A new apartment heat pump water heater was supposed to cut energy use, not rattle nerves.
But on the r/heatpumps subreddit, one owner said a newly installed GE unit was "very noisy," and commenters suggested the sound indicated a problem rather than normal operation.
What happened?
A Reddit user said the GE PH50S10BNY heat pump water heater they had professionally installed was making very loud sounds from a closet near the middle of their two-bedroom apartment. They shared a video, and they weren't lying.
Replies to the post largely agreed that the noise in the video was not typical. The top response was blunt: "No, that's not normal. It sounds like the fan blade is hitting something."
A separate commenter who said they had dealt with a similar problem added that GE support had been responsive. They guessed it was the fan or the shroud.
Why does it matter?
Heat pump water heaters are typically marketed as money-saving upgrades. In many homes, switching from a standard electric resistance model can reduce water-heating costs and save big on energy bills. That's one reason more households are making the move.
The story, though, reflects a tension in home electrification. The savings can be compelling, but a bad installation, defect, or poor setup can quickly sour the experience.
Some commenters noted that putting the unit in standard electric resistance mode could stop the noise. But that would be just a temporary measure. The owner paid for a heat pump water heater, so bypassing the efficiency benefits would not justify the added cost.
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The thread also captured some of the skepticism that still surrounds the technology. One commenter was sharply critical of the tech, though they faced pushback from the sub.
The original poster did provide a positive update on the saga.
"The installer was awesome, immediately contacted the distributor and identified that this is a known issue in this specific batch of water heaters," they revealed. "Came out and replaced the blower and now everything is functioning normally. Wahoo!"
That's great news to hear.
When heat pump water heaters work as intended, they can help households lower energy use and utility bills while reducing reliance on less efficient electric resistance heating. But confidence in the technology can erode quickly when something appears to go wrong.
What can I do?
If a new heat pump water heater seems unusually loud like the OP's, document the issue, contact the manufacturer, and ask the installer to inspect fan clearance, mounting, airflow, and shipping damage before assuming the technology itself is the problem.
One heat pump company to look into is Cala, which manufactures smart heat pump water heaters. These pieces of tech can allow you to decrease your water energy bills by learning your habits and heating water exactly when you need it. Cala's cutting-edge tech optimizes your hot water to make sure you're paying for the hot water you need and want, and not more.
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