Glossary
Plain-language definitions of water heater terms, from anode rods and FVIR to UEF and expansion tanks, written and reviewed by the people who install them.
-
Uniform Energy Factor (UEF)
Uniform Energy Factor is the federal efficiency rating for water heaters. A higher UEF means more of the energy you pay for…
-
Thermostatic Mixing Valve
A thermostatic mixing valve blends hot and cold water to deliver a steady, safe outlet temperature regardless of how hot the tank…
-
Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion is the increase in water volume as it heats. In a closed plumbing system that extra volume has nowhere to…
-
Temperature and Pressure Relief Valve (T&P Valve)
The T&P valve is a safety valve on every tank water heater that opens if tank temperature or pressure goes above a…
-
Sediment
Sediment is mineral scale and debris that settles at the bottom of a tank water heater over.
-
Recovery Rate
Recovery rate is how many gallons of water a tank heater can raise by a set temperature in one hour. Higher recovery…
-
Pressure-Reducing Valve (PRV)
A pressure-reducing valve sits where the water main enters the home and lowers street pressure to a safe household level, typically set…
-
Power Vent
A power vent water heater uses an electric blower to push exhaust gases out through plastic pipe, usually through a sidewall, instead…
-
Isolation Valves (Tankless Service Valves)
Isolation valves are a pair of valves with service ports installed on a tankless water heater’s hot and cold lines so the…
-
Heat Pump Water Heater (Hybrid)
A heat pump water heater moves heat from the surrounding air into the tank instead of generating it directly, using an electric…
-
Hard Water
Hard water carries dissolved calcium and magnesium. When heated, those minerals drop out as scale and.
-
Gallons Per Minute (GPM)
Gallons per minute measures flow. For tankless water heaters it describes how much water the unit can heat at a given temperature…
Ready to see your options?
About three minutes. No obligation. No pressure.
