Nearly all current-generation heat pump water heaters operate on a basic “vapor/compression” refrigeration cycle. During this cycle, a chemical compound called the refrigerant circulates around a closed piping loop passing through all major components of the heat pump.

According to the Advanced Water Heater Initiative (AWHI), “The two major markets for HPWHs include single family and multifamily residences, which currently house over 118 million water heaters. Read more about improvement potential, climate change impacts, incentives, and more.

This section covers many of the common considerations when exploring heat pump water heater options, provides one or more possible best practices, suggests things to check and lists potential future replacements.