If your old water heater is dying, it's time to start looking for a new one. There are all kinds of water heaters that you can choose from. One kind that you may not have heard of is a heat pump water heater. 

Heat Pump Water Heater

A heat pump water heater works in the same way that a heat pump that heats a house does. Instead of generating heat that goes into the water, a heat pump absorbs heat from its surroundings and then sends it into the water, heating it. The hot water tank of a heat pump water heater has a coil that runs along the inside which transfers the heat into the water. 

Benefits to Using a Heat Pump Water Heater

One benefit of using a heat pump water heater is that they are less expensive and more efficient to use. Any time a temperature change needs to happen it takes a lot of energy to do it. So, using a traditional water heater is expensive because it needs to generate each degree of heat. Moving heat around is a much more efficient way to do it. Installing the water heater in a hot area of your house will really help the heat pump to work better. 

Heat pump water heaters can also be installed as part of a heat pump heating and cooling system. 

Drawbacks to Using a Heat Pump Water Heater

One of the drawbacks to using a heat pump water heater is that they need to have plenty of air space around them. Since they absorb heat from the air around them, if there isn't enough space for air to circulate, the water heater won't get enough heat to heat the water. 

Another drawback is that they aren't for use in every location. If you live in an area that tends to have colder temperatures, you may not be able to really use them. There just won't be enough heat in the air around water heater for it to turn into hot water. Ideally, you want to make sure that a heat pump water heater is installed in an area that stays at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit. 

A new water heater is a major investment in your house. It's something that will be used for years in your home. You want to make sure that you get something that will last for years and will be as efficient as possible. A heat pump water heater can be that choice.