Best All Around Heat-Pump Water Heater
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| Posted in Mechanicals on
Hey Friends and Fellow Tradespeople,
Wondering what heat pump water heaters you all have had success with recently and would recommend for an all electric, ZNE ready home. We’re having to replace our second State brand 50 gallon hybrid water heater as the refrigerant leaked out of it and the heat pump stopped working. ( The first one also arrived with a faulty heat pump).
Aside from overall efficiency, reliability and price, we’re particularly interested in as quiet a model as I can find. Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks!
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Replies
Hi Dylan,
This article should be helpful: Choosing Among the Most Efficient Water Heaters.
Thanks Kiley! I'll give a read-through.
Hi Dylan,
I ended up with a 50-gal AO Smith after a bit of research and due to a weird combination of state and local energy rebates that drove the price down to a little over $300. It’s been reliable over the past 2.5 years, although I know others haven’t been quite as lucky. It’s reasonably quiet; the noise fell into background pretty quickly. All in all I’ve been pleased with its performance.
I think if money was less of a concern I’d have looked more deeply into Sanden. I hear they’re unparalleled on the longevity front and obviously don’t make any noise inside your house. It also seems like the idea of a HPWH being ‘green’ falls apart pretty quickly when it leaks all its refrigerant.
Good thoughts and thanks for sharing, Brian! Sandens and Stiebels are great but really pricey. Hard to justify, but I may lean in that direction. Shouldn't need to install 3 water heaters in 2.5 years, in a new home. : (