New DOE Minimum Efficiency Requirements

As previously announced in an earlier product bulletin (August 2003), the new Department of Energy minimum efficiency requirements, based on a recent amendment of the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act (NAECA), will go into effect on January 20, 2004. The new efficiency requirements effect most of our residential gas and electric models.

In an effort to make the change to the new DOE compliant models as seamless as possible, Bradford White invested heavily in new equipment, manufacturing processes and insulation technologies. Some models will be equipped with heat trap waterway fittings, shipped with pipe insulation, have an external water heater insulation blanket and/or will have dimensional changes.

To provide you with a better understanding of these changes, a spreadsheet displaying all of the effected models with a description of the changes for each individual model is attached. In addition, the 2004 Wholesale Price Book Schedule, which is being mailed out on December 19, 2003, reflects the product changes associated with the new efficiency requirements.

In addition, all NAECA compliant models will be shipped with a yellow carton label to help you distinguish the new models from existing inventory.

The specification sheets for the affected models are currently being created and/or revised and will be available shortly. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Bradford White representative.

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