Today’s shift in water heating systems toward lower flow fixtures, higher system temperatures and increased input-to-storage ratio has changed how plumbers, facility managers and building owners evaluate water heaters. They must consider the added complexity associated with these advancements and their impact on operation. Added to that is a facility’s constantly changing requirements based upon demand and seasonality.
Properly calculating the project scope and selecting an optimally sized water heater with the ideal ratio of Btu input to storage is a challenge for all these reasons. A balance must be achieved between providing the necessary hot water — even during peak periods — and maintaining operational efficiency.