For much of the past few decades, the focus in the water heater industry has been on tank vs tankless. Both of these water heater types have their advantages, and both have their disadvantages. Now, though, the choice is no longer about one or the other. Read on to find out more about heat pump water heaters, and the advantages that they can offer you.
What is a Heat Pump Water Heater?
A heat pump water heater is a tank water heater that combines the advantages of both tank and tankless varieties. There is an evaporator coil located on the top of a heat pump water heater storage tank. During operation, this coil evaporates refrigerant to absorb thermal energy from the air around the tank. There is a condenser coil located inside the storage tank, which condenses the refrigerant gas after it has collected the heat from outside the unit. This vents the collected heat into the water in the tank, helping to heat it. An electric heating element supplements the system’s heating efforts.Advantages of Heat Pump Water Heaters
Tank water heaters are known for being able to provide quite a lot of output, but at the cost of energy efficiency. Tankless water heaters are the opposite; they’re more energy efficient but less able to cope with high levels of demand. Heat pump water heaters are the perfect mix. They save energy by using ambient thermal energy instead of combusting fuel for heat, but they store enough water that they can cope with a lot of demand without becoming exhausted. If you’re in the market for a new water heater, and you want the best of both worlds, consider installing a heat pump water heater today.Magnolia Plumbing, Heating & Cooling offers a full range of heat pump water heater installation services throughout Washington, DC.
