Hybrid Heat Pump Water Heater

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NIU_Huskies

New Member
I'm going to pick up the GE Geospring tomorrow from Lowe's. Take advantage of that $550 rebate thru SMECO before the June 12th deadline. Lowe's has an extended 5-year warranty for labor and parts for $59.95. It starts after the 1-year GE labor warranty period. So I'd be covered for first 6-years on parts and labor.

Anyone have any recommendations or experience with a reputable and reasonably priced plumber in Charles/Calvert County I can use for the install?
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
NIU_Huskies said:
I'm going to pick up the GE Geospring tomorrow from Lowe's. Take advantage of that $550 rebate thru SMECO before the June 12th deadline. Lowe's has an extended 5-year warranty for labor and parts for $59.95. It starts after the 1-year GE labor warranty period. So I'd be covered for first 6-years on parts and labor.

Anyone have any recommendations or experience with a reputable and reasonably priced plumber in Charles/Calvert County I can use for the install?
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My experience with those Lowes extended warranties is not a good one, they wanted me to drive a chainsaw over to the eastern shore for repair. I tried to explain to them it was a 4 hr drive and they kept telling me it was not, it is only 35 miles away. I asked them to look at a map and they got snotty with me.
 
itsbob

itsbob

I bowl overhand
We just installed a heat pump up stairs.. $1300 rebate from SMECO an addition 1100 or 1200 from Carrier.
 
N

NIU_Huskies

New Member
itsbob said:
What's the rebate on the tankless hot water heaters?
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There are no federal credits because they aren't considered efficient enough. Not sure about SMECO rebates. My house is all electric so tankless would be a waste of money and very expensive with electrical panel upgrades.
 
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NIU_Huskies

New Member
I used a Lowe's 10% discount coupon, so with 5-year Lowe's extended warranty and taxes it came out to $1,013.02. Just submitted the SMECO $550 rebate using their online system.
 
itsbob

itsbob

I bowl overhand
NIU_Huskies said:
There are no federal credits because they aren't considered efficient enough. Not sure about SMECO rebates. My house is all electric so tankless would be a waste of money and very expensive with electrical panel upgrades.
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Not efficient enough? Too funny..
 
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NIU_Huskies

New Member
Is $596 for a water heater installation a good price? Waiting to get a couple other quotes at the moment as well, but that is the first one i received.

I've heard that the going rate for any plumber to do work is a minimum $325, even if its as small as installing a new sink.
 
Chris0nllyn

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
NIU_Huskies said:
Is $596 for a water heater installation a good price? Waiting to get a couple other quotes at the moment as well, but that is the first one i received.

I've heard that the going rate for any plumber to do work is a minimum $325, even if its as small as installing a new sink.
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Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.
 
Clem72

Clem72

Well-Known Member
Dumb question here. If the heat-pump pulls the heat from the ambient room, unless it's located in a space that hotter than you want, won't you be paying a bit more in AC costs?

If my water heater were in the attic I might look to replace my 10 year old system, but instead it's in the basement. The dehumidifying action would be a benefit though.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
Clem72 said:
Dumb question here. If the heat-pump pulls the heat from the ambient room, unless it's located in a space that hotter than you want, won't you be paying a bit more in AC costs?

If my water heater were in the attic I might look to replace my 10 year old system, but instead it's in the basement. The dehumidifying action would be a benefit though.
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They cool the space they are in, so it would increase the heating costs. I hope theirs is inside, otherwise if it is outside of the house it is going to be terribly inefficient in the winter months.
 
N

NIU_Huskies

New Member
Chris0nllyn said:
Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.
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When one of the plumbing companies came to give a quote they said that the existing plumbing feeding the current water heater would need to be brought up to code when installing the new water heater. I do most things myself but my knowledge of plumbing is replacing a shower head or putting in a faucet. I don't know local/state plumbing codes, expansion tanks, condensate pumps, and all the other various nuances of installing this water heater. I wish I did though so I could save myself the money.
 
Chris0nllyn

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
NIU_Huskies said:
When one of the plumbing companies came to give a quote they said that the existing plumbing feeding the current water heater would need to be brought up to code when installing the new water heater. I do most things myself but my knowledge of plumbing is replacing a shower head or putting in a faucet. I don't know local/state plumbing codes, expansion tanks, condensate pumps, and all the other various nuances of installing this water heater. I wish I did though so I could save myself the money.
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Understood.

Are you in Calvert County? If so, I can get you the number of a great plumber.
 
itsbob

itsbob

I bowl overhand
Chris0nllyn said:
Try to do it yourself? With Sharkbite fittings and flex lines/install kits, it's a breeze.
Click to expand...

Taylor gas came in to install my tankless (converting from an old 50 gallon tank) while they were running the gas lines I was cutting and running new copper to them. They were a little bewildered about how fast I was going, and "WTH are those things you are using??". We had a long discussion about them, and the cost (they aren't cheap) and if they did the math if they would save enough labor cost to absorb the cost of the bites.. no more sweating and soldering pipes..

It's always a GOOD thing when you can take apart a connection and do it again, and again.. until you get it right. It's been 5 years with the GatorBites (I think Lowes is GatorBite, and Home Depot is SharkBite?) and still as solid as the day I put them in.. no drips, no drops, and can still take them apart if I needed to to rerun them, which I will if I ever finish that room off.

They even make one for specific for swapping out water heaters: http://www.lowes.com/pd/GatorBITE-Stainless-Steel-Water-Heater-Connector/3825533
 
Chris0nllyn

Chris0nllyn

Well-Known Member
itsbob said:
Taylor gas came in to install my tankless (converting from an old 50 gallon tank) while they were running the gas lines I was cutting and running new copper to them. They were a little bewildered about how fast I was going, and "WTH are those things you are using??". We had a long discussion about them, and the cost (they aren't cheap) and if they did the math if they would save enough labor cost to absorb the cost of the bites.. no more sweating and soldering pipes..

It's always a GOOD thing when you can take apart a connection and do it again, and again.. until you get it right. It's been 5 years with the GatorBites (I think Lowes is GatorBite, and Home Depot is SharkBite?) and still as solid as the day I put them in.. no drips, no drops, and can still take them apart if I needed to to rerun them, which I will if I ever finish that room off.

They even make one for specific for swapping out water heaters: http://www.lowes.com/pd/GatorBITE-Stainless-Steel-Water-Heater-Connector/3825533
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And if that one valve won't shut all the way, just twist it. :lol:

I know the plumbing engineers at my company won't allow them on our projects, and I've traditionally preferred sweating the pipes, but they've been out long enough that you'd hear about major issues with them.
 
GWguy

GWguy

*
Clem72 said:
I may be interested in using these, but I did see some reports that they restrict water flow and somewhat lower your water pressure. You have any input on that?
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Haven't seen any significant loss on the ones I've used, and my house pressure is low to start, typically 45-55 psi. But with any joint, bend, elbow, etc... there will always be some level of loss. Any interruption disrupts the laminar flow and creates turbulence in the pipe, reducing pressure.
 
PeoplesElbow

PeoplesElbow

Well-Known Member
I don't like the fact that the sharkbites allow the pipe to rotate. Someone new to them has to realize to clean the pipe and debur the pipe well or they will leak, you also can't use them over a pipe that has had a compression fitting on it in that location.
 
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