Heat-pump water heaters
A heat-pump heater borrows the room's heat.
Instead of making heat from scratch, it moves heat out of the air around it and into the water. That is why it uses less electricity than a standard electric tank. The catch is the room: it cools the space a little, it hums like a dehumidifier, and it needs open air to draw from.
Open space around it, not a closet
A drain for the water it pulls from the air
A basement that stays above freezing
Does your basement fit?
Four things we look at
Room
A heat-pump heater needs open air around it. A utility closet will not do.
Winter
In a cold January basement it slows down and switches on its electric elements.
Drain
It pulls water out of the air as it works. That water needs somewhere to go.
Noise
A fan runs whenever it heats. It is about as loud as a dehumidifier.
Heat-pump questions
Is it worth it in a cold climate?
It can be in a basement with room, where it uses less electricity than a standard electric tank. In a cold, tight space it works harder. We look at the room before we say yes.
Are there rebates?
Some utilities and programs offer them, and they change. Ask your electric utility. We give you the model and installation details its form asks for.
Does it replace a gas heater?
It can. It also means a circuit for the heat pump and a drain, and the gas line comes out or is capped. We price that before you decide.
What happens if it can't keep up?
It has electric elements that take over in cold weather or when the tank runs low. It keeps making hot water, with less of the savings.
Does a heat pump fit your basement?
Send a photo of the corner where your heater lives. We tell you what we see.