The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act will implement significant changes on April 16, 2015. These new requirements are specific to higher energy ratings for residential oil, electric, and gas water heaters. The US Department of Energy estimates that a typical household water heater accounts for up to 30% of a monthly power bill. These new regulations are meant reduce this percentage quite a bit.
The energy efficiency (EF) of a water heater is based on how the ratio of much how water is made to each unit of fuel that is used. This ratio is used to calculate efficiency in one of three ways:
Recovery Efficiency: How quickly heat is transferred to the water
Standby Losses: The percentage of heat loss per hour from the stored water
Cycling Losses: The amount of heat loss as the water circulates inside of the tank
Homeowners can expect these new regulations to have a significant impact, both good and bad. Here are some specifics:
Homeowners who choose to purchase a new water heater will notice a significant savings on their monthly power bill due to the new regulations. Those water heaters that are bought after April 16th will be compliant with the new regulations and will be far more energy efficient than existing models
Replacing an existing water heater in your home will likely be fairly easy as the newer more energy efficient water heaters are only about two inches bigger in height and diameter. The only circumstances where this won’t be the case is if the area that your water heater is currently installed is a tight space with no room for expansion.
If you are thinking about replacing your current water heater, it is important to contact a professional licensed plumber to ask questions and learn about the new regulations. The new models are not any more complicated than existing models but, you will want to know if your current water heater set-up is conducive to replacement.
Conserving power and being mindful about how much of an impact our homes and our daily activities are having on the environment is a real concern. Purchasing energy-efficient appliances that save resources and money is definitely a win. You can visit the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act website for more information, or you can contact our office with your questions.