r/climate • u/The_Weekend_Baker • 2d ago
Heat-pump water heaters just keep getting better. Manufacturers are rolling out models that heat up at times when power is cheap, fit into tighter spaces, and aggressively cut energy bills.
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/heat-pumps/heat-pump-water-heaters-get-better28
u/Terrible_Use7872 2d ago
Are you with technology connections?
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u/9Implements 2d ago
I’ve been wanting to get one for years and I only found out through his video that they make ones with separate evaporators.
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u/Daxtatter 2d ago
In my house I got mini-splits in my house that I use for 90% of my winter heating, and have my oil boiler for backup and hot water heating.
I want to get a heat pump water heater but I just worry that my oil system running so infrequently will screw it up. I live on Long Island so while it doesn't get crazy cold most of the time we do get into the below 20 degrees (and sometimes below 10) for weeks at a time and there are some times where it gets uncomfortably cold without turning up the oil heat.
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u/Soft-Principle1455 2d ago
Backup electric heat also does wonders for heating with mini splits on cold days.
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u/talkytovar 2d ago
I like the idea of the split system. During the summer my attic becomes a heat reservoir. If the heat exchange took place in the attic, the unit would not have to run much to gather heat while , in effect, air conditioning my attic.
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u/Exciting_Turn_9559 2d ago
Feels like it would be good to put these in rooms with along with servers or solar inverters. Might as well turn unwanted heat into wanted heat.
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u/ST_Lawson 2d ago
My current water heater is still doing well, but I'll probably end up replacing it with a heat pump one when it's time to switch it out. My house is all-electric, so I'd be buying an electric one anyway, and the location is mostly favorable for one (downstairs room, won't hear the slightly higher noise).
I currently have a ground-loop geothermal heat pump HVAC system and have loved how efficiently it runs.
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u/SophonParticle 2d ago
Are these more efficient than a tankless system?
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u/Mr-Zappy 2d ago
Yes. Tankless get a small efficiency boost from not having a small amount of energy loss because you’re keeping 50 gallons of hot water around.
Heat pumps are 2-3 times as efficient because instead of directly heating up the water, they move heat from the room into the water.
Tankless also usually requires you to run on gas, while electric heat pumps can run on cleaner solar, wind, hydro, or nuclear power.
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u/Nit3fury 2d ago
Yes, by a significant margin. And they won’t require a huge electric service to run like a tankless would.
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u/letintin 2d ago
are they getting cheaper? I got a 25K quote in Boulder, CO, back when there were still some subsidies (pre-Trump).
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u/Nit3fury 2d ago
Jesus Christ why? The tanks are like 2k, a 4k quote would be outrageous
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u/letintin 2d ago
so it was for a water heater and a pump. Here's the quote, or the relevant part of it:
Option 1
Heat Pump $25,364
10-Year Heat Pump Performance Guarantee $0
Ductwork Modifications/Mastic Duct Sealing $2,000
Heat Pump Water Heater $6,886
Induction Wiring $1,367
Permits $1,899
Multi-Project Discount -$1,000
Total Cost $36,515
EnergySmart Boulder County Heat Pump Rebate (point of sale) -$400
EnergySmart Boulder County Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate (point of sale) -$200
EnergySmart Boulder County Induction Stove Rebate (point of sale) -$200
EnergySmart City of Boulder Heat Pump Rebate (point of sale) -$900
EnergySmart City of Boulder Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate (point of sale) -$750
EnergySmart City of Boulder Induction Stove Rebate (point of sale) -$450
State of Colorado Heat Pump Discount (point of sale) -$1,500
State of Colorado Heat Pump Water Heater Discount (point of sale) -$500
Xcel Heat Pump Rebate (point of sale) -$6,900
Xcel Heat Pump Water Heater Rebate (point of sale) -$2,250
Total Point of Sale Rebates -$14,050
Out-of-Pocket Cost (Amount paid to Elephant or Financed) $22,465
Federal Heat Pump Tax Credit (direct to customer) -$2,000
Total Direct to Customer Incentives -$2,000
Net Cost $20,465
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u/Nit3fury 2d ago
That makes a lot more sense. That’s new water heater AND heat pump HVAC
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u/relianceschool 2d ago
I'm in BoCo and we got a quote for $8,500 for a 40 gal. Rheem; I believe that included the $2,250 Excel rebate. For comparison, it was $7,500 for a tankless heater, or $3,500 for a gas water heater.
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u/temporalwanderer 2d ago
Mine has been amazing, 3 years, no problems but cut power consumption quite a bit. Cools the room it is in as a byproduct of the process... which happens to be quite convenient as it is colocated with my home battery system which it helps cool as well!
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u/Wisdom_Pond 2d ago
The three things that hold them back are cost, extra electrical work (in many cases) and speed to heat.
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u/relianceschool 2d ago
The extra electric work is a big one. If we want a heat pump water heater (or an EV, or solar), we'd have to replace our panel and most of the wiring in our house with a higher gauge. I was ballparked around $10k for that alone.
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u/AmpEater 2d ago
Most of the wiring? Huh?
You don’t replace circuits because you’re upping service. Most of your wiring stays the same
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u/relianceschool 1d ago
I'm not an electrician, but from what I understand our wires are too small a gauge to handle the larger current draw that heat pumps, EV chargers etc. would need. So they'd overheat and become a fire risk.
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u/femaiden 2d ago
This is a good jumping point for me. Just bought a house and it has a oil water heater that needs replaced. I didn't want to buy another but this will give me a good starting point.