3 Main Water Heater Regulations

If there is one thing people are eager to do, it’s conserve energy use in their Winchester homes. This is especially true with water heaters, which account for 20 percent of a home’s monthly energy expenses. Due to these numbers, the United States Energy Department recently finalized new energy efficiency mandates for water heaters.

These regulations, designed to save consumers money while also forcing manufacturers to use more efficient technology in producing the heaters, are expected to play a vital role in energy conservation in the years ahead.

What is the Energy Factor?

Known as the EF, the Energy Factor of a water heater refers to how much of the water heater’s energy is actually used to heat water. While in years past the EF has been relatively low, the new regulations are expected to change all that.

Applicable to all electric, oil, tankless, and gas water heaters, they are expected to make some heaters as much as 40 percent more efficient. This is the case with 65 gallon gas water heaters, which will see their EF go from .55 to .75, enabling consumers to see large decreases in their monthly utility bills.

NAECA Standards

The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, or NAECA, has enabled the Energy Department to issue Final Rule energy efficiency standards. By doing so, manufacturers in both the U.S. and Canada will be impacted by being required to install the latest water conservation technology on virtually all water heaters.

This will include both gas condensation technology as well as electric heat pump technology, both of which are seen as having the ability to make tremendous differences in a heater’s energy usage each month.

However, with increased regulations may come increased pricing of water heaters. Some experts believe newer models may be as much as 40-50 percent more in price, which could initially negate some savings for consumers.

Residential Electric Water Heaters

Still used in far more Winchester homes than gas water heaters, electric water heaters will see energy efficiency increases on a smaller scale than gas heaters. Since most residential heaters fall into the 20-55 gallon category, the savings for some people may not add up to as much as they might expect.

For example, a 50 gallon tank will see its EF rise from .90 to .95, representing just over a five percent increase. However, over time the Energy Department expects the savings to become more noticeable.

Any hold ups regarding your Winchester, VA water heater? Call Powells Plumbing at 540-665-8196 today for any of your repair or maintenance requests.