Homeowners have never had so many options for hot water heaters before, and one worth considering is the heat pump hot water heater. In fact, with new regulations that came to fruition this past April, all storage tank hot water heaters 55 gallons and over in size must use a heat pump for heating the water. So how does this kind of hot water heater work? Let’s take a look.
Very Similar to a Heat Pump HVAC System
Heat pump HVAC systems provide heating (and cooling) by transferring heat from one location to another. The same principal applies with a heat pump hot water heater, but the transfer of heat is to water. Like an air-source heat pump HVAC system, a heat pump hot water heater uses refrigerant to absorb the available heat in the surrounding air. This heat is then concentrated and transferred to the hot water in the holding tank. This is done by having a serpentine-shape tube run though the water heater’s tank that contains the heated refrigerant. As the refrigerant flows through the protected tubing, its heat passes to the water inside the tank, warming it to the pre-set temperature.
Four Modes for Efficiency
One of the benefits of a heat pump hot water tank is that it has four different modes to accommodate the different levels of usage you may have in your household:
- Auto/Hybrid – this setting is the one most used for daily use so it is the default setting. This setting will provide energy-efficient water heating and plenty of hot water for your home.
- Efficiency/Economy – this setting maximizes energy efficiency by using only the heat pump to heat the water.
- Electric/Heater – This is a high-demand setting and is the least energy-efficient, using only the electric element of the system to heat your water.
- Vacation and Timer (not available on all models) – this setting allows you to save on energy when you are away from home by putting the unit in a sleep mode while you are away.
Wondering if a heat pump hot water heater may be a good choice for your home in St. Johns, FL? Give the experts at Climate Masters a call today!
