I Got A Heat Pump Water Heater (And Got My Home Off Gas)

Ryan and Tammy Jarymy knew for years they wanted to electrify their Calgary home. Both scuba divers, they worry about the impact of climate change on the oceans, and they wanted to shrink their carbon footprint. They had already reduced their fossil fuel consumption by driving electric vehicles, and they wanted to get their home off gas as well. Their vision was to replace their gas appliances with electric ones, disconnect from the gas line and install solar panels to generate clean electricity.

“I’ve been interested in electrification for quite a long time,” says Ryan, who has a background in the energy sector.

Their home was already outfitted with an induction stove, so their next step was to tackle their space and water heating. That meant replacing their gas furnace with an air source heat pump and swapping the old gas boiler for a heat pump water heater.

A heat pump extracts heat from the outdoor air, ground, or water, and transfers it to the indoor air. It can also be used in reverse to provide cooling. A heat pump water heater extracts heat from the surrounding air and transfers it to a tank of water. Heat pump technology is currently the most efficient way to heat your air or water with electricity.

Although the couple knew what they wanted to do, they needed an energy audit before they could do it. During an energy audit, a consultant assesses your home and provides recommendations for improving energy efficiency—like sealing air leaks and adding insulation. The more energy efficient your home is, the less energy you’ll use for heating and cooling.

The only problem was, the Jarymys couldn’t find an energy auditor. Ryan called several companies, and none responded. Once they booked their solar contractor, though, they were able to get an energy auditor through them.

After implementing some basic recommendations—like air sealing and replacing the leaky attic hatch—the next challenge was finding an HVAC company that was willing and able to install clean tech. Most were sceptical that it could be done and recommended a “dual-fuel” system, which uses a gas furnace as a backup. That wasn’t going to cut it, so they kept looking. Finally, they found a company called Comfort Union HVAC. A small company, they were “pumped” to do the project.

Ryan and Tammy Jarymy and their Stiebel Eltron Accelera 220E heat pump water heater. (Photo: Courtesy of Ryan Jarymy)

Before settling on a heat pump water heater, Ryan spent hundreds of hours researching different appliances. He ended up choosing the Stiebel Eltron Accelera 220E. Although Stiebel is less common in Canada than other brands, and the unit took a few days to ship via the U.S., Ryan says it is “one of the better-running units in the world.”

The unit, which currently costs about $4,900, came in at around $6,200 with installation and plumbing, as well as the removal of the gas boiler and combustion venting. (Most heat pump water heaters range from $1,500 for a 50-gallon model to $3500 for an 80-gallon model). The entire HVAC system was installed last October, along with a heat pump washer and dryer to further save energy. Everything was designed to fit on a 100-amp panel. 

So far, Ryan says the energy usage of the heat pump water heater is “phenomenal.” And it has no problem keeping up with demand—which typically includes running the dishwasher each day, doing laundry and taking showers. Even if someone takes a hot bath after a load of laundry, they will still have hot water. With the hybrid function, an electric booster kicks in when it detects above-average demand. Once demand returns to normal, it returns to heat pump mode. Ryan says this is rare, and they can always keep it in heat pump mode if they choose.

Shortly after the HVAC system was installed, they had the gas line disconnected. In November, their solar panels were installed. When the sun is shining, the solar panels power the home and charge the EVs; when it’s not, they use electricity from the grid. And even though most of Calgary’s electricity comes from gas, the home now consumes a fraction of what it did. To the Jarymys, it’s worth it.

“It gives the oceans a little bit of a chance to recover,” says Ryan. “And hopefully by doing it, it gives people an example that they can do it too.”