What Is a Hybrid Water Heater?

If you’re looking to replace the water heater in your home, you’ll need to choose the right type. Not all water heaters are the same. While they are all designed to heat the water coming into your home, the way in which they perform this task may vary. There are traditional water heaters that burn natural gas or consume electricity to heat the heat, and there are hybrid water heaters.

The Basics of a Hybrid Water Heater

A hybrid water heater is a relatively new type of water heater that uses heat from the outdoor air to heat the water coming into homes. They are also known as heat pump water heaters. Heat pumps, of course, are heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems. A heat pump can warm or cool your home by transferring heat into or out of your home. Hybrid water heaters use a similar method of operation, but they are designed specifically to heat the water.

How Hybrid Water Heaters Work

Hybrid water heaters feature many of the same components as heat pumps, including coils. They feature an outdoor coil to absorb heat from the air. Refrigerant will travel through this coil, during which it will absorb heat. The hot refrigerant will travel to a heat exchanger unit connected to the hybrid water heater’s tank. This will heat the water in the tank.

Benefits of Choosing a Hybrid Water Heater

What are the benefits of choosing a hybrid water heater exactly? For starters, they are very efficient. Traditional water heaters rely on natural gas or electricity to heat the water. Hybrid water heaters still consume some electricity, but they use that electricity to transfer heat from the outdoor air to the tank. The end result is a highly efficient heating operation. Some hybrid water heaters are two to three times more efficient than traditional water heaters.

You don’t have to worry about cold spells leaving you and your family without hot water. They are known as “hybrid water heaters” because they still have a backup heating method. A hybrid water heater will attempt to heat your home’s incoming water by transferring heat from the outdoor air. If it’s unable to, however, the hybrid water heater will use a traditional electric heating element.

Even if your home doesn’t have a gas supply line, you can still install a hybrid water heater in it. Hybrid water heaters don’t run on natural gas. Rather, they are entirely electric.