2024 Top 7 Heat Pump Water Heaters Compared

[@grandepatron]

Love these type of videos without sponsors. And checking out most of the manufacturers. Great job Matt.

[@accountability2000]

Agree!

[@spyrule]

I have the Rheem 50G heatpump tank (240v), and so far, I've only had 1 scenario where I ran out of water. My plumber was fixing another, unrelated plumbing issue, and ran my hot water at full blast for almost 1/2hr, while we had a dishwasher, and shower running. We ran out of hot water. This is the only time its happened. For those who complain about a cold basement in the winter, install a vent kit for your exhaust side. I did this on my tank, with a flap that I can redirect the cold air inside in the summer, and outside during the winter. It only drops the temps in that room by 1-2'c during the winter. During the summer, it helps reduce my cooling load on my heat pump hvac unit.

[@travelfeet]

We have an A.O smith hybrid water heater (required a 221v connection 🙂) that I installed myself about 5 years ago to replace a leaky gas unit. It's a 50 gallon (46 actual) in a 2 person household and has been rock solid. It has run on econ mode for all but one week when I flipped it to hybrid when we had several houseguests. It does cool down the basement in the winter to the extent I added a door to close off the finished half (when I work from home) for comfort. The dehumidification in the summer is a great benefit. As a careful and practiced DIYer, I am disappointed that the American made AeroTherm units are not available direct to consumers.

[@cannotgetstarted]

We have the same one and only switch the Electric/Hybrid with guests or if we are in a freeze here in Texas. We don't want it competing with our outdated heat pump for the home. The laundry room it is in is VERY cold in comparison to the rest of the house.

[@MrWoodward42]

@travelfeet While it does draw ambient heat from your basement to warm your water, you can at least vent the resulting cold air outside in the winter time and keep the cool air in the summer time. Best of both worlds! There's even a $20 device that already can do this for you. Just look up "Deflecto Dryer Heat Diverter"

[@Ed-jg3ud]

Would love to see this same video for mini split heat pump air conditioners

[@featherman9]

I installed one in a friends place in his basement. He operates a pretty hefty home network, as well as a variety of smart devices from a small room which would get pretty hot. We ran a supply and return duct from that networking closet to the utility room where the new water heater was at. The network room now is in the low 60s which extends the life of the hardware, makes them more efficient, and the water heater also runs more efficiently.

[@huckbeduck]

Perfect pairing!

[@revealingfacts4all]

Which one or brand & model? I'm interested in replacing the one in my Florida garage to cool off garage...

[@KentWimmer]

The SanCO2 is the quietest HPWH at 37 decibels. We installed a SanCO2 83 gal system in the garage with the heat pump hanging on the wall next to the tank to keep pipe runs short, cools the garage and the coils stay clean. It replaced a gas water heater and we have hotter water and more of it. It's a great system.

[@DeuceDeuceBravo]

Good idea. I need to look into that. My problem with the SANCO2 is that I don't have anywhere "hidden" to put the actual heat pump, but the garage could work.

[@default7950]

That sounds awesome! Would not have thought you could wall mount that "outside" unit, but if it is only 37 decibels then keeping it in the garage makes way more sense. How much does it weigh and what kind of ceiling height do you think would be required to mount it over an 83 gallon tank?

[@KentWimmer]

@@default7950 The HP weighs 108 lbs so it takes 2 to lift. HP and tank must be at least two feet horizontally apart, and due to pipe runs the HP can't be directly over the tank. The 83 gal tank is 69" tall. Although quiet, when mounted on drywall w/o insulation, the HP transmits a slight vibration to the interior when running (like a air handler in the attic but without the sound). Check out my article with a picture of my set up - search kent-wimmer-bringing-the-heat-as-part-of-the-clean-energy-generation.

[@hickorydragon8114]

It’s twice as much $ as Rheem

[@KentWimmer]

@@hickorydragon8114 Yes it is, but I am willing to take the gamble that it will last twice as long and require less maintenance and service over its life. Ultimately my decision balanced on I could not find any plumber or HVAC company in my city. You have to use a Rheem technician to service a Rheem HPWH requiring a service call from a couple of hours away. Plus I will get the full $2000 tax credit whereas if I had installed a Rheem my tax credit would have been half of reducing the effective cost difference.

[@generallyhelpfulsoftware646]

I’ve an 80 gallon Rheem in my basement in New Hampshire. During the winter, it drives the basement down to about 50°F, which is fine unless we have guests. Then, the app comes out and I switch it over to electric resistive mode which is quiet and doesn’t cool the area down. Yes, it uses literally 3× as much energy but the space becomes livable. In the summer, it keeps the basement cool and dry but is still a bit noisy.

[@danielbeadle4384]

I’m in NH as well. We currently only use our basement for storage but I need to run a dehumidifier year round (certainly less so in the winter). Does your unit replace the need for a dehumidifier?

[@generallyhelpfulsoftware646]

@@danielbeadle4384 Yes the previous owner commented on how much better it smells. The heat is poor man’s geothermal as the basement has a natural ‘warmth’ if 52° can be called warmth.

[@sbernhard83]

I have a Rheem 50 gallon HPWH in my basement in VA that definitely cools the basement “work room” area where it’s located. I have a Mitsubishi 9K BTU air to air mini split in the finished side that keeps the rest of the basement warm and offsets the cooling from the water heater. One thing to note is that the water heater doesn’t produce much condensate (doesn’t provide much dehumidification) unless the humidity is close to 60%. I still need to run a dedicated dehumidifier.

[@candycornpeeps]

How cold is the air coming out of it? Here in California during the super hot summer this sounds like a win win.

[@grampy7822]

@@danielbeadle4384 I also live in NH and the heat pump hot water heater does cool the room down in the winter but the basement no longer needs dehumidifying in the summer....so the dehumidifier went out along with its electric bill. Heat pump AC/Heat in the rest of the house. BTW Solar is also on the house so we produce enough year round and only pay a "supply" fee to our electric provider of about $13 a month.

[@davidhoover2446]

Matt, the way the inverter model would work is that if the compressor isn’t running at maximum the efficiency will be higher since then the coils are oversized. Turbo mode just runs it at the highest speed it can handle which isn’t nearly as efficient. It’s like how a mini split type A/C is 40% more efficient running in that let’s say, 20-60% or 80% range, then is less efficient at it’s 100% output rating. Fan speed on the evaporator side makes an efficiency difference also.

[@soulofjacobeh]

Some of the inverter units can even temporarily exceed their long-term 100% output rating, upwards of 10-20%. In other words, it could run at 120% duty cycle for however long (I'd imagine less than an hour, surely less than 2 before derating back to 100%).

[@davidhoover2446]

I have a Rheem 50 gallon 3.55 efficiency. I’d buy it all over again. Everyone house I’ve lived in I’ve ran out of hot water many times! The design of this water is excellent in that we never run out of hot water. I run it at 125 degrees in heat pump mode and we can do 2 long showers at the same time no problem. I only had it happen once, but one time I accidentally had the washer, dishwasher, and shower going at the same time. I ran out of hot, but it kicked on the elements and recovered the hot while I was showering. I found that incredible.

[@mattbrew11]

So do you never run out of hot water or has it happened? 🙄

[@donyemonroe4577]

Standard water heater or hybrid ??

[@shubinternet]

Dishwashers should be connected to the cold line, not the hot. They should have their own internal heater that is independently powered. So, that shouldn’t impact the load on your hot water heater.

[@buddyrevell511]

Matt, wifi is not just for vacation home or "owning multiple properties". Some people travel a lot and are not home for weeks or even months at a time. I had a job for which I flew somewhere every single Monday, returning on a Thursday or Friday. Rarely did I have a weekend at home. A different job I had sent me to other countries for weeks at a time. If you live alone or no one is home, your primary residence is vulnerable to unchecked plumbing issues. Also, if I own rental properties I would want to be able to keep tabs on my equipment, especially if they are far away.

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

Be ware of squatters 😂

[@willyhoogs]

The CO2 in the sanco will not degrade like other refrigerants at the high heat and pressures sustained at the outlet of the compressor. So therefore they can increase the compression ratio without much risk to get hotter temps.

[@nickjudson1179]

In ultra low energy houses (like passive houses), the Sanden can also be used as a heat plant. This is a manufacturer supporter setup, and requires a Taco X-Block (which adds a few bucks). The Gen3 Sanden units make water up to 175F, but maybe the gen4 units only go to 150F. In-laws have a standard combined unit, and over Christmas with lots of guests the shroud over the compressor (top of tank) had so much condensation that it would run down the tank and trigger the automatic leak shut-off valve. Had to reset it multiple times.

[@bspanger1]

This is correct in some cases. The current generation Sanco2 produces hot water at 145-150F, and Eco2 Systems only supports use of a Taco X-Block in limited situations, where the minimum winter design temperature is 25F. Under these conditions, a heating load of between 8,000-10,000 btu/hr is supported if used in combination with DHW.

[@matt45540]

Thanks for a full follow-up video without a sponsorship, not that the other one was bad it's just nice to know there's no money

[@chaseweeks2708]

Wouldn't mind seeing a deep dive into geothermal heat pumps for both heating and domestic hot water.

[@w8stral]

Its identical, with the only difference being in stead of AIR being blown across its heat exchangers, it is pumped water from the ground.

[@chaseweeks2708]

@@w8stral other than it being a completely different piece of equipment with it's own set of considerations that are not exactly easy for an uninitiated home owner to research, yeah, identical...

[@w8stral]

Just working in reverse, identical machines otherwise @@chaseweeks2708

[@kenseyx]

Indeed, either geothermal and regular air based heatpumps. If you have a new construction, I'd think combining hot water + water based underfloor heating via a single heat pump assembly is the way to go. And this is the way how things are done in high energy efficiency places like Germany these days. Would love to hear the considerations by Matt and what systems he would recommend that are available in the US.

[@billlacount8391]

The tricky part of geothermal is planning for the recharge rate - once you pull the heat out of the ground coil, how long does that heat take to replace? Varies with different soil conditions (clay vs sand/loam etc. and groundwater content)

[@Unjabbed71]

Brilliant. We live off the utility grid and have been expanding our solar electric system. Now we’re looking at replacing our propane water heater. Several of these units look to be ideal for us.

[@brianmellinger7981]

I real like 👍 the split unit I’m north of Chicago. Fixing my home for resale.

[@corystansbury]

I installed a RHEEM heat pump water heater back about 5-6 years ago. Thing just works and never has given me any issue. It's in my basement in Maine and it drops the basement about 5-8 degrees vs. not running. By no means the end of the world. I also lead a large portion of the pumped thermal energy storage technology which is a partnership between Westinghouse and Echogen Power Systems. We use supercritical CO2 to pump heat from freezing to around 350C (662F) with a COP around 2. It's an amazing technology.

[@slaveofjesus3878]

Increasing CO2 is greening the planet@@abel4776

[@dosadoodle]

​@@abel4776 Forget CO2, I'm worried there's a CO leak in your house.

[@Steve-bm2zm]

In Austin Texas you should have gone with a unit that puts the refrigerated air indoors. In Minnesota that sanCo2 would be great.

[@rdy4trvl]

I've had a Rheem 240v for 3+ years. Outstanding tech support - which is needed as most repair companies know nothing about these units. I recommend a 120V unit if you're in an area subject to power outages because it's easy to find a generator to power a 120v. One advantage I suspect most units have (including Rheem) is the ability to schedule heating times to correspond to lower power rates. However, the Rheems EcoNet app needs a makeover. The app is laggy, sometimes will not connect to the heater, and occasionally simply forgets to return to the scheduled program after any change (meaning no hot water).

[@jepito29]

They just came out with a new app a few days ago. It’s seems a lot better now

[@walnutcontractors5661]

@@jepito29 App store seems to say Rheem EcoNet 6.1.1, 3 weeks ago. What app are you using?

[@zzbloop]

One of the most important qualities of these is how they interface with your solar! Please include that in analysis.

[@marc-olivierblouin4709]

Great video. Would be nice to compare pricing!

[@95dodgev10]

Watching this as i refill my old water tank after cleaning it out and changing the elements 😋

[@KylePMoore]

A Wi-Fi connected feature is important to me to support my home automations. When I set my thermostat to vacation mode, my water heater automatically gets set to vacation mode as well. When I have guests visiting, the water heater automatically increases its temperature. When we are running low on hot water and someone enters the bathroom, Alexa will politely announce that we're running low on hot water and to please wait before taking a shower. Once I switch to a hybrid heat pump, I will automatically switch between heating modes based on the temperature in the basement and other factors. Wi-Fi is about more than just the iPhone app!

[@marlaplunk2833]

Great points.. although I had to laugh at the Alexa comment. And that you added the adjective "politely". lol. How does Alexa know someone is entering a bathroom?? o.O

[@BDD201]

I have time of day pricing for electricity, a working app can save me a lot of money.

[@gregglind]

What action connects the hot water level to Alexa? Which brand of heat pump supports this?

[@Chainyanker007]

@@marlaplunk2833 - Big Brother is watching.

[@MarkRose1337]

208 is often found in large buildings. It's the wye voltage on 240 volt three phase. What is wye voltage? It's the voltage between any two of the three phases, with neutral in the middle. Each phase gives 120 to neutral. So you end up with a 120/208 volt panel.

[@knitterliness]

I just had the AO HPTS-50 installed, and I can confirm that it is whisper quiet. I had heard that "heat pump water heaters are noisy" and saw a db test of the AO at 60db. So I paid extra to move my water heater out of the house into the garage--and it was absolutely not necessary. Standing right next to it, I could hardly hear it and my hearing is excellent. I can recommend this brand and model.

[@stevem1081]

A standard water heater 240v 4500 watt elements will work fine on a small 120v generator, now you will have to do a little moving of wires, but at 120v it will only pull 1125 watts/9.4 amps. Sure, it will take longer to heat, but it works. Also a 5500 watt element works fine on a small 120v generator, it would pull 1375 watts or 11.46 amps

[@matthewbeasley7765]

I do this during extended outages, even though I have a 8kW 120/240V generator. The 4,500W draw of the element uses too much of the generator output for connivence, so by moving it to 120V it drops the draw to 1100W.

[@stevem1081]

@@matthewbeasley7765 If you are feeding the generator to the main panel, then it is easy to just move 1 wire off the breaker for the water heater to the neutral. I have had master electricians say this won't work, telling me things like it would pull 2x the current. Sadly I guess they never learned Ohm's law.

[@matthewbeasley7765]

@@stevem1081 That's exactly what I do.

[@scottwillis5434]

One consideration with these setups is making sure that nobody non-technical or unfamiliar with the setup messes with them. Including kids, the elderly, any household member OR visitors who might flip a breaker or stick their hands in something (including when the lights have gone out and they are feeling their way around). I've back-fed a breaker panel from a generator without a transfer switch, however I can 100% rely on myself to ALWAYS turn off the main breaker before connecting the generator and turning its breaker on, and to turn off the generator breaker before disconnecting the generator and turning the main breaker back on. - No back-feeding the power line, perhaps shocking the power line workers or a neighbor, as well as stalling your generator. It's not too good for the generator either, especially if power is on and it's fighting incoming power. - No exposed live terminals.

[@kenkrick7596]

You should check out the Chiltrix heat pump. It provides domestic hot water but also hydronic heating and cooling capabilities, and it's crazy efficient!

[@pjm829]

I was hoping you would have reviewed the Vaughn heat pump model. It has hydro stone lining so it doesn't need an anode rod. It also helps keep the water hotter, longer.

[@bobmcnulty3500]

Matt do you know if they make a heat pump furnace/air conditioner that can connect to a water heater. Your split unit is taking warm air from outside to heat your water and your heat pump air conditioner is take hot air from your home and putting it outside. They should make one unit to combine these two things.

[@KentWimmer]

Samsung sells them in Asia and Europe but not in North America yet.

[@markwalker3880]

When a heat pump water heater is in the conditioned space, it's doing just that - outputting cooler air into the conditioned space. This reduces the overall cooling load for the house.

[@bobmcnulty3500]

@@markwalker3880 yes I understand all that but think of it this way. The outside temperature is 90 and your house is being air conditioned to say 70. Now the water heater is using 70 degree temps to heat the water and cooling the space say down another 5 degrees. Now imagine using the warm air from your air conditioner which is probably 90 degrees plus outside. This would save a lot of energy for your hot water heater and probably not bring the space around it down so much.

[@paulwilliams200]

The SanCo2 looks like a promising water heater for me 5b, East Coast Canada (growing zone) where the 99% temperature is > -20C (-4F). This type of heat pump would also be GREAT for underfloor heating. I look forward to more info. on this technology.

[@andreycham4797]

Garbage, outdated tech. It gives you only 50 percent of nominal capacity in cold climate . LG is coming with a decent water heater as well keep eye on Gree air to water heat pumps for cold climate. They are the leader in tech now

[@TheAngryTT]

Just wait till you see how much money it costs. Compare its monthly cost against an on demand unit and then how long it’s going to take to recoup that extra costs.

[@walnutcontractors5661]

@@TheAngryTT How much? The 80 gallon proterra units go for $3k CAD. Nice to have the simplicity of electric install (no chimney / no gas / no burners / no gas valve ). Not sure how long to expect a compressor to last though. Was happy to hear that Matt still has a proterra going from 2010?

[@allanmurphy7474]

I’ve got a Reem proterra 240 volt set at 120 degrees on energy saving mode incoming water 40 degrees and basement temperature at 60 degrees. For 2 people it is about $6.00 a month for hot water with 60 gal tank

[@mattbrew11]

I do tons of heat pumps with our solar projects. Have them in both my houses (one in FL one at 7000’ in colorado) and would never consider anything else personally

[@Eduard.Popa.]

Split units (with exterior unit and interior unit) like SunCO2 are the best !!!

[@steven7650]

I have a "50 gallon" rheem which is actually 46gallons. I put a mixing valve on it. Running at 140 I was able to get about 110Gallons out of it before it ran cold. Enough to fill a 6' jacuzzi tub 2x and take a shower. Also my wi-fi works perfectly well from the basement to the receiver on the 2nd floor. I hate wifi, but its actually handy I can turn it off remotely, and it notifies me if there's a leak or anything on the phone in real time, plus i see how much energy I've used.

[@zachlafond2652]

I have the same and have a mixing valve just haven't installed it yet.

[@pyroman590]

Man, your videos sure give me dejavu

[@Egleu1]

I thought I was having a stroke.

[@fetchjim]

We've had the Bradford White 65gal unit for almost three years here in New Hampshire. We've spent almost $900 on service calls (e.g. $500 in labor to diagnose and replace the controller board, which died under warranty). We have to use hybrid mode to speed up recovery time, so we are using much more electricity than expected (300+ kWh in December and January). And even in hybrid mode we sometimes run out of hot water. I estimate that we're saving about $400/year compared to the propane water heater we had previously, but especially considering the service issues it's unlikely the unit will pay for itself. I hope that other people's experience has been better.

[@LogansRun314]

Man I love this stuff. Thanks for the comparisons!

[@bradenabbott2707]

I'm sure you have talked about it before but the location of the install is very important. If it's in your hall closet making noise, or fighting against your furnace/heat source you have to take that into account. The split unit makes a lot of sense both for noise and for separation from your interior temp.

[@johnzach2057]

Here in Europe some of the really good monoblock Air to Water Heat pumps can not only heat water for your radiators but also directly heat DHW without a tank/buffer etc. Just heat on demand. Good stuff.

[@georgesalcedo298]

Harvest Thermal uses the SancO2 119 tank in their system. I'm currently researching installers for the Sanco2 119 in San Diego. That way, I can upgrade to harvest thermal at a later date. "Thanks for asking! It's Harvest here and excuse the long response. TLDR: our smart thermal battery (hydronic heating and hot water) with a second DX heat pump for cooling and auxiliary heat handles heating loads up to 4 tons and temperatures down to -25° F. We have systems installed in Portland OR and as far north as Edmonton, AB. The Harvest Pod, our proprietary controller, operates a CO2 air-to-water heat pump (SANCO2) when it’s most efficient and stores heat to 150°F in a water tank for distribution to the home through a hydronic air handler, and separately as domestic hot water whenever needed. The ability to shift the electric load of the air-to-water heat pump to when it's most efficient means customers save money on their monthly heating bills--both compared to both gas and to any other all-electric heating and hot water solution. For example in the Portland General Electric territory, Harvest operates the heat pump during off-peak times (just $.05/kWh), and uses stored heat when rates are high. (In addition to saving on monthly energy bills, customers like yours love operating when grid electricity is cleanest. Longer answer from our engineers: The SANCO2 heat pump delivers 12 kBTU/h down to 5° F and produces 150° F water down to -25° F, albeit at a reduced capacity. The hot water tank is used to buffer the heat pump so think of it as the SANCO2 trickle charging the tank and heating running off the tank + the SANCO2 at the same time. A fully hot tank is 60+ kBTU (depending on stratification), so the system can deliver 12 kBTU/h from storage + 12 kBTU/h from the SANCO2 = 24 kBTU/h for 5 hours then needs to recharge. Harvest Classic uses a single SANCO2 without backup and meets the needs of a 15 kBTU/h design load in Portland OR climate, which is a small or very efficient home. For most homes, Harvest is installed with supplemental heat or two SANCO2s. There are several options for supplemental heat: 1) Harvest Open is configured with an auxiliary DX heat pump for cooling and for supplemental heat up to 4 tons. The DX heat pump integrates with the same air handler (dual coil) and duct system and is controlled by the Harvest pod; 2) An electric resistance booster: this works well if the heating load is just over Classic'slimit, say 15-20 kBTU/h; 3) two SANCO2s for up to 30 kBTU/h (and more with a booster). The system prioritizes hot water so people never run out of domestic hot water. With a backup DX HP, the system will switch to the DX HP when the tank state of charge drops below the hot water reserve threshold until the SANCO2 recharges the tank. For systems installed without backup, i.e. homes with 15 kBTU/h or lower design loads, the Harvest pod will cut heat off temporarily until SANCO2 recharges the tank above the reserve threshold, typically for 15-30 minutes at a time. Most customers use the SANCO2 with a DX heat pump. This means two condensers, but that's also what you would need with a regular heat pump and heat pump water heater (HPWH). The difference is that we use the HPWH for hydronic heat and the DX heat pump for backup heat. The installation cost is a bit higher than a regular heat pump + HPWH due to the split HPWH but the system is eligible for 30% tax credit uncapped (like solar and batteries) which is a lot higher than the $2,000 for regular heat pumps. That typically offsets the installation cost difference, so customers get a high-end system with the lowest operating cost in the industry for the price of a regular heat pump + HPWH. More info: [www.harvest-thermal.com/product#for-contractors](www.harvest-thermal.com/product#for-contractors)"

[@jackcoats4146]

We have an AOSmith heat pump water heater and it is 220V, not 110V. Ours is a couple of years old. Our unit was replaced under warranty due to a coolant leak. We will not get a LOWE's install done, lots of extra overhead. AOSmith warranty support was great.

[@G4825]

Good luck when the warranty ends and trying to find someone to repair/ service. This is what has happened to me and my GE heat pump water heater.

[@ronniesciortino7587]

I'm building a new house and this is a very informative video. Well done! I wish you would have stated where the water inlets were on all models as you did the AO Smith. The LG model looks great and has great specs, however, being manufactured in China rules it out for me.

[@davidrenfro5756]

Can you need a comparison on the 2 in1 washer dryer hear pumps too!

[@matthelms4167]

He did a heat pump dryer that he has at his house - a Miele heat pump dryer. I have the same one and it’s great.

[@davidrenfro5756]

@matthelms4167 I know of the Miele but is a bit small at 4.2 cf. I'm leaning toward the ge 4.8 all in one at this time. I was leaning to a different water heater until he just showed me the American standard! Think I like the warranties there....seems cheaper then the one I was looking st too!

[@walternlivingston8607]

Yes. Two new good ones to review now on market - one from GE and another from LG.

[@davidrenfro5756]

@walternlivingston8607 oh yeah...just learned of the lg one. Bigger size but uses more power per load then the ge! LG has a physically smaller heat pump and only based on the 1 video I watched has probably a small resistance heater as well. That was only guessed by the guy that took the lg apart but makes sense as the lg pulls twice the kwh per load as the ge.

[@rickyspanish9625]

I still wanna see if you can get them to all disclose tank thickness and what their liner is made from.

[@neilmartinez143]

Great video. Thanks. So what’s your opinion on those 110V systems? Do they work well?

[@Encourageable]

The best way to look at the Tax Reduction Act tax credit is really 30%. So if the unit costs $2500 you’d get a $750 credit on your taxes. It just seems misleading (but technically accurate) to say up to $2000 because virtually no one is going to qualify for the full amount.

[@trustbuster23]

I don't get the logic of the split unit - you get FREE A/C and a FREE dehumidifier if you put the unit in your garage or, better yet, the conditioned part of the house. I have one of the older GE units, and whenever it is running it is essentially like running a small window AC unit. That is a whole lot of free A/C. In the winter you do end up making the furnace work a little harder, but unless you have electric resistance heat you are still saving a ton of money with these things even in the winter. Maybe if you live in Minnesota or Maine you'd want an outdoor unit, but for most people in the U.S. it is better to have it inside.

[@KentWimmer]

This past summer, I installed a SANCO2 HPWH in my garage hanging the heat pump on the wall next to the tank. It works wonderfully and cools the unconditioned garage when it runs.

[@tweake7175]

it depends on your climate. in a hot climate the indoor ones are great. in a cold climate your water heating is basically powered by the hvac system, so it may end up effectively being a very expensive gas hot water.. however you may still want an indoor unit due to freezing (water unit he has there) or use a proper split that doesn't use water on the outdoor unit. the splits are more suited to milder areas.

[@ravenousvisages]

I wonder if anyone has replaced a gable attic fan with the mini split fan end?

[@KentWimmer]

@@tweake7175 Yes. I live in Florida which makes it more efficient to run.

[@colinstu]

I could see that being useful in the north. Our basements get really cold and dry during winter... the last thing I need is is more cooling and dehum during that time. But yeah during the summer that would be great to have.

[@dosadoodle]

I'm staying away from LG. They've had issues with their compressors on fridges and are still facing lawsuits about it even after a settlement in 2018, so I'm worried they are cutting corners or that this isn't tech that they're good at producing.

[@jepito29]

Pretty sure it was just the “linear “ ones that had issues

[@Eldeibi84]

You’re right about the refrigerator issues, but LG makes good mini splits and heat pumps, I hope this is more related to their AC products but why take the chance I guess?

[@ryancook5063]

I have their washtower combo washer and dryer and have no complaints, works flawlessly.

[@buddyrevell511]

Never had a problem with an LG product.

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

You need to do your research before making such an ignorant comment. You’re talking about linear compressor used in LG refrigerators in the past. This has nothing to do with their water heaters.

[@ericwilliams4465]

Rheem makes the electric Marathon water heater that has a non corroding plastic tank. It’s a great water heater. So, why don’t they make a heat pump version? It would seem to make sense.

[@DeuceDeuceBravo]

The Aerotherm has the exact same filter setup, connections, controls and "quick start" guide as my old GE; even the wording is the GE font. 🤔 If it's a rebranding of the old GE that's not a bad thing - my old GE heat pump is still going strong after 12 years.

[@Mark-rw3kw]

I believe that an Aerotherm electric unit was featured on this week's "Ask this Old House" although they didn't mention the name (but I could see the name on the unit).

[@Chainyanker007]

Bradford White bought out the GE heat pump water heater tech some years ago.

[@scottwillis5434]

120V (or 110/120V) is one half phase of 220/240V. There is a tolerance on the line voltage because most of us aren't connected directly to a major power station; there are drops in voltage along the power distribution network. To deliver electrical power takes Amps x Volts = Watts. Same power at 120V takes twice the Amps of 240V. AND because wire voltage drops matter twice as much at 120V, for longer wires you need four times the wire cross-section (2X for the amps, and 2X to reduce the voltage drop) for long runs. That's why 220/240V is used for higher power appliances, and why power transmission lines use much higher voltages.

[@gardener_dad]

Are you sure that the AO Smith model comes with an integrated mixing valve? I looked up the user manual for both the 120 & 240 volt models and it appears to advise the installer to add one. No mention of "integrated mixing valve" anywhere.

[@johnlicitra2706]

I had the exact same question, for the exact same reasons as you. This is the second video/article that references a mixing valve for the AO Smith. I contacted AO Smith support to confirm, and I sent them a link to the first article that referenced the mixing valve. Their response was, no, it does NOT come with a mixing valve. HOWEVER, elsewhere in the manual for troubleshooting/maintenance there is a reference to a "smart valve". I asked AO Smith support what this smart valve was supposed to do. I haven't received a response yet. And if you look at the parts list, this "smart valve" does indeed seem to form a bridge between the cold inlet and hot outlet. I don't think the support person really knew what they were talking about. And I do believe the mixing valve is indeed built-in. These 120v models are pretty new, so there may be some communication/training issues in their support group.

[@erichays9033]

Wondering about the stiebel eltron model which is missing from this lineup. Also, wondering if any of these, besides the Rheem, can be ducted when installed in small spaces. I am about to build a house with very limited space and I think the ducting option for the rheem is a big deal.

[@cheesegrits196]

We bought the 220E Accelera. I will do a video on my channel when we install.

[@tomkabat8845]

I like the 120V versions for saving electric panel Amps and breaker spaces to save panel space for more electrification projects like heat pumps and EVs. The other new panel savers are the new fast labor saving heat pump versions of "one and done" combo washer /dryer machines that just plug in there the washer was. This frees up the dryer space for better uses.

[@huafung6837]

I recently purchased an AO Smith heat pump water heater (HPS10-50H45DV). One more important thing is how to extend its lifespan, because of the front cost. A typical water heater has a life of 6-12 years. However, installing a powered anode can extend a water heater by at least 20 years without maintenance. Can you comment about the powered anode rod?

[@stevem1081]

I would love to have the Sanco, but I did the math, at the current use on my standard water heater now, Just the cost of Sanco unit would take me 111 years to use that much energy, at my age, I'll be lucky to be here for 20 more years.

[@100fairlane]

I would love to know your opinion about using a heat pump unit and a recirculating pump with it. I have a situation that because my pipes are underneath my foundation and the distance that the water needs to travel. My recirculating pump on my tankless high efficiency, gas water heater is almost always on when we're awake. If I were to switch to a heat pump system, would that be a problem with the recirculating pump running for that long?..

[@doncooper2344]

Shouldn't be an issue. We have the same setup with a recirculating pump and a heat pump water heater. A hot water tank is a hot water tank. The difference is just in how the water gets heated. No difference when getting distributed. I'd think a heat pump would be superior to a tankless system. (1) Heating water takes a lot of energy. Storing it not so much. (2) Moving heat takes far less energy than generating it.

[@srandyt2]

We have a GE Hybrid that is a few years old. About four years ago, it started with the filter alarm. After some research, I found that this a common problem with no real filter issues. Apparently, there is a resistor in the control board that goes bad. I am hoping the upgrade recognized and corrected this issue.

[@Kosmonooit]

Tempering valves can fitted to any heater / boiler, we fit them in Water Solar retrofit setups all the time

[@aaronf3184]

I want to see a home where they use ground source (geothermal) for heating, cooling, and hot water. The complex piece of this being obviously summertime cooling with hot water. It seems like a single geothermal loop could be used with multiple pumps for this purpose but information is hard to find.

[@robfegley1121]

WaterFurnace has a domestic hot water loop on my Series7, although I have yet to hook it up to any water heaters. They also have a standalone unit which only does domestic water heating from a ground-source loop.

[@dmorga1]

I got one of the last GeoSprings before GE threw in the towel in 2016. They had moved manufacturing back to the US (TX I believe), but most had been made overseas and the quality control had been atrocious. People were cursing GeoSpring up and down because they were arriving broken, customer has no hot water, and GE wants to send parts on the slow boat. I took a gamble buying it, but I knew that GE was trying to turn it around. And turn it around they did--that unit was bulletproof and worked as well as any heat pump water heater. Unfortunately, my lazy plumber let me get talked out of replacing the anode (I have high mineral content slightly acidic water) because he "didn't think it needs it." So, after 7 years, it rusted out the bottom. I am confident that had I kicked my plumber to the curb and gotten someone to replace the anode before that last year, I'd still be running it. I'm sure GE will be fine. I think the only reason they left was because they couldn't escape the bad reputation they had acquired from the first couple of years.

[@nekoashide]

GE actually sold it all to Bradford White and they call them AeroTherm now. They were always made in the US but when GE sold they moved manufacturing from Illinois to Michigan. Same machine, different name and color but the same Geospring. Of course Bradford White is known for quality and mine has been excellent for 2+ years now in heat pump only mode.

[@SeaniepGdizzle]

The Bradford White model matches my GE model in every way from 2014.

[@robfegley1121]

It would be good to hear which of these have a ducting kit available. My thought is to place a partial rack of computers, network gear, and data storage (NAS) in a closet with a high MERV intake air filter (to keep dust out of equipment), then duct the exhaust air through the HPWH and have the exhaust from the HPWH in the direction of a return air for the HVAC. I’m in North Texas with a 5-ton WaterFurnace Series 7 handling 3700 sq. ft. in 5 zones flawlessly since 2013, short of a warranty-replaced coil in 2019. Even without the IT equipment to provide heat to an HPWH, the ability to duct out to a more robust air intake filter may be a broad consideration, especially to be able to install into a smaller space.

[@bryanmagdalensky5715]

I’m on my 3rd Rheem hybrid heater, the first 2 were replaced under warranty because of refrigerant leaks in less than 1 year. This third one I’ve had for 1.5 years and I’m starting to get a frozen coil, so this one is leaking too

[@jepito29]

Probably just a bad sensor. Unlikely a leak would cause it to ice up

[@walnutcontractors5661]

That's not what I wanted to hear. You have the proterra unit? How can you tell the coil is frozen?

[@bryanmagdalensky5715]

You can look right through the top where the air filter is and see the evaporator coil, eev, and compressor. I have the proterra model, it’s the same refrigerant components as the lower models, you just get the leak sensor and WiFi with the proterra.

[@nickp5828]

I have a Richmond (sold Menards and made by Rheem) and haven't had any issues (minus it being a bit noisy). Maybe something in your environment is causing issues?

[@zachlafond2652]

I put my old senville minisplit in my basement (12000btu) and it sits very close to my heat pump hot water heater so i figure i'm getting heat from outside to heat my water in some ways. Also helps keep the basement warmer...last winter the basement was getting too cold because the water heater running constantly removing heat. This is in Wisconsin.

[@seanbhaney]

Hey Matt: Great video...this is definitely on my bucket list. Here in SoCal, I've got a Bradford White that my HVAC friend installed for me years ago after going two GE models that rendered themselves permanently broke within hours of install (their enclosed vent system that used a glass fuse for protection). It is a natural gas water heater. The first thing that I questioned was the fact you probably provided the yellow sticker annual costs in each summary: could you PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE include at what kWh that is based on? This is one of my biggest beefs with showing overall costs...here in SoCal, we pay anywhere from $0.37 to $0.54 per kWh for electric (We're on a NEM 2.0 solar plan- since we installed ours it's even worse). I know you really can't compare Gas therm prices to kWh prices very well, but I can if I knew what the basis of the costs provided were!

[@Mark-rw3kw]

GE Appliances was sold to Chinese multinational home appliances company Haier in 2016. They have the right to use the GE name until 2056. Their headquarters is in Louisville KY, but in the past some GE products have been made by other companies in Mexico such as LG, but not sure if that is still the case.

[@mezianetouati5631]

Refrigerant type is very important. SANCo2 is the future with a Global Warming Potential of 1 for CO2, compared to others currently usimg R410 (GWP-2100) to be pahsed out in 2025. R-32 (GW700) and R454B (GWP-467) after that, which in their turn more likely to be phased out. In Europe even R32 and 454B will be outlawed by 2030, expect the US to follow. Bear in mind, that currently, not many certified CO2 technicians out there and inisst on dual relief valves. I suspect SANCo2 must be using regular refrigerant in a cascade system with CO2 for it to work in Texas as the critical point of CO2 is 87.8F. meaning after87.8F refrigerant does not condense (and it gets hotter than 87.8F in Tx), actually it starts acting up around 77F. In other words, it is not 100% CO2. I would love to be proven wrong if anyone has an aswer. I like the mgnesium anodes from American standards for corrosion control. I like the 240V which enables a supplemental heater and less energy consumption. For heat pump, one should stay away from 110 Volts.

[@bspanger1]

The Sanco2 heat pump contains the condenser and evaporator in a single, self-contained unit which is factory charged and sealed. It is a plumbing appliance requiring only plumbing and electrical connections and no CO2 technician is needed. The refrigerant loop is not field serviceable and the warranty covers a full replacement of the heat pump unit if the refrigerant loop fails within the warranty period. It is 100% CO2 and contains no other refrigerant, and has an ambient operating range of -26F to 114F.

[@dennisoestermann1880]

Have you ever thought about using ground heat/thermal heat in some of your constructions?

[@percyfaith11]

Why would you like it that Bradford White is only sold through dealers with their own installers? Seems like that would increase prices for the home owner.

[@anthonyjagodnik1241]

Great work, but 3 Why was NESolar Solar Assisted HP not included?

[@peanutbutterkong9362]

AO Smith has been around as a company since 1874. Pretty great solid brand.

[@sbsmith]

I still have the gen 1 GE GeoSpring. In the market to replace it. Thanks for the update.

[@kevincolwell2115]

The performance and efficiency of any heat pump is fundamentally set by the thermophysical properties of the working flui d, specifically the enthalpy and specific heat capacities at its working temperatures. Conductivity, density, and viscosity also play into it. CO2 generally has excellent properties in all these areas, but in order to get them, it generally happens at very high pressures. These high pressures generally mean all the piping, heat exchangers, pumps, etc. need to be more robust, which increases cost. As a side note, CO2 is being strongly considered for use in advanced power generating systems including fossil fuel, nuclear, and concentrating solar because it makes for much more efficient and compact conversion systems.

[@thejnelson88]

If Rheem put that on the 240v model I would buy one right now. That would nearly eliminate the elements but still have the elements as back up.

[@tomkabat8845]

Rheem offers 4 tank sizes of 240V (dedicated 240V circuits and that have standard 30 Amp models (~4600 watts) and 15Amp versions (~2300 Watts) for saving panel Amps ) and 120V models (shared 120V circuits at ~400 watts). They even offer two sizes of 120V dedicated circuit models (bigger compressor power ~800 watts).

[@LarkOfTheWoods]

No Stiebel Eltron unit?!? They have been making innovative heat pump water heaters for many decades!

[@SamSam-kc7lw]

Lol HDMI port at water heater!! Great comparison Matt 👏

[@joshuaspires9252]

Please be careful promoting LG appliances,, most of their motor and pumps have been failing record fast..

[@1jbunceiii]

The AO SMITH unit didn't get good ratings, I went with the rheem 50 gal unit from home Depot. I also purchased the extended warranty for $60. I have been happy with the rheem, has wifi and the app on my phone.

[@stevecrawford6958]

what ratings are you referring to?

[@walnutcontractors5661]

​@@stevecrawford6958 probably UEF. Rheem proterra is 4 and AO Smith was showing 3.2 in Matt's stats?

[@petermertz03]

Different refrigerants in those models. Maxing efficiency (4.0) has environmental downsides due to refrigerant type which EPA may be phasing out . . .

[@elangomattab]

You only mentioned the minimum operating temperature on three of the units I think. Do the other models work down to that fairly standard 37/38°F temp? (Excluding the Sanco2 because it is special.) My current electric water heater is a lowboy in my crawlspace and on its last legs so I'm looking at whether or not i can install a HPWH in my attached garage or if I should move it inside. My garage has gotten below 38°F for about 6 days this winter during the polar vortex so I would need a model with backup elements but I'm thinking the garage might still work.

[@travismorgan9273]

I like that this video is not sponsored.

[@Obtuse94]

No Stiebel Eltron Accelera?!

[@evergreenconstructinc.8578]

I have been using the AO Smith for several years now. My plumber said to be on the lookout for some recent product failures but I haven't had that experience. I like to use them in a conditioned crawl space where there is always going to be a HVAC supply register that provides heat. The other nice feature is that the heat pump has a dehumidification effect. I do wonder about issues with scale.

[@SpudsMcCat]

110/120 and 220/240 are RMS(root mean square?) vs peak to peak. to add to confusion for a few years in the 60s somebody decided to average the two son you'll see 115 (ive never seen 230). 110 is single leg to ground , 220 are 2 legs 180 degrees to each other. 2 legs is "standard"in Europe. 208 is 2 legs of 3 phase, so 120 degrees apart. 3phase is normally only found in non-residential construction.

[@adrwong8]

C'mon Matt, no pricing at all. Give us the MSRP atleast. ALSO where is the spec comparison on excel for us nerds?

[@JohnLee-db9zt]

The good thing about electric resistance water heaters is they are generally very reliable and can last up to 20 years if properly maintained. These new heat pump water heaters are prone to failure before warranty is even up.

[@jepito29]

Guessing that reason the heat pump has an upper limit for ambient air temperature is because the compressor could over heat.

[@neilmartinez143]

Are the 110V units qualified for fed tax credit and other state rebates?

[@causarumcognitio]

Should have clarified that the A.O. Smith model comes as a 240 volt with a dual back-up 4.500 watt element setup that works one at a time. 3 of their 5 hybrid water heaters are 240volt, the other 2 are 120 volt plug-in versions. Some important information you should have gotten from the companies was how many btu/hr their heat pump unit makes just from the heat pump and not the element. It makes a big difference for how much it needs to use the element and some may have 8,000 while others have 12,000, and some split units might have 24,000.

[@schlz69]

Great video, you missed the Bosch GreenTronic 7000 series. Im considering using either the Bosch or Rheem in our next 2 spec builds to eliminate a penetration in the box sill.

[@Bradimus1]

I have a commercial grade electric water heater. Works great.

[@robertyezek6822]

the 208/240 volt are considered hybrid unit so heatpumd/resistance heater

[@SandlGetIt]

Does anyone know where to purchase the American standard unit?

[@removeobstacles]

Did you store hotter water in the tank and use a mixing valve to send 'more comfortable' hot water to the house? I saw on another Sanco video that you can store hotter temp water and step the temp down as it comes out of the tank using a mixing valve so you effectively get more hot water out of your tank. I'm in Houston

[@matthelms4167]

Great video Matt. We have (2) 50 gal Rheem gas water heaters that I want to proactively replace as they’re going on 12 years old. Trying to figure out if we do (2) nat gas 50 gallon water heaters, or one 80 gallon heat pump water heater. This is helpful for me to try and figure out the best path forward. Nat gas here in the northern Atlanta burbs is $.49/therm, and electric is $.07/kW

[@ravenousvisages]

Why not replace just one of the gas units with a heat pump, in line? Keep the first in heat pump only mode on the first, at a low temp, then use natural gas to boost to full temp. You'll have hot water in a power outage. Just clean out the tanks, gas heaters can last a long time with good maintenance. Mine is 30+ years old.

[@Steve-bm2zm]

If you have gas heat go with a tankless gas unit. Get a Rinnai or Navien

[@majid_us]

Did you notice the "GAS connection ready" on Rheem HPWH in the video? I have to learn how it works. Anyway, I also like my Rinnai tankless.

[@johnwhite2576]

Matt noise db on Bradford white??

[@ristekostadinov2820]

If you buy water heater only for shower, you live in a house with decent amount of sunny days solar water heater might be a even better option. Where i live we have like 300 sunny days and even when the temperature during the day is 39F it can easily heat the water to 122F. Now for heating a house that is a different story.

[@Alphasig336]

I prefer smart shutoffs at the water main and gas main. That way I shutoff water when everyone is more than 50 miles away from the house. I also turn off my outside has kitchen/fireplace with a smart valve 2 hrs after turning it on. So it can never be turned off. My water heater went out last summer and my wife vetoed going 7 days without water while it was shipped.

[@w8stral]

And how much does one of those "smart" valves cost... assuming it goes via geolocation of your phone...

[@shawnduffy279]

@@w8stral Geolocation is not applicable here. Similar to smart locks on a home. Cost will be totally dependant on the system of your home, IE if it's a basic valve just for this application or, if you have a full automation setup.

[@w8stral]

Are you dumb? Dumb Q: YOU brought up geolocation valves turning off if greater than>> range from home. @@shawnduffy279

[@Alphasig336]

@@w8stralI have a moen and I connect to use Google Home, but I use home assistant as well to track my location. The Geo location is from phone and phone app. Allowing home assistant app to see your location always and sign in. Do this for each phone you want to track. My gas valve is a cheaper Amazon but bolted to handle to remove slop. I’d like to replace with a gas version of moen but the only thing I can find is in larger diameter (inches) and industrial.

[@shantanusaha9746]

CO2 has actually been a refrigerant for a long time, but it wasn't preferred because it requires equipment that can generate high compression and sealing to work. With other refrigerants being phased out because of their global warming potential, CO2 has had a renaissance, especially since the equipment required is now being reliably mass-produced.

[@Corporate-Rat1]

Has anyone been able to find the American Standard one? I can't find anywhere that sells it for the life of me.