Sacramento Heat Pump Water Heaters
Talk To A Water Heater Expert 24/7 At 916-448-2113
Water Heaters Only, Inc has been specializing in water heaters for 54 years and has been a leader in the Sacramento Area water heater market since 1968. We’ve been getting a lot of queries concerning heat pump water heaters lately, thanks to the recent imposition of a ban on the sale of all natural gas-fired water heater equipment by 2030. Some of the most often asked questions about heat pump water heaters include, “How does a heat pump water heater work?” “What if my Sacramento Area home’s temperature is too cold for a heat pump water heater?” And “would this appliance help me save energy?”
In this post, we will touch on each of these questions and go into detail on why these Sacramento heat pump water heaters are going to be an important part of creating a greener earth for future generations.
What Is A Heat Pump And How Does It Work?
A heat pump is a type of device that transfers heat from one medium to another. In this case, it uses electricity to move heat from the ambient air around your water heater and it places it into the water that is inside of the water heater. It does this by using a lower voltage fan to intake the air that is around the water heater and transfers the heat to an “evaporator” which is essentially just a series of refrigerant-filled tubes in a closed loop system.
When the air is pulled in through the fan, the heat is then transferred to the refrigerant. This happens through the second law of thermodynamics, this law basically states that heat will direct itself toward an object that is colder than itself.
So as the refrigerant gets heated through the heat being taken from the air, it gets turned into a gas and that gas flows through the closed loop system and that is how the water is heated when using the heat pump 100%
Is Sacramento A Good Place For A Heat Pump Water Heater?
Ideally, Sacramento is a great city to have a heat pump water heater. This is because most heat pump water heaters operate best at temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sacramento, CA. generally stays well within the optimal temperature range of use for most of the year due to its Mediterranean climate. However during the winter time, the temperatures drop well below the 40 Degree mark in the evenings, and the heat pump water heater will then go into “Hybrid Mode” which means that it uses both electricity like a standard electric water heater, and the heat pump. If the temperatures are constantly below 40 degrees it is recommended that you put your heat pump water heater in electric-only mode. This will make your water heater operate just like a regular electric water heater.
Another great feature of most air source heat pump water heaters is that they have a “Vacation Mode”. This is in place to ensure that you will be able to save energy on heating water when you go out of town.
With a lot of newer hybrid or heat pump water heaters, they have an app that you can download to your phone and you can easily switch between the different modes that your water heater has to offer. This way you can save energy and money by not recirculating water at times when it will not be used.
Will This Appliance Actually Save Energy?
The short answer is absolutely yes. Everything about these water heaters is made for efficiency. The low voltage fans that draw the warm air into the water heater save you the most amount of energy. This is because the fans are the main part of the HPWH that requires electricity when in Heat Pump Mode and because they are low voltage they are going to cut your energy usage by 75% when only utilizing the heat pump.
Plus, one of the main reasons why heat pumps are becoming popular amongst Californians is because the California Air Resources Board has placed a ban on the sales of gas-powered air and water heating devices starting in 2030. This has a lot of Californians concerned because gas is generally the most affordable resource we have to run our homes and prices of electricity seem to be skyrocketing. Thankfully these heat pump water heaters are here to save the day and keep operating costs low.
The biggest thing that keeps customers from getting a heat pump water heater installed is the initial upfront cost of the tank. Fortunately, there are many rebates that are offered by the State of California that make it so the cost of an HPWH comes out to be around the same price as a traditional water heater or even less in some situations. Click here to see rebates you may be qualified for in your area.
If you have any questions about whether or not a heat pump water heater is a good fit for your home, give us a call at 1-916-448-2113. Our expert staff is ready to take your call 24/7 to answer your water heater questions.