Heat Pump Hot Water Heater in a Hot Garage
Simple question, hard to find answers!
I would like to put a heat pump hot water heater in my garage in Southern California (climate zone 3B). The Rheem 50 gal. Hybrid High Efficiency Heat Pump Water Heater “requires installation in locations that remain in the 40º–90ºF range year-round.”
My unconditioned garage definitely exceeds 100ºF at times.
What happens if I put it in the garage?
Thanks!
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Replies
I was looking at the manual... https://rmc-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/media/uploads/iat/sites/36/2020/04/AP21681-UseAndCare.pdf - page 15 says it needs to be between 32-140 F (0-60C)...
Okay. So I spent hours searching the web and waiting on hold for Rheem technical support but didn't think to look at the manual... Now I have to figure out why my installer "requires" 40-90 F and I saw that same range somewhere else here at GBA.
LOL! My wife is laughing, asking why I read the manual for someone else but not for my installs!!
If this is a garage and not a carport, the HPWH will provide moderate cooling as it extracts heat from the air.
It's a garage. It could use the cooling! But it will leak right out.
Sounds like a great place for it to me
I have the Gen 4 (the one that is actually quiet) Rheem 50 gal in my garage in Austin TX. Now my garage is well sealed and insulated (rockwool and zip R sheathing), so it stays in the upper 40's even on the coldest days and in the upper 80's on the hottest days (unless I'm working in my shop and have the door open). Has worked great and I love it, but evidently the Gen 5 units seem to have some big noise issues. It does do a pretty good job of providing some cooling (hence why he garage is in the 80's when it's 100 out) and a lot of dehumidification.
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