July 11, 2019
If you’ve been looking for ways to keep your home in Southern Maine comfortable year-round while lowering heating costs, you may have heard a thing or two about heat pumps. Heat pumps provide ultra energy efficient heating and cooling by moving heat from one place to another — and they’re powerful enough to tackle even Maine’s notoriously cold winters.
A heat pump is a great option for efficiently keeping the air in your home comfortable, but have you thought about how you can efficiently heat the water in your home? A heat pump water heater (also known as a hybrid water heater) offers benefits similar to those of a heat pump — only those benefits are for your water! With the $750 Efficiency Maine rebate now available, this is a great time to consider moving to a heat pump water heater.
How Heat Pump Water Heaters Work
Just like heat pumps and ductless mini-splits, heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) provide heat by absorbing heat from the air. Unlike heat pumps (mini-splits), which have an outdoor unit that absorbs the heat from outside, a heat pump water heater is absorbing the heat from the air in the space where the water heater is located. After absorbing ambient heat, the HPWH releases that heat into the water tank. A HPWH may run in heat pump-only mode, electric-only mode, or hybrid mode; so it can also operate as an electric water heater if needed.
Heat pump water heaters are not to be confused with other types of water heaters:
Heat pump water heaters vs. conventional tank water heaters
Heat pump water heaters use electricity to efficiently heat water in a tank, while conventional tank water heaters use fossil fuels (or 2 x more electricity) to heat water in a tank.
Heat pump water heaters vs. electric water heaters
Heat pump water heaters and electric water heaters both run on electricity, but heat pump water heaters are twice as efficient because they utilize already-existing heat to heat water.
Heat pump water heaters vs. on-demand (tankless) water heaters
Again, heat pump water heaters efficiently heat water in a tank. On the other hand, tankless water heaters (which may run on fossil fuels or electricity) only heat water as hot water is needed. Tankless water heaters are well-known as an energy efficient water heating option — and they can be great for large families or homes that stay vacant for extended periods of time — but they are still not as efficient as heat pump water heaters.
The Benefits of a Heat Pump Water Heater
If you currently heat your water using oil, propane, or natural gas, chances are you would benefit by making the switch to a heat pump water heater. Heat pump water heaters offer a number of advantages, including:
Ultra energy efficient water heating
Lower annual water heating costs
Reduced reliance on fossil fuels
An Efficiency Maine rebate of $750 for reduced installation costs
Wondering how much money a heat pump water heater could save you on annual water heating costs? Here’s an example: our founder, Ann Goggin, used to own an on-demand propane water heater. After switching to a heat pump water heater, she found that she saved $500 per year on water heating!
Learn More About Heat Pump Water Heaters with Goggin Energy
As Maine’s premier authority on heat pumps, we enjoy helping homeowners in York, Cumberland, and Sagadahoc Counties understand the benefits of heat pump water heaters. We install top quality HPWHs from trusted manufacturers, like the AO Smith Vortex, and the Bradford White Aerotherm. We also apply for all of the Efficiency Maine rebates for you so you get the best price with no extra paperwork.
If you have questions about heat pump water heaters or think it may be time to replace the water heater in your home, get in touch with our team!