Repair or Replace: Regulations for Water Heaters

Though you may not encounter any problems with your home’s water heater right now, there might come a time when you have to consider repairing or replacing it. In the case of an old water heater that is nearing the end of its service life, replacing it might be the best option, especially if it’s already taking its toll on your energy bills.

 If providers of tankless water heater repair services recommend that you replace your unit, you should also be aware of the new federal regulations requiring water heaters to be more energy efficient.

New Efficiency Standards

The Department of Energy understands that water heating amounts to over 20 percent of residential energy costs, and thus aims to make homeowners’ lives easier by requiring manufacturers to boost their water heaters’ energy efficiency. Homeowners using larger units, or those that are 55 gallons or more, now need to shift to newer technologies to achieve greater efficiency gains and hopefully cut bills by 25 to 50 percent.

For typical water heaters at home that holds less than 55 gallons of water, these new standards will help increase energy efficiency by 4 percent on average. These new standards mean that you may begin seeing units that are an inch or two larger than the usual, something that you should consider. Fortunately, majority of tankless water heaters are already meeting these new standards even before they have been introduced, and such tankless systems make for an ideal choice.