The Best New Water Heater? Rinnai's KILLER Electric Heat Pump

[@cory8837]

I have the Rheem version of this. I love it. It pulls 360 watts while it's running. I have solar panels so it only runs during the day thanks to the app and schedule. The hot water that's left makes it to the morning no problem. It's almost like a battery that stores energy in the form of hot water. It cost me $2,000 to install which included all tools/materials I had to buy. I got the 30% tax credit so the whole thing only cost $1,400. The payback period will be about four years. No brainer.

[@brianm9085]

Would that be one from the ProTerra line by chance? That's what I've been considering

[@cory8837]

​@@brianm9085the performance platinum at HD is what I bought.

[@cory8837]

​@@brianm9085Performance platinum is the one I bought.

[@DeadStump1]

@@brianm9085 I have the rheem performance platinum unit, which is a slightly older model with a couple missing features but the same unit basically. It's been rock solid over the past 2 years. plus the cost was cheaper than the gas unit I was going to buy to replace my dead water tank. We had a 30% federal and ~$700 utility rebate if I remember correctly.

[@brianm9085]

@@DeadStump1 great to know, thank you!

[@Truth_Ends_Cancel_Culture]

As a rule of thumb folks, never get recommendations from a sponsored video by the brand being recommended.

[@SIMSMANORFARM]

That isn’t necessarily true…there are situations where the influencer becomes aware of a product, research and finds that it’s an awesome product….in this case this is an installed product also….then the influencer contacts the brand to get it sponsored….because why not get paid for a product you believe in…the specs he’s presenting actually presents a compelling argument to buy this unit. But yes, there are sponsored videos that you shouldn’t trust….not so on this channel…imo

[@spudgamer6049]

I'd modify that to never blindly trust a sponsored review. Always verify, and if possible find independent reviews aa well.

[@punksjutgbd]

@@SIMSMANORFARM In this case, being an "awesome product" and making money from it doesn't override contextual facts. Other HPWH vendors were covered on this channel with higher efficiency, feature parity, while costing significantly less. I should know, since I followed a previous recommendation and installed it myself.

[@michaelsmithers4900]

@@Truth_Ends_Cancel_Culture Which doesn’t mean HPWH aren’t good, just do your own due diligence.

[@MrTexasDan]

@@SIMSMANORFARM Not this guy. His recommendation goes to the highest bidder.

[@ksnax]

A lot of people ignore a very obvious efficiency improvement with their ducting for these. Mine is installed in my garage where it was formerly grabbing air from the garage space and exhausting into the same. Running 16' of 8" inlet ducting to the peak of the attic above however boosts the air inlet temperature by 5-15 degrees from night time in winter to summer afternoons. I don't route the outlet to the outside because I don't have a freezing issue in the garage, but my clothes dryer in the same space uses the dehumidified air to boost it's efficiency as well. So it's a complete air loop from the attic, through the garage, dryer, and back outside - where soffit venting picks up air from the perimeter of the house to replace attic air supply.

[@DzinEye]

I did the same! Like you, taking intake from the attic, but venting it into adjacent walk-in pantry, which then vents to the outside. So keeping things in there cooler, but not the rest of the house. By the way, for those considering a HPWH, they're fairly loud when running, so consider that in where you're putting it. I have ours on a schedule that runs on resistance heat during sleeping hours.

[@tjshire]

Where are you located? Is your attic air temperature on the high side year-round?

[@Glennoutdoors]

Perfect set up , great job

[@ksnax]

@@tjshire It's relatively mild here in Eugne, OR, but my home does not represent the best in insulation, having been built over 100 years ago.

[@SamClemens-n9q]

I like tankless on demand much better

[@RyanMealy]

For cost comparison I got an AO Smith ProLine XE Voltex 50 gallon unit (HPTS-50) for $699 through Energy Trust of Oregon. 3.8 UEF, 8" duct ready, 45 decibels. 30% federal tax credit brings the final cost down to just $489.

[@dannyomo]

heck of a deal since that's a $2000 model and Oregon incentives are $700 for heat pump water heaters!

[@RyanMealy]

@@dannyomo Plus I sold the 10 year old standard electric unit it replaced for $120 to bring my cost down to just $369!

[@OneWildTurkey]

@@RyanMealy Any idea how long before the fed taxes go up again to cover all these subsidies?

[@rkn3045]

Quite a few studies have been done. Run your water heater at 140F or 60C minimum in order to reduce Legionella.

[@OneWildTurkey]

'Reduce'? Or eliminate?

[@john4kc]

Our Rheem / Richmond (Menards) has been amazing. Been using it for 4 years now. If you have 3 people or more in your house and plan to stay there, you should swap out your current water heater today. Sell your used heater for whatever you can (like I did) and start saving money. If you can put it in a warm garage you'll save even more. I'm in Missouri and it's in our basement.

[@llN3M3515ll]

I am really wanting to throw one of these into my garage(in Florida). Its a perfect fit, keeps the garage cooler so I don't need to run my garage mini split as much in the spring, summer and fall.

[@yolo_burrito]

Also you can run it off a generator in a post storm situation.

[@sleze]

Glad you focused on the ventilation requirements. I was very heavily considering a HPHWH when replacing my old tank. My basement dehumidifier basically runs all summer and, in the aggregate, consumes the most electricity of anything in my house annually (more than either of the AC Compressors individually). That said, because my basement is fragmented, the initial procurement cost and ducting/modifications of the spaces to get enough air just didn't have a good ROI (it was like, 2 decades to break even), so I went with a tankless gas (from Rinnai).

[@backwardsrun]

They need to make one that cools your frig and heats your hot water at the same time no wasted energy

[@7_of_9]

I have seen this in Japan. It also heat up the floors using a heat exchanger. The heat pump is actually outside and a storage water tank inside so there are absolutely no noise in the house

[@jamespatrick5930]

Great for Tx but up here in climate zone 5 taking heat out of the indoor air in winter is not good.

[@wighty]

​@@jamespatrick5930 I've thought a decent amount about this. Last heating season (saying Oct 1 to Apr 1) my Rheem 80gal unit used 379 kWh, so at a ~4x ratio (ideal conditions) you can say that the unit took 1516 kWh of heat out of our basement... this part varies, but if you are using natural gas that's approx 51 therms, or maybe $75-100? Sounds sorta not great, but you have to realize that some of the basement heat does in fact come from the ground (so if it is 0 degrees out, the ground temp being ~50 degrees it does in fact provide some heat to the basement), and this cost calculation also ignores that during the summer months you might be saving a little bit in AC costs if you have it.

[@PatrickKQ4HBD]

​@@jamespatrick5930 the heat that gets pumped around mostly stays in the house, unless the HPWH is outside the conditioned envelope.

[@jamespatrick5930]

@@PatrickKQ4HBDSorry but I don’t think that you know how a heat-pump works

[@scottperezfox]

8:09 You should also replace the standard drainage valve with a full-port quarter-turn ball valve. Much easier to flush out without that fiddly screwdriver operation.

[@6stringsandapick]

$3800.00 Water heater! Add install costs it's about $5500.00 Take out the cost of a typical Electric unit ($500.00) $286.00 Energy savings per year according to my energy auditing software. That is a 17.5 year ROI and a 10 year warranty. If we are going to use these more and more, they are going to need longer warranty's and the price is going to need to come down. Anything beyond a 10 year ROI justifiably turns people off, and not knowing if the unit will even last beyond it's ROI is a tough sell.

[@kokovox]

My 66 gallon ao Smith Heat Pump water heater cost me less than $1000 after incentives. It will pay off in a couple of years with the electricity prices I am paying.

[@thedopplereffect00]

​@@kokovoxbut the incentives are taxes someone else had to pay

[@trleith]

You also need a reasonable (i.e. "not zero") discount rate when you compute your "payback time". The correct way to do this is a Present Value computation over the length of the warranty or the number of years you'll occupy the house. If the Present Value is greater than the purchase + installation cost, it's a good deal. Otherwise... no.

[@pklemm1]

@@kokovoxmine died after 5 years. Now I have to pay $1000 for an installation of a new one.

[@DennisKapatos]

Also these are still relatively new to the market, reliability is going to be very uncertain. I've seen some cheaply made heat pumps with thin aluminum coils that leak out their refrigerant at less than 10 years of use. Heat pumps are just not a piece of equipment that can be made cheaply and be reliable. Condensate drains can be a huge PITA too - clogs, flooding and ruining floors. It all needs to get better and cheaper.

[@howtodoitdude1662]

I have a similar type of water tank. I have it in the boiler room, perfect during the winter absorbing the heat from the room. During the summer, I have the cold outlet filter back into the central air system.

[@Billy97ify]

Heat absorbed from the room has to be replaced by the boiler. No net benefit.

[@SirGooga]

​@@Billy97ifyboiler isn't trying to heat the room.

[@Billy97ify]

@@SirGooga The boiler room is in the building and you are heating the building with the boiler, aren't you? Cooling the boiler room is cooling the building. Or is an industrial boiler?

[@Edward3D]

@@Billy97ifythat theory is too simple if there’s fuel combustion involved. I’m saving a gallon a day of oil, in the winter, since switching my water heating from the boiler’s tankless coil to a HPWH. Why? Waste heat to the basement from the oversized oil boiler and uninsulated slab would be my guess. I wouldn’t be seeing that much oil savings if it were true that all waste heat from the boiler was making it out of the basement to the house above.

[@Billy97ify]

@@Edward3D You didn't mention previously that you were using a tankless coil before the HPWH.

[@johnhavel7685]

I like this a lot my only concern is how it will affect heating bills for the rest of the house. The heat still has to come from somewhere so if it’s pulling heat from the air in the house then you’ll have to replace that heat somehow at least during the winter in the northern US. In summer it’d probably be fine and actually help take some load off the AC but winter I’m wondering about.

[@thedopplereffect00]

If it's in the garage it won't matter.

[@wighty]

My reply to someone else: "I've thought a decent amount about this. Last heating season (saying Oct 1 to Apr 1) my Rheem 80gal unit used 379 kWh, so at a ~4x ratio (ideal conditions) you can say that the unit took 1516 kWh of heat out of our basement... this part varies, but if you are using natural gas that's approx 51 therms, or maybe $75-100? Sounds sorta not great, but you have to realize that some of the basement heat does in fact come from the ground (so if it is 0 degrees out, the ground temp being ~50 degrees it does in fact provide some heat to the basement), and this cost calculation also ignores that during the summer months you might be saving a little bit in AC costs if you have it."

[@johnhavel7685]

@@thedopplereffect00 here in Michigan I don’t know anyone that keeps the water heater in the garage usually is in a basement or utility closet it can get pretty cold in the winter so freezing pipes would be a major issue if kept in the unheated garage.

[@ksnax]

If you heat your home with a heat pump, it is still more efficient than resistance as the home heat pump is able to pass on it's efficiency to the heated space the HPWH draws from.

[@steve32627]

That's about as logical as saying we need to shut refrigerators off in the summer because we are putting extra load on the AC system. Same concept but inverted. Nobody thinks twice about the sensible load rejected by a frig and chest freezer, but throw a new application of legacy technology on the market, and everybody is concerned about their BTU/Kwhr comparisons

[@jkepps]

I have the 80 gallon AO Smith version of this and have been pleased as punch with it. I highly recommend this type of water heater.

[@DYI]

Matt, Nice workmanship on the install, but I have a few problems with the science of it. In the summer, heating the hot water with a heat pump nicely helps cool your house, but in the winter you are cooling off the house that your are paying to heat. I suggest that the ultimate solution is to have a whole house heat pump that can use its excess heat in the summer pre-heat the water. In the winter the heat pump water heater can draw its heat source from a geo coil.

[@Krunch2020]

You are describing “The Magic Box.” Sold in England they are combination units of several types. They are complex and unreliable. Why isn’t your refrigerator directly connected to your water heater and your furnace or air conditioning system and heat recovery ventilator, dehumidifier, HEPA filter? Complexity.

[@robertm5969]

We heat with wood, which is "free" and often runs hotter than we need to be comfortable. Just need to figure out an optimal space to put the water heater and run the water lines. Fireplace is over slab on opposite side of house where basement (and hot water lines) are. Can run B vents off the fireplace to pump hot air but no easy run for the ducts to the basement.

[@BensEcoAdvntr]

I’ve been very happy with my Stiebel Eltron heat pump water heater. Very efficient and very capable at recovering in the winter

[@MG-qo5ge]

From the UK I have had a similar one of unites albeit a 650 W compressor and has been operated for 10 years without fault , and has an efficiency of 4.2 ( this matters a lot as electricity is the most expensive in Europe), I have never run out of hot water, there is also the air which is discharged is dehumidified cooled air that can be used for aiding the whole house ventilation cooling via a 3 way damper . Not too sure of this unit but mine has an anti legionnaire bacteria cycle that operates once a week automatically.

[@bbrown5887]

First off, the quality of installation and everything else shown here should be the industry standard for North America. Talk about pride in workmanship. Secondly, those heat pump tanks are an excellent use of that technology however the extra cost should include an updated design feature. As the tank is the weakest link, it makes this an expensive replacement given the heat pump components are most likely still fine when the tank fails. They may already have one but if not an electronic anonde is a must for tank longevity. They don’t erode like sacrificial rods and extend tank life significantly. A second feature, if not available, should be the ability to swap out the bottom tank section with a prebuilt replacement. This straight forward option would go a long ways to restoring the confidence of consumers that have been exploited for the past several years by numerous appliance manufacturers. Nothing worse than paying thousands for aplliances that barely last to their short limited warranties. Great video.

[@LilYeshua]

In the past I've installed a timer on a hot water heater and set it to turn on a couple of hours before I'd use it for bath water. Cut my electric bill in half.

[@Tangue0]

This comment section is great! Lots of skeptics questioning whether the calculations for efficiency and cost are actually realistic. I am a HUGE advocate for caring for the environment, but we need to be HUGELY critical of all these companies selling expensive products like this.

[@MrTexasDan]

All you need to know is that this company is paying Matt to recommend this overpriced stuff. No credibility.

[@stevk5181]

I purchased a Rheem hybrid water heater like this one about 7 or 8 years ago. It dropped the electric bill $20/month. By the time I sold the house 3 years ago, the unit had paid for itself in energy savings.

[@MrTexasDan]

@@stevk5181 Well good for you! But this junk is about $4k more than you should spend, and it's going to take a long time to pay off. Also please add compounding inflation to your calculation. The notion that you spend a ton today to break even on lesser value money ten years ahead needs to be figured in.

[@abm2958]

@@stevk5181 One service call and all the savings are gone, not to mention the cost of parts.

[@ronblack7870]

is there a 10 yr warranty parts and labor? or is it like a fridge where the warranty on the compressor is parts only and the labor to swap it is over 1k?

[@thefranstastics]

I’m in southern Arizona and plan to run the supply duct from the hot attic, and run the cold exhaust into the AC duct. I’ll put in a baffle that I can close off when running the furnace for a couple of months in the winter, and just exhaust outdoors. May even get fancy with an electric baffle that opens when the AC is on.

[@michaelcsonka2675]

Most hybrid tanks call for at least section.of PEX when connecting to the water. The compressor has a resonance. Connecting the unit with copper will transfer that vibration through the whole system. The pex isolated the unit so your pipes don't rattle every time it fires up.

[@lastminutepanic23]

There's 2 things that could work well for noise isolation. The first is using a braided flex and pex instead of the more solid corrugated copper flex and copper piping. The second is something I found when I did my install - a flat rubber donut, about the diameter of the hot water heater and maybe an inch thick, which does a good job of not tranferring water heater vibration to the pan and floor below.

[@victorthecarguy3126]

Seems like a great idea in a warm climate if you could dump the cold into the house.

[@HistoricHomePlans]

Hi Matt. Another very informative and timely video. Thanks. I hope you don't mind if I just say that the "swoosh" sounds that are edited in are really distracting and unnecessary. You might want to review that with whoever does the editing for your videos. I know it's common to do but that doesn't necessarily make it a good idea. Thanks.

[@LogansRun314]

I'm glad someone else mentioned this so I didn't have to, haha

[@spyrule]

Doesnt bother me. Dont talk for everybody...

[@LogansRun314]

@@spyrule Hey man, no biggie if you're into the swoosh sounds! It's just a little distracting to some.

[@MassiveGarbage]

I didn't even notice there were any lol

[@jd1029]

I have Rheem gas tankless. For the money and simplicity I am very happy with it.

[@constructionmanagementgrou2834]

how are you keeping drain from back fuming or preventing critters; Trap primer in floor drain ?

[@FredMcIntyre]

Awesome stuff Matt! 😃👍🏼👊🏼

[@dallinschoen4511]

if it's taking the heat out of the air around it, would it make sense and be more efficient to install it in the attic instead of the basement as hot air rises and attic gets super hot in summer.

[@imzjustplayin]

yes but you could just duct it to the attic.

[@SpringVinMoto]

How are these in a northern, cold winter, climate? Does it make a cold basement colder when installed in the basement?

[@SavageBits]

Yes, it will make a basement slightly cooler. Note in the winter, heat extracted from a basement is a mix of furnace heat and heat from the earth

[@mikegunnell2459]

Hey Matt, you rave about the closet that water heater is in… but let me see you get the screws out of the back of that when you need to service that unit! Another issue that you’re not addressing with the lower cost of operation of the heat pump water heaters is when they’re not deducted to the outside your HVAC system is picking up that extra load. So the operational cost is higher. I really like the dehumidification affect in the summer so I would love to see a flow damper Inc. into these installations

[@MassiveGarbage]

It would be fine if you live in the deep south. But up here where the weather is cold for at least 6 months of the year that would be a deal breaker. I don't want to air condition my home in the winter.

[@aBoogivogi]

This depends a bit on where the unit is placed though. If the technical room also houses appliances that produces heat as a byproduct of their operation it is effectively recycling that heat. That said you are dealing with efficiency losses all the way if you start thinking about all those conversions so the effect might be completely negligible if you do the math. Also you could easily argue that simply ventilating that hotter air through your HVAC system exhaust, assuming it has a heat exchanger of some kind, would still capture it. That said most HVAC units with heat exchanger that I have encountered only rely on a simple design where the intake air is transferred through radiators with a cold and a hot side so they probably won't get the same efficiency as a heat pump

[@Panhead49EL]

MSRP $4,818

[@JM-yx1lm]

Rheem with slightly better specs $2500 and much easier to get.

[@shawnchapman5916]

@@Panhead49EL rheem is comparable at about $2700

[@matt45540]

As mentioned this is like buying a Mercedes, right now there's a federal 30% install rebate and my state currently gives you $600 then you go and throw in the energy savings.... And the benefits of demunification and cooling if you're in the south or in a basement

[@nathanmrudd]

I just paid $2000 for the top-of-the-line Rheem heat pump water heater, 80 gallon, after sale and Pro discount. Subtract another ~$1200 for local and federal rebates and it’s a no brainer. In the end the purchaser should at least understand the payback period vs something like natural gas.

[@TimAZ-ih7yb]

We looked at these and with the installation cost (city requires permit & licensed installers) minus rebates our payback would be 5-8 years. Does anyone think the tank will last longer than ten years? It’s a cool technology but doesn’t make much sense financially.

[@punksjutgbd]

The Rheem ProTerra actually has a higher efficiency rating than 4, can also be ducted, has more energy savings than the sticker on this water heater, and costs more than half as this one for the same 80 gallon capacity.

[@spyrule]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Mine runs at 335W on avg.

[@kodiakeddie1827]

I suspect Rheem is not paying him.

[@punksjutgbd]

@@kodiakeddie1827 Ironically, I bought the Rheem because of this channel. 🤣

[@martiruda]

how much and how silent? I my water cylinder in a 1mt by 1 mt room in the hallway and I want a unit that can be silent :)

[@punksjutgbd]

@martiruda I don't understand most of what you wrote.

[@danielmoore949]

Thanks, I didn't realize the efficiency available

[@davidgreene1377]

I have the Rheem and love it.

[@everydaydad3054]

What is the plywood with the white waterproof covering on the walls around the tank? That might make for good walls in my barn build

[@paybax]

Sanden is the best choice. I have a hybrid from Rheem which I like it those Sanden units are perfect.

[@t.d.5804]

Out water heatpump is now 12 years old, was a cheap chinese one, but proved to be good. 190l, uses only a few kWh a day, most time of the year it runs on solar, so hot water is no issue at all. And that at 53°N north here in the EU. Simple to install, cold in, hot out, 1 plug and one drain, done

[@mikem7324]

I have the 50 gal rheem, after a 1000$ instant rebate got it for $750, No nat gas at house so this is perfect, draws a lil over 2 amps in heat pump only mode, wife & i take showers at diff times of day already so recovery wont be an issue

[@trleith]

I guess those recovery times are based on the resistance stage as well and "economy mode" would be six to eight times longer. Yes?

[@HandiFarmer]

Possible to use this for in floor heating?

[@Cordycep1]

reluctant to install becuae of noise. is it quiet then the Rhem?

[@JD-xo3xz]

Nice, almost identical to my Rheem, but how difficult will it be to replace the anode?

[@hrcnick11]

What makes this $1.8k better than the competition? Is it a stainless tank? Maybe an electric anode rod that last longer? Variable speed motor?

[@matt45540]

Yeah and unfortunately the heat pump will be the first thing to go, and so all that doesn't really matter even if it did. Sure it has standard backup, but it's not the point of getting the heat pump

[@matthewerwin4677]

Because this is a paid advertisement.

[@johnwhite2576]

LG has a variable speed compressor, costs less-

[@hrcnick11]

I like the variable speed stuff cause it is normally DC inverter driven and has soft start, which makes it quieter and less electrical noise.

[@Billy97ify]

The tank in the vid is directly coupled to the copper piping, so the anode will erode more quickly. Galvanic corrosion. I used dielectric unions when I built with copper pipe.

[@superspeeder]

How can you have zero clearance on top when it needs to breathe and the filter needs changing???

[@lastminutepanic23]

It's also hard to believe that, in a small room, the cold exhaust won't rebound off the side wall and end up in the intake, reducing efficiency. What will absolutely happen in this install is that the cold exhaust will bounce off the side wall, swirl, and chill the T&P pipe and hot outlet pipe. It might happen even without the wall there, since the cold exhaust comes out not like a horizontal column but spreads out vertically immediately. Without top piping for cold/hot, and with an exhaust side T&P pipe, you really need to insulate the pipes well. I know this installation might not be completed, but it's worth mentioning that you'll put a lot of cold back into the system if you leave it as shown.

[@berkoskilandscaping4247]

How does the ambient air in the room heat up the water to 120?

[@rickrys2729]

The Steibel Eltron has a high COP, no resistance heater, and an input that allows a remote control to adjust when it will use power for things like demand response.

[@pascalouellette8516]

How much extra does it costs for all the additional installation requirements?

[@Panzer_Z]

Wonder how easy it is to replace the anode rod since it seems the heat pump is covering where the normal access is usually found

[@MD.ImNoScientician]

@MattRisinger , Hi Matt, thanks for your interesting shows. 1) Is the Rinnai Water Heater much more efficient than the competition? 2) Is the "maintenance schedule" detailed data available to be told we consumers? I've read somewhere that these Heat Pump WH's can be more of a maintenance nightmare. I see the advantages though too. My utility room w/ laundry is probably THE hottest room in the house, ROUTINELY

[@AD-bj5nh]

How long did it take to heat using only the heat pump mode, if it takes 8 times longer then what are you saving

[@kerrytaggart8206]

Would be interested in hot water tank if and when they design and sell a short unit to fit into a heated crawl space. A custom pan option would be a good idea too.

[@johngalt4019]

What about anode & maintenance for such?

[@aBoogivogi]

Having now seen the pex in tubing style connectors used in Norway (and the rest of Europe) I really think Matt should advocate for this to his customers. I mean if you are gonna add the detail of a leak proof pan under the water heater why have all those copper pipes running throughout the house as a major point of failure?

[@PedramPourmand]

Do any of these heat pump water heaters include a hot water recirculation pump?

[@camdendexter]

Curious on your thoughts for adding leak detection in the pan near the water heater? I have some Moen stuff at my home that seems useful.

[@Ninjump]

Im still loving the Sanco2 split system. Ours has been an absolutely game changer and im about to install a second

[@johnwhite2576]

no doubt-but cost ?? payback way too long

[@Ninjump]

@johnwhite2576 yeah pretty long. For our use case other logistics were definitely involved as we needed big heating with a miniscule draw and the system couldnt affect the interior climate of our small, super insulated rental home. 1000sqf and a 9k air/air minisplit to heat and cool it, so it's sensitive in there if you run another heat pump inside. The Sanco let us do the whole project off of a sub panel on an already crowded 200a service that includes another home, a full-time woodworking/fabrication shop, a solar array and 2 EVs. Every other available system at the time would have had us upgrading our service to 400a (big $$$ here), So Sanco fit the bill.

[@prothermal_refrigerationHVAC]

Great choice. Stainless steel tank and CO2 refrigerant heat pump. love it. i believe this system will last many years

[@Ninjump]

@@prothermal_refrigerationHVAC agree! Ticks a lot of boxes

[@emyrajr]

can you use this to replace a hot water boiler to also heat the home?

[@anonymous..-]

These energy efficient instant hot water heaters and heat pump water heaters reinforce the saying “you can save energy or you can save money, but you can’t save both.” I could buy a lifetime supply of basic 50 gallon water heaters for the cost of one of these. And no, the energy savings will not make up for the large upfront cost.

[@imzjustplayin]

In my area a basic water heater is around $800+. A heat pump water heater can be had for around $1600 before any tax credits. Energy savings in the heat pump water heater depending on the cost of electricity could easily pay for itself.

[@aBoogivogi]

@@imzjustplayin It depends. Money spent now is generally worth more than money spent in ten years. hard to tell if it's worth it when they are cutting it so close with the prices. A random inflation calculator said that buying those two options 10 years ago the basic heater cost you ~1000 bucks while the heat pump one cost you 2100. I have no clue how the interest rates in the US have developed in the last 10 years so can't tell how valid those numbers are

[@imzjustplayin]

@@aBoogivogi I bought a heat pump water heater back in 2012 for about $1000 with the conventional water heater being around $500. Electric savings paid for the heat pump water heater and it's still in operation. If I were to buy a heat pump water heater of the same size today, it's about $1700.

[@Hjfvvdst]

Would bringing return air in through this unit and dumping it back into the return air do two things? One ensure flow through the water heater and send cool dehumidifier air into the ac units return air?

[@Laguna2013]

I'd be thrilled to find an 80 gal electric hot water heater with a clean out port so that I can remove the mineral buildup at the bottom every so often. Can you please point me in the right direction for that?

[@ryanmaffei975]

Does it have a built in circulation pump for making a hot water loop?

[@GoodJob-d4k]

Looks good! Takes about 5-10 years to pay for itself. Hopefully compressor won't burn out or freon leak won't occur. And think about cold air from evaporator coil in cold season. And where to drain all condensation from it. And, sorry compressor and fan creates a lot of noise (keep away from bedrooms). Otherwise good expensive toy!

[@jeremysarver5094]

Could this be ducted for intake from vented attic and exhaust into crawl space?

[@tableshaper4076]

So if you are in a cold weather climate where is the cost savings if the unit is saving energy by absorbing room temperature air that you are spending money heating by another energy source?

[@skip7243]

Should not a WH operate at a minimum of130 degrees to prevent bacteria growth?

[@Meditations2024]

In the South it makes sense, but not so much in the northern winters where your furnace is the thing heating it in the end. Now, if it had a split that went outside your home, that'd be different, but then it probably would need a better design. Even in the south or north when you're using A/C, you're making the water heater less efficient, so an external radiator would benefit the design, but probably add cost too.

[@wisenber]

I don't know how efficient my dumb gas water heater is with no power needed, but it supplies three people with hot water for about 14 bucks a month. I'm hoping those options won't get regulated away, but I did buy three spares for my rental homes.

[@AJourneyOfYourSoul]

That’s what we pay for our natural gas tank water heater. About $15 a month. Overall, I still feel it is the best choice. You have an issue with these expensive water heaters, good luck getting it fixed. Everybody wants to just replace it.

[@wisenber]

@@AJourneyOfYourSoul At about $500 for the gas water heater and $1800 for a decade's worth of gas, I'm not seeing much potential for savings moving to these more complicated units. I flush mine about twice a year, and I've seen them last more than 15 years. A circuit board for one of these units costs more than my entire unit.

[@Mayamax3]

Exactly right. Mine has been running without a hitch for 22 years & uses very little energy. Not interested in electric water heaters.

[@Billy97ify]

Unscrew the protective anode at or before 10years and check it. Under a 2" plastic cover on the top. Replace it if it is badly eroded and the tank will be good for another 10 or more if you keep it up. Write the date on the tank. It protects against rusting of the tank.

[@MassiveGarbage]

​@@wisenber I just bought a house with a 50 year old gas water heater. I'm not changing it until it actually dies.

[@vby9588]

noise level? my friend has similar hybrid one in the garage, and its relatively loud

[@wili77745]

@Astrand… anode removed with extension on ratchet wrench. Have to cut rod in half… then replace with segmented “nunchucks” design

[@pkprotoplasm]

I honestly probably wouldn’t consider a Rinnai specifically since I typically rely on contractors to install my equipment, but something I’ve wondered for heat pump water heaters in general: since the heat pump is usually installed on top, how do you access the anode rod?

[@ctgottapee9020]

water heaters have come with side mounted or restricted top clearance anodes. they anode is made in small sections that allow you to bend it.

[@diytwoincollege7079]

So how much does an install like that go for?

[@sepertude]

Matt Risinger, where do you buy HALO Intera boards in USA?

[@edgratz3425]

Maybe a dumb question, but since it pulls the heat out of the house to heat the water, don't you have to pay more to heat the house? Energy, if it comes from conditioned space, is not free.

[@Nomad33fw58FS]

What is the name of the plywood?

[@ronm6585]

Very nice. Thanks Matt.

[@Lewisusa11]

I have a Ruud 50 gal water heater that has been running since I bought the house in 2015. It says it's a self cleaning unit and works fine so far. It's a Ruud Pacemaker EverKleen 40gal mfg. in 2006. I haven't checked the dip tube or the anode rod so far, but have drained it once. I am thinking it is probably getting close to end of life and do not want to wait until it fails. I am thinking of replacing it with an on demand unit. Any advice here from the commenters on best unit to get? My unit is propane. Thanks so much in advance.

[@kenneth3558]

I have a Rheem heat pump water heater. Its in a small space but the door is full louvered and the ceiling above is open to a sealed attic. It’s a cool water heater but kinda pricey.

[@Cotronixco]

Craig from Minnesota here. How many average BTU's per hour of cold air do these emit? I have to add that number to total house heat BTU's in the winter.

[@crazysquirrel9425]

Using heated air in your house (furnace heats the air) to heat hot water costs you twice. Just discharging the hot water tank to the outside required it to use air from inside unless the take up to the outside is used. If you did this in the summer, discharging the air outside will draw from the inside that to make up the pressure difference, you will have hot summer air drawn into the house. If anything you want a balanced system for everything. Drawing from the attic and discharging to the outside does not cause that problem so long as the attic is vented, not just for the attic but to accommodate the hot water tank too.

[@StudioRV8]

Seems it would be much better to take the heat from the outside (in the winter months). Taking heat energy from the heated space seems seems a little counterproductive.

[@joemahmah86]

I asked the rep during our class about the ecc failure, like ao smith is notorious for. He said they have a 10 year warranty. Didn’t answer my question. Not selling my customers something they have to repay me or someone else to switch out when it shits the bed.

[@Astrand1]

How hard is it to get to the anode rod on this unit?

[@lorimcquinn3966]

A 10' x 10' utility/mechanical room is a very expensive build at current Contractor rates. Do they make these in a model, I.E. lowboy, for use in a conditioned crawlspace?

[@clarkfinlay78]

looks very much like the mixergy ihp tank (not sure these make it to the US) it's very efficient in the heat pump and stratification it uses

[@goldblueberries326]

Do they offer a lowboy tank for 5' crawspaces?

[@randylove5708]

It would be nice if these could be connected to the exhaust on the HRV/ERV. Either dedicated or with a damper motor to re use that energy before it leaves the house.

[@caffeinetremors]

That's a good idea, makes me wonder if you could just pipe the HRV/ERV exhaust directly into your water heater closet, air seal the closet, and use a passive exhaust from the floor level of the closet to the outdoors with a damper. Or potentially even ducting the HRV/ERV exhaust directly into the intake of the water heater.

[@randylove5708]

@ I would think some electrical connections would be needed to have the water heater call for the appropriate fan speed on the erv/hrv. Possibly adding a damper to allow more air from a traditional source as the water heaters seem to need 8” ductwork where many residential HRV/erv are 6”

[@ksnax]

Mine draws air from the vented garage attic above, exhausts into the garage, where my dryer functions more efficiently on dehumidified air before exhausting outside.

[@shreediculous]

Is the First Hour rating claimed for Heat pump mode or Resistance heat mode? Heatpump mode can give a max heat of 500W*4 = 2000W but the resistance heat is 4500W more than double the power

[@aoksys31]

I would have installed a shower pan along with a trench drain. A regular 4-inch floor drain can so easily get defeated by a stray dryer sheet, a sock, a tissue, or even accumulated lint and dust. That little drain hole on the water heater pan will not save you in case of more than a little water heater leak.

[@yolo_burrito]

One of the biggest benefits of a heat pump unit is the fact that a relatively small generator can run it.

[@alankusov6079]

Is that FRP clad water heater closet? Nice!

[@Ninjump]

Makes a ton of sense, definitely going to do this in our next build

[@Solidbuilthomes]

If the area stays clean & dry, what benefits do FRP offer over standard drywall??

[@Mark-n3m3q]

@@Solidbuilthomes people like knowing if it springs a leak it won’t soak in and damage the house or cause molding issues.

[@jeremygallimore3042]

Hey Matt this product is great I’ve install similar units that also have ducted kits, It’s pretty standard. This install looks good except the big huge elephant in the room. Those flexible copper lines on the water inlet and outlet need to go! They are a complete rookie part. The wall thickness where the pipe bends cause turbulence in the water and can cause leaks over time. Tell your plumber to come back and hard pipe those flexible copper lines. They are trash! I own a plumbing company 30+ years experience. GET RID OF THE FLEX LINES

[@Airpaycheck]

Would be nice if they would find a way to return the condensate to the tank.

[@roBLINDhood]

What kind of static pressure/duct length can it handle for the inlet and outlet? I'm considering putting one of these in my garage and using it to provide some continuous cooling to a media closet about 30 feet away.

[@michaelsmithers4900]

Great idea! Id like to hear more about using that cooling/dehumidifying byproduct.

[@ronblack7870]

can these use an electric anode ? those increase the life of the tank tremendously

[@alanmihalko502]

You need to do periodic updates on the products you hawk. Such as the water treatment system you installed in your home. How are these products doing 1 year out? 2 years out? etc.

[@zoubtube]

If in michigan in a home with an attic that is part of the homes enclosed envelope, would it makes sense to pull from and dump to the attic? Am I off in thinking that this might be a good way to control humidity and temps in an attic?

[@michiganengineer8621]

That's about the only way I can see using one here in Michigan. Even in the summer my basement rarely gets above 50 degrees, in the winter it's usually closer to 40. It's a 70 year old house so insulation is crap, the only thing that keeps the heating bill semi-under control are PLASTER walls (very few air leaks) that get uncomfortably chilly come Jan/Feb.

[@reallunacy]

I love these things, but I want something that can fit under a kitchen counter. Unfortunately my really old house doesn't have a ton of space to put a large water heater.

[@manatee419]

The only thing I'm impressed with the homeowners. Is using all copper lines?

[@deezynar]

Copper is used when water piping it exposed. They probably use PEX in the rest of the house.

[@punksjutgbd]

@@manatee419 I used foam insulated PEX for my install.

[@johnhaller5851]

One reason to use a manifold is to run 3/8” direct lines to any sink to reduce the amount of time it takes to replace all the cold water in the pipe with hot water through a flow restrictor. It would not make sense to install 3/8" copper home runs.

[@manatee419]

@johnhaller5851 Just to let you know I was a plumber. I see people using other. Tubing for water lines which we all know it fails early. I know copper is more expensive but I know I can leave the house.Don't have to worry about a leak for at least thirty years.

[@dougrobinson8602]

@@manatee419 Not sure about your area, but that corrugated flexible copper pipe Matt showed doesn't pass code in my town. I'd say well-installed copper plumbing is good for easily fifty years. I had a 100 year old house with copper and iron plumbing, and never had a leak from the copper. The iron drains were a headache, though. Thank goodness they were easily accessible in the basement.

[@tonytango6676]

That ocean noise when cutting in between seeds is annoying.

[@dreednlb]

Yes, but not nearly as annoying as 13:29