Replacement Gas Water Heaters

The life of a gas water heater will vary depending on care and maintenance of the unit. Once most water heaters are over 12 years in age, replacement may be necessary.

The two main factors that should be considered when replacing a water heater are cost and efficiency. High-efficiency gas water heaters have several features that reduce the cost of heating water.

• The tank walls have higher levels of foam insulation, as high as R-13.
• Instead of having a standing pilot light, a high-efficiency model utilizes an intermittent ignition to reduce the time that the pilot light burns. The intermittent ignition device provides a spark to ignite the pilot flame only when needed.
• The heat exchanger efficiencies are improved, allowing heat from the gas burner to more efficiently and completely heat the water in the tank.

What To Look For

The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) sponsors an efficiency certification program. This program verifies manufacturers' equipment efficiency ratings according to a standard test method. Efficiencies of water heaters are measured by the Energy Factor. Units with an Energy Factor of .60 or greater are considered high-efficiency models. A Consumers' Directory is published biannually which lists the manufacturers' model numbers and Energy Factors. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requires that all storage type water heaters be labeled with an "EnergyGuide" label, which is based on the GAMA certification. This label shows, based on the national average cost of fuel, the established annual operating costs for that particular water heater. The label also shows how that particular water heater compares with all other comparable models.

All water heaters should be installed according to the manufacturer's specifications.