Alabama

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 ZoneEfficiency
+71 °F100% (8 GPM)
61 – 70 °F73% (5.8 GPM)
51 – 60 °F58% (4.6 GPM)
41 – 50 °F48% (3.8 GPM)
< 40 °F41% (3.2 GPM)

 

Flow Rates of Appliances

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 CodesGroundwater 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 zoneRecommended Tankless Water Heater
< 40 °FTankless Water Heater Recommendations
41 – 50 °FTankless Water Heater Recommendations
51 – 60 °FTankless Water Heater Recommendations
61 – 70 °FTankless Water Heater Recommendations
+71 °FTankless Water Heater Recommendations