Electrifying Stories: The Coopers Get a Heat Pump Water Heater

by Ruth Cooper

I have been thinking a lot about appliances lately, and maybe you have, too. Our “natural gas” (AKA methane) furnaces, water heaters and stoves are all contributing to global warming. 

We want to do our part, so we replaced our 12-year old gas water heater with a heat pump water heater. The old one was starting to make noises and not deliver as much hot water, so we knew it was time. And they only last 8-12 years typically, so we knew it was at the end of its life. Also, as a water heater ages it becomes less efficient because hard water deposits build up on the bottom of the heater's tank, so it takes more energy to heat the water through the buildup.

We knew we wanted a heat pump water heater (HPWH for short, and also sometimes referred to as a hybrid water heater). Not only are they the most efficient water heaters available, but they also use electricity, not methane, so they don’t create greenhouse gasses when powered with clean energy. (Here in Ojai, we get all of our power from renewable sources, thanks to our having joined the Clean Power Alliance, so every gas appliance that is replaced with an electric one reduces our fossil fuel use significantly.) 

You probably have heard that at some point this year the Inflation Reduction Act point of sale rebates will be offered. While we’re waiting, (and waiting…) there are two huge incentives available right now for replacing your gas water heater with a HPWH.  TECH is a state program and offers $3,100 off the cost of the project (note: rebate budgets are moving quickly, but you can check to see if funding is still available here). 3C-REN is a regional program that offers a significant incentive as well, based on projected and actual metered energy savings. For us, 3C-REN gave us an additional savings of $1,000. What’s more, there’s a federal tax credit of 30% of the project cost, up to $2,000. Remember, a tax credit means your tax bill gets reduced by this amount. So for us, with all three incentives, that’s a total savings of $6,100 off the cost of the project. All that savings gets the price down to where it would be on par or cheaper than installing another gas water heater. And the savings don’t stop there, because a HPWH is so efficient!

As of this writing, there are three HPWH installers that are signed up with both 3C-REN and TECH: Fix It Fast, Southland, and Rincon Plumbing. We got quotes from all three and chose Fix it Fast. Sam Porrazzo, the owner, gave a competitive quote and excellent customer service. They handled everything--the financial incentive programs’ details, the electrical wiring, the purchase of the water heater, and the installation. Sam was happy to help us pick the right water heater for us, but we chose to do our own research and picked the Rheem Performance Platinum, 50 gallon. We were impressed with how Sam and his team were so knowledgeable about HPWH’s, and what a thorough job they did.

Here are a few tips regarding finding the best HPWH for your home or business:

• Look for an installer who will do both the plumbing and the electrical work, so you don’t have to deal with getting so many bids.

• When comparing HPWHs, take into consideration the noise rating. HPWHs make a little hum when they’re heating, so if yours is going to be located indoors, you want to make sure to get one that’s as quiet as possible. This information is included in the product specifications.

• Installers will guide you on what size to get, but just know that typically you will need one a bit bigger than your current one, as they recharge more slowly than conventional water heaters. We are a family of two, and we went from a 40 gallon gas water heater to a 50 gallon HPWH. The new one fits just fine in our water heater closet. Our friends with a similar household got a 50 gallon Rheem Performance Platinum and have had no issues with running out of water even when they have houseguests, so we felt confident it would work for us as well.

• There are now 120V options available for households that have limited electrical capacity or can’t install a 240V plug where it’s needed.

• Once it’s installed, if you set it on “Eco Mode” it will run much less. You can always switch it over to “High Demand” if you have houseguests.

We hope this information is helpful, and smooths your transition a bit!

We’re all in this together….