The 3 Most Important Water Heating Regulations & Their Importance

The nation’s focus on energy efficiency has prompted federal agencies to devise new appliance regulations for home and business owners in Stuart and abroad. However, the installation for water heating appliances may prove a financial burden to consumers even though their performance guarantees long-term energy savings.

According to the u.S. Department of Energy, nearly one dollar per day is saved in energy costs when using water heaters that meet new regulation standards. There are three main criteria in which water heaters must meet before installation in new buildings and homes.

Storage Volume and Energy Factor Requirements (effective April 2015)

The new storage volume standards and energy factors for water heaters include the following:

Gas-Fired Storage Water Heater: Storage volume of between 20 and 100 gallons; EF (energy factor) = 0.675 for a volume of 55 gallons or less and an EF= 0.8012 for a volume of 56 gallons or more

Oil-Fired Storage Water Heater: Storage volume of 50 gallons or greater with an EF = 0.68

Electric Storage Water Heater: Storage volume of between 20 and 100 gallons; EF= 0.96 for a volume of 55 gallons or less and an EF= 2.057 for a volume of 56 gallons or greater

Tabletop Water Heater: Storage volume of between 20 and 120 gallons with an EF= 0.93

Instantaneous Gas-Fired Water Heater: Storage volume of fewer than 2 gallons with an EF= 0.82

Instantaneous Electric Water Heater: Storage volume of fewer than 2 gallons with an EF= 0.93

Testing Procedures

Water heaters are regularly tested for meeting longevity, durability, and energy savings, with an overall target of 3.3 quads of energy equal to $63billion in energy bill savings. The detailed methods used to conduct testing are specified in DOE Appliance Standards 10 CFR 430 Appendix E to Subpart B. The revised testing procedures apply to water heaters produced and installed between the years 2015 and 2044 (30 years).

Exceptions and Waivers

To date, exception relief and test procedure waivers have not been issued for residential water heaters, but exemptions may be given to small businesses. States are not exempt from the new energy conservation standards under no circumstances, so be sure to get your Stuart water heater on par.

Any hold ups regarding your Stuart, FL water heater? Call Allore’s Plumbing at (772) 288-0998 today for any of your repair or maintenance requests.