Water Heater Sizing & Installation

Plumbing Water Heaters – Did You Know

According to InterNACHI, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors, residential water heaters typically last 10 years. However, a number of elements, including use, the equipment’s manufacturing quality, the skill of the installation, and ultimately, the frequency of maintenance, affect how long water heating equipment should last. Each component may diminish a water heater’s lifespan and increase the expense of replacement if done incorrectly or, worse, not at all. An excellent water heater may endure for a lot longer if it is finished and done correctly. Choosing high-quality equipment from a reputable plumbing contractor that provides yearly maintenance is thus essential to extending the life of a water heater.

New technologies are extending the usable life of water heaters beyond the conventional gas and electric models, all the while lowering energy use. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) states that high-efficiency tankless gas water heaters have product warranties longer than 12 years and equipment life expectancies of over 20 years with adequate maintenance. Instead of heating stored water twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, tankless water heaters provide instantaneous hot water upon demand. Gas tankless water heaters save fuel costs and carbon emissions by doing away with standby heat losses and the fuel needed to compensate. Furthermore, high-efficiency condensing tankless systems utilize natural gas or propane more effectively than conventional gas water heaters. Gas tankless water heaters have a matching Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) of 0.95 and may reach fuel efficiency levels of up to 98%. Stated differently, owners get 95 cents worth of hot water for every dollar they spend on gas.

The newest water heating systems combine conventional storage-type electric water heaters with sealed refrigerant-based heat pump technology. Heat pump water heaters are the most energy-efficient kind of hot water technology accessible since some of them have UEFs as high as 4.02, which means that for every dollar that homeowners spend on electricity, they get almost four dollars’ worth of hot water. Depending on the number of units installed, the size of the water heaters, the location and routing of any existing gas or electrical infrastructure, and the flue exhaust pipe or condensate drain location, the estimated cost of installing a gas tankless water heater or heat pump water heater can range from $3,500 to $9,000.

Numerous incentives are becoming available for the installation of electric heat pump water heaters in line with US policy towards electrification. Federal subsidies are now available for energy-efficient home modifications via the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Installing an approved electric heat pump water heater might qualify for a federal tax credit of up to $2,000 in total. State electricity rebates of up to $1,750 may be offered for the installation of heat pump water heaters in addition to federal incentives. Lastly, a lot of nearby utility providers provide financial incentives for installing heat pump systems, such as heat pump water heaters. State and municipal refunds are accessible until assets are exhausted, while the federal tax credit granted in the IRA is valid from January 1, 2023, until December 31, 2032.