Heat Pump Water Heaters Pros and Cons
About 20% of your home's energy usage goes into water heating.
Heat Pump Water Heaters can save you on energy costs and benefit the environment.
Regularly warming up your sink or bath's water can quickly add a large amount to your utility bill. In the cold Hudson Valley winters, however, going without hot water is not an option.
Heat pump water heaters can be a great solution if you find yourself in need of a new water heater, or are looking for an eco-conscious upgrade. They can be beneficial to your home in several ways. However, as they're not perfect, there are also some downsides you need to keep in mind.
Read on to learn more about heat pump water heater pros and cons.
Heat Pump Water Heater Pros
A heat pump water heater is a water heater that uses the heat produced by a heat pump to heat water. A heat pump is a device that can pull heat from various sources. Home heat pumps typically gain their heat from the air or ground (geothermal).
To put it simply, the heat pump will transfer the heat to the water heater by use of a refrigerant. This chemical will first absorb the heat. Then, with heat in tow, the refrigerant will get pushed into the water heater and heat the water.
It's such a relatively simple process that it seems hard to believe it can provide your home with so much. Yet, it can.
Read on for some heat pump water heater benefits……
Saves You Money on Electricity
That 20% energy usage number this article mentioned before is irrelevant here. If it's connected to a heat pump, your water heater isn't creating heat via electricity. It's pulling that heat from natural resources instead.
One of the best things about this situation is that heat from the air or ground is free. Thus, that 20% can disappear from your energy bill. You also won't have to give up hot water to get that cost knocked off.
Note
The situation is a bit different for hybrid heat pump water heaters. These use both electric and heat pump heat. This arrangement can still lower your bills, but it may not as much as a full heat pump water heater.
Helps the Environment
Humanity's more traditional methods of generating electricity are not helpful for the environment. They involve burning fossil fuels gas, oil, and coal. This process releases chemicals into the air that worsen climate change.
Heat pump water heaters do not use electricity to generate heat. This means you can use a lot less of the energy created by fossil fuels. As a result, you can feel a lot less guilty about your energy usage.
Note
Do you feel guilty that you'll have to use fossil fuel energy with a hybrid system? If so, you can easily use solar power to fulfill the electricity needs of a hybrid heat pump water heater.
No Compromises on Features
The inner mechanisms of a heat pump water heater are different than those of a traditional water heater. With this, you may think that any outer mechanisms will be to your disadvantage. This isn't true.
Many of the controls of recent heat pump water heater models are the same as traditional water heaters. They have features such as Wi-Fi-enabled smart controls and a phone app they can sync to. Through this, you can control and monitor your water heater.
With the controls, for example, you can ask your water heater to turn on as you're coming home from vacation. The monitoring portion of the app can show you your water and energy consumption. This will let you know when you need to adjust things.
Heat Pump Water Heater Cons
While the process described above is simple, heat pump water heaters are not perfect.
Can Struggle to Keep Up
Part of the reason homeowners purchase hybrid heat pump water heater models has to do with efficiency. Heat pump water heaters don't create hot water as fast as electric or gas water heaters. Thus, if your home has a large water demand, your heat pump water heater may not be able to meet it.
This isn't as much of an issue during the warm summer months. However, it can become an issue during the colder winter months. Even if your heat pump is a ground or geothermal model, your heat pump can still struggle to pull in enough hot air.
Solutions
Luckily, there are some simple ways to overcome this issue. You can size your potential water heaters, for instance. By doing so, you can ensure they'll meet your home's demands before you buy them.
You can also put your heat pump in a hotter area of the home. A good example would be the furnace room. Here, your heat pump can utilize the heat that the furnace produces.
More Expensive Price Tag
Another one of the common heat pump water heater disadvantages is the price tag. A conventional water heater usually costs less than a heat pump.
One thing to keep in mind, though, is that a heat pump water heater will eventually pay for itself. Given time, the money you'll save from energy costs will surpass the investment in the water heater.
Home heat pumps typically gain their heat from the air or ground (geothermal).
Hybrid electric heat pump water heaters use both electric and heat pump heat.
We Install Heat Pump Water Heaters in NY Homes
With a bit of research and planning Heat Pump Water Heaters can easily save you on energy costs and help the environment.
Are you ready to get a new heat pump water heater installed in your home? If so, consider using our services. Heat pump system installation is just one of our many energy-efficient home services!
To learn more about upgrading the water heater in your home, contact us on this page.
We hope to hear from you shortly!
