Water Heater Sizing
Many clients ask me, "What size water heater is right for this home?" Common rule of thumb is that a 40 or 50 gallon tank is suitable for most 3-4 bedroom and 3 bathroom homes. In the 2010 California Plumbing Code, there is a chart on page 71 which shows what size water heater is required.
Below is a picture of an energy guide label for a 40 gallon gas water heater. As you can seen, the first hour rating is 57 gallons. So this particular water heater would be OK for a 3 bedroom/1.5 bathroom home or a 2 bedroom/2.5 bathroom home, BUT NOT a 3 bedroom/2 bathroom home.
