Connecticut Residents, $400 Rebate on a Hot Water Heat Pump

Richard S. wrote: Unless you are going to defy the laws of physics every BTU you extract from the air is from your primary heat.

Not nessacelery, in the non heating months youd be tapping "free heat" and any solar gain during heating season, cooking, ect... Im not suggesting that Ill go get one but there are ancillary BTU's out there to be had. Ive been in passive solar spaces that have to be isolated from the home because they are overwhelming

I didn't really consider this, but I guess a lot of people are thrown off by thinking the heat pump unit is outdoors, based on the replies I see when this topic comes up from time to time.

I have a heat pump water heater. I got it in 2011 when PA and PPL were offering hefty discounts, I picked it up for $399 plus tax. I think it's one of the best improvements I've made. In the summer, I no longer need to run a dehumidifier in my basement, as the water heater takes over that job. In the winter time, with the water heater sitting less than 10 feet from my DS 1500 Circulator, it barely had to work to heat my hot water.

My electric bills dropping from $70-$80 range to the $30-$40 range was all the convincing I needed. I have installed these water heaters for my dad and brother as well, and they both saw noticeable drops in electric use. Both of theirs are located in their basements as well, and they heat with oil and gas respectively, and their basements are not conditioned spaces.

Richard S. wrote:Makes sense for a warmer climate where robbing heat from the house is desirable but complete idiocy for most people in colder climate.

I agree half way. I couldn't use one of these in the winter because my cellar is unheated and too cold. But in summer there's enough heat down there, and I could use the dehumidifying effect.

I'm thinking of installing one next summer, as much for dehumidifying as for hot water. But here's a question: If I close up the cellar windows, to reduce the influx of humid air, will I end up reducing the cellar temperature so much that the water heating will not be effective and efficient? Cellar temperature in summer generally runs about 65 degrees with the (inadequate) windows open.

I believe they recommend an area of 700 sq ft, if the area is not ventilated.

I moved the water heater with me this spring when I moved to Tower City. The basement is split into 3 sections, it is very poorly ventilated, and is about 50% above grade, with the back of the basement being at ground level. The water heater is in the smallest portion, under 150sf, and in cold weather it drops below 45°F and and switches to resistance heating. In the summer, it keeps the small, unvented room noticibly cooler than the others.

The upside, even though the savings in water heating are less, we do not need to run a dehumidifier in that room in the summer anymore.

Once I get my new coal heating system in place, the water heater is going to be moved to be within several feet of it.

LDPosse wrote:
My electric bills dropping from $70-$80 range to the $30-$40 range was all the convincing I needed.

Undoubtedly but every BTU of heat is extracted from the air inside the home, if you are using coal or natural gas that is where the heat is coming from to heat the water. If you can directly heat your water with those fuels that is the most efficient way to do it. There may be some odd things that will make this sensible such as if you have coal heat and no way to directly heat the water. You'll save money over electric only becsue the coal is cheaper per BTU but it 's even cheaper if you directly heat the water with coal.

rberq wrote: I couldn't use one of these in the winter because my cellar is unheated and too cold.

I don;t know what the min. temperature requirements are but it can't be more than 50 or 60 degrees. The newest regular heat pumps work to perpetrates near 0 however with this you're going to eed a lot of heat to get the water temperature up and still have a manageable size for the hot water heater.

will I end up reducing the cellar temperature so much that the water heating will not be effective and efficient?

Heat pumps are always less effective in lower temperatures, you'll have to look to see what the specific requirements are for these becsue it's going to be higher. Some of them I've seen have a regular element for back up.

Richard S. wrote: Undoubtedly but every BTU of heat is extracted from the air inside the home, if you are using coal or natural gas that is where the heat is coming from to heat the water. If you can directly heat your water with those fuels that is the most efficient way to do it.

I agree that directly heating the water would be best, and switch to the heat pump in the warm months. The issue is my stove, like many other hand fired units, do not have a bolt-on option for a hot water coil. I'm sure I could rig something up, but my fabrication skills are poor at best.

Richard S. wrote:I don't know what the min. temperature requirements are but it can't be more than 50 or 60 degrees.

According to my owners manual, it will switch over to the regular resistive heating elements at 45 degrees. It can also be set to run in high demand, which runs the resistive elements and the heat pump, or regular electric, where the heat pump never runs.

All this said, I am shopping for a new heating system for my house in Tower City to replace the oil fired, forced hot air unit. I'd like to go to baseboard hot water, and a domestic hot water coil.... Will there be any nice units on display at the coal picnic on the 27th??

LDPosse wrote:I believe they recommend an area of 700 sq ft, if the area is not ventilated ... The basement is split into 3 sections, it is very poorly ventilated ... water heater is in the smallest portion, under 150sf, and in cold weather it drops below 45°F

I should be OK in summer, then, as I have maybe 1000 sq ft, divided into two sections but a big open door in between. I KNOW I'm not good for winter because the temperature can drop below freezing in the small section (exposed northern wall) and I have to add a little heat -- so like Richard says I would be robbing Peter to pay Paul.

rberq wrote: I should be OK in summer, then, as I have maybe 1000 sq ft, divided into two sections but a big open door in between. I KNOW I'm not good for winter because the temperature can drop below freezing in the small section (exposed northern wall) and I have to add a little heat -- so like Richard says I would be robbing Peter to pay Paul.

You should be good -- Like I mentioned earlier, these units have regular resistive heating elements as well, and when it gets too cold to use the heat pump, it will automatically switch to resistive heating.

LDPosse wrote: You should be good -- Like I mentioned earlier, these units have regular resistive heating elements as well, and when it gets too cold to use the heat pump, it will automatically switch to resistive heating.

Berq isn't worried about it not working. I'll bet he's more worried about having to give CMP part of his insurance refund

confedsailor wrote:Berq isn't worried about it not working. I'll bet he's more worried about having to give CMP part of his insurance refund

No chance for CMP, LL Bean is in line ahead of them.

I was talking about central maine power, but I like where your mind is.

confedsailor wrote:I was talking about central maine power, but I like where your mind is.

I was talking about Central Maine Power also. But I have already budgeted for them, so LL Bean gets the windfall. Little does LLB know they are benefiting from the ACA, which we won't go into lest I get flamed again.

Oh come on Berqy, If we didn't like you we wouldn't talk to you!

I'd rather be sending money to CMP vice CL&P, but by that I mean Civilian Marksmanship Program.

Richard S. wrote: Undoubtedly but every BTU of heat is extracted from the air inside the home, if you are using coal or natural gas that is where the heat is coming from to heat the water. If you can directly heat your water with those fuels that is the most efficient way to do it. There may be some odd things that will make this sensible such as if you have coal heat and no way to directly heat the water. You'll save money over electric only becsue the coal is cheaper per BTU but it 's even cheaper if you directly heat the water with coal.

I think you are leaving out the heat of compression and heat of work. The electric motor is converting electricity to rotational force and heat. The compression of the refrigerant raises the temperature of it.

So while some heat is extracted from the room, it's a fraction of the total amount.

And what are those BTU's going to do hanging around in the room? They're going to find a way out of the structure and into the environment. I'd much rather capture them in my water tank and use them at a later date.

Let's face it, all coal burners at one time or another have used "windowstats" so dumping a few BTU into the DHW, isn't that bad of an idea.