How many litres of hot water do you need for a family of four?

How much water do four people use on average?

In a family of four the water use adds up quickly, especially with several showers a day. A standard shower uses about 9 litres a minute, so if everyone showers for five minutes a day, the household is soon using 180 litres of hot water, and that is before the kitchen or a bath.

With that in mind, an electric water heater of around 150 litres is often too small for four people. A 200-litre heater gives enough capacity for several showers and the household jobs without leaving you short of hot water.

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When do you need a larger one?

A 200-litre heater is usually enough for an ordinary family, but a larger capacity is worth considering if your household uses a lot of hot water: longer showers, a bath filled regularly, or plenty of hot water in the kitchen.

Electric water heaters of 200 to 300 litres are ideal for families who need hot water more often. Even at the busiest moments, when everyone showers one after the other, there is enough to go round. At Dijkman Zonne-energie we offer 150, 200 and 300-litre heaters that are large enough for a family and economical with it.

By combining the heater with solar panels you use the energy you generate to heat your water. That maximises how much of your own solar energy you use and minimises your dependence on traditional sources, which lowers your energy costs. For a family of four the saving adds up, because the water use is higher than in a smaller household.

Which water heater suits your family?

For a household of four we would advise at least 200 litres. Do you have a larger family, do you use plenty of hot water and would you rather be safe than sorry? Then 300 litres is an excellent choice. These smart electric water heaters give you the capacity you need and help you use energy more cleverly, certainly in combination with solar panels and our energy management system.