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How to choose a water heater

Water heaters are a common behind-the-scenes appliance most people don’t think about until there’s a problem. They account for approximately 20% of your household utility costs, so learning about your hot water usage is important when purchasing the most efficient option.

A technician with a clipboard speaks to a homeowner in front of an electric tankless water heater.

Type
Fuel
Size/Flow
Space

Tank

If you have more space, and a water demand for a family, a standard tank-type water heater may be your best option as it will store enough hot water for your daily consumption. This is common in most homes.

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A GSW SS650SDE-30 Space Saver 3000W/240V 189-L Electric Water Heater

Tankless

The specification for a tankless water heater depends on the gallons per minute (GPM) the unit can expel. On a tankless unit, this specifies the amount of water the unit can heat each minute. Making sure a tankless unit is best suited for your family takes a bit more planning but can provide cost savings in the correct application.

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Point of Use

If your space is very limited, and your water demand is low, a point of use unit may be for you. Point of use units are designed for under-the-counter use, cottages and mobile homes. They come in plug-in models, as well as hard-wired models.

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A single sink vanity with a single storage cabinet.

Electric

Electric water heaters use one or two replaceable heating elements and are less expensive to purchase but more expensive to run than gas burning heaters. However, high-efficiency options are available, and they come in a variety of sizes to fit different homes.

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A Moffat G60SDEB-30 3000W 182-L Bottom Entry Electric Water Heater.

Natural Gas

These water heaters use a gas burner, and some models need air circulation for venting. Flammable substances need to be stored elsewhere. However, some units have detectors that help shut the water heater down if flammable vapours are detected. Natural gas heaters are more energy-efficient than electric models, but also more costly to purchase.

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A Moffat G640S40N-AV 40,000-BTU 151-L Conventional Gas Water Heater.

Choosing a tank

The table below provides a general tank-size estimate one should purchase based on family size and hot water usage.

	20-39 gallons	40-49 gallons	50-59 gallons	> 60 gallons*
1-2 people
2-4 people
3-5 people
5+ people

Table 1: Water heater tank size by family size. *Add 10G per additional person

Tank Water Heaters

The specifications for a tank-type water heater you really should focus on are the first-hour rating (FHR) and the recovery rate. The FHR is the amount of hot water a unit can provide in one hour, starting with a full tank of heated hot water. Technically, this is the tank's actual capacity, as the FHR is usually higher than the tank capacity listed on the carton. The recovery rate of your water heater is the amount of water the water heater can provide in a given time period. The recovery rate depends on the wattage of the heating elements (in an electric water heater), the incoming water temperature, and how hot you are heating the water.

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A Moffat G650SDE-30 3000W / 240V 182-L Top-Entry Electric Water Heater.

Tankless Water Heaters

An average tankless unit in Canada will heat 3.5 GPM. The rate at which a tankless can heat your water depends on the incoming ground water temperature and the temperature you set your water heater. The more incoming groundwater that needs to be heated, the lower your maximum GPM will be. Take the time to investigate your peak hour of hot water usage and determine the best first-hour rating for your hot water needs. For example, if both your children shower after dinner while you run the dishwasher and do a laundry load, you want to ensure your water heater can keep up with that demand.

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Tankless

The table below provides the average flow rates for hot-water-using fixtures.

	Sink Faucet	Bathtub	Shower	Dishwasher	Washing Machine
Average Flow Rate	1 GPM	3 GPM	2.5 GPM	3 GPM	3 GPM

Table 2: Average flow rates of household fixtures in gallons per minute (GPM)

Space

If you haven’t replaced your water heater in a while, remeasure your space before purchasing a similar unit. New technologies have emerged, and tanks generally have more girth to accommodate added insulation to improve efficiencies. Tankless water heaters are great because they are compact, but retrofitting them to fit your home can be expensive. They are the way to go if you need to install a water heater in a tight space. Ensure you have the proper power supply available (if applicable) and enough space for the heater to intake air (if applicable).

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* Financing available is “Equal payments, no interest” for 24 months (unless otherwise stated) and is only available on request, on approved credit and on purchases of $150 (unless otherwise stated) or more (Gift Cards excluded) made with your Triangle credit card at Canadian Tire, Sport Chek, Mark’s, L’Équipeur, Atmosphere, Sports Rousseau, Hockey Experts, L’Entrepôt du Hockey and participating Sports Experts. Interest does not accrue during the period of the plan. However, if we do not receive the full minimum due on a statement within 59 days of the date of that statement, or any event of default (other than a payment default) occurs under your Cardmember Agreement, all special payment plans on your account will terminate and (i) you will then be charged interest on the balances outstanding on such plans at the applicable regular annual rate from the day after the date of your next statement, and (ii) the balances outstanding will form part of the balance due on that statement. There is no administration fee charged for entering into a special payments plan. Each month during an equal payments plan you are required to pay in full by the due date that month’s equal payments plan instalment. Any unpaid portion not received by the due date will no longer form part of the equal payments plan and interest will accrue on that amount from the day after the date of your next statement at the applicable regular annual rate. Offer subject to change without notice.

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If your average balance is:	Total monthly credit charges will be:
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± Was price reflects the last national regular price this product was sold for

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*Terms and conditions apply to collecting and redeeming. Visit triangle.com for full program rules. Ordinarily you are not able to collect Canadian Tire Money® (CT Money®) on that portion of a transaction in respect of which you redeemed CT Money, but can do so with this special offer. You may redeem for the full purchase price in CT Money to a maximum of $1,000 but bonus CT Money is calculated only on the pre-tax amount. Special offer not valid for Gift Card purchases. Pre-tax purchase. Bonus applied to maximum redemption of $1,000. No rainchecks.

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*The Triangle Rewards Program is owned and operated by Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. The Triangle® credit cards are issued by Canadian Tire Bank. Rewards are in the form of electronic Canadian Tire Money® (CT Money®). To collect bonus CT Money you must present a Triangle Rewards card/key fob, or use any approved Cardless method, at time of purchase or pay with a Triangle credit card. You cannot collect paper CT Money on bonus offers. Minimum $300 spend is on the pre-tax amount on the same tender and for a single transaction. $300 must be spent on items that earn CT Money. Not all items sold at Canadian Tire are eligible to earn CT Money or to be redeemed for. Conditions apply. Visit triangle.com for full program rules and Partner location information. The offered rate is exclusive of any bonus or promotional offers or redemption transactions. CT Money is collected on the pre-tax amount of the purchase. Bonus CT Money may take up to 5 weeks to be applied to the Member’s Triangle Rewards Account. No rainchecks. Single use only per Triangle Rewards Account.

The Triangle Rewards Program is owned and operated by Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. Triangle® credit cards are issued by Canadian Tire Bank. Rewards are in the form of electronic Canadian Tire Money® (CT Money®). To collect bonus CT Money you must present a Triangle Rewards card/key fob, or use any approved Cardless method, at time of purchase or pay with a Triangle credit card. You cannot collect paper Canadian Tire Money on bonus offers. Any bonus multiplier is based on the base rate of collecting CT Money (0.4%), and will be added to whatever the Member would otherwise collect, without the bonus. Example: On a $100 (pre-tax) purchase with a 20x bonus multiplier a Member would earn a bonus $8 in CT Money (20 X 0.4% X $100). The 50x for Triangle Mastercard, World Mastercard and World Elite Mastercard customers consists of the 10x everyday plus a 40x bonus. Not all items sold are eligible to earn CT Money or to be redeemed for. Conditions apply. Visit triangle.com for full program rules and Partner location information. The offered rate is exclusive of any bonus or promotional offers or redemption transactions. Minimum purchase of $250 or more required to receive the 30x bonus. Minimum $250 spend is on the pre-tax amount on the same tender and for a single transaction. $250 must be spent on items that earn CT Money. CT Money is collected on the pre-tax amount of the purchase. Bonus CT Money may take up to 5 weeks to be applied to the Member’s Triangle Rewards Account. No rainchecks.

*Terms and conditions apply to collecting and redeeming. Visit triangle.com for full program rules. Ordinarily you are not able to collect Canadian Tire Money® (CT Money®) on that portion of a transaction in respect of which you redeemed CT Money, but can do so with this special offer. You may redeem for the full purchase price in CT Money to a maximum of $1,000 but bonus CT Money is calculated only on the pre-tax amount. Special offer not valid for Gift Card purchases. Pre-tax purchase. Bonus applied to maximum redemption of $1,000. No rainchecks.

*The Triangle Rewards Program is owned and operated by Canadian Tire Corporation, Limited. The Triangle® credit cards are issued by Canadian Tire Bank. Rewards are in the form of electronic Canadian Tire Money® (CT Money®). To collect bonus CT Money you must present a Triangle Rewards card/key fob, or use any approved Cardless method, at time of purchase or pay with a Triangle credit card. You cannot collect paper CT Money on bonus offers. Minimum $150 spend is on the pre-tax amount on the same tender and for a single transaction. $150 must be spent on items that earn CT Money. Not all items sold at Canadian Tire are eligible to earn CT Money or to be redeemed for. Conditions apply. Visit triangle.com for full program rules and Partner location information. The offered rate is exclusive of any bonus or promotional offers or redemption transactions. CT Money is collected on the pre-tax amount of the purchase. Bonus CT Money may take up to 5 weeks to be applied to the Member’s Triangle Rewards Account. No rainchecks. Single use only per Triangle Rewards Account.