
	InspectAPedia^®
	Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair	Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Guide to Installing High Efficiency Gas Hot Water Heaters
InspectAPedia^® -

High efficiency water heater suggestions for saving on water heating cost
How to obtain more hot water quantity, pressure, flow, at less cost
Hot water supply efficiency improvements
Water usage efficiency advice about domestic hot water supply
Questions & answers about high efficiency gas-fired water heaters

This article discusses high efficiency gas-fired hot water heaters, characteristics, selection, installation, economy.

InspectAPedia offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/Contact.htm.

Thanks to Carson Dunlop, a Toronto Home Inspection Firm and Home Inspection Educator, for permission to use sketches shown in this article.

Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

© Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website.

This article describes various ways to improve hot water quantity, pressure, and flow are discussed beginning at HOT WATER IMPROVEMENTS and continuing at HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT.

At ALTERNATIVE HOT WATER SOURCES we describe various water heating methods. The detailed characteristics of various water heaters themselves, such as life expectancy, cost, safety, and capacity are discussed at ALTERNATIVE WATER HEATER PROPERTIES

Install a New High Efficiency Type of Water Heater to Save Hot Water Cost

Residential hot water production consumes about 15% of the total energy consumption of homes in North America, so it makes sense that building owners interested in reducing their total energy consumption and costs should consider ways to reduce their energy bill both by improving home hot water usage efficiency and by improvements in the hot water heating process itself.[6]

Below we discuss other steps that can be taken to improve hot water quantity. And having a greater quantity of hot water also opens the way to taking steps to improve hot water pressure. (If we increase hot water pressure but lack adequate hot water quantity the result is we run out of hot water faster than ever.)

Installing a high efficiency home hot water heater

The water heater shown at page top was installed in our forensic laboratory. Using a power burner this water heater manages to extract a high enough percentage of the heat from its natural gas burner that the water heater exhaust can be vented directly to outdoors by means of a plastic pipe.

This particular water heater was manufactured by A.O. Smith but other companies also produce high-efficiency water heaters.

Here you can see a schematic of a high-efficiency gas-fired water heater in this sketch provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop, and you'll see a photo of a modern high-efficiency natural-gas fired water heater above..

Take a look at the Energy Guide sticker data, which measures anticipated energy cost in "Therms per year" (to avoid being confused by changing fuel prices among fuel types) to compare the relative operating costs of these appliances.

The water heater shown at left anticipates an average annual energy cost of about $146. U.S.

Energy guides, therms, and water heater efficiency are discussed further at Water Heater Operating Cost Comparisons

If your present source, such as a tankless coil (shown at left) or range boiler is inadequate you can increase hot water pressure and quantity and also to reduce hot water costs, you can install a separate oil or gas fired water heater, an indirect-fired water heater, perhaps an instantaneous water heater, or if you are located where electricity is less costly than these fossil fuels, perhaps an electrical hot water heater.

Select a larger capacity hot water tank tank, perhaps 40 gallons or 50gallons to increase the hot water quantity as well.

High efficiency oil or gas fired water heaters cost a bit more but can pay for themselves quickly considering the rapidly rising costs of home heating oil and natural gas.

The characteristics of various water heaters such as life expectancy, cost, safety, and capacity are discussed at ALTERNATIVE WATER HEATER PROPERTIES

Ways to improve hot water quantity, pressure, and flow are discussed beginning at HOT WATER IMPROVEMENTS and continuing at HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT.

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Questions & answers about high efficiency gas-fired water heaters.

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

HTML Comment Box is loading comments...

Share this Article

...

Technical Reviewers & References

InspectAPedia.com^® - Daniel Friedman - Publisher & Editor.
InspectAPedia Bookstore lists recommended books, organized by topic & available for purchase. Most of our articles also include a list of recommended books for the specific article topic as well as other references, and information sources.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.

Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

WATER HEATER PROPERTIES
  Electric, Gas, Oil Water Heater Efficiency
  Water Heater Life Expectancy Comparisons
  Water Heater Operating Cost Comparisons
  Water Heater Purchase & Maintenance Costs
  Water Heater Water Quantity Comparisons
  Water Heater Recovery Speed Comparisons
  Water Heater Safety Comparisons

Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Arlene Puentes, an ASHI member and a licensed home inspector in Kingston, NY, and has served on ASHI national committees as well as HVASHI Chapter President. Ms. Puentes can be contacted at ap@octoberhome.com
AO Smith produces AO Smith water heaters in addition to Reliance, State, Maytag and others. www.aosmith.com/prod/wpc.htm. AOS's gas water heater manuals offering advice and safety warnings about adding water heater insulation are available at
www.statewaterheaters.com/lit/im/res-Elec/184671-000.pdf and at
www.hotwater.com/lit/im/res_gas/184123-000.pdf
Rheem who also makes electric water heaters provides a manual for electric water heaters at
waterheating.rheem.com/content/resources/documents/use_care/ResElecProfessional.pdf. Rheem says, as do other water heater producers, that their water heaters meet the "National Appliance Energy Conservation Act standards with respect to insulation and standby loss requirements making an insulation blanket unnecessary"
Rheem also warns consumers that adding an insulation product [or making any other modification to their equipment] is likely to void the product warranty and may be unsafe:

"The manufacturer’s warranty does not cover any damage or defect caused by installation, attachment or use of any type of energy saving or other unapproved devices (other than those authorized by the manufacturer) into, onto or in conjunction with the water heater. The use of unauthorized energy saving devices may shorten the life of the water heater and may endanger life and property. The manufacturer disclaims any responsibility for such loss or injury resulting from the use of such unauthorized devices "
[5] "Water Saving Tips: For Residential Water Use, Indoors and Out", Alliance for Water Efficiency, 300 W Adams Street, Suite 601 Chicago, Illinois 60606, Tel: 773-360-5100, 866-730-A4WE, Email: jeffrey@a4we.org, web search 12/14/11, original source: plumbingefficiencyresearchcoalition.org/
[6] "Danger in the Shower: 2008 Forum Looks at Hot Water", John Koeller, Home Energy, Jan/Feb 2009, Home Energy Magazine, 1250 Addison Street Suite 211B, Berkeley, Ca. 94702, Tel: (510) 524-5405 Email: contact@homeenergy.org

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 2010, $69.00 U.S., is available from Carson Dunlop. The Home Reference Book is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. InspectAPedia.com ^® author/editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume.

Carbon Monoxide Gas Toxicity, exposure limits, poisoning symptoms, and inspecting buildings for CO hazards
HOT WATER HEATERS - a detailed guide to all types of hot water sources, problems, inspection, repair
Water Pressure Loss - Diagnosis how to determine why water pressure has been lost or why there is no water at all in a building
Water pump and pressure tank repair diagnosis & cost an specific case offers an example of diagnosis of loss of water pressure, loss of water, and analyzes the actual repair cost
Water pressure tank failures & water pump short cycling diagnosis and repair
...

Free Encyclopedia of Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Guide to Installing High Efficiency Gas Hot Water HeatersInspectAPedia® -

Install a New High Efficiency Type of Water Heater to Save Hot Water Cost

Installing a high efficiency home hot water heater

Questions & Answers regarding this article

Ask a Question or Search InspectAPedia

Technical Reviewers & References

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

Guide to Installing High Efficiency Gas Hot Water Heaters
InspectAPedia^® -