Engineering Data Document 5067G

Sizing Guide for

Domestic Volume Water Heaters
Sizes 175,000 - 5,000,000 BTU/h
For Apartment and Condominium Complexes, Hotels and Motels

This Sizing Guide provides a
simple method of accurately
determining the correct heater/
storage tank combination for
apartment and condominium
complexes, hotels and motels. By
providing a variety of heater and
tank combinations, the Sizing
Guide allows the system designer
to optimally utilize existing
equipment and boiler room floor
space. Sizing is based on service
water heating recommendations of
the American Society of Heating,
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning
Engineers.
Note: This is a guide and the
system designer should consider
all load demands and heat losses
carefully.
Useful sizing equation: Boiler
Output (BTU/hr) = 500 x GPM flow
through boiler x temperature rise
(F) through boiler.
Selecting the appropriate water
heater/storage tank combination is
a three-step procedure:
1. Use the table on this page to
determine the total number of
sizing increments in the
installation.
2. The graphs on pages 3 and 4
provide various combinations
available based on the
information from Step 1. Graphs
1, 2 and 3 are for interior and
exterior installations.
3. The system designer can
combine the information from
Steps 1 and 2 with the
performance and dimensional
data from documents 2044,
2045 and 2046 to select the
optimal water heater and storage
tank to complete the installation.

Sizing Increments = No. of Units x TF x FR x CW

Unit Type Factor (TF)

Unit Type Factor

1 Bedroom Apt. 1.0

2 Bedroom Apt. 1.5
Hotel/Motel Room 1.3
Coin-Op. Washing Machine 0.5

Shower Flow Rate Factor (FR)

Flow Rate Factor

2 gpm 0.67
3 gpm 1.0
4 gpm 1.3
5 gpm 1.7
For sizing information on
service hot water for
Inlet Cold Water Temp. Factor (CW)
commercial laundry see
document number 5010,
Water Temp. Factor
Laundromats and Commercial
40oF 1.0
Laundries. Calculate those
50oF 0.9
demands separately, add to
60oF 0.8
any other domestic hot water
70oF 0.75
requirements in the facility.
Apartments — Examples
New 66 Unit Apartment Complex Existing 100 Unit Apartment Complex
(with a 120 gallon storage tank)
44 1 Bedroom 1 Bath Units
22 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Units 66 1 Bedroom 1 Bath Units
5 Coin-Operated Machines 34 2 Bedroom 2 Bath Units
3 GPM Shower Heads 4 GPM Shower Heads
50°F Inlet Cold Water Temperature 50°F Inlet Cold Water Temperature
Water heater to be placed outdoors.
Total Sizing Increments = [Number of Apartment Units x TF] x
FR x CW Total Sizing Increments = [Number of Apartment
= [(44 x 1) + (22 x 1.5) + (5 x 0.5)] Units x TF] x FR x CW
x 1 x 0.9 = [(66 x 1) + (34 x 1.5)] x 1.3 x 0.9
= 71.55 = 136.9

Graph 2 provides the Size 1010 No Tank

following possible Size 715 120 gal. Tank If the existing tank needs Size 1200 380 gal. Tank
combinations of water Size 600 230 gal. Tank to be replaced, as well as Size 1010 535 gal. Tank
heater and storage tank Size 500 380 gal. Tank the water heater, the Size 850 800 gal. Tank
(Specify Model IW following combinations
Instantaneous whenever could be used:
the system does not
include a storage tank).

Hotel — Examples

Existing Hotel with 1000 gallon Storage Tank New Hotel

145 Hotel Rooms 315 Hotel Rooms

4 GPM Shower Heads 4 GPM Shower Heads
40°F Inlet Cold Water Temperature 50°F Inlet Cold Water Temperature

Total Sizing Increments = Number of Hotel Units x TF x FR x CW Total Sizing Increments = Number of Hotel Units x
= 145 Hotel Units x 1.3 x 1.3 x 1 TF x FR x CW
= 245 = 315 Hotel Units x 1.3 x 1.3 x 0.9
= 479.1

Graph 3 shows that a Graph 3 provides the

size 2000 heater utilizing following possible Size 5000 800 gal. Tank
the existing 1000 gallon combinations of water Size 4500 1500 gal. Tank
storage tank can be heater and storage tank: Size 4050 2000 gal. Tank
installed.

NOTE: Any combination of water heater and storage tank can be used as long as they cross the sizing
unit line. Whenever the combination falls on the size line, the larger unit should be installed.
 Graph 1
SIZING INCREMENTS 1 - 45 STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)

82
500
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

119
400

325 230

250

175

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45

SIZING INCREMENTS

Graph 2
SIZING INCREMENTS 45 - 300 STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)
230 535 650
IW* 119 380 800 1000 1500 2000
1825

1670
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

1430

1200

1010

850 82

715

600
500

0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350

SIZING INCREMENTS

*(IW) Instantaneous heaters with no tank

 Graph 3
SIZING INCREMENTS 175 - 600 STORAGE TANK CAPACITY (IN GALLONS)
800
IW* 535 1000 1500 2000

MODEL

5000 I

4500 I
4500 E
INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SIZES

4050 I
4000 E

3500 I
3600 E

3050 I
3200 E

2450 I
2800 E

2000 I
2200 E

150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500 550 600
SIZING INCREMENTS

I = Indoor E = Outdoor
*(IW) Instantaneous heaters with no tank

800.900.9276 • Fax 800.559.1583 (Customer Service, Service Advisors)

20 Industrial Way, Rochester, NH 03867 • 603.335.6300 • Fax 603.335.3355 (Applications Engineering)
1869 Sismet Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L4W 1W8 • 905.238.0100 • Fax 905.366.0130
www.Laars.com Litho in U.S.A. © Laars Heating Systems 0810 Document 5067G