Hybrid Water Heater
 

Recommendations for a hybrid water heater. Thanks.

Never heard of a hybrid water heater, can you provide details, also is this for your pool or house?

I wouldn't buy one. If you have an electric or gas tank type water heater that fails, it can be replaced in less than a day by several reputable contractors. But, if you have a hybrid water heater that fails, you may be without hot water for a lot longer time, and you may have trouble finding a contractor and/or parts. I always install standard appliances and other construction materials for that reason.

There was another thread where a guy was waiting 4 months for a special part for his fancy variable speed HVAC system.

Hybrids are heat pumps with electric element backup. It is just like your furnace but it heats water. It would most likely be for potable water.

IMO they do not have a reasonable payback. First I can testify that a traditional water heater here in TV costs 11 to 12.50 a month. I know from my whole house energy monitor. It measures my usage 10,000 a second. This number is accurate.

Even at 50% energy savings it will be over a decade to break even for payback.

It's a heat pump water heater.

It's a heat pump water heater.

Having read the above comments, I agree stay with a standard unit.

The best hybrid water heater is a non-hybrid model. Now you'll save thousands in the repair bills you'd otherwise have experienced while thinking you were saving money on 'energy'.

Water heater
 

I looked into this water heater and decided against it because of the length of time it would take to break even. The price at that time was about $2500 vs $900 for conventional water heater. Jack's Solar has the most experience with this new concept. The hybrid also needs to rest on the garage floor.

Here in Florida it might be a good investment. Your garage is always hot and to use that hot air to create hot water, it would pay for itself in Florida easier than if the residence was in Minnesota. I saw these years ago and was thinking about 1 myself, but they were around $1400.

There are families with electric water heaters in areas with very cold water and electric costs who spend a lot on heating water because of having many family members who take long showers and baths and lots of hat water washing clothes. I love efficient appliances, but here the water is warmer, I live alone and take one five to ten minute shower a day, do two loads of wash a week, and with cold water, and the 11 cents per kilowatt hour electric cost is low. I pay more for good insulation in a water heater, but a hybrid system just isn’t cost effective. My total electric bill, averages about $80 a month, of which the water is ten to fifteen dollars, maybe. Same with solar electric. The break even point would be over thirty years for some systems.

You would need to use a LOT of hot water to recover the high cost of the unit! I would not go there for just two adults.

Why not look at installing a tankless water heater?

Rheem, bought one two years ago. 30% engery credit on taxes, some electric companies offer rebate also. Had an old electric heater, started saving $30 a month after install. Did the install myself, so numbers work for quick payoff.