DOE Suspends Energy Efficiency Mandates on Key Home Appliances

Regulations
Published

In a move supported by NAHB, the Department of Energy (DOE) has announced it will postpone the implementation of the latest round of restrictive energy efficiency mandates on key home energy appliances, including for gas powered instantaneous (tankless) water heaters.

The DOE press release noted that these actions “are a key step in undoing the previous administration’s burdensome policies that have driven up costs, reduced choice and diminished the quality of Americans’ home appliances.”

In addition to the tankless water heaters, the DOE has acted to postpone the new overreaching efficiency standards for the following home appliance rules:

  • Central Air Conditioners
  • Clothes Washers and Dryers
  • General Service Lamps
  • Walk-In Coolers and Freezers
  • Commercial Refrigeration Equipment
  • Air Compressors

Additionally, the DOE is creating a new energy efficiency category for natural gas tankless water heaters that would exempt these products from the Biden administration’s onerous efficiency rules and allow for fair standards that balance efficiency with availability of product features desired by consumers.

NAHB has been actively advocating against efforts to limit the availability and use of gas stoves, and will continue to support efforts to maintain a variety of home appliance options for consumers to help improve housing affordability.

On the congressional front, NAHB continues to work with lawmakers in both chambers to advance congressional resolutions introduced in the House and Senate that seek to block the Biden administration’s recent attempt to ban natural gas water heaters.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Spring Leadership Meeting

Apr 01, 2026

Register Now for NAHB’s Spring Leadership Meeting and Legislative Conference

NAHB committee and council members, delegates to the Leadership Council, members of the Board of Directors, and executive officers should make plans now to attend the Spring Leadership Meeting and Legislative Conference, June 9-13, at the Grand Hyatt Washington in Washington, D.C.

Economics

Apr 01, 2026

Builders Respond to Affordability Challenges with Buyer Incentives and Innovative Designs

During New Homes Month in April, the home building industry is responding to market conditions by constructing homes that balance price and meet modern home buyer needs. According to U.S. Census Bureau and National Association of Realtors data, newly built homes are typically priced at or below existing homes, offering buyers more options in today’s challenging housing market.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Mar 31, 2026

Soft Construction Labor Market Shows Decline for Open Positions

The number of open positions in construction in February was down year-over-year, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS).

Economics

Mar 30, 2026

NAHB HBGI: Micro Markets Lone Bright Spot for Single-Family Building in Fourth Quarter

Single-family construction declined further in the fourth quarter in all but sparsely populated micro counties, according to the NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI).

Economics

Mar 26, 2026

State/Local Property Tax Revenue Rises Past $210 Billion in the Fourth Quarter

Property tax revenue collected by state and local governments rose for the ninth consecutive quarter according to the Census Bureau’s quarterly summary of state and local tax revenue.