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Water Heaters Only, Inc has been specializing in water heaters since 1968 and has been one of the leaders in the industry of installing and replacing water heaters in the Los Angeles Area. Recently, because of the recent decision to ban the sale of all-natural gas-fired water heater appliances by 2030, we have been getting a lot of questions about heat pump water heaters (HPWH).  Some of the most common questions we get about heat pump water heaters are, “How does a heat pump water heater work”? ”What if the temperature in my Los Angeles home is too cold for a heat pump water heater”?  And “will this appliance save me energy”? 

In this post, we will touch on each of these questions and go into detail on why these water heaters are going to be an important part of creating a greener earth for future generations. 

What Is A Heat Pump And How Does It Work? 

A heat pump is a type of device that transfers heat from one object to another. In this case, it uses electricity to move heat from the ambient air around your water heater and it places it into the water that is inside of the water heater. It does this by using a lower voltage fan to suck in the air that is around the water heater and transfers the heat to an “evaporator” which is basically just a series of refrigerant-filled tubes in a closed loop system. 

When the air is pulled in through the fan, the heat is then transferred to the refrigerant. This happens through the second law of thermodynamics. This law states that heat will direct itself toward an object that is colder than itself. 

So as the refrigerant gets heated through the heat being taken from the air, it gets turned into a gas and that gas flows through the closed loop system and that is how the water is heated when using the heat pump 100%

Is Los Angeles A Good Place For A Heat Pump Water Heater? 

Ideally, Los Angeles is a great city to have a heat pump water heater. This is because most heat pump water heaters operate best at temperatures between 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 

However, in the off chance that the temperature dips below the 40-degree mark, your water heater will go into what is called “hybrid mode”. This will utilize the electric heating elements and heat the water as if it were a standard electric water heater, and if the cold weather continues you can switch your water heater over to “electric only” mode and this will ensure that you have the hottest water even during the coldest of winters. 

Another cool feature of most air source heat pump water heaters is that they have a “Vacation Mode”. This is in place to ensure that you will be able to save energy on heating water when you go out of town.

With most newer hybrid or heat pump water heaters, they have an app that you can download to your phone and you can switch between the different modes and you can find what works best for you and your household

Will This Appliance Save Me Energy?

Yes, the short answer is absolutely yes. Everything about these water heaters is made for efficiency. The low voltage fans that draw the warm air into the water heater save you the most amount of energy. This is because the fans are the main part of the HPWH that requires electricity when in Heat Pump Mode and because they are low voltage they are going to cut your energy usage by 75% when only utilizing the heat pump. 

Plus, one of the main reasons why heat pumps are becoming popular amongst Californians is because the California Air Resources Board has placed a ban on the sales of gas-powered air and water heating devices starting in 2030. This has a lot of Californians concerned because gas is generally the most affordable resource we have to run our homes and prices of electricity seem to be skyrocketing. Thankfully these heat pump water heaters are here to save the day and keep operating costs low. 

The biggest thing that keeps customers from getting a heat pump water heater installed is the initial upfront cost of the tank. Fortunately, there are many rebates that are offered by the State of California that make it so the cost of an HPWH comes out to be around the same price as a traditional water heater or even less in some situations. Click here to see rebates you may be qualified for in your area.

If you have any questions about whether or not a heat pump water heater is a good fit for your home, give us a call at 1-818-896-8852. Our expert staff is ready to take your call 24/7 to answer your water heater questions.