The Latest Water Heater Technology Innovations

7/9/2024

Water heaters are a critical part of an institutional and commercial facility’s operations, as they provide hot running water to entire buildings. Bearing that in mind, maintenance and engineering managers must know what types of innovations and trends have been impacting how water heaters are made. 

Facility Maintenance Decisions spoke with water heater manufacturers to see what the latest developments are for this technology. 

FMD: What smart technologies are being incorporated into new water heaters? 

“Advanced controls for precise temperature management, remote monitoring and diagnostics for predictive maintenance are one of the key technologies that you see incorporated into many latest-generation water heaters. It enables more energy efficient operation and cost savings. You can’t respond to energy usage or reduce wastage unless you can identify it. The more and better data and analytics that facility management can obtain from their water heating system – as well as the wider plumbing system – the better they’re able to maximize operational efficiency.” 

— Mark Croce, senior product manager, AERCO 

“I would mention water heater sequencing technology to effectively meet load requirements and ensure all water heaters in the system operate at maximum efficiency. It can reduce excessive cycling, enhance energy efficiency as well as promote reliability and product lifespan. By sequencing the water heaters, you minimize the on-off cycles that strain components and waste energy. Smart technology is all about easy access, making it simple to use and providing significant benefits to the user.” 

— Helen Ringle, product manager, PVI  

“Electronic controls continue to become more sophisticated in allowing optimal control and monitoring of products when a user is away from the unit. These technologies allow users to monitor and adjust a unit from the comfort of an indoor environment and/or on their mobile phones.” 

— Rhea-Anne Pendley, senior product manager, Lochinvar 

“Smart technology in water heaters allows for buildings to operate more efficiently. This includes connecting to BMS systems, connecting to utilities to offer demand response, and allowing building owners to set schedules to save energy when hot water isn’t needed. These technologies offer a more efficient system and allow for facilities maintenance to be more connected to the equipment for awareness of how the system is operating.” 

— Hillary Heyerdahl, project manager – commercial water, Rheem 

FMD: What advancements have there been in self-cleaning technologies in water heaters? 

“There aren’t really any effective self-cleaning technologies. It’s more about water treatment, that is, what you put into your water heater. There’s a growing awareness in the market that water quality is a critical part of water heater management, but it’s a bit like changing the oil on your car. We all know we should do it every so often, but it doesn’t always get done. Water treatment is a bit the same. It’s important for the efficiency, reliability and durability of your water heating system – as well as wider plumbing system – but it comes with upfront costs to prevent a problem that will present itself somewhere down the line.” 

— Mark Croce, senior product manager, AERCO 

“Scale-resistant heat exchangers in tankless water heaters are one of the most desirable self-cleaning innovations. Such features mitigate the need for constant flushing and frequent maintenance. Moreover, they also maintain the products’ efficiency and prolong their useful life.” 

— Amy Turner, vice president of marketing, Intellihot 

“Circulating water heaters with proper water flow are inherently designed to minimize scale build-up in the unit. Proper flow through the unit maintains velocities inside the water tubes and prevents scale from depositing on the heated surface – furthering the expected lifetime of a water heater and minimizing the amount of maintenance needed.” 

— Rhea-Anne Pendley, senior product manager, Lochinvar 

Jeff Wardon, Jr. is the assistant editor for the facilities market.