The new National Appliance Energy Conservation Act requirements for water heaters take effect this month — April 16. These energy-efficiency requirements will affect you — and your clients — because as efficiency increases, so does the size of the water heater.
“The new water heater regulations will have a significant effect on homeowners, particularly those with an aging or failing unit that will need to be replaced in the near future,” explains Bridget Kidd, director of residential and commercial programs for the Propane Education & Research Council. “In order to increase their energy efficiency, 30-gal. to 50-gal. tank water heaters will require additional materials and insulation. These changes will likely increase their size by approximately 2 in. in diameter and up to 6 in. in height.”