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From the Field
How these efficient units work, the room they need, and whether a mountain winter makes them a bad fit for your house.
Short answer: A heat pump water heater moves heat from the air around it into the tank instead of making heat directly, so it can use less electricity. It needs a space that stays between 40 and 90 degrees year-round with plenty of air around it.
You may have seen heat pump water heaters promoted as a way to cut hot water costs. They are real, and ENERGY STAR certifies many models. But a mountain house in North Georgia is not the same as a mild-climate home, so where the unit goes matters as much as which unit you buy.
Not sure your room is big or warm enough?
Text Ryan a photo of where the water heater sits. He answers his own phone.
A standard electric water heater makes heat with a heating element. A heat pump unit works more like a refrigerator in reverse. It pulls heat out of the air around it and moves that heat into the water. Because it moves heat instead of making it, it can use less electricity for the same hot water. ENERGY STAR describes them as highly efficient for that reason.
ENERGY STAR notes that in cold conditions these units may switch to a backup standard electric mode, which increases energy use during those months.
ENERGY STAR says the unit should sit in an interior space that stays between 40 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit all year, with about 1,000 cubic feet of air space around it. Different makers list different minimums, so the manual for the exact model controls. As a picture, 1,000 cubic feet is roughly a 10 by 10 foot room with a 10 foot ceiling.
Ellijay and the ridges around it get hard freezes, as our post on winterizing pipes explains. A heat pump unit in a basement that stays above freezing may do fine. One in an uninsulated crawl space will not. ENERGY STAR notes these units generally do not operate as efficiently in colder spaces.
There is a plus in summer. ENERGY STAR says that in hot, humid periods the unit can help cool and dehumidify the space around it. The flip side is that it can cool a space you wanted warm. Putting one in a room next to your living area may make that room colder.
Heat pump units hold their water in a tank, so the same well and sediment care applies as with any tank heater. See our maintenance checklist. If your family uses a lot of hot water, ask about tank size, since a bigger tank means fewer times the backup mode runs. Our sizing guide helps.
Ryan repairs, replaces and installs tank and tankless water heaters. If you are weighing a heat pump unit, call or text him and describe your space. He can look at it, tell you plainly what he sees, and give you a free estimate before any work. The work is backed by a warranty, with terms given in writing at the estimate. Do not assume he installs any particular brand. Ask about the model you have in mind.
"I had my water heater fail and fill my basement with water. Ryan replaced my water heater with a tankless and repaired my main water shut off valve the next working day. The work was done beautifully, quickly and the area cleaned up neatly when he was done. Super fair pricing as well."
They run best in a space that stays between 40 and 90 degrees. In colder air, they usually switch to electric backup, which uses more power.
ENERGY STAR says about 1,000 cubic feet of air around the unit, though makers list different minimums. Check the manual for the model.
It can cool the room it sits in. In summer that can feel nice. In winter you may notice it.
Usually not, unless the maker allows ducting. Closets tend to be too small for the air a heat pump unit needs.
It can in the right space, but it is an electric unit, so you need a power circuit. Ask a plumber and an electrician about your panel.
Ryan installs water heaters, tank and tankless. Call or text him and tell him the model and the room, and he will tell you what he can do.
Call or text Ryan with a photo of the room. He gives a free estimate, and you know the price before any work starts.