After receiving conflicting answers from two installers, a homeowner turned to Reddit for advice on a seemingly simple question: How much room does a heat pump water heater need?
The homeowner was looking to replace their electric water heater, which was located in a bedroom closet. Ideally, they wanted a heat pump water heater as the replacement, which makes sense given that these appliances can result in significant energy savings each month.
Their upfront costs may also be lower than you'd first think, thanks to tax credits and rebates that could save up to 30% on the purchase and installation of a heat pump water heater, such as those from LG.
However, when this homeowner asked salespeople about that, they received very different answers.
"One says a heat pump hybrid water heater would work fine. The other says no because heat pump water heaters need venting and the closet won't provide enough fresh air," the OP wrote. "Any insight into this?"
Responses from the r/heatpumps subreddit were also mixed, with most saying the space is likely too small for such a water heater to work properly but some saying they've had their heat pump water heaters in similarly sized spaces with no problems.
These appliances work by capturing heat from ambient air and using that to provide a steady flow of hot water. This makes them more energy-efficient and cleaner to use than traditional water heaters that burn dirty energy.
This is why they need space in which to operate. Without enough ambient air, they could struggle to generate enough heat.
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EnergyStar notes that manufacturers typically require heat pump water heaters to be able to access 450 or 700 cubic feet of free air space to work as efficiently as possible.
"They don't need venting to outside," one Reddit commenter wrote, "but they do need access to a decent amount of indoor air, and this ain't it."
Still, for those who have the space, upgrading to a heat pump water heater can provide comfort, energy efficiency, and monthly savings. LG's offerings include a wide variety of energy-efficient water heaters that can help keep you warm while bringing your energy bills down.
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