The Benefits of Heat-Pump Water Heaters

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The Benefits of Heat-Pump Water Heaters

The cheapest method to heat your home with a water heater is with a natural gas tank, but that’s not always an option. In many rural areas such as St. Charles, MO where the original Happys Appliances Outlet is located, the majority of households only have the option to power their water heater with electricity. Fortunately, there’s a new style of water heater that will help you save money on your electricity bill. They’re called Heat-Pump water heaters, and according to pilot studies they have been performing excellently since being introduced to the market.

What is a Heat Pump?

While most electric tanks heat water by using resistance elements, heat pumps use a compressor similar to the ones found in refrigerators and AC units. The difference is while refrigerators pump heat from the inside of the fridge to the outside of the room, heat pump water heaters pull heat from the room into its tank of water, thereby cooling the room.

Heat-Pump Benefits

The main benefit of heat-pump water heaters is energy efficiency. Although standard water heaters already achieve 100% efficiency, air source heat pumps can reach up to 250% efficiency. This is because unlike electric resistance elements, heat pumps do not create heat. They pull already-existing heat from the room and transfer it to the water inside the tank. Essentially, the amount of energy heat pumps are able to transfer is greater than the amount of energy required to run it. Because of the increased efficiency, heat pumps do not heat water as fast as resistance elements. This is why most of these units possess resistance elements that are activated when the heat pump can’t keep up with the hot water demand. The ones we carry at our store also possess hybrid mode, which allows you to power your tank with both resistance elements and the heat pump, as well as an all-resistance element mode for instances such as freezing cold weather.