New Federal Hot Water Heater Regulations and What They Mean for You

Starting this month, federal water heater regulations are going to be changing. While you won’t have to get a new hot water heater immediately, once it’s time to update, your new appliance must fall under the new regulation. Learn more about how these new regulations will affect you, and what you need to know for the future.

 

The Size

water-heaters-1 A normal gas or electric water heater will need to be bigger as per the new regulations. Water heaters with less than 55 gallons will need to be:

  • Up to 6 inches wider
  • Up to 8 inches taller
  • An extra 3+” to prepare

All water heaters that are over 55 gallons will have other regulations. These will depend on whether the heater is gas or electric:

  • Electric – new electric water heaters will require a heat pump. To fit this new pump, tanks will need to be 6” wider and 15” taller.
  • Gas – gas water heaters will now require a high-efficiency condensing tank. These might not be any bigger, but they will cost significantly more.

With higher costs and size requirements, it may be more practical for most people to invest in a tankless hot water heater when upgrading instead of sticking with the bulkier tank heaters.

Advantages of a Tankless Hot Water Heater

tankless-heater-1 In the past tankless hot water heaters have been initially more expensive than their tank counterparts. Even though this cost was evened out over time, it deterred many people from making the investment. Now that the cost difference is smaller than ever, the advantages of tankless hot water heaters far outweigh that of tank water heaters:

    • They never run out of hot water
    • Tankless hot water heaters last up to 10 years longer than tank heaters
    • Efficiency will rise, showing on your energy bills every month (up to 20%)
    • Tankless hot water heater take up less space

April 16th is the day everything will change with your hot water heater. If you need an upgrade, ensure you are ready for this change. Be aware of the additional cost, know your options. For many, tankless water heater installation will not only be a better option, but could be the only one. If you’re in need of a tankless hot water installation, call Rooter Master: 800-380-0336