Thursday, April 9, 2015

New Government Water Heater Regulations



Starting April 16th Williams Plumbing & Drain Service, like all Tulsa plumbing companies, is required by The US Department of Energy to install water heaters that meet the Department of Energy (DOE) energy conservation standards. These standards, while meant to conserve energy, could cause costly retro fitting during water heater replacements. The new standards require manufactures to put substantially more insulation in their water heaters, this will keep the already hot water in the tank, hotter for longer, but also increases size. 

The experts at Williams Plumbing & Drain Service estimate that most fifty-five gallon water heaters will be at least two inches taller and wider. For many customers this seemingly small change in size will prevent the new water heater from fitting in their existing space.


In addition to increased size, the new regulations will cause many of the water heaters we install to have a redesigned combustion chamber. That may mean Williams Plumbing & Drain Service will have to run larger vent pipes to comply with ventilation requirements. 

While these new regulations will certainly save energy for our customers, the initial cost to replace will definitely go up. This new model of water heaters is predicted to be almost double the cost of current models, and that doesn't take into account expenses related to retrofitting and repiping to meet city and state code requirements. 


It is important to note that these standards only apply to customers needing their water heater replaced. Existing water heaters can still be repaired.

For More information visit us online at:
williamsplumbing.com

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