The laws have changed a lot in the past couple years. New energy efficiency rules have changed the entire water heater manufacturing and design process, industry wide. As a result, the height and width of many water heaters has changed, so that your new heater may not fit in the same space that your old one did. This can require some creative thinking when it’s time to replace a water heater. The way many water heaters work has also changed in the past couple of years, manufacturers are experimenting with new ways to heat water and with new ways of keeping it hot once it has been brought up to desired temperature. With everything from the more traditional electric and gas heaters to the newer on demand tankless and heat pump style water heaters available, it’s a confusing and an exciting time to be in the industry!