According to the Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors Association, “As a result of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act, the U.S. Department of Energy is mandating new efficiency standards for water heaters, effective Thursday, April 16.” What does this mean for you as a homeowner or contractor? We will delve into the issue a little farther to give you the pros and cons of these new regulations.

The Pros

• Higher energy factors and lower operating costs. The new regulations require higher energy factors on almost all gas, electric, and tankless water heater models. The energy factor is the overall efficiency rating, which is essentially the amount of power used converted to hot water. For example, a water heater with 0.75 EF means 75 percent of the energy used is converted to hot water. The higher the EF, the more efficient your water heater is at making hot water. In turn the more efficient the unit, the more money you will save on energy costs.
• More sophisticated design. Key changes in some models by adding blower integration, fans and other components to aid in the unit’s efficiency, making it a more sophisticated design.

The Cons

• Sizing – Water heaters bought and manufactured after the new standards go into effect will feature a larger size due to the increase of more insulation and design changes. Even though most models will have a larger tank, the water capacity will typically be less. With the increase in size, some customers and contractors, may run into space issues with new water heaters not fitting into the current space when replacing a unit.
• Costs – Industry analysts estimate a 25 percent to 35 percent price increase across the board on all brands of water heaters.
• Availability – Industry wide shortages on the availability of water heaters have begun to reach the installer level, due to the stock piling effect. Plumbing professionals are able to sell and install current overstock of models in inventory after the requirements go into effect. Due to the implementation of new water heater standards, suppliers country wide are unable to keep up with the demand of orders while new models are made to meet the newly enforced requirements.

Today’s homeowner expects and deserves the top of the line quality and professionalism that Kozon Plumbing and Heating is accustomed to delivering. Simply put, Kozon Plumbing & Heating strives to deliver “nothing but the best, from our family to yours.” Contact us today at (260) 856-2225 for all your plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical needs and be sure to visit us at www.kozonplumbingandheating.com.