The Complete Guide to Heat Pump Water Heaters for Homeowners

It is estimated that a water heater uses 17% of the total energy usage in an average home. It is considered to be one of the most important appliances that make your home livable. Without a hot water heater, you will not have access to any kind of hot water in your home. Heat pump water heaters are especially popular and a great option for most households. If you need to replace your water heater, you may feel overwhelmed by this decision. After all, there are so many different types of water heaters to choose from on the market. Keep reading to find out what the heat pump water heater benefits are.

What Is a Heat Pump Water Heater?

If you are considering heat pump water heaters, you may want to know what it is. After all, this is a household appliance that you are going to be depending on for many years. A heat pump water heater does not act as a traditional water heater does. It uses electricity to move the existing heat that is in your home. This is much different than traditional water heaters that have to generate heat directly. It pulls heat from the air and is able to move it to the storage tank to heat up water. The interesting thing about this is that it works much as a refrigeration system does. It follows the same process in reverse by exchanging heat to heat the water in your home. All this captured heat is then redirected to heat up the water tank. This is a tank where all of the hot water in your home comes from and the heat's activated when you turn on any hot water. This type of water heater is made up of a tank, compressor, evaporator, and condenser. It also has a fan, cold water inlet, hot water inlet, drain, and thermostats. It looks like any other type of heat tank and can be installed in the same place as your old one.

Benefits of Heat Pump Water Heaters

Installing heat pump water heaters is quite the project to take on. You want to make sure you completely understand how this appliance works and if it is right for you. The main benefit of this type of water heater is that it uses less energy. Less electricity is going to be pulled from your home because existing heat is being used and not created within the appliance. This makes it a more energy-efficient option if you want to save on your power bill each month. You may even be able to save hundreds of dollars each year since you are not using a traditional water heater. There are also many federal tax incentives and state-sponsored sales rebates available. These are all in place to encourage people to buy this more eco-friendly option. Most people who invest in this type of water heater are even able to pay it back within a year. This is very rare, considering how much of an investment this household appliance is. It is also believed that these water heaters can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is estimated that if all households made this upgrade, up to 140 billion greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced.

Downsides of Heat Pump Water Heaters

Now that you know the heat pump water heater benefits, what are the downsides? This type of water heater is not the perfect option for just any household. Something to keep in mind is that it is not ideal for cold climates. This is due to the fact that it has to draw ambient warmth from the surrounding air to heat your water. If you live in a climate that reaches freezing temperatures, there may not be enough warmth to heat your tank. This can result in your home not having hot water during the coldest part of the year. You may be able to counteract this problem by keeping your water heater in a warmer part of your home. Most water heaters are not in heated areas, so you may have to install it with this in mind. That being said, there are some options that can turn on traditional electric water heating. This function automatically turns on if the heat pump is unable to extract enough hot air. Something to consider as well is your water heater budget. One of the biggest downsides to this option is how high the upfront cost is. These hot water heaters can cost as high as $3,000 upfront. This is not a budget-friendly option for most people, especially if you were not planning to have to replace your water heater.

Types of Water Heaters Available

Now that you know more about heat pump water heaters, let’s look at the other options. There are many different types of water heaters that run differently and have their own benefits. You will want to carefully consider these options and how they would fit your home. You may need a different option depending on your climate, house, and budget.

Solar Water Heaters

If you want an environmental option, solar water heaters work by using the sun's heat. The sun warms up the stored water in the tank, saving money when it comes to energy bills. This is also a more environmentally friendly option since electricity is not needed. The downside is that the water supply can run out and is generally very slow to heat up.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

As we have discussed, heat pump water heaters do not have to generate heat. A fan is used to capture warm air and propel it into the tank. The warmth is used to heat up the water supply, using less energy in the process. It is just as fast as a traditional water heater, but it is not going to use as much energy.

Conventional Storage Water Heaters

The most common type of water heater is going to be a conventional storage water heater. These have a large storage tank that keeps water stored day and night. Depending on the heater you get, it can run off of electricity, propane, or natural gas. It is one of the more affordable options, although it does use quite a lot of energy.

Tankless Water Heaters

Another water heater option is a tankless water heater. This does not have a tank, as the name suggests, as it heats the water directly in the pipes. This is a very efficient way of heating your water supply as you never have to worry about water running out. The only problem is that excessive water usage or very large homes do you run the risk of losing hot water.

How to Maintain a Heat Pump Water Heater

Heat pump water heater maintenance is a very important part of owning this appliance. No matter what water heater you have, maintenance helps it stay functional. A water heater can last for years longer if it's kept in good condition. You can do this by having regular inspections each year by a professional. They will be able to clean out your water heater and check for any type of damage. This keeps it clean as well as prevents issues from becoming severe. You can also practice your own preventative measures by doing mini flushes. This helps to flush out any sediment in the tank that could be preventing it from running efficiently. Heat pump water heaters also act as dehumidifiers as they pull moisture from the air. This happens as it also pulls the heat from the air, helping to keep your space dry. The downside to this is that you will need to drain condensation from this heat pump. It is best if you can install it in a place where there is a drain for the moisture to go to. If that isn’t the case, you will need to add one so that condensation does not build up. The good news is that heat pump water heaters don’t need much maintenance. For the most part, water heaters do not require much upkeep, just maintenance as needed.

How Much Do Water Heaters Cost?

If you are considering getting a heat pump water heater, the cost is probably important to you. It is true that this type of water heater is one of the most expensive options. The reality is that you have to ignore the upfront cost and think about the benefits you will get. Eventually, you will be paid back with the money you save on your electricity bill. Most heat pump water heaters cost at least $1,500 or as much as $3,000. This also does not include the amount of money you will spend to have it installed. This is a very heavy appliance that needs to be installed safely, so you don’t want to skip this step. How much labor costs will depend on the length of the job and where you live.

How to Choose a Heat Pump Water Heater

If you are buying this type of water heater, you want to be a bit picky. There are a lot of options available, and you need to look for certain details. One of the first things you need to look at is the size, as there are multiple sizes of water heaters that you can buy. You will need to buy the size that is equipped to heat all of the water in your home. You also need to consider the first-hour rating. This rating is the number of gallons of heated water the tank will be able to supply each hour. You will need to look into this and estimate how many gallons of hot water your household uses. It is always best to have more hot water than you need, rather than come up short. Different models also have different energy efficiency benefits. If you want to benefit from long-term savings, you want to choose the most energy-efficient model available. Different models will also come at different prices. You will need to choose all of the details and the model that you want and compare that to the budget that you have.

Is a Heat Pump Water Heater Ideal for All Homes?

If you still can’t make up your mind, you need to consider your home. A heat pump water heater is not going to be the perfect option for every household. It will not be able to keep your water hot during very cold weather. That is why it is ideal for climates that are mild or lean more towards being hot. Although, this is not a complete dealbreaker since there are hybrid water heaters available. This is a combination of a heat pump and a traditional hot water heater. Because of this, most people have the choice of this water heater if they have the budget for it. Hybrid water heaters tend to be a bit more expensive since they are specialty options.

The Complete Heat Pump Water Heater Guide

If your old water heater needs to be replaced, you may not know which option to go with. Heat pump water heaters can be a great solution if you want something efficient and dependable. This guide tells you everything that you need to know about heat pump water heaters and why they are a good option. Do you want to create a more efficient and temperature-controlled home? Contact us today at Ardor Construction for sustainable renovation options for your home.