PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (June 14, 2012) - Replacing an existing tank with a Rinnai® Tankless Water Heater can be faster, easier, and less expensive thanks to new information within the 2012 National Fuel Gas Code. Under the code, it is now more feasible to install a Rinnai® Tankless Water Heater with 1/2-inch gas piping, the most common gas-pipe size used in the United States.

In the past, replacing a tank with a tankless water heater often meant having to upgrade to 3/4-inch gas piping. This made retrofitting with a tankless water heater more complicated, resulting in a longer installation time and greater expense to the homeowner.

“Immediate ‘emergency replacement’ after the homeowner’s tank has unexpectedly died is now possible in many homes currently outfitted with tank water heaters,” said Trey Hoffman, global product manager at Rinnai. “When replacing the gas line is not necessary, the installation requires a lot less work and can result in a lower cost to the homeowner, making the choice to ‘go tankless’ even easier for homeowner and installer alike.”

Additionally, the 2012 National Fuel Gas Code makes it possible for homebuilders to install pipe without having to determine whether the home will be fitted with a tank or a Rinnai® Tankless Water Heater upfront. Since the 1/2-inch pipe line typically installed can be configured to support either water heating option, homeowners and builders have more time to decide without holding up construction.

As with all tankless water heater applications, installers should check and abide by local gas-pipe size and licensing rules and codes. For more information, please contact the Rinnai technical support team at 800-621-9419.