Heat Pump Water Heater Installation
An electric water heater that heats from the air around it. We check the space, air and circuit first, then give one itemized price.
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- The heat pump water heaterModel and tank size
- Space and air checkThe room needs enough air volume, or ducting
- Electrical circuitA line on the estimate if the existing circuit does not match the unit
- Condensate drainThe unit makes water as it runs
- Expansion tank, relief pipe and drain panAs the install requires
- Remove and haul away the old unitDrained and taken with us
- Permit and inspectionWhere the job requires one
If the space is too small or too cold for a heat pump, we will say so before you buy one.
What a heat pump water heater is
An electric tank water heater that moves heat from the air around it into the water, rather than making heat with an element. The U.S. Department of Energy puts it at two to three times the efficiency of a conventional electric tank (DOE).
Most models are hybrids: they also carry electric elements, which take over when demand is high or the room is cold. That is why a heat pump can recover more slowly than a gas tank in a heavy-use morning, and why sizing matters.
Will a heat pump work in your house?
It needs a room with plenty of air that stays between 40 and 90°F all year, a drain, and a circuit that matches the unit.
- Air: the Department of Energy recommends at least 1,000 cubic feet of air space around the unit, about a 12 by 12 foot room with an 8 foot ceiling, or ducting (DOE).
- Temperature: the space should stay between 40 and 90°F year round. An unfinished basement or a furnace room usually does; an unheated garage often does not in January.
- Condensate: the unit makes water as it runs, so it needs a drain or a condensate pump.
- Power: most units need a 240-volt circuit. If the existing circuit does not match, that is a line on the estimate.
- The room gets cooler and the unit makes a fan and compressor sound, so a closet next to a bedroom is a poor spot.
Replacing an electric tank or a gas tank
From an electric tank, a heat pump is the closest swap: same fuel, usually the same circuit, and the same floor spot if the room has the air volume.
From a gas tank, it is a fuel change. The gas line is capped, a new circuit may be needed, and the vent is no longer used by the water heater. If a furnace shares that vent, removing the water heater changes how the chimney drafts, so it is checked as part of the job.
The 2029 federal standard
From May 6, 2029, new electric tank water heaters over 35 gallons must meet efficiency levels the Department of Energy says are currently met only by heat pump technology (Federal Register).
The standard applies to water heaters manufactured from that date. It does not require replacing a working water heater, and gas water heaters are not being phased out. If you are replacing an electric tank anyway and have the space, a heat pump is where the market is heading. Current incentives and the end of the federal tax credit are covered in water heater rules and incentives.
Heat pump, tank or tankless
| Tank | Tankless | Heat pump | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How it heats | Keeps a tank of water hot, gas or electric | Heats water as it flows, no tank | Moves heat from the air into a tank |
| Runs out? | When the tank is used up, then it recovers | Not within its flow rating | Can recover slower than a gas tank in heavy use |
| Efficiency | The baseline | 24 to 34% more efficient than a tank in homes using 41 gallons a day or less (DOE) | 2 to 3 times more efficient than an electric resistance tank (DOE) |
| Typical life | 10 to 15 years (DOE) | More than 20 years (DOE) | Depends on model and upkeep |
| What the house needs | Floor space; a vent for gas | Enough gas supply, its own vent, a drain for condensing models | About 1,000 cubic feet of air at 40 to 90°F (DOE), a drain, a matching circuit |
| Install cost | Lowest for a like-for-like swap | Higher: a conversion adds gas, vent and drain work | Higher than a tank; depends on the space and circuit |
How a replacement works
- Call or send the form with what you have now: fuel, tank size and age.
- We look at the space, the gas or electrical hookup, the vent and the water lines.
- You get one free, itemized estimate, with the model named and every line priced.
- Install day: the old heater is drained, disconnected and hauled away, the new one is set, connected and tested.
- We show you the shutoff, the relief valve and how to drain or flush the new unit.
Where we install
Northern Virginia, from our base in Arlington. Each area page lists the local permit office, water supplier and what they mean for your water heater.
Questions homeowners ask
Get an itemized water heater estimate
Tell us what you have now and what you want next. The estimate is free and itemized.
Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church and Loudoun