid water heaters, and the reasons you run out of hot water vary depending on the model, and how it’s used. They include:

• Insufficient capacity: If you have guests, more people are using more hot water than usual in the household.
• Overuse: People may be overusing the hot water by taking especially lengthy showers, or additional baths.
• Small tank: Your tank may be too small to accommodate your household.
• Tankless restrictions: If you have a tankless water heater, it only heats on demand – making it good for a household of one or two people.
• Reduced capacity: There may be a build-up of sediment in your water heater that is reducing tank size.
• Repair needs: There may be broken water heater parts, such as burned-out elements. 

It follows that for every problem, there is generally a solution – including ways to avoid running out of hot water. These include:

• Take shorter showers: Less showering means less water is used. When you’re going through the food line, you take less so everyone has enough. Likewise, it’s okay to remind everyone there’s a long line to use the shower and to practice the same consideration.
• Wash laundry in cold: Cold water does a great job of cleaning clothes, especially when you use cold-water detergents. Make a note to stock up before guests arrive.
• Time your dishwashing: They get just as clean in the middle of the night, and that’s presumably a low-demand time for showers.
• Get a bigger water heater: You may simply need to upgrade to a larger, more efficient water heater to accommodate the needs of your household.
• Schedule regular maintenance: Have your water heater flushed and filled regularly to avoid sediment build-up. Regular maintenance is also a good way to spot a broken part or avoid burned-out elements.

Running out of hot water is no fun – so avoid the discomfort and embarrassment of running out of hot water when you have guests over the holidays and all through the year.