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Guide to Installing High Efficiency Gas Hot Water Heaters
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This article discusses high efficiency gas-fired hot water heaters, characteristics, selection, installation, economy.
We describe: 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
Thanks to Carson Dunlop Associates, a Toronto Home Inspection Firm and Home Inspection Educator, for permission to use sketches shown in this article.
InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
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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.
At above left you can see a schematic of a high-efficiency gas-fired water heater in this sketch provided courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates, and you'll see a photo of a modern high-efficiency natural-gas fired water heater above..
Take a look at the Energy Guide [image] 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.
Ways to improve hot water quantity, pressure, and flow are discussed beginning
and continuing at HOT WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT.
...
Continue reading at HOT WATER EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see these
Recommended Articles
- GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS
- TANKLESS WATER HEATERS
- WATER HEATER SIZE SPECIFICATION - daily hot water usage rates & tables
Suggested citation for this web page
GAS HEATERS, HIGH EFFICIENCY at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.
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INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to WATER HEATERS
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Citations & References
In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.
- 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.
- 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
- 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
- In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested
CONTINUE READING or RECOMMENDED ARTICLES.
- Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. Tel: (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 Email: info@carsondunlop.com. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The HOME REFERENCE BOOK - the Encyclopedia of Homes and to use illustrations from The ILLUSTRATED HOME .
Carson Dunlop Associates provides extensive home inspection education and report writing material. In gratitude we provide links to tsome Carson Dunlop Associates products and services.
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