FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA -- The ENERGY STAR-rated NRC98, the newest addition to the Noritz ecoTOUGH™ Series of gas-fired residential condensing tankless water heaters, has an Energy Factor of 0.93, a rating that is nearly 10 points higher than that of a comparably sized, conventional tankless unit. The 0.93 EF is also approximately 30 points higher than a standard, tank-type gas-fired water heater.
With a maximum flow rate of 9.8 gallons per minute (gpm) and temperature settings from 100F to 140F, the new NRC98 protects the environment by heating water strictly on demand, while offering a longer product life cycle than storage tank-type models. In addition, it promises lower emissions, reduced electrical consumption, smaller amounts of potentially hazardous construction materials, and easier recyclability of those materials and components once the product is removed from service.
Featuring a standard Btu input range of 16,000 to 180,000, the
NRC98 Tankless Water Heater is engineered to fully meet the domestic hot water needs of northern residences with two bathrooms and southern homes with three baths. A two-pipe direct vent model for indoor installation, the NRC98-DV, will be available for shipment August 1. An outdoor model, the NRC98-OD, will be available during the fourth quarter of this year.
Installation flexibility:
Condensing technology permits venting with installer-friendly PVC or CPVC piping, instead of Category III Stainless Steel. The less costly, zero clearance plastic piping enables longer vent runs - up to 62 linear feet with 3-inch PVC - and therefore greater installation flexibility. A PVC adapter built into the flue of the NRC98-DV speeds the vent connection, and a factory-supplied increaser fitting facilitates the creation of a 4-inch run, if required.
Both of the new NRC98 models also offer the following key features and components:
LOWER EMISSIONS:
The high-efficiency, low-NOx Eco-Burner has a nitrogen-oxide emissions level of 20 parts per million (ppm), which will comply with the new South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) regulations that go into effect on January 1, 2012. The new regulations apply to any boiler or water heater rated from 75,000 to 400,000 Btu per hour.
TRUE TANKLESS EFFICIENCY:
The advanced technology of the fully modulating Eco-Burner also delivers superior temperature control, eliminating the need for a buffer tank to stabilize the temperature. This, in turn, removes another potential source of standby heat loss, thus maintaining system efficiency.
TWO DURABLE HEAT EXCHANGERS:
-Primary: The internal waterways of the commercial-grade, primary heat exchanger are 25 percent thicker than Noritz's residential-grade model. Its copper con-struction offers better heat transfer than stainless steel.
-Secondary: Made entirely of stainless steel to resist corrosion from fluid produced by the condensing process, the secondary heat exchanger uses a low-pressure-loss design to provide a better showering experience across a wide range of household water pressures.
12-YEAR RECIRCULATION WARRANTY:
Like all Noritz residential tankless water heater products that feature the company's durable, commercial-grade heat exchanger, the NRC98 is covered by a 12-year/6,500-hour warranty when used with controlled recirculation systems that deliver hot water more quickly to the tap.
Eco-friendly commitment:
In addition to higher combustion efficiencies and reduced atmospheric pollution, the Noritz ecoTOUGH Series also includes the following green improvements over the previous generation of Noritz tankless water heaters:
-reduced amounts of hexad chrome in the coating of the exterior and the burner case;
-reduced amounts of lead in the water-flow servomotor, the lightning protector and the circuit boards;
-reduced amount of cadmium in the inlet/outlet bracket;
-reduced consumption of standby electricity by the power transformer.
In addition, Noritz has affixed specific alpha codes to various plastic components within the NRC98 to help identify their material makeup when it is time to recycle the unit. For example, the polystyrene PCB cover is labeled "OS"; the polypropylene neutralizer tank is marked "PP."
"Noritz is committed to investing in eco-friendly technologies and practices that will reduce the burdens on our environment," says Jay Hassel, Vice President of Marketing for the Noritz America Corporation.
Extending the series: Later this year, according to Hassel, Noritz expects to further extend the ecoTOUGH Series by unveiling a smaller, 160,000 Btu/h unit with a flow rate of 8.3 gpm, again with both direct-vent and outdoor models. Noritz previously introduced the NRC111, with inputs up to 199,000 Btu/h and a flow rate of 11.1 gpm.
"Any contractor or builder currently using power-vent, tank-type water heaters should take a closer look at condensing technology and the advantages it offers," says Hassel, who adds that the price points of these two water-heater types are "very close."
"Our goal at Noritz is to provide a full line of high-efficiency condensing tankless water heaters that will cost-effectively meet the hot-water needs of every American household, regardless of size."