A properly sized heat pump water heater is more likely to meet your household’s needs and your savings goals. To know how big a tank you need, it helps to understand the amount of hot water you use during times of high demand, along with ways to take advantage of the heat pump’s efficiency when the water heater is recovering.
Considerations
- The number of people and the ages of any children in the household, along with their typical usage patterns, will allow you to choose a heat pump water heater that provides enough hot water to meet demand during peak usage.
- Weigh the potential benefit of upsizing to a larger tank. You may be able to leverage the efficiency of the heat pump and reduce the likelihood of the water heater using the backup electric elements, which will drastically reduce efficiency.
When to Upsize
If your hot water usage approaches the water heater’s first hour rating, a best practice is to size up from a 50-gallon standard electric tank to a 65-gallon heat pump water heater, or from 65 gallons to 80 gallons. This will ensure that the heat pump is the primary heat source for your hot water. This works because it’s far less expensive to keep a few extra gallons of water hot using the heat pump than it is to use the electric elements to keep up with demand.
Why size up? Compared to standard electric tanks, hybrid water heaters rely less on inefficient heating elements to keep up with demand. Upgrade to a hybrid with a larger tank to take advantage of increased efficiency and cost savings.
What About Cost?
Although larger tanks offer better efficiency and can ensure your household has enough hot water to keep up with demand, sizing up means a larger upfront cost. Keep in mind that regardless of what size you choose, a heat pump water heater will ultimately save you money versus a standard electric water heater. ENERGY STAR® estimates that a family of four will save $550 a year by choosing a heat pump water heater, which adds up to $5,610 over its lifetime. (And don’t forget local utility rebates and tax incentives which are only available for heat pump water heaters.)
If you have questions about what size heat pump water heater is the best fit for your home and how much you can save, reach out to a knowledgable installer.
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