Choosing a Heat-Pump Hot Water Heater
I currently use a 40 gallon gas-fired atmospheric-vented HWH. Its quiet, economical and trouble free. But I want to get away from the atmospheric venting as I plan to do more air sealing in the basement.
I’ve looked at HPHWH options and it looks like:
1. Rheem/Ruud Gen 5 are way too noisy
2. AO Smith has some reports of early troubles
3. Bradford White “Aerotherm” might be a good option for me
Does anyone have recommendations among these, or similar products?
Or maybe I should just look at a power vent gas-fired HWH to minimize any chance of combustion backdrafting AND avoid challenges with HPHWH? There is not a lot of excitement at home about a HPHWH sending noise to the living space or making the basement cooler in the summer.
Thank you
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Replies
In this article, The Benefits of a Heat-Pump Water Heater, Allison Bailes provides some useful insight (he just installed a Gen4 Rheem water heater).
We recently replaced a 40 gallon gas-fired HWH with a 65 gallon Bradford White Aerotherm. No complaints so far.
Thanks for sharing your personal experience.
There are some reports that Rheem has resolved the noise issue with its 2022 production. I’m getting ready to install a 50 gallon unit and will report back.
Our 80 gallon gen 5 Rheem is loud. No idea about 2022 models. We got ours in mid December.
If u have concerns about running out of hot water, our HPHWH just doesn’t produce as much hot water as quickly as the natural gas unit at our old house. We have the 30 amp
Unit. We don’t run out with typical use- I don’t know how it’ll perform with overnight guests.