Rinnai urges DOE to revise proposed efficiency standards

Tankless water heater manufacturer Rinnai America Corp. is calling on the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to revise its proposed efficiency standards for residential water heaters.

In its current form, the company says, the draft rule would unreasonably restrict consumer access to certain tankless water heater products, disproportionately impacting middle-income households and small businesses.

The draft rule would raise standards for tankless gas-fired water heaters to over 91 percent efficiency while leaving the standards for tank gas-fired water heaters relatively untouched at 70 percent efficiency, Rinnai notes. Rinnai’s non-condensing tankless water heater resides at about 82 percent efficiency. While tankless water heaters are environmentally friendly, the company adds, achieving 91 percent efficiency with non-condensing technology is not technologically feasible.

“As currently drafted, DOE’s proposed rule will create an uneven market that effectively bans an already energy-efficient product and puts American jobs at risk,” says Frank Windsor, president of Rinnai America Corp., in a company press release, which encourages members of the public to submit a comment on the draft rule to DOE or their representative in Congress.

“Consumers who rely on access to tankless water heaters will see their options limited, resulting in higher energy bills and shorter appliance life spans, while the very environmental goals prompting this rule will go unfulfilled,” Windsor adds. “We urge DOE to reconsider this untenable rule for standards that better protect American consumers and drive our energy-efficiency goals forward.”

Learn more about DOE’s proposed standards, which would take effect in 2029 if finalized.

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