California Home Gets “Smarter" with Noritz EZ98 DV

Homeowner Michael Craig of California drives an electric car, uses a “smart thermostat” and is considering installing solar power in his home, all in the name of going green.

His most recent project involved swapping out his energy-guzzling storage tank heater with the ENERGY STAR-certified EZ98-DV high-efficiency, condensing tankless water heater, donated by Noritz.

An EZ Solution For WiFi Tankless Water Heating 

The EZ98’s 0.95 energy factor convinced Michael, owner of Bytelaunch digital marketing agency, that this was a green device he wanted in his home, as it would fire only when needed, instead of continuously, like a storage tank heater.

In addition to yielding energy savings, the EZ98 would bring Michael’s water heating system into the 21st century with its WiFi capability. By downloading the Noritz Connect app, he could take advantage of various remote functions, such as controlling the unit’s temperature and viewing error codes.

The EZ98’s direct-replacement design also streamlined Michael’s installation:

• Unlike traditional tankless models, which offer only bottom-mount water-supply connections, the EZ98 unit’s connections are top-mounted—just like on the storage-tank unit being replaced. This eliminated the need for Michael’s plumber to run additional plumbing lines, saving time and labor on the water connections.
• Venting options are also flexible, ranging from dual- or single-pipe (made of PVC or CPVC), to 2-inch Flex, which can be fed through the existing B-Vent. Michael’s plumber ultimately used the 2-inch Flex.

• The EZ98 has the potential to utilize the same, half-inch gas line as the storage tank water heater it replaces, which was the case for Michael, eliminating the costs of having to upsize.

First Impressions Of The Noritz EZ98

After installation, the EZ98 began heating the 1,800-square-foot home without issue, supplying hot water for three full bathrooms, a laundry room and a kitchen. Michael reports stable water pressure and temperatures with the new unit and never runs out of hot water in the middle of a shower anymore. The wall-hung unit also yields space savings, making moving around the laundry room easier.

Conclusions on Gas Bill Savings From The Noritz EZ98 

Most striking have been Michael’s energy savings. Since the EZ98 fires only on demand, the gas savings began to accrue from Day One. In 2016, with the storage tank heater, Michael’s monthly gas bill totaled an average of $17.19. In 2017, with the tankless water heater in place, the average monthly bill has decreased to $14.14. Estimates Michael, “We are saving an average of 17.7 percent on our monthly gas bill, largely due to the new unit.”

To learn how tankless can benefit you like it did Michael, please visit www.noritz.com