AUSTIN, Texas — Rheem and Clarke Kent Plumbing Inc. have teamed and are working with Texas Gas Service to offer Austin-area homeowners a comprehensive rebate for high-efficiency tankless natural gas water heaters. Texas Gas Service already provides a $600 limited-time rebate toward the purchase of a tankless or super-high-efficiency natural gas water heater through Sept. 30, 2012. During this time, Rheem and Clarke Kent Plumbing will each provide $150 in rebates for the purchase of a Rheem tankless water heater. Combined, these rebates lower the cost of a tankless installation by $900 — taking the total price for the unit and installation from about $3,495 to approximately $2,595.

“Texas Gas Service’s rebate is impressive, as it’s double the rebate amount they’ve offered in the past. Rheem and Clarke Kent Plumbing realized we could also make a considerable impact on the program by offering our own instant rebates,” said Mike Siuda, director of tankless sales and marketing for Rheem. “Combined, our rebates lower the upfront investment for a tankless water heater by about 25 percent, which is a tremendous advantage to a homeowner.”

Since water heating can account for up to 17 percent of a home’s energy usage according to the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners that employ efficient water heaters can significantly conserve energy and lower their monthly utility bills. Tankless water heaters are efficient choices because they use energy to heat water only as it is needed, so no energy is wasted while there is no demand for hot water. By comparison, most conventional tank water heaters heat and reheat 40 to 50 gallons of water each day, even when homeowners aren’t home or are not using it.