Average Groundwater Temperatures for the Cities in Alabama

Temperature is important to consider when dealing with hard water because calcium dissolves more easily in cold water. Most substances that dissolve in water, such as sugar, do not behave in this manner. Most everyone knows that you can dissolve more sugar in hot water than cold. Calcium has the opposite effect: the hotter the water, the less calcium it can dissolve. If your water source is deep in the earth (higher pressure also contributes to increased calcium solubility) and the groundwater is very cold, you can almost certainly expect hard water. Groundwater is so hard in some areas that water utilities must blend it with surface water to reduce the hardness. If you would like more information on the hard water levels in your area please see our hard water map.

Another important reason to know your average groundwater temperatures is if you are trying to determine which tankless water heater to purchase. The reason for this is because in colder climates the groundwaters starting temperature is colder than in warmer climates. This causes the tankless water heater to work harder to increase the water temperature in colder climates, which in turn causes the flow rate to decrease in parallel. For example, if the starting water temperature is 52°F and you need to raise the water temperature to 110°F. Then your tankless water heater must be able to raise the temperature of the water by 58°F while still providing adequate flow to support the fixtures you wish to run at the same time.

How Flow Rates are Affected by Temperature

In the example below, you can see the impact that temperature has on flow rates. This example is based on a tankless water heater that has a flow rate rated for 8 GPM.

Temperature Zone	Efficiency
+71 °F	100% (8 GPM)
61 – 70 °F	73% (5.8 GPM)
51 – 60 °F	58% (4.6 GPM)
41 – 50 °F	48% (3.8 GPM)
< 40 °F	41% (3.2 GPM)

 

Based on the corresponding flow rates for each appliance that are listed. A tankless water heater that is rated with a flow rate of 8 GPM (gallons per minute) is capable of running these items at the same time in regions with an average groundwater

temperature of 72°F.

Shower = 3 GPM

Kitchen Sink = 1.5 GPM

Washing Machine = 2.5 GPM

Total = 7 GPM

If you take this same exact tankless water heater and install it in a region that has an average groundwater temperature of 52°F (green zone). This will lower that tankless water heater's max GPM output to 4.64 GPM.

Shower = 3 GPM

Kitchen Sink = 1.5 GPM

Total = 4.5 GPM

As you can see before purchasing a tankless water heater it's important to know the impact temperature has on its ability to heat water and its effect on the total GPM needs of your household.

Alabama Groundwater Temperature Yearly Average

City and Zip Codes	Groundwater Temperatures
Alabaster 35007 | 35114	62°F
Auburn 36830 | 36832 | 36849	63°F
Birmingham 35203 | 35204 | 35205 | 35206 | 35207 | 35208 | 35209 | 35210 | 35211 | 35212 | 35213 | 35214 | 35215 | 35216 | 35217 | 35218 | 35221 | 35222 | 35223 | 35224 | 35226 | 35228 | 35229 | 35233 | 35234 | 35235 |35242 | 35243 | 35244 | 35254	62°F
Calera 35040	65°F
Centre 35960 | 35042	66°F
Chelsea 35043	63°F
Clanton 35045 | 35046	64°F
Clayton 36016	62°F
Decatur 35601 | 35603	64°F
Dothan 36301 | 36303 | 36305	62°F
Fairfield 35064	65°F
Fort Payne 35967 | 35968	65°F
Fultondale 35068	63°F
Gardendale 35071	64°F
Helena 35080	62°F
Huntsville 35801 |35802 | 35803 | 35805 | 35806 | 35808 | 35810 | 35811 | 35816 | 35824 | 35896	62°F
Jasper 35501 | 35503 | 35504	64°F
Madison 35756 |35757 | 35758	62°F
Mobile 36604 |36605 | 36606 | 36607 | 36608 | 36609 | 36610 | 36611 | 36612 | 36615 | 36616 | 36617 | 36618 | 36619 | 36688 | 36693 | 36695	64°F
Montevallo 35115	61°F
Montgomery 36104 |36105 | 36106 | 36107 | 36108 | 36109 | 36110 | 36111 | 36112 | 36113 | 36115 | 36116 | 36117	66°F
Moody 35004	63°F
Oneonta 35121	62°F
Pelham 35124	63°F
Pisgah 35756	62°F
Pleasant Grove 35127	62°F
Trussville 35173	61°F
Tuscaloosa 35401 |35404 | 35405 | 35406	65°F
Wetumpka 36092 | 36093	64°F

What Tankless Water Heater Should you Buy if you Live in Alabama?

Since Alabama's average temperature range is between 46°F and 54°F. It is recommended that you select a green zone or light blue zone Tankless Water Heater. To see the recommended Tankless Water Heaters that apply to the light blue and green zone temperatures please follow the link that corresponds to the region of your average city temperature.

Temperature zone	Recommended Tankless Water Heater
< 40 °F	Tankless Water Heater Recommendations
41 – 50 °F	Tankless Water Heater Recommendations
51 – 60 °F	Tankless Water Heater Recommendations
61 – 70 °F	Tankless Water Heater Recommendations
+71 °F	Tankless Water Heater Recommendations