Hot water heaters don’t normally make the news – after all, it can be hard to compete for headlines – but there are new regulation changes coming for hot water heaters that will affect both manufacturers and consumers alike. This isn’t the first time regulations have changed for hot water heaters, and in fact, this will be the third upgrade of three upgrades to the laws since 1990. The goal of these new regulations isn’t to make things more difficult for people; rather, these changes are focused on saving energy and money nationwide. This next regulation, which becomes law on April 16th of this year, is scheduled to last until 2044. Over this time period, which spans 26 years, it’s expected that these mandated changes to water heater energy efficiency and function will reduce greenhouse gases by 172 million metric tons and garner energy savings of over $63 billion dollars. So what does this mean if you need a new water heating in Naperville? Let’s take a look.
What the New Regulations Do
The new regulations require that the EF rating (efficiency factor) for all hot water heaters increases, and to achieve this, certain things will be required as part of the manufacturing. Some of these new manufacturing requirements will be the elimination of standing pilot assemblies in gas-powered water heaters, more required insulation for tanks, valves and piping, new requirements for flues and the use of heat pump technology in electric tank water heaters over 55 gallons.
What This Means for You and Water Heaters
For the most part, tankless water heaters already perform at the new standards, so if you have a tankless water heater, the new regulations really won’t affect you. The same goes if you are planning to install a tankless water heater in the near future. It is really those who plan to purchase a storage tank water heater that will be most affected. Those with storage tank water heaters will be grandfathered in, so you don’t have to worry about rushing out to purchase a new tank. But, if you want to purchase a storage tank water heater after April of this year, be prepared for higher initial costs and more complex installation. The good news? You’ll save on energy and as such, energy costs.
If you have concerns about how the new regulation will affect you, call the experts at Lifeline Plumbing today and schedule an appointment for water heater services in Naperville.