One homeowner living in the Gulf South region surveyed the r/heatpumps subreddit to learn what other homeowners' experiences were when switching from a gas water heater to a heat pump water heater.
"Any reduction on your electric/gas bill?" the OP wondered as they balanced the pros and cons of replacing their 20-year-old water heater with a heat pump water heater.
Heat pump water heaters are more energy efficient than gas water heaters for heating water, as the technology involved in heat pumps allows the appliance to source heat from the surrounding indoor environment, as opposed to generating heat from gas combustion processes. As long as the heat pump is used in climates where temperatures are always above freezing, heat pump water heaters can source and move heat from the surrounding air to heat water.
Compared to gas water heaters, heat pump water heaters use significantly less energy to achieve water heating, which can help homeowners save money on energy bills. Additionally, switching over from gas combustion to heat pump water heating technology reduces air pollution of heat-trapping gases that contribute to rising planet temperatures.
Some heat pump water heaters, like Cala, go above and beyond. Cala's heat pump water heater intelligently optimizes water heating based on your household's water usage patterns, heating water exactly when it's needed. This customizable heating function could save homeowners additional energy on water heating.
The upfront cost of purchasing and installing a heat pump water heater may cause some hesitation in homeowners, as gas water heaters are less expensive to buy and install. However, tax credits available through the Inflation Reduction Act can save homeowners 30% on the installation of a qualifying heat pump water heater — that is up to $2,000 on this home appliance upgrade.
These IRA incentives may not be around forever, though, as President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress have consistently mentioned doing away with these subsidies.
The OP calculated that if they did the installation themselves and took advantage of current rebates, installing a new heat pump water heater would cost about $1,000 for the entire project.
Depending on local electricity prices, running a heat pump water heater could be more expensive than gas water heaters in some cases.
However, if paired with solar, it could cost you almost nothing to heat water with a heat pump water heater. EnergySage has a free tool to help homeowners compare quotes from local solar installers, which has saved homeowners up to $10,000 on solar installations.
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What is stopping you from upgrading to a heat pump system?
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The cost of installation 💵 One commenter, living in Tennessee, testified that their appliance upgrade from a 50-gallon electric water heater to an 80-gallon heat pump water heater brought substantial savings to their energy bills. "My power bill lowered by $50-60 every month."
Another commenter, located in Denver, explained that they had switched their old gas water heater to a heat pump water heater for their household of four: "It's a couple hundred dollars in savings every year based on my utility rates. It's one of the highest ROI energy saving projects I've done."
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