FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3 vs NAVIEN NHW700-160AI-NG: which uses less energy?
At the high draw pattern the FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3 uses 206 therms a year and the NAVIEN NHW700-160AI-NG 209 — 3 therms (1%) less, about 25 therms over ten years. Both are filed as a gas tankless unit, so the comparison holds. Enter your ZIP below to price the difference.
Side by side
Compared within one class only: models filed as a gas tankless unit at the high draw pattern.
| Figure | FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3 | NAVIEN NHW700-160AI-NG |
|---|---|---|
| UEF (Uniform Energy Factor) | 0.82 (better) | 0.81 |
| Energy use per year (therms) | 206 (better) | 209 |
| Max flow (GPM) | 4 | 4 |
| Installed cost range | $1,745–$2,687 | $1,698–$2,632 |
| ENERGY STAR certified | not matched | not matched |
What it costs to run
Reliability
Not published: Reliability, failure rates and each model’s actual warranty term.
The registries these figures come from certify energy performance under a federal test; none of them records how long a unit lasts or how often it fails, so this page does not rank the two on reliability.
What is here instead:
- The filed efficiency, capacity and tank size of both models, side by side below.
- The actual warranty term is printed in each model’s documentation, not in any registry.
Which should you pick?
- Pick the FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3 if running cost matters most: it uses 3 therms less a year on the same test.
- Pick the NAVIEN NHW700-160AI-NG if it is the one you can get installed sooner or for less — on the filed figures it has no advantage over the FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3.
- Neither if you need more than 4 GPM at the same time — neither unit lists more. Check how to size a tankless unit by GPM.
Each model on its own
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FRIEDRICH RTG-70DVLN-3
Its filed figures, class position and running cost on your ZIP.
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NAVIEN NHW700-160AI-NG
Its filed figures, class position and running cost on your ZIP.