There are changes in the size of your standard water heater that could pose a problem for condos and mobile homes owners where the location of the water heater cannot be changed or modified due to the new size of a standard efficient water heater. Please read….
Water Heaters
Product Information
Residential water heaters use oil, gas, or electricity to heat potable water to be used for such activities as bathing or washing dishes or clothes. Residential water heaters include storage type units that store heated water in an insulated tank and instantaneous type units that heat water on demand.
Water heating is typically the second largest energy use in a home, after heating and cooling, and can account for 14%-25% of household energy consumption. In the United States energy consumed by residential water heaters accounts for 11% of the electricity and 24% of the natural gas consumed in the residential sector. However, residential hot water use is variable and depends on the number of people in the household, the type of appliances, and the climate in which the house is located.
Current Standards
Gas-fired ( 75 kBtu/h input capacity), oil-fired ( 105 kBtu/h input capacity), electric ( 12 kW input capacity), and tabletop ( 12 kW input capacity) storage water heaters, as well as instantaneous gas-fired (<200 kBtu/h input capacity) and electric ( 12 kW input capacity) water heaters, manufactured and distributed in commerce must meet the energy conservation standards specified in Table 1 as of January 20, 2004.
Amended Standards
On March 31, 2010, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) completed the second rulemaking to amend energy conservation standards for residential water heaters, issuing a final rule. Residential water heaters must comply with the amended standards in Table 2 by April 16, 2015.
Table 1. Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Water Heaters
| Product Class | Rated Storage Volume | Energy Factor |
| Gas-fired Water Heater | 20 gal and 100 gal | 0.67 – (0.0019*Vs) |
| Oil-fired Water Heater | 50 gal | 0.59 – (0.0019*Vs) |
| Electric Water Heater | 20 gal and 120 gal | 0.97 – (0.00132*Vs) |
| Tabletop Water Heater | 20 gal and 100 gal | 0.93 – (0.00132*Vs) |
| Instantaneous Gas-fired Water Heater | < 2 gal | 0.62 – (0.0019*Vs) |
| Instantaneous Electric Water Heater | < 2 gal | 0.93 – (0.00132*Vs) |
Vs: Rated Storage Volume – the water storage capacity of a water heater (in gallons).
Table 2. Amended Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Water Heaters
| Product Class | Rated Storage Volume | Energy Factor |
| Gas-fired Water Heater | 20 gal and 55 gal | 0.675 – (0.0015*Vs) |
| > 55 gal and 100 gal | 0.8012 – (0.00078* Vs) | |
| Oil-fired Water Heater | 50 gal | 0.68 – (0.0019*Vs) |
| Electric Water Heater | 20 gal and 55 gal | 0.960 – (0.0003*Vs) |
| > 55 gal and 120 gal | 2.057 – (0.00113*Vs) | |
| Tabletop Water Heater | 20 gal and 100 gal | 0.93 – (0.00132*Vs) |
| Instantaneous Gas-fired Water Heater | < 2 gal | 0.82 – (0.0019*Vs) |
| Instantaneous Electric Water Heater | < 2 gal | 0.93 – (0.00132*Vs) |
Vs: Rated Storage Volume – the water storage capacity of a water heater (in gallons).
The efficiency metric for residential water heaters is the energy factor (EF), which indicates a water heater’s overall energy efficiency based on the amount of hot water produced per unit of fuel consumed over a typical day. The EF accounts for the following:
- Recovery efficiency – how efficiently the heat from the energy source is transferred to the water
- Standby losses – the percentage of heat loss per hour from the stored water compared to the heat content of the water (for water heaters with storage tanks)
Cycling losses – the loss of heat as the water circulates through a water heater tank, and/or inlet and outlet pipes.
Energy Efficiency Standards Information
For more information, see the DOE’s Appliance and Equipment Standards for this product.
To see all federal notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents, see the Regulations.gov Docket for this product.
Contact: Alex Lekov (510) 486-6849
Test Procedure Information
Docket Number:
EERE-2011-BT-TP-0042
To see all federal notices, public comments, public meeting transcripts, and supporting documents, see the Regulations.gov Docket for this test procedure.
On November 4, 2013 DOE published a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding test procedures for residential water heaters and certain commercial water heaters. The proposed test method would apply the same efficiency descriptor to all residential and certain commercial water heaters, and it would extend coverage to eliminate certain gaps in the current residential test procedure, update the simulated-use-test draw pattern, and update the water delivery temperature requirement.
I read this article at: http://efficiency.lbl.gov/product/water-heaters
Remember to follow our Blog at: https://therealestatebeat.wordpress.com/
Got Questions? – The Caton Team is here to help.
Email Sabrina & Susan at: Info@TheCatonTeam.com
Call us at: 650-568-5522
Want Real Estate Info on the Go? Download our FREE Real Estate App: http://thecatonteam.com/mobileapp
Visit our Website at: http://thecatonteam.com/
VISIT OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE: http://instagram.com/thecatonteam
Visit us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sabrina-Susan-The-Caton-Team-Realtors/294970377834
Yelp us at: http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-caton-team-realtors-sabrina-caton-and-susan-caton-redwood-city
Or Yelp me: http://www.yelp.com/user_details_thanx?userid=gpbsls-_RLpPiE9bv3Zygw
Connect with us professionally at LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=6588013&trk=tab_pro
Please enjoy my personal journey through homeownership at:
http://ajourneythroughhomeownership.wordpress.com
Thanks for reading – Sabrina
The Caton Team – Susan & Sabrina – A Family of Realtors
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices – Drysdale Properties
Sabrina BRE# 01413526 / Susan BRE #01238225 / Team BRE# 70000218/ Office BRE #01499008
The Real Estate Beat 