MONTGOMERY, ALA.—The new integrated air-source HP-50 Heat Pump Water Heater from Rheem Water Heating offers an Energy Factor (EF) of 2.0, or more than twice the energy efficiency of a standard electric storage water heater. The new water heater qualifies for a federal tax credit as well as many state and utility rebates and incentives.
Intended for residential applications, both new construction and drop-in replacement of existing water heaters, the unit has a storage capacity of 50 gallons and meets the qualifications for an Energy Star listing. Measuring only 21 inches in diameter and 75.5 inches tall, the new Rheem Heat Pump Water Heater offers a slimmer, more portable profile that makes installation in spaces with restricted access—including attics and basement mechanical rooms—much easier.
“That’s why this new unit is an easy retrofit product for existing electric installations,” says product manager Tommy Olsen. “If a 240-volt electric service is located nearby, it can replace a gas model as well.”
Includes Six-Year Warranty
In addition to the 2.0 EF, the new eco-friendly Heat Pump Water Heater meets three other Energy Star criteria: 1) a first-hour rating greater than 50 gallons per hour; 2) a six-year warranty on the storage tank, all components and parts; and 3) compliance with Underwriters Laboratories standard UL1995.
“The Rheem Heat Pump Water Heater should save consumers money over the life of the product, because it is so much more efficient than alternatives,” states Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. “Having a major manufacturer join this market will also help increase consumer confidence in heat pump water heaters.”
Instead of heating stored water directly with a conventional electric element—or with a burner, as in the case of a gas unit—a heat pump water heater transfers available heat from the ambient air, intensifies the heat and transfers the heat into the water, a far more cost- and energy-efficient process.
“The average annual operating cost for this technology will be between $225 and $280, or roughly half that of even the most efficient standard electric water heaters on the market today,” says Olsen, who notes that the new product is “a fully integrated heat pump water heater.”
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