Table HC6.8 Water Heating Characteristics by Number of Household Members, 2005

Total....................................................................... 111.1 30.0 34.8 18.4 15.9 12.0

Number of Water Heaters

1......................................................................... 106.3 28.8 33.4 17.4 15.3 11.4

2 or More............................................................ 3.7 0.6 1.1 0.8 0.5 0.6

Do Not Use Hot Water........................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q Q Q

Housing Units Served by Main Water Heater

One Housing Unit................................................ 99.7 25.3 31.8 16.6 14.6 11.3

Two or More Housing Units................................. 10.3 4.2 2.7 1.6 1.2 0.6

Do Not Use Hot Water........................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q Q Q

Main Water Heating Fuel

Electric................................................................ 43.1 12.7 13.7 7.2 5.4 3.9

For One Housing Unit...................................... 40.3 11.5 13.0 6.8 5.2 3.8

For Two or More Housing Units....................... 2.7 1.2 0.8 0.5 Q Q

Natural Gas......................................................... 58.7 15.3 17.6 9.6 9.0 7.1

For One Housing Unit...................................... 52.5 12.7 16.1 8.7 8.2 6.7

For Two or More Housing Units....................... 6.2 2.6 1.5 0.9 0.8 0.4

Fuel Oil............................................................... 4.0 0.8 1.4 0.8 0.6 0.5

For One Housing Unit...................................... 3.0 0.5 1.0 0.6 0.5 0.4

For Two or More Housing Units....................... 1.1 0.3 0.3 Q Q Q

Propane/LPG...................................................... 4.0 0.7 1.7 0.6 0.7 0.5

Other................................................................... 0.2 QQQQN

Do Not Use Hot Water........................................ 1.1 0.6 0.3 Q Q Q

Age of Main Water Heater

Used by One Housing Unit

Less than 2 Years........................................... 14.7 3.3 4.4 2.7 2.3 1.9

2 to 4 Years..................................................... 18.6 3.9 6.5 3.0 2.9 2.3

5 to 9 Years..................................................... 25.5 5.4 8.7 4.5 3.8 3.1

10 to 19 Years................................................. 20.1 6.0 6.5 3.5 2.8 1.3

20 Years or More............................................. 6.8 2.2 2.3 0.9 0.7 0.6

Don't Know...................................................... 12.0 3.8 2.6 1.9 1.8 1.9

No Separate Water Heater.............................. 1.9 0.6 0.7 0.2 Q Q

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Less than 2 Years........................................... 0.3 Q Q N Q N

2 to 4 Years..................................................... 0.5 QQQQQ

5 to 9 Years..................................................... 0.5 QQQQQ

10 to 19 Years................................................. 0.6 QQQQQ

20 Years or More............................................. 0.6 QQQQQ

Don't Know...................................................... 4.4 1.8 1.0 0.8 0.5 0.3

No Separate Water Heater.............................. 3.4 1.6 1.1 0.2 0.4 Q

Water Heating Characteristics

4

 Members

 Million U.S. Housing Units

5 or More 

Members

Number of Households With --

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

1

 Member

2

 Members

3

 Members

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characterisics Tables
Table HC6.8 Water Heating Characteristics by Number of Household Members, 2005

Water Heating Characteristics

4

 Members

 Million U.S. Housing Units

5 or More 

Members

Number of Households With --

Housing 

Units 

(millions)

1

 Member

2

 Members

3

 Members

Size of Main Water Heater

Used by One Housing Unit

Small (30 gallons or less)................................ 17.1 6.8 5.1 2.2 1.5 1.5

Medium (31 to 49 gallons)............................... 52.4 12.9 16.8 8.9 8.0 5.7

Large (50 gallons or more).............................. 27.1 4.7 8.8 5.0 4.8 3.8

Tankless water heater..................................... 1.1 Q 0.4 0.3 Q Q

No Separate Water Heater.............................. 1.9 0.6 0.7 0.2 Q Q

Used by Two or More Housing Units

Small (30 gallons or less)................................ 1.4 0.7 Q 0.3 Q Q

Medium (31 to 49 gallons)............................... 2.4 0.9 0.5 0.5 0.4 Q

Large (50 gallons or more).............................. 2.8 0.9 0.8 0.5 0.3 Q

Tankless water heater..................................... 0.2 QQQQQ

No Separate Water Heater.............................. 3.4 1.6 1.1 0.2 0.4 Q

Other Water Heating

Hot Tubs or Spas.............................................. 6.7 0.7 2.8 1.1 1.1 0.9

Electricity......................................................... 5.3 0.5 2.4 0.8 1.1 0.5

Natural Gas..................................................... 1.2 Q 0.4 0.3 Q 0.3

Swimming Pools............................................... 1.9 Q 0.7 0.5 0.3 0.3

Natural Gas..................................................... 1.2 Q 0.4 0.3 Q 0.3

Electricity......................................................... 0.4 N Q Q Q N

Propane/LPG.................................................. 0.3 N QQQQ

Some Other Fuel............................................. Q N N N Q N

Electric Water Beds.......................................... 2.2 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.3 0.4

1...................................................................... 1.9 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.3 0.3

2 or More......................................................... 0.3 N Q Q N Q

Heaters Used all Year................................ 1.7 0.3 0.6 0.5 0.2 Q

1............................................................... 1.5 0.3 0.5 0.3 0.2 Q

2 or More................................................. 0.3 N Q Q N Q

 Q = Data withheld either because the Relative Standard Error (RSE) was greater than 50 percent or fewer than 10 households were 

sampled.

 N = No cases in reporting sample.

 Notes: ● Because of rounding, data may not sum to totals. ● See Glossary for definition of terms used in these tables.

 Source: Energy Information Administration, Office of Energy Markets and End Use, Forms EIA-457 A, B, C of the 2005 

Residential Energy Consumption Survey.

Energy Information Administration

2005 Residential Energy Consumption Survey: Preliminary Housing Characterisics Tables