Unless you have had your head in the sand, you know that, in one month’s time, the water heaters we have known and loved will disappear from the U.S. market. With the new National Appliance Energy Conservation Act efficiency requirements kicking in on April 16, 2015, the change-out of a water heater will become much more complex. Plus, a new water heater may not fit into the space of the old water heater.

The U.S. Department of Energy claims that, with the increased energy savings, there will be a payback on the new water heaters. Apparently, the federal government is unaware that plumbing contractors need to make a profit. I have looked at the increased price of installation used to justify a possible payback. Depending on which DOE report you read, the increased cost of installation ranges from $70 to $158 for a 40-gal. water heater. It estimates the energy savings for a 40-gal. gas-fired water heater is $26 per year and that  a water heater will last 13 years.