Your Guide to Water Heater Efficiency Ratings

Get the steamiest showers and cleanest dishes for your energy dollar.

water heater Lancaster, PA

Think about your average day. It likely starts with a shower before work. You may need to run a load of laundry at some point in the day, and you’ll have to wash your hands after preparing dinner. Your evening might involve washing your dirty dishes and running a bath for your child.

What do all these activities have in common? They require an operating water heater. The average U.S. household uses 18% of its energy heating water; the average American family consumes about 65 gallons of hot water a day.

At Koppy’s Propane, we believe that you should get the best performance and highest efficiency from your water heater. Here’s a rundown of how you can interpret the efficiency ratings of these essential home comfort products.

What is UEF?

Since 2017, there has been a unified rating to tell you a water heater’s energy efficiency. It’s called UEF — uniform energy factor, and it gives you information about how much energy (i.e., electricity, natural gas, heating oil or propane) a unit needs to power itself and heat water.

The higher the water heater’s UEF, the more efficient it is. When you’re considering an ENERGY STAR certification, the minimum UEF for a propane storage water heater is 0.81 or 0.86, depending on the product. However, an ENERGY STAR-certified tankless gas water heater would need a UEF of 0.95.

Calculating a Water Heater’s UEF

Not all water heaters are rated in the same way. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) categorizes each system based on its intended use. This category is called a BIN, and this is the benchmark for evaluating its efficiency.

Curious how a given water heater is rated? Look for a yellow label on it with the heating “Energy Guide.” On this label, you’ll see the following information:

First Hour Rating (for storage tank products) – Indicates how much hot water your water heater can generate in its first hour of usage.
Gallons Per Minute Rating (for tankless models) – Indicates how many gallons of hot water a system can generate in a minute.
Estimated Yearly Energy Cost – Provides a calculation of approximately how much you will spend each year to run this unit.
Estimated Yearly Energy Use
The Unit’s BIN, Capacity and Model Number

Come to Koppy’s for a Water Heater Upgrade!

If your water heater is over eight years old and you’re noticing diminished performance, strange noises, discolored water or signs of corrosion or tank damage, get in touch with Koppy’s Propane today. You don’t want to delay and have your water heater fail on you, leaving you without hot water and potentially facing water damage in your home.

We sell, install and service world-class products from trusted brands like Bradford White, Navien and Rinnai. We carry traditional storage-tank and tankless water heaters, so we can find the ideal unit for your needs and budget.

Koppy’s Propane serves customers in Lancaster, Carlisle, Mountain Top and countless other places in Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania. We’re ready to help your household today.

Contact us for a FREE estimate on a new water heater.