NAECA new rule impacts code officials, plumbing and mechanical inspectors.

Changes to the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) that take effect on April 16 will require higher energy factor ratings on almost all residential gas, electric, oil and tankless gas water heaters. NAECA 2015 applies to products manufactured for sale in the U.S. The responsibilities of code officials, plumbing Inspectors and mechanical inspectors will be impacted by the new regulations. The new water heaters are larger in size and weight. As a result, in some cases the space that has previously been allotted for water heaters may have to be increased along with changes to venting, power and condensate removal. Some added features, such as heat pumps, will introduce noise level factors that builders and contractors will have to consider when selecting product placement. These installations in new single or multi-family housing structures will also have to take into account any future replacement situations. New 2015 NAECA Standards The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued the NAECA Final Rule energy-efficiency mandates in April 2010. The new requirements will have important impacts on water heating manufacturers, distributors, contractors and homeowners. The DOE first instituted regulations for the efficiency of residential hot water heaters in 1990. Those requirements were intended to save 3.2 quads of energy ($34.8 billion) between 1990 and 2019. In 2004, thanks to advancing technology, the DOE was able to issue even higher efficiency standards, projected to save 6 quads of energy ($70.6 billion) between 2004 and 2033. According to the DOE website, standards mandatory in 2015 will save approximately 3.3 quads of energy and result in approximately $63 billion in energy bill savings for products shipped from 2015-2044. It's likely that the April 2015 standards will be updated at some point. How the New NAECA Rules Impact Code Officials, Inspectors, Wholesalers, Builders, Contractors and Home Owners New NAECA compliant water heaters (gas, electric and oil models) with capacities under 55 gallons will likely be larger, both in height by 1-2 inches and in diameter by 2 inches. As a result, code officials, inspectors, wholesalers, contractors, builders and home owners will need to accommodate this increased product size, including applicable required service clearances by allowing for additional overall space at the installation site, and warehouse space. Next, installing larger capacity residential water heaters higher than 55 gallons will need to make several adjustments. For gas-fired products over 55 gallons (= 75,000 BTU/Hr.), fully condensing combustion technology will likely be required. As a result, homebuilders will need to include line voltage as well as a means for condensate disposal at the installation site. Electric water heaters over 55 gallons (= 12 kW input) will likely utilize integrated heat pumps to meet the new EF requirements. Heat pump water heaters are generally taller than standard electric water heaters and require a 10 ft. x 10 ft. room or a duct to an adjoining room to operate properly. Also be cognizant of the impact of noise, as heat pump models will operate at a higher noise level. Homeowners have the most to gain from the new NAECA guidelines with some saving as much as $365 per year in energy bills. On the other hand, in some rare cases, water heaters may have to be moved to another location if their new width can't be accommodated by the current location. In other cases, a new type of water heater may need to be considered in order to meet the NAECA guidelines. While the regulation is effective April 16, this is the date of manufacturing compliance. Manufacturers, distributors and contractors may continue to sell product manufactured prior to this date for an indefinite period of time. The rule strictly targets the production date of products and does not limit the sell-through timeframe.

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