EmailBest Reviewed
Water Heaters
- Budget electric water heater Kenmore 32656 Power Miser 6 *Est. $290
- Energy-efficient gas water heater Kenmore 33159 HydroSense *Est. $600
- Energy-efficient electric water heater Rheem/Ruud Marathon MSR50245 *Est. $1100
- Heat pump add-on AirGenerate AirTap A7 *Est. $700
- Whole-house tankless water heater Takagi Flash T-H1 *Est. $2800
- Small point-of-use water heater Bosch Ariston GL4 *Est. $170
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Heat pump add-on
- Federal tax credit available
- Plugs into ordinary outlet
- Easy to install
- Works with electric, gas water heaters
- Price
- May be hard to find local repair service
- Does not replace tank-style heater
March 2009. The AirTap A7 electric heat pump plugs into an ordinary outlet and sits on top of any tank-style water heater (either gas or electric). Extremely efficient, it heats water to store in the tank mostly by drawing heat from the ambient air; it can even work in freezing temperatures. The tank-style water heater then only needs to boost the water heating rate during periods of exceptionally high load. This water heater is so efficient (with an energy factor rating of 2.2) that it's eligible for a $300 federal income tax credit through at least 2010.
We found the best review of the AirTap in Jim Dulley's Bulletin No. 458, "Heat Pump Water Heaters," where it's compared with eight other heat pump water heaters. The AirTap is also the only electric water heater included in the GAMA.net listing of water heaters eligible for the federal income tax credit of $300. FineHomebuilding.com has a brief review with a video, and we found another article describing how a builder is getting five-star EnergyStar certification for his homes by installing an AirTap on the tank-style electric water heaters.
Our Sources
1. Sensible HomeDetails/Subscribe
Jim Dulley is a mechanical engineer and home-improvement specialist who writes a nationally syndicated column about energy use. In this detailed four-page buyer's guide to heat pump water heaters, he describes the AirTap in some detail, along with eight other heat pump water heaters.
Review: Air-Condition Your House While Heating Your Water for Free, James Dulley, 2007
This brief review, in a publication aimed at professional home builders, includes a video showing how the AirTap heat pump draws heat from the air to make a tank-style water heater much more efficient.
Review: AirTap Water Heater Heating Element, Chris Ermides, Dec. 2007
3. Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute
The AirTap heat pump add-on is the only electric water heater included in this list of water heaters that are eligible for the federal income tax credit.
Review: Tax Credit Eligible Equipment, Editors of Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute, 2007
This posting at a Tennessee real estate blog -- a reprint of a press release -- describes how a professional builder is using the AirTap heat pump to get five-star EnergyStar certification for the homes he's building, without spending thousands on more expensive systems
Review: Tennessee Homebuilder Adopts AirTap to Achieve Energy Star Certification, "prolink", May 2008
