Buying or Installing a Heat Pump Water Heater? Check Out This Tool

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A brand new PNNL-developed useful resource sizzles with info for choosing and putting in an energy-efficient know-how to fulfill family scorching water wants

Environment friendly warmth pump water heaters (HPWHs) need nothing greater than a heat reception in America’s properties, however typically they find yourself on the skin wanting in.

It isn’t resulting from an absence of hospitality. Slightly, there’s a necessity for extra public consciousness and understanding of this contemporary, energy-saving know-how.

To supply owners and installers with the newest info, the HPWH Installation Tooldeveloped at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), has been launched by the Division of Power (DOE) for public use. This new useful resource offers steerage for sizing and choosing residential HPWHs, with a deal with overcoming set up obstacles.

“We designed the tool to help installers, sales associates, homeowners, and others to understand how to accommodate heat pump water heaters as replacements in existing homes,” mentioned PNNL’s Josh Butzbaughlead researcher on the challenge. “Some folks are more familiar with traditional water heating products, and may tend to shy away from newer technologies for a variety of reasons. We wanted to provide a tool that helps installers and consumers with the decision-making and installation processes and, hopefully, results in broader use of heat pump water heaters.”

A HPWH is analogous in look to a conventional water heater, however employs know-how that extracts warmth from the encompassing air to heat up the water in its tank. The models are recognized for his or her effectivity, which interprets to vitality financial savings and diminished carbon emissions.

Along with these advantages, the federal Inflation Reduction Act offers tax credit to owners who buy and set up this new know-how, as much as $1,750 per unit.

The problem

HPWHs are thought of key contributors in America’s transition to a decarbonized vitality future that can contain elevated reliance on renewable clear electrical energy sources equivalent to wind and solar energy. However HPWHs are sometimes not the primary selection of installers or owners.

“These water heaters are viewed by many as a new, novel technology. The installation workforce often is not familiar with them or their benefits, nor versed in installation procedures,” famous PNNL’s Abinesh Selvacanabadywho served as supervisor of the set up software challenge.

The software helps treatment lack of HPWH data. Installers, owners, or others can readily entry info that identifies varied set up concerns, discover the obtainable makes and fashions for a given dwelling, and discover the right measurement.

“Sizing is where the magic is,” Butzbaugh asserted. “If sized properly, the HPWH will meet the hot water needs of a home and family.” Conversely, less-than-optimum sizing may, beneath sure circumstances, lead to lukewarm water and a cold home-owner reception.

How the set up software works

Device customers are queried on the precise location of the house (which identifies the suitable local weather zone), dwelling traits, the new water heater’s deliberate location, and different particulars. Potential obstacles to set up and operation, equivalent to airflow and peak constraints, condensate administration, and electrical wiring/panel capability, are addressed in a question-and-answer sort of format.

Typically, it is going to take customers a matter of minutes to enter the pertinent info. The software then offers suggestions for HPWH sort and measurement, in addition to particular set up steerage. The software additionally presents greatest follow recommendations and details about incentives and tax credit.

In designing the software, researchers consulted with a wide range of organizations, starting from different nationwide laboratories and regional vitality effectivity entities to state vitality applications and installers in California, Oregon, and Washington.

Sooner or later, Butzbaugh is hopeful the set up software might be included in coaching applications for installers and for employees in product name facilities, retail gross sales, and customer support who discipline questions from potential water heater prospects. He additionally envisions its use in utility and union coaching applications.

“Obviously, we’re hoping the decision tool gets a lot of use in the marketplace. We want it to be used and we’re confident in its capabilities. We also want to hear feedback from users to continue to make improvements,” Butzbaugh famous.

The software’s improvement was funded by means of the DOE Building Technologies Office’s Residential Constructing Integration program.

Learn DOE’s news release on the HPWH Set up Device.

Courtesy of PNNL.