Hot water usually returns within about 20 to 60 minutes after you’ve used it all, but the exact time depends on your water heater type, size, and distance to faucets. Here’s a quick guide to what to expect and how to speed things up. Direct answer

• Typical recovery times:
  • Electric storage tank: roughly 60 minutes or more for a full refill and reheating, though some models may be faster (around 40–60 minutes) depending on tank size and first hour rating.
  • Gas storage tank: often 30–60 minutes, as gas burns fuel continuously to reheat the tank.
  • Tankless water heaters: provide hot water almost immediately at the point of use because there’s no storage tank, but flow rates may limit when multiple fixtures are used simultaneously.
• If you’ve just drained a tank or had heavy hot-water usage, expect the return to be on the longer end of these ranges (up to an hour or a bit more for larger tanks or longer piping runs). If it takes several hours, something may be wrong.

What affects recovery time

• Tank size vs. household demand: a small tank serving many fixtures takes longer to recover.
• First Hour Rating (FHR): the higher the FHR, the more hot water available in the first hour after depletion.
• Distance from heater to fixtures: longer piping means hotter water takes longer to arrive.
• Heater age and condition: aging components or sediment buildup reduce recovery efficiency.
• Fuel type: gas heaters typically recover faster than electric ones, while tankless systems have instantaneous hot water at the tap but may limit flow.

Ways to speed up hot-water recovery

• Insulate hot-water pipes and consider a recirculation pump to reduce wait times.
• Schedule high-demand tasks (like dishwashing) after showers, or stagger usage.
• Maintain the heater: flush sediment, check anode rod, and ensure thermostat settings aren’t excessively high or low.
• If your home regularly runs out of hot water, consider upgrading to a larger storage tank, a high-recovery model, or a tankless system with adequate flow rates.

If you’d like, share a few details:

• Type of water heater (electric, gas, tankless)
• Tank size (gallons) and first hour rating if known
• Typical number of bathrooms or simultaneous hot-water needs
• Approximate distance from heater to most-used fixtures

With that, a more precise recovery window can be estimated for your setup.