With an Energy Factor of 0.67, Rheem PDV Water Heaters avoid negative air pressure issues by drawing combustion air from outside the home. Built-in blower cools exhaust gases, permitting longer vent runs with plastic pipe, enhancing placement flexibility.

A new line of power direct vent (PDV), tank-type water heaters from Rheem Manufacturing Company is designed to meet the rigorous demands of today’s tightly constructed new homes that seek to maximize both energy savings and air quality. Available in early July 2009, the units will be offered in 40- and 50-gallon sizes with both standard inputs and high inputs (40,000 to 65,000 BTU per hour). These water heaters draw all the air needed for combustion directly from outside the home through PVC, CPVC or ABS piping. The by-product gases of that combustion process are then vented to the exterior with the use of a blower through a second pipe line, also made of plastic.

With an Energy Factor (EF) of 0.67, Rheem PDV Water Heaters exceed the new, phase one Energy Star^® criteria of 0.62 for water heaters, which the Department of Energy (DOE) made effective on January 1. In fact, the new line will also meet the upcoming phase two criteria, effective September 1, 2010, that will require a minimum EF of 0.67, or 15.5 percent more efficient than the current federal standard. This efficiency level should result “in annual savings of 14 percent and $51 for a single high-performance gas storage water heater,” according to a recent announcement by the DOE.

“Depending on the locale, our new power direct vent units can offer a twin payback in the form of lower energy costs, as well as the rebates many utilities around the country now offer home owners,” says Rheem wholesale product manager Brad Johnson.

PDV technology meets two critical demands of the modern home: the drive to increase energy efficiency and the need to avoid performance-degrading, negative air pressure conditions:

Better energy efficiency: By drawing makeup air directly from the outdoors, Rheem PDV Water Heaters do not use inside air that has been heated or cooled for comfort purposes. “A water heater that uses inside air is, in effect, wasting the energy that was expended to heat or cool that air,” explains Johnson. “Builders and remodelers looking to maximize energy savings eliminate that waste by opting for a power direct vent water heating solution.”

No negative air pressure problems: In tightly constructed modern homes with little or no air infiltration from the outside, gas appliances may not have enough interior air for proper combustion. This condition, known as negative air pressure, can undermine appliance performance and efficiency. By drawing all their air from the outdoors, Rheem PDV Water Heaters avoid this problem and the performance shortfalls that often result.

Two additional benefits with these new water heaters are placement flexibility and lower installation costs through the use of plastic pipe for venting. Conventional atmospheric, gas-fired water heaters vent combustion emissions through vertical pipe runs. Metallic b-vent material four to six inches in diameter must be used because of the high temperature of the emissions. As a result, these water heaters are typically placed inside a home’s chimney, narrowing installation options.

With power vent technology, the blower that exhausts the by-products of combustion also cools these gases, allowing the use of less expensive, smaller-diameter plastic piping instead of b-vent. The blower also permits horizontal as well as vertical venting configurations, with pipe runs as long as 100 feet. See Venting Distance Chart below:

Note: The larger the piping diameter, the greater the venting distance permitted because there will be less friction in the venting. The use of fittings reduces the maximum length of the venting run.

“This extraordinary venting flexibility allows the builder, remodeler or installing contractor to locate a PDV water heater just about anywhere in the home, drawing combustion air and venting emissions safely and effectively over many feet, while bolstering the home’s energy efficiency and air quality,” says Johnson.

Rheem PDV Water Heaters carry a six-year limited warranty on the storage tank and a six-year limited warranty on all parts.

About Rheem Manufacturing Company

Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is a privately held company with headquarters in Atlanta. In its 82nd year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of high-quality residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless and solar water heaters; swimming pool heaters and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The premium brands of Rheem Manufacturing Company include Raypak, Ruud and Rheem. Rheem Manufacturing Company is the official heating, cooling and water heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick Inc. as well as the major associate sponsor of the No. 29 Sprint Cup^® car driven by Kevin Harvick, 2007 Daytona 500 Champion, 2007 Craftsman Truck Series Champion and 2006 Busch Series Champion. Rheem is also the primary sponsor of Kevin Harvick Inc.’s No. 33 and No. 77 cars in Nationwide^® Series and sponsor of KHI’s 2 and 33 entries in The Craftsman Truck Series.