If you're looking for a way to save a lot of money on your hot water bills, you really should consider the installation of a heat pump. They use only a fraction of the energy that is typically required by an electric water heater and many jurisdictions will offer you a generous rebate if you consider putting them in. How do they work and why are they so beneficial?

Similar to a Fridge?

Some people compare a heat pump to a refrigerator, but with a system that works in reverse. Your fridge, as you may know, detects the heat associated with the food that you put inside and transfers this heat outside. In the case of the pump, the heat in the outside air is transferred to the water stored inside, through an exchange system.

How Does the Pump Work?

This air is drawn in by a fan and pushed through an evaporator, which has a refrigerant solution stored in piping. This type of refrigerant is not a CFC, so it is environmentally friendly. The air drawn in is a lot warmer than the refrigerant and this will turn the liquid into a gas. A compressor then pushes this gas-based refrigerant through a valve to compress it and this process produces a lot of heat. Then, a heat exchanger forces the refrigerant gas pipes into a tank where your water is stored. When this happens, the temperature of the refrigerant drops precipitously due to the fact that the heat has been removed, so it reverts back to a liquid state and continues the overall cycle.

What Is the Advantage?

A heat pump will generate several times the amount of renewable energy versus the amount of electricity that is needed to power it. As a consequence of the reduced energy requirements, this is an environmentally friendly way to generate hot water and to keep any carbon footprint in check.

The heat pump can be used in any environment and even in very low temperatures, where an electric booster is activated to make sure that the water keeps to the needed temperature. You should remember that the solar heat pump uses identical connections to a hot water system and is therefore easy to install.

Is It Right for You?

If you're like most Australians, you are always on the lookout for energy savings and should consider whether the installation of a new heat pump would benefit you. Have a word with your installer to see what your options are.