Warm Showers Could Save Homeowners $100 a Year

It’s always a great day when becoming more energy-efficient saves us a bit of money, too.

And that’s what the U.S. Department of Energy’s new energy-efficiency standards on water heaters can do for homeowners.

In April, the DOE finalized congressionally mandated standards that would require the most common electric water heaters to achieve efficiency gains with heat pump technology. Basically, that means that water heaters will draw heat from the surrounding air to warm water. Like a heat pump, it will essentially “move” heat rather than generate it.

This means that these water heaters are two to three times more energy efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters.

Gas water heaters will also see some improvements. While not as dramatic as the electric ones, the standards require that these water heaters be better insulated.

Compliance for meeting the new standards will be mandatory by May 2029, but many manufacturers are already making changes.

Cost Savings

The DOE estimates that American households will save about $7.6 billion a year on utility bills as a result of these changes. Homeowners who switch to the new water heaters can expect savings of about $100 a year. This could be more in colder climates.

Heat pump water heaters are about 400% more efficient than current electric models. That means that for every dollar you spend to run the water heater, you get $4 worth of hot water.

In places like Brooklyn and other Northeastern cities, your savings could jump to several hundred dollars a year compared to an electric water heater. That’s because instead of making heat, these water heaters use free energy and pass it onto the water.

Environmental Impact

Heating water uses a lot of energy. But according to research from the Environment America Research & Policy Center, these updated efficiency standards will benefit the environment by preventing:

• 90,000 tons of sulfur dioxide from going into the air.  Sulfur dioxide can produce soot, which can trigger asthma attacks and heart and lung disease.
• 665,000 tons of nitrogen oxide from being emitted. This causes thick smog that can also harm the lungs.
• The production of 332 metric tons of carbon dioxide and 3,000 tons of methane pollution. These are also deadly toxins that can pollute the air.

All this translates into warmer showers using less energy in a cleaner fashion.

Your Brooklyn plumbing experts at Petri Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Drain Cleaning are here to help you make the right decisions for your family about which water heater to choose. Since our beginning in 1906, Petri has been Brooklyn’s go-to source for plumbing installation.

If you need to consult us about updating your family’s water heater, give us a call at (718) 748-1254 or contact us online.