Does the size of your water heater matter? What’s the purpose of having a 75-gallon water heater?
If you are in a dilemma and need to decide whether a 75-gallon water heater tank will fulfill your needs or not, I have a bit of useful information that could help you make that decision.
Why Get a 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater?
The main reason one may purchase a 75-gallon gas water heater is because of its capacity to fulfill the demands of its many users.
This may be purchased for a large family of ten, for commercial use, or simply for the multiple appliances being used at one that need hot water to function correctly. It is important to purchase a water heater big enough to meet your needs, rather than try to push its limited capacity.
If you try to keep a smaller water heater while increasing the people or appliances that use the hot water, you will find yourself ending up with not enough hot water, which will especially stink when you are needing to shower.
50 Gallon vs 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater
As far as the mechanical functions go, there really isn’t much of a difference between a 50-gallon water heater and a 75-gallon water heater.
A 50-gallon gas water heater does well for a family of 4, with moderate water usage. In comparison with a 75-gallon water heater, it will be cheaper to buy and install as well. Water will heat up quicker in a 50-gallon tank as there is less water needed to heat up at once.
That said, a 75-gallon water heater would be a better option for those with families of 5-6 or greater. It is able to contain more hot water at once, meeting the needs of all who use the water. It does take longer to heat up the entire supply, but that downside is worth it for the extra hot water available on demand.
As long as the user doesn’t surpass the amount of hot water available, you likely won’t experience a great amount of hot water shortage.
75 Gallon Water Heater Brands
The bigger the water heaters get, the more concern with quality and safety will come into play. This is because larger water heaters mean a greater chance of explosions and issues appearing if they are not cared for properly.
Therefore most people will go with the more reputable and more recognized brands such as Rheem, Ao Smith, and Bradford White. There are a couple of other companies that people trust with this size of water heater in Triangle Tube, Westinghouse, and Reliance (Rinnai is one too if you include tankless water heaters).
As for which one of these companies has the best water heaters, that is up for debate and personal experience, as anyone can have the occasional bad water heater or bad water heater experience with any brand.
All 7 of these companies have overall good 75-gallon water heaters, with some having more options than others (Rheem has more options than most companies) while others have target specific models with only one or two options for this size (Ao Smith, Westinghouse, etc).
Cost of 75-Gallon Gas Water Heaters
The cost of 75-gallon gas water heaters will have a range depending on the company you are getting them from. The cheapest price you will find for this size is around $800, while the most expensive can get up to over $4,000 with every single bell and whistle you can imagine.
To get a better idea of what the best-sellers are here is a brief look at 3 of the 75-gallon gas water heaters and a little more about them:
Best 75 Gallon Gas Water Heaters
Taking a glance at the top-selling water heaters for some of the more popular and well-known brands can help you understand what each company provides on its lowest product, which gives an idea for how the company will pride itself on products and quality of products.
The lowest tier product still needs to be of the highest quality for that tier, otherwise, they will lose out on a lot of business and create dissatisfied customers as well.
1. Rheem 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater
This water heater comes with some nice basic features such as overheat protection, a pilot light window, a pilot reset button, and a TPR valve. It does not have a filter for you to clean, therefore there is less maintenance you have to do which is a wonderful perk.
It also cuts down on maintenance by having a glass lining for the inner tank, meaning you will have fewer repair costs in the long run. Another neat feature is the ignition system that makes it no-match lighting for the pilot light.
Its peak hour is capable of 100 gallons of hot water, which makes it great for a big family. The warranty is a 6-year limited warranty and 1-year labor warranty and is designed for easy replacement, so you can have confidence in this company that stands behind their product.
This warranty could have been a little better overall in coverage but is not bad. All these features make this a good option for those looking for water heaters that have larger residential capacities.
What We Like:
- Glass inner tank lining for longer life span
- The air intake system is maintenance-free
- The pilot light system is match free
- Able to have 100 gallons of hot water in an hour
- Safety features
What We Do Not Like:
- The warranty is not as full coverage as we would have liked
- May have to create a stand to put a pan underneath to meet the codes of your area
2. Bradford White 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater
- Includes 4500 watt elements
- Non-simultaneous
- Protective magnesium anode rod - provides added protection against corrosion for long trouble-free service
- Package Dimensions: 23.0" L x 23.0" W x 61.0" H
The Bradford White 75-gallon water heater is one of their top-selling water heaters. Some of the basic features that come with this water heater are:
- A resettable thermal switch
- a sight window, vitraglas lining
- 3/4” waterway fittings
- a magnesium anode rod
- trp valve
- a brass drain valve
- 2-foot non-CFC insulation
Along with these features, this water heater is maintenance-free, thanks to the hydro jet system, and to it does not use a filter you have to switch out. Its hydro-jet system helps prevent sediment from building up in the tank at the bottom, which makes this water heater an ideal choice since this is a great solution for sediment buildup in water heaters.
Bradford White’s one-hour peak capacity is not specified on their website, since it is derived from a proprietary algorithm, unfortunately; which is one of the only downsides for ths water heater.
The other thing to watch out for is Honeywell smart controller which works well but is difficult to diagnose. Everything else is top-of-the-line for water heaters (along with a 6-year warranty for the tank and parts), making this a great choice for a water heater.
What We Like
- High-end materials and parts for everything
- Made in the USA
- The least maintenance of any water heaters you will have
- The Hydrojet system helps keep sediment buildup
- The glass lining of the tank helps prevent rust and creates a longer tank life
What We Do Not Like
- Not knowing exactly how much hot water can be delivered in a single hour if needed
- The Honeywell smart controller is great, but difficult to diagnose, and can drive up repair costs
3. AO Smith 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater
- Highest recoveries and first hour ratings
- Dynaclean diffuser dip tube helps reduce lime and sediment buildup, maximizes hot water output; made from long lasting PEX cross-linked polymer
- Patented eco-friendly design reduces Knox emissions by up to 33% and complies with less than 40 ng/j requirements for NOx emissions
- CoreGard anode rode has a stainless steel core, protects tank against corrosion
- Push-button Piezo igniter makes lighting pilot fast and easy with one-hand push-button spark ignition
The AO Smith 75-gallon gas water heater has a lot of features. The features that go along with it are the following:
- 6-year limited warranty
- 129-gallon top-out for the first hour of hot water use.
- Low NOx
- tpr valve
- Tamper-proof drain valve for safety
- Ceramic fused tank for corrosion prevention
- Self-cleaning dip tube to reduce sediment buildup.
All these features combined add up to a great gas heater that is very safe for a house, having minimum issues over its lifespan. It is a water heater that will serve you well. They are one of the top companies in the water heater business, and they stand behind their products with quick responses from customer service for faulty issues that happen sometimes.
Like most companies and products, there are still going to be one or two things that do not exceed expectations. The first of these is minor for AO Smith with being a little pricier for the 75-gallon tank size, but do not let that be a hindrance, because the customer service and company are very transparent, to where if a problem ever occurs, spending that extra money is worth it.
The second thing to keep in mind is the warranty they offer. That 6-year limited warranty will not cover labor through the 6 years, so look at and ask your plumber what else you can do to get warranties extended and extend the lifespan of your water heater.
What We Like
- Customer experience and customer-centered company.
- A quality product that keeps safety in mind.
- Repair and Maintenance Costs are kept to a minimum.
- The amount of hot water you get in one hour is one of the best
What We Do Not Like
- The initial cost of the water heater is on the higher end
- The labor warranty is not as long as we would like without getting an extended warranty
Installation Costs for 75 Gallon Gas Water Heaters
In general, it can cost between $300- and $1,200 to install a new water heater. For a 75-gallon gas water heater though, this will likely be in the middle of that spectrum, as gas water heaters tend to be cheaper to install than some, but tend to have a higher start-up cost than others such as electric water heaters.
If you are looking to purchase a 75-gallon gas water heater, except for installation costs to be anywhere between $500-$1,000. This price could be more or less, depending on your home and your location. If this is the first time your home is having a water heater installed, this price could increase, potentially costing you over $1,000 to install.
Performance of a 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater
Different water heaters, even 75-gallon gas water heaters, will have different capacity amounts for the peak hour demand. The minimum for the low-end quality of a 75-gallon gas water heater is going to be 75 gallons for peak hour demand but if efficient enough, it can handle up to 150 gallons at peak hour demand. This means that if you get a high-efficiency gas water heater, you will be able to use a 75-gallon tank without a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater Enough for 5 people?
A 75-gallon gas water heater should be more than enough for a family of 5 or 6. Even with regular use of other general appliances, such as washing machines, this should still provide you with more than enough hot water to meet your needs.
If there are more than 8-10 people though, you may need another water heater.
How Long Does a 75 Gallon Gas Water Heater Last?
It depends on the usage but generally, a 75-gallon gas water heater should last about just as long as a 50-gallon gas water heater, but likely will be a little bit shorter since larger tanks are more likely to have issues.
A water heater should last you between 8 – and 15 years, but that lifespan could be longer or shorter depending on the quality of the water heater and how well you maintain it.
Final Thoughts
If you are in the market for a 75-gallon residential water heater, getting one from Rheem or Bradford White would be the better option to first consider before going for an AO Smith.
A 75-gallon gas water heater is going to have a bigger utility cost so if you are oversizing your system, this may not be the best idea, But if you have more than 5 people in the household, this is a perfect size for peak-hour use.
