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Will the New Water Heater Fit?
April 16, 2015 (DOE) Deadline for Standard Water Heater Production:
Effective April 16, 2015: The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which regulates minimum energy efficiency requirements for water heaters has mandated a total phase-out of existing water heaters and has mandated higher efficiency requirements which affects all water heaters.
Standard 30, 40, & 50 gallon Water Heaters – Being Phased Out
In order to meet the new energy efficiency code all water heaters will require additional insulation and improvements. The added insulation will increase the physical size and dimensions of all water heaters by approximately 2″ inches in width and 1″ inch in height.
Major Shortages Anticipated by Year End 2014
Major Shortages are anticipated by year end as current inventory is being gobbled up all over the country and the manufacturer’s can not keep pace with the demand. By April 16, 2015 all production of existing standard water heaters will stop.
New Water Heaters are Bigger and May not Fit
Certain installation applications will not allow for a larger water heater to be installed in the same location due to it’s larger physical dimension. Homeowners needing to replace a water heater that is located in a tight location may not find a similar tank that fits.
Water Heaters Located Under the Air Conditioner May Not Fit
You should check your closet and make sure that you have at least 2″ inches in width clearance and and extra 1″ inch in height clearance. If you don’t have the needed space you should consider replacing the water heater now while the inventory is still available. New water heaters will be more expensive and you may need to settle for a smaller capacity water heater if available.
Electric Water Heaters 55 Gallons plus are Being Eliminated
The new Hybrid water heater is also known as a heat pump and works both like a standard water heater with heating elements and mini-air conditioner mounted on top. The Hybrid water heater is much larger in physical size and costs 3X time more to replace. The technology is complicated and requires an A/C mechanic to repair.
Gas Water Heaters 55 Gallon Plus are Being Eliminated
New Gas Water Heaters must be condensing type water heaters. The new technology is expensive with some major installation costs.
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