NORITZ BLOG

Get the latest in Noritz news and announcements.

Over the last two months our Road Trip team has been hard at work, travelling from coast to coast and visiting Noritz wholesalers and installers to talk about our brand new

EZTR. We caught up with the team leads, Kevin Tague & Lance Bailey to ask them a few Q’s about their time on the road. Check it out:

1. What was the most common question you received about the product?

L: Most common questions were a mix of venting applications and installing specifics.

K:  The most common question I got on the road was “How much?” We have no set pricing yet but pricing ranges that we did run by our installers seemed in line with their expectations considering the entire EZTR40 unit includes venting, isolation valves, and vent attachments for the unit and on the roof.

2. How was life on the road?

L: Life on the road was fast. Honestly, the two months that I was out seemed to fly by, and now it’s almost Christmas! The organizers of the road trip and our sales team did an amazing job of making my life on the road as easy as possible.

K: Life on the road was different! It was exciting to see the new places and talk with new people every day.

3. What was your favorite city to visit and why?

L:  I had a great time in Sarasota, FL. going to Siesta Key, etc.

K: I really liked the trip out to Arizona. I met and got to do events with our rep R&G Sales. They are a great group. It was also the right time of year, sunny and 80 degrees out every day. That was lucky.

4. What are some of the responses you are getting on the new EZTR from installers and contractors?

L: Many are excited to try it and were asking when it would be available. Even though this is a smaller size to use the existing gas line, many plumbers are asking for larger capacities with the same venting system.

K: The main response we have gotten from installers have been things like:

• “That’s easy”
• “Why didn't anyone think of this sooner?”
• “It's about time you make it easier for us!”
• “We are ready to put in a few now.”

5. What are some of the key EZTR features you feel are important for installers to know?

L: That it is meant to fill a particular need, namely a tankless unit that is affordable for an average homeowner. The EZTR is not a solution to every tankless installation; rather it is a unit for tank replacements where utilizing the existing vent will save time and money. The rest of the Noritz line, such as the condensing units and/or outdoor units are still available for many applications.

K: The three main features that will save the installers a lot of time on the installation:

- Top mounted water connections

- Existing 1/2" gas line

- Using the existing venting as our sleeve.

To learn more about the Noritz Road Trip, visit our Facebook page.

The National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) will require higher Efficiency Factor ratings on all storage tank-type water heater units, increasing space requirements and raising the cost for homeowners.

Replacing your current tank-type water heater may soon bring bigger installation headaches—and higher costs—than in the past, thanks to pending federally mandated energy-efficiency requirements.

As a part of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a new update will require a higher Energy Factor (EF) rating on almost all tank-type, residential gas, electric, oil and water heaters. The new regulations will become effective on April 16, 2015,

These standards will play a major role in efforts to save energy nationwide, helping people save money and reduce carbon pollution, ensuring that we are working towards an energy-stable future. But the changes will bring certain challenges for installers of storage-tank water heaters and their customers.

What does this mean?

Under these new energy efficiency regulations, tank-type water heaters will be significantly larger and will therefore take up more space in areas of the home in which space is already limited; e.g., basement mechanical areas, garages, attics, utility closets, etc. For example, gas water heaters under 55 gallons will be an additional 2 inches taller and 2 inches wider in diameter.

Homes that use a closet to house a water heater, as well as apartment and condo applications, are especially vulnerable to these dimensional changes.

In a water heater-replacement scenario where space is a concern, sticking with the tank-type water heater route may result in having to use a model with a smaller storage capacity, or one with both less capacity and a larger physical size than the unit that is currently in place. In either case, the homeowner will have less hot water for daily cleaning and washing activities.

The perfect solution…

The bottom line is that energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important in all aspects of our daily lives, and we need to consider what we can do to live greener. If you think you’ll need to replace your water heater soon, tankless is the perfect solution.

Space for a water heater may be limited in your home, whether it’s in your closet, garage or basement. The great thing about tankless technology is that it already incorporates the demands of the new NAECA guidelines. The average EF of most tankless water heaters is already 20 to 30 points above that of a standard, tank-type water heater, and the units are wall-hung, meaning that they will readily fit into tight spaces that cannot accommodate the new and larger tank water heaters.

Doing a tankless-for-tank change-out can present its own special complications, of course. But Noritz recently unveiled a much easier and more cost-effective way to make such a change-out.

The new Noritz EZTR40 Residential Tankless Water Heater is engineered to replace any 40-Gal. tank-type water heater, handling the hot-water needs of the entire household.

With new features that make the tank-replacement job more intuitive and straightforward, homeowners get the benefits of time savings and installation ease with all the energy- and space-saving advantages of tankless.

For more information on tankless water with the EZTR40, please visit www.noritz.com.

Things around the house have a nasty habit of freezing during the winter. Unless you decide to move to a warm, southern climate, you’d better take the steps to break that habit. Especially with the icy start to this winter season, one of the last things you want those frigid temperatures to affect is your Noritz tankless water heater.

Although designed to withstand winter’s worst, tankless water heating systems should not be completely neglected during the cold weather, especially when it comes to their external plumbing. Here are some simple tips on ensuring your water remains warm this winter.

Insulate your external pipes:  Although the tankless unit itself contains freeze prevention heaters, the hot- and cold-water plumbing lines leading to and from the heater need protection as well. If freezing does happen, this is where it will occur. Protect these pipes by insulating them with something as simple as aluminum foil. More reliable options include heat tape, electric heaters, solenoids and/or pipe covers.

Make sure you have enough gas: If the gas appliances in your home require more gas than your meter is sized to handle, you run the risk of an insufficient fuel supply, which can hinder performance. Add all gas-appliance Btuh demands and compare to gas meter size. If the meter capacity is less than your total household Btuh load, contact your gas company.

Keep the water flowing: Water flowing through your pipes will lessen the chance of freezing. If you have a recirculation plumbing system, keep it running frequently during the winter. Although this will cost more in energy, it’s preferable to your pipes freezing and a lack of warm water. If you don’t have a recirculation system, let a hot-water faucet slightly trickle (.1 gal./minute) to prevent freezing on extremely cold days.

Stay powered: Your tankless water heater’s freeze prevention heaters need electrical power to operate. Never unplug the power or disconnect electrical flow to the unit during the winter. In fact, consider acquiring a backup generator just in case the power happens to go out.

Consider your venting: In extremely cold temperatures, back draft entering through your unit’s vents might be an issue. To mitigate a back draft’s effects, run your vent vertically instead of horizontally.

Keep your unit in a warm area: If you live in an area with subzero weather conditions, install your tankless unit in a heated part of your home. At the very least, make sure your unit is installed on the walls adjacent to a heated space rather than to the outdoors.

All of these tips are especially relevant if you live in a colder climate. But, as we have seen this season, even warmer climates are at risk for freezing temperatures from time to time. If you properly prepare your tankless water heater, though, you’ll have nothing to worry about.

For more specific freeze-prevention tips regarding your particular Noritz tankless water heater, please find your owner’s manual at https://support-legacy.noritz.com/technical-literature.php.

The upcoming  EZTR40 from Noritz makes replacing a 40-gallon, gas-fired, storage tank-type water heater easier— and therefore more affordable— than ever. If your local gas utility offers rebates for tankless water heaters, chances are, the installed cost of a new Noritz EZTR40 could rival that of doing a "like-for-like" replacement of your old tank model.

The greater affordability of the EZTR40 is due to several important factors. One is that this new product permits the use of the very same half-inch gas line that now services your tank-type heater. Not having to run a new gas line is a major cost savings. Your installer will simply disconnect the gas line from the old unit and, after it is removed and the new tankless hung in place, reattach the line to the EZTR40.

Until recently, it was thought that replacing a tank water heater with a tankless unit automatically required upsizing from a half-inch gas line to a three-quarter-inch line, because of the additional fuel required by the larger, more powerful burner inside the tankless unit. This more powerful burner is needed to immediately raise the temperature of the cold water entering the tankless unit to the desired level for washing, cleaning and cooking. Remember, with tankless, there is no storage of hot water: the water temperature must go from cold to hot in an instant.

In 2012, the National Fuel and Gas Code was updated in an effort to stay current with changes in technology and the industry, as well as to clarify some key points. This new, more accurate interpretation of the code permits the use of the half-inch gas piping for inputs up to 174,000 BTU per hour, as long as the gas pressure to the water heater is at the appropriate level.

The EZTR40 helps you save in other ways besides using the same gas line as your current tank water heater.

• Unlike most tankless water heaters, the hot-and-cold water connections of the EZTR are located on the top of this unit (not the bottom), just like on a tank water heater. This allows the flexible hot-and-cold-water lines used by the old water heater to be quickly and easily reconnected to the new EZTR40 without having to create any additional plumbing.

• The EZTR40 vents with two-inch, flexible polypropylene tubing that is threaded directly through the existing B-Vent formerly used by the tank water heater it is replacing. As a result, there is no need to spend time — or money — changing out the vent.

In short, the Noritz EZTR40 makes tank replacement quick and simple, and therefore easier on your wallet. Which is why the tank-to-tankless switch is not as expensive as you may have been led to believe.

For more information on the EZTR40, please visit www.noritz.com.

Updates from the Noritz Road Trip

We’ve hit the road with our brand new EZTR40 and are already in our 5^th week of the Noritz Road Show! Here’s what people are saying about our new 40-gallon tank replacement. Want more details about the EZTR? Click here.

Mario Piz of Wool Plumbing Supply in Miami: "Very Cool"

Kelly Patterson, Kelly's Plumbing Service: "With the venting changes this will be an easy sale!"

Roland Yates, Elite Plumbing: "Finally someone came up with a replacement for a tank water heater"

Fabian Gavia, DR Tankless: "This will be awesome for condo and town home applications!"

Ken Quenga, Precision Plumbing & Tile: "Wow! I'm ready to put one in today"

Have you spotted the Noritz Truck? Tweet your pictures using the hashtag #NoritzRoadTrip!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @Noritz America and on Facebook for exciting daily updates from the Road Trip team.

Noritz Road Trip Featuring the EZTR40

Vroom vroom! Noritz is hitting the road with our brand new EZTR40, The 40 Gallon Tank Replacement. We’ll be showcasing our new time saving residential unit to contractors and installers at over 250 locations in the South and West from October 1 to November 20^th.

Lance Bailey, a Noritz Product Trainer, will be taking the Noritz EZTR along the South Route visiting North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Florida and much more while Kevin Tague, a Noritz Product Trainer, will be leading the road trip along the West Coast visiting California, Arizona, and Nevada.

Is the Noritz Road Trip heading to a town near you? Spot the Noritz Truck and tweet a picture to us using the hashtag #NoritzRoadTrip!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @NoritzAmerica and on Facebook for exciting daily updates from the Road Trip team!

EZTR: Narrowing the Cost Gap with EZTR Between Tank and Tankless Water Heaters

By now, you may know the benefits of tankless over storage tank-type water heaters: Tankless heaters deliver hot water on demand, permanently ending the daily race to beat your family members to the shower. Tankless also saves up to 40 percent on energy costs and eliminates the threat of an old, leaking tank suddenly flooding your basement.

However — until now — you may have been hesitant to make the switch from tank to tankless due to the increased costs involved in purchase and installation. With Noritz’s release of the EZTR40 Residential Condensing Tankless Water Heater, specifically designed to replace 40-gallon tank-type gas water heaters, the reasons not to “go tankless” are beginning to dwindle, especially when it comes to installed cost. Now, making the switch from tank to tankless is fast, simple and more affordable.

EZTR eliminates the need for new plumbing:
Other tankless water heaters locate their hot- and cold-water connections on the bottom of the unit, whereas tank heaters have their connections on the top. This creates extra work when switching from tank to tankless, because the installer has to extend the plumbing to reach the bottom, which requires more time and piping materials. The EZTR conveniently has its water connections on the top, allowing the installer simply to reconnect the old water lines to the new tankless unit without any hassle
.
EZTR uses the same vent…

The EZTR vents the flue gases created by the combustion process to the outdoors through the same B-Vent as the tank water heater it’s replacing. Using two-inch, flexible polypropylene tubing that comes with the EZTR40, you simply thread it through the existing B-Vent. This innovative capability eliminates the need to install a brand new venting system, cutting installation time and costs.

…And the same gas line:

You don’t have to increase the size of your gas line to accommodate the EZTR tankless water heater, either. In replacing a 40-gallon, tank-type water heater with an EZTR, you can use the same half-inch gas line as before. This cuts labor costs by up to half and eliminates the material costs of installing new, larger-diameter gas piping.

Traditionally, the main drawback of switching from tank to tankless has been the increased installed cost. Now, the EZTR narrows the cost difference by virtually eliminating the extra work and materials needed to make that extremely worthwhile switch. In essence, you can now enjoy all of the benefits of a tankless water heater for a lower up-front cost and, therefore, a faster payback on your investment.

When it comes to building and renovation, you have probably come across the acronym LEED more than a few times. Although you may know that it has something to do with being “green,” you may not know its exact purpose.

Standing for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, LEED is administered by the U.S. Green Building Council and oversees the new construction or renovation of environmentally sustainable structures, residential and commercial. From the planning and design phase, to the final touches, LEED sets guidelines and evaluates how effectively a project meets certain “green” standards.

Benefits of LEED

So why would somebody even bother trying to acquire LEED certification? To begin, LEED’s credibility is unquestioned, as it is the leading name in green building accreditation around the world. In essence, to be able to say that you are LEED-certified means instant recognition and respect when it comes to environmentally sustainable building practices.

In turn, the practical effects of having a LEED-certified project are resource and energy efficiency. Indeed, a building that meets LEED specifications will cost much less to operate, saving up to 40 percent on energy and water expenses.

Finally, the energy efficiency that springs from a LEED certification can qualify you for any number of tax deductions and rebates depending on your location. You can find more information on this through your state energy website or the IRS.

Types of Certification

LEED offers five different rating systems, depending on what type of project you are undertaking.

• The Building Design and Construction system applies to new construction projects or major renovations largely in the commercial sector.
• The Interior Design and Construction system applies to interior renovations.
• The Building Operations and Management system applies to improvements on existing buildings with little to no construction.
• The Neighborhood Development system applies to new land development for residential or nonresidential use at any stage of the process.
• The Homes system applies to single-family and multifamily homes up to eight stories.

Certification is credit-based. Projects are evaluated on various credit categories including water efficiency, indoor environmental quality and sustainable sites, among many others. Each rating system has minimum requirements that applicants must meet in certain credit categories in addition to optional ones that they accumulate beyond that. Meeting credit requirements earns you points. For example, installing a tankless water heater might gain you credit points in water efficiency. The number of points that you accumulate at the end determines your level of certification.

There are four levels of certification:

• To earn Certified status, you must accumulate 40-49 points.
• To earn Silver status, you must accumulate 50-59 points.
• To earn Gold status, you must accumulate 60-79 points.
• To earn Platinum status, you must accumulate 80+ points.

Getting Started

Once you determine which rating system matches your particular project, you need to go to LEED’s website to create an account and register. There is a registration fee for nonmembers of $1,200.

The next step is to apply. At this point, you will decide which credits to pursue in your project and state your specific intentions for a team of LEED professionals to review. You will submit a design application and a construction application. As a result, there are two mandatory reviews during the certification process that can earn you credits: the design review and the construction review. Certification fees vary per project, but begin at $2,750.

Note that certification is a long and complex process that will last throughout your entire project. If you are interested in pursuing certification, LEED will provide you with a host of resources once you register. LEED

What’s more convenient than having everything you need at the brush of a finger? Today, having a way to obtain resources and information while on the go is more important than ever before.

Accessing resources while on a job is invaluable for the plumbing contractor, but the streamlined version of the Noritz Professionals’ Page makes it even easier and quicker for professionals to get what they need on mobile devices.

Noritz’s user-friendly Professional webpages now contain access points to the Noritz University online training portal for convenient access to education resources. The online education resources offers contractors a useful way to gain knowledge to supplement personal training by Noritz sales personnel, allowing those tradespeople who are unable to attend in-person sessions the ability to gain and deepen their tankless knowledge quickly and effectively.

Other convenient items with access points on the Professionals’ Page include:

• The Noritz America Video Brochure

• The Noritz Gear Store:
  • Get your favorite Noritz gear, including apparel, tools, drinkware and other promotional items here.

• The Sizing Calculator:
  • Noritz offers a variety of tankless models for different size homes. Use this tool to find the right model to fit your home, business and hot water demands.
• The Procard Power Base:
  • Get technical support, manage your leads and track your rebates through this online portal for Noritz PROCard members.
• Technical Support:
  • PROCard members and installers can find out more information on how easy it is to install a Noritz tankless water heater and help their customers start saving energy costs by reading through these readily available plumbing diagrams, documents and other technical literature.

For more information on Noritz and Professionals’ resources, please visit https://www.noritz.com/professionals/?v3.

Tankless gas water heaters are a green technology that protects the earth and its valuable resources. With a Noritz tankless water heater, you not only get endless comfort with continuous hot water but you can also benefit from these glorious green facts. Here are four quick facts you need to know:

Green Fact 1: Energy Savings
A tankless water heater can you up to 40% of your current water heating bill.

Green Fact 2: Eco Friendly Lifestyle
Tankless water heaters reduce carbon emissions. If every U.S. household installed a Noritz tankless water heater, it would equate to the CO2 savings of taking about 6.7 million cars off the road.

Green Fact 3: Energy Star Rating
Most Noritz gas water heaters qualify for the energy star rating certification and the cost savings that are associated with it. Did you know that electric water hears don’t apply for the Energy Star rating?

Green Fact 4: Kermit the Frog is also green and uses a Noritz tankless water heater. Just kidding. He’s a muppet. He doesn’t shower. Or does he?

The real Green Fact 4: Reduced Landfill Waste
Noritz instant hot water heater units last up to twice as long as traditional tank water heaters and use recyclable components and replaceable parts, dramatically reducing landfill waste. There’s an average of 7.3 million water heaters disposed into landfills each year in the U.S.

To learn more about our selection of tankless hot water heaters and our green technology, visit Noritz.com.