Do you sell and install 80 gallon water heaters?
Wow, that’s a lot of hot water! When folks ask us about installing these large capacity hot water tanks inside their home, there’s always a story behind it: “Because I have three teenage daughters and I’m always running out of hot water.” “I need to run multiple appliances at once, and my hot water runs out” or “I have a new jacuzzi tub I want to fill.” We understand this thinking. More hot water is better, right? However, there’s a lot of nuances that go into deciding if an 80 gallon water heater really is the best fit or not.
Plumbing code, which specifies minimum sizing of water heaters, goes by how many bedrooms and bathrooms in the home and the EF (Energy Factor) rating of the tank. Understandably, some folks want more than the minimum hot water generation.
Four our process, the first factor is the number of people living in the home. As a general guideline, consider 20 gallons per person. For a family of four, a 60-80 gallon tank might be suitable. Next is the number of bathrooms and fixtures. How many showers, bathtubs (especially large soaking tubs), and sinks does the house have? Do the residents use multiple hot water fixtures simultaneously? Then we look at hot water appliance usage. How is the family running a dishwasher, washing machine, or other appliances consuming hot water? How frequently are they used? Last is peak usage times. When does the household use the most hot water? Is it in the mornings, evenings, or throughout the day? With this assessment, we often discover we can meet the homeowner’s needs for hot water with a less expensive water heating system, costing less to operate as well.
If contemplating an 80 gallon water heater, the first, but often overlooked, consideration is space. These tanks are big! Some homes don’t even have doorways large enough to fit an 80 gallon tank through. There is no such thing as an 80 gallon residential water heater. The options become a light-commercial 80 gallon water heater, or a hybrid heat-pump water heater. These tanks stand 65-75 inches tall. When adding the additional 12 inches of clearance on the top, it’s not uncommon to bump up against the ceiling. Furthermore, these tanks have large radiuses. Replacing an older, smaller tank snuggled away in a closet isn’t going to happen.
The next factor is energy source. If your energy source is gas, the best you’ll be able to do is a 75 gallon water heater. With gas, tankless water heaters then become a viable option. The space requirements of tankless are significantly less, as well as the operational costs.
With electric, the energy standard is phasing out standard 80-gallon tanks, per the Department of Energy’s NAECA4 regulations for residential water heaters. These regulations, updated in 2024, mandate that certain electric water heaters will utilize Heat Pump Technology to meet EF ratings. This effectively encourages the use of more energy-efficient heat pump water heaters instead of traditional 80-gallon storage tanks.
Putting all of this together into the mental blender, 80 gallon water heaters may be a good fit for larger households who also place high demand on hot water availability. On the flip side, there will be a higher upfront cost, increased energy consumption along the way, and more physical space taken up.
Thinking through this for the long term, compare to other sizes. A 50 or 65 gallon water heater could be a more appropriate solution. Else, consider a change in morning routine. Do two people really need to take showers simultaneously? Will your household size be increasing, or decreasing, in the future?
In summary, an 80-gallon water heater is likely a good fit if you have a large household (5+ people), multiple bathrooms, frequent simultaneous hot water use, or high-demand fixtures. However, if your household is smaller and your peak demand is lower, a smaller tank is the more energy-efficient and cost-effective.
