Does Your House Need More Hot Water From Your Water Heater? Here’s Some Great Tips on How to Increase the Gallon Capacity of Your Water Heater!

How to increase the gallon capacity of your water heater 

Are you getting enough hot water? If not, and you don’t want to replace your water heater quite yet, you have a few options. There are some things you can do to boost your water heaters productivity and have it produce more hot water. Learn some of your options on how to increase your water heaters efficiency before you increase the gallon capacity of your water heater.

Ways To Increase The Capacity Of Your Water Heater

1st – Check to make sure the water heater is performing correctly and has been flushed –  If you’ve had enough hot water in the past and your needs haven’t changed, the issue could be that your water heater needs maintenance.  Water heaters can lose efficiency over time. This loss of efficiency is due to mineral deposits inside the water heater. If you don’t consistently flush your water heater, overtime the capacity will greatly diminish. Minerals settle at the bottom of the tank and overtime can become inches thick. This build up reduces the gallon capacity of your water heater drastically.   

2nd – Water Heater Boosters – Water heaters can have water heaters ha ha ha. Electric water heaters greatly benefit from water heater boosters.  A water heater booster is basically a small point of use for tankless water heaters. At this point of use, the warm water moves from your water heater. Next it boosts the heat from it to the recommended temperature.  As your water heater passes the demand it can produce. The booster will kick in and take the warm water and heat it for up to 20-30 more gallons. This isn’t usually a recommended method for gas tank style water heaters. Generally its only recommended for just electric tank style water heaters.  

3rd – Water Heater Mixing Valve  – A water heater mixing valve is a valve that is installed at the top of the water heater.  Your water heater temperature must be set higher than the safety and manufacturer specifications for the mixing valve to work. It is set to 120 degrees to around 135 degrees. The mixing valve at the top then introduces cold water to the scalding hot water that is coming out of the water heater. This cools it down to the desired and safe temperature of 120 degrees. It’s very much like having a faucet at the top of your water heater.

If you leave your faucet on hot with no cold water you quickly run out of hot water. The mixing valve allows you to increase the hot temperature. The hotter water is now cooled down once mixed with cold water added at the water heater. This method can also add about 20-30 more gallons of hot water.  

Something to note is that both the water heater booster and the water heater mixing valve are not energy efficient.  We don’t find either to be a great long-term solution to the problem of not having enough hot water.  It is worth discussing with your local licensed, insured, and bonded plumbing company that you trust what your best options are long term.  Is it better to invest in a new, more energy-efficient water heater like tankless or hybrid that can offer you larger gallon capacity at lower energy costs? Or do you feel that your best option, is to spend the money on a water heater booster or mixing valve?  

Services in Phoenix & Beyond

If you’re in the Phoenix area and would like an in home consultation to see which type of electric hybrid water heater is best for your home reach out. At Robins Plumbing we are happy to help. Are you facing issues with your plumbing? Feel free to “Call a Robin” and we will do our best to help. If you live in the Phoenix metropolitan area and need a salt or salt free water softener trust Robins Plumbing!

With over 20 years of experience in the plumbing industry, you can trust our professionals to deliver a professional consultation to see what solution fits best for your home. We also offer a variety of residential and commercial plumbing services, including: drain cleaning, water heater repair and replacement, sewer camera inspection and locating, backflow prevention, commercial and residential jetting, water treatments, and more. Visit our reviews online to see what others have to say about our local plumbing company!