How Do New Water Heater Regulations Impact Me?

If you are like the vast majority of people in the country, you probably don't give all that much thought to your water heater until that moment when you suddenly realize that your pantry is ankle deep in water. If plumbing is not your thing, you would normally scramble to the phone to call a trained professional to handle the disaster, but new water heater regulations mean you will need to give some thought as to how you want to replace the damaged unit.

The New Rules

Under new federal guidelines, which took effect on April 16, 2016, property owners can expect their new water heaters to be wider, taller, and more expensive to purchase, owing to the fact that most current water heaters fail to measure up to the new standards. While the hapless homeowner might believe these new requirements are simply exercises in making their lives more difficult, the goal is to make water heaters more efficient, thus slashing home utility costs by as much as between a quarter to one half of their current bills.

Under the new rulings, water heaters must meet new efficiency standards that require improved insulation, which accounts for the increased width and height of the new units. New water heaters will be an additional two to eight inches higher and two to six inches wider.
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While many units are placed out in the open spaces of basements, kitchens or pantries, units installed in closets might be too small to fit the newer models.

For more information on what kind of water heater would be best for your home and how the new regulations impact that change, contact Smoak’s Comfort Control today.