heat-pump type water heater

[RustyShackleford]

I need a new water heater, due to a remodel. I like gas, but I'm having a lot of trouble figuring out a good location, because of venting.

I'm wondering about a heat-pump style one. I've been discouraged from tankless due to reliability and parts availability issues. I'm wondering if the heat-pump style suffers from the same concerns. I'm guessing not, since space-heating heat-pumps are pretty commonplace.

I like the cost-efficiency of gas, but I'm thinking a heat-pump style might actually be very efficient for me. In the winter I heat with wood a lot, with gas making up the remainder. So that's pretty cheap heat the pump is pulling from my air. And in summer, of course, the thing is actually helping to cool the house.

Of course, the above assumes it's in the heated living space, which brings me to the question - how loud are they ?

Also, I guess they're more expensive, and I doubt they last longer, since it appears that tank life tends to be the limiting factor.

Thanks.

 

[phishfood]

We have installed quite a few of the GE Geosprings. We have had a couple of problems with them, but since they were brand new we had the manufacturer's tech come out and fix them.

They are somewhat noisy, you definitely don't want to locate them in a bedroom. And they require air exchange with a large room, so you can't stick them in a closet with a solid door.

 

[RustyShackleford]

They are somewhat noisy, you definitely don't want to locate them in a bedroom. And they require air exchange with a large room, so you can't stick them in a closet with a solid door.

Say no more. I think I'll try to make the direct-vent gas work somehow.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Say no more. I think I'll try to make the direct-vent gas work somehow.

Actually, I'm thinking conventional (old-fashioned) electric may be the way to go. LP has gone up so much faster than electricity here, that using the conversion factor of 27 kwh equals one gallon of LP, it's about break-even. But since electricity is so much more efficient (not only because gas doesn't burn with anything near perfect efficiency, but because electric heaters are much better insulated, since there is no flue), the electric is actually quite a bit cheaper. More so when you half that per-kwh cost with the peak-billing program I just signed up for (just need a timer to make sure it stays off during peak).

Maybe a condensing gas one would change things a little, and though quieter than the heat-pump one I'm guessing, likely still too noisy for my situation.

 

[teganiqbal]

I'm wondering about a heat-pump style one. I've been discouraged from tankless due to reliability and parts availability issues. I'm wondering if the heat-pump style suffers from the same concerns. I'm guessing not, since space-heating heat-pumps are pretty commonplace. and heat pups is very costly.

 

[RustyShackleford]

I'm wondering about a heat-pump style one. I've been discouraged from tankless due to reliability and parts availability issues. I'm wondering if the heat-pump style suffers from the same concerns. I'm guessing not, since space-heating heat-pumps are pretty commonplace. and heat pups is very costly.

Looks like maybe you quoted my earlier message but your post didn't get through.

I have decided to go with a simple old-fashioned electric resistance water heater. I did not like any of the more efficient options, and the MUCH lower cost means I can put that money towards solar electric panels at some point. The killer for heat-pump style for me was the noise.

 

[KULTULZ]

We have installed quite a few of the GE Geosprings.

They are somewhat noisy, you definitely don't want to locate them in a bedroom. And they require air exchange with a large room, so you can't stick them in a closet with a solid door.

...hmmpf...

2nd factoid of the day...