Water heater manufacturer Rheem has introduced a new hybrid electric unit that the company claims is the most energy efficient in the North American market.
The product, ProTerra, is more than 400 percent more efficient compared to any standard electric tank-type water heater in and is more eco-friendly than ever at up to 4.0 Uniform Energy Factor (UEF), the company says.
According to EPA, UEF is the newest measure of water heater overall efficiency. The higher the UEF value is, the more efficient the water heater. To put ProTerra’s UEF in perspective, Energy Star-qualified electric storage waters that are less than are 55 gallons or less mus have a UEF of 2.20 or greater, while units more than 55 gallons must be must be at least 2.0
“Rheem is committed to developing cutting-edge products that benefit end-users and our environment,” says Ankur Maheshwari, senior product manager, Rheem. “Our top-of-the-line ProTerra water heater can save homeowners money upon purchase in the form of a $300 federal tax credit, and because the system requires minimal power to operate, its carbon footprint is the lowest in its class.”
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As Rheem explains it, ProTerra has a compact design makes it a perfect tank replacement for small spaces in a home. Traditionally, hybrid water heaters required more space than a conventional tank system. ProTerra also is available in a wide selection of sizes that include 40, 50, 65, 80 gallons to support various hot water needs. In addition, Rheem says the ProTerra model with LeakGuard “is now the industry’s only hybrid water heater with built-in leak detection and auto-shutoff that limits water loss from the tank to no more than 20 ounces.”
“This all-new hybrid water heater also has Rheem’s exclusive EcoNet Wifi technology built in,” the company says. “Once connected through the EcoNet mobile app, users can monitor the system from any location, adjust water temperatures for controlled comfort and receive maintenance alerts to ensure the system continues to run smoothly without interruption. Additionally, through the EcoNet mobile app, users can access Rheem’s Hot Water Availability feature which indicates how much hot water is available in the tank, preventing any cold shower surprises.”
EcoNet also offers other features that include scheduling around peak electricity rates, an energy usage tracker to manage consumption without sacrificing comfort, and five operating modes to balance between energy usage and hot water availability.
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The unit also makes maintenance easy, Rheem says. Plumbers can access detailed system diagnostics through Rheem’s Contractor App, which shortens service visits and improves credibility in the field. The ProTerra has all serviceable components on the front of the unit, which also saves plumbers valuable time on a jobsite. Another benefit to plumbers is the unit’s zero clearance requirement on the sides. This makes earthquakes straps easy to install, providing an extra benefit in California where earthquake straps are code.
“Our ProTerra hybrid water heater is not only the most efficient water heater available, it is also NEEA Tier 4 certified and comes with CTA 2045 adaptor with full Demand Response capability out of the box,” says Scott Cohen, senior manager at Rheem. “This level of product efficiency is Rheem’s ongoing priority when developing new innovations and supports the company’s ‘Greater Degree of Good’ sustainability initiative, which includes reducing [greenhouse gas] emissions by 50 percent.”
Rheem says ProTerra will save homeowners up to $500 in annual energy costs and will pay for itself within two years.
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