Reduce hot water heating costs with a heat pump water heater, Australian home advice

Reduce Your Hot Water Heating Costs

23 Feb 2021

In most homes, heat pumps are used for heating or cooling purposes. Very few people realize that air to water heat pumps are cost effective and can save you money on your bills. A heat pump is basically a refrigerator in reverse, it takes heat from the environment and transfers the heat into the system it’s trying to heat up.

How do heat pump water heaters work?

The water heaters utilize electricity to move heat from one to other place, but they don’t directly generate heat. They are two to three times more energy-efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters. In fact, to make matters simpler, you can consider heat pumps to be refrigerators that work in reverse.

Let’s try to understand this comparison. A refrigerator takes heat from inside a box and dissipates it into the surrounding area. On the other hand, a heat pump water heater pulls heat from the surrounding air and dumps it into the water tank to heat it. The heat dumped into the tank of water is higher. The heat pumps have only one limitation – they can be installed only in places with an average temperature of 40 to 90 degrees F throughout.

There should also be at least 1000 cubic feet of air space around the heater. You can make arrangements so that the cool exhaust air is exhausted to the room or outdoors. Heat pump water heaters don’t work efficiently in a cool place, and ideally, you should install them in a heated space like a furnace room. The best part is installing a combination of air source heat pumps that combine cooling, heating, and water heating.

Cost-saving

Heat pump water systems usually have higher initial costs than conventional water heaters. However, their operating costs are very low, which makes up for the high installation costs. This is the reason that over a long period of time, you will get three tasks from a single device without spending too much money. We all know that air conditioning in summers and heating systems in winters cost a lot, but heat pump water heaters can be used for space cooling in summers and space heating in winters. This also saves the cost of installing different systems for the same.

Proper installation and maintenance

Like any other device, a heat pump water heater also requires regular maintenance. If the device’s installation and maintenance are done correctly, it will work in a very energy-efficient manner. The proper installation of a heat pump depends not only on the professional installing it but also on the fuel type, climate, local building code requirement, and safety factors. It is necessary to hire a qualified plumbing and heating contractor to install your heat pump.

When you are selecting the installer, you should check the following things. Ask for a cost estimate in writing, ask for references, check the company with the BBB or a similar organization. Regular maintenance of the water heater can extend the water heater’s life and minimize the loss of efficiency. It is also necessary to read the owners’ manual thoroughly to understand how to use it. If still in doubt, consult your plumbing and heating contractor.

Using energy-saving strategies

You can also make your system more energy-efficient by using some additional energy-saving strategies to lower your water heating bills. There are several energy-saving devices available in the market that will make the system more energy-efficient if installed along with your heat pump water heater. You will also end up saving much more in terms of fuel costs.

If you have decided to install a heat pump water heater in your home, it is not advisable to rely completely on professional contractors. You should make it a point to understand the system yourself, so that you don’t get hoodwinked by any unscrupulous elements. Consult the contractor, of course, and then conduct some research on the internet to understand heat pump water heaters and their installation.

So, go ahead and install an energy efficient heat pumps and get the best performance. As mentioned above, the USP of this system is that it can be used to heat and cool spaces equally well. Simultaneously, it is energy-efficient and can add to the energy saved by installing simple devices available in the market.

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