How a Hybrid Water Heater Works

The traditional method for providing hot water to a home are often called storage tank water heaters. They're popular because they're among the most affordable options available.

Storage tank water heaters can store as much as 50 gallons of hot water at a time, making them a great option for those who use a lot of hot water at any one time. There are drawbacks [source: Consumer Reports].

These water heaters require a decent amount of floor space, and are far from the most efficient option. After all, when you store 50 gallons of hot water, you create a lot of excess heat that escapes and is inevitably wasted. As affordable as they are up front, storage tank water heaters do cost more money in the long run.

These models are ideal for homes without a lot of floor space or prefer efficiency. Instead of storing hot water in a large tank, tankless water heaters use electricity or natural gas to heat water as you need it. Tankless models also heat from the bottom, but the water flows through copper pipes.

While significantly more efficient than their storage tank counterparts, tankless models have been criticized for their inability to provide a lot of water to multiple destinations in your home at any one time. They do prevent the use of a lot of energy though. And these savings are good not only for the environment and your future, but also your wallet.

Hybrid water heaters take energy efficiency to an entirely new level. They aren't nearly as popular as the other styles mentioned, but that's expected to change soon.

A hybrid water heater combines key elements of both tank and tankless water heaters. They use a storage tank, and are bowered by electricity, but instead of heating the water directly they draw on heat from the surrounding air and heat the stored water using heat pumps.

The technology behind hybrid electric water heaters varies by the model, but the benefits are fairly uniform. It's a best of both world scenario that offers a large supply of heated water as well as industry-leading energy savings.

There are drawbacks too. Hybrid heat pump water heaters pull warmth from their environment, which means they must be installed in a climate-controlled and spacious environment. They simply can't operate in a cold space [source: U.S. Department of Energy]. They also require routine maintenance and proper care to ensure maximum efficiency.

Our quest to reduce our collective carbon footprints and reduce our reliance on raising energy costs has seen to the invention of a number of impressive household appliances. The heat pump water heater is no exception.

This innovative hot water solution delivers impressive results in homes all over the world. And, when you consider that a large portion of a household's energy bill is attributed to heating water, that's no small feat.

There's no telling what the future of household efficiency will look like but, if heat pump water heaters are any indication, we can say that things are indeed the path to a greener future.

The most obvious benefit of hybrid water heaters is their efficiency. Water heaters can be extremely energy inefficient, in part because their energy usage wasn't regulated until 2008 [source: Green]. This is particularly concerning because they often use the most energy in a home — almost one-fifth of your entire energy use!

Because these models are more energy efficient, the consumer will save money. But what are the specific benefits of all these models?

Whether your water heater needs to be replaced or if you just want to be greener — both in your house and in your wallet — consider replacing your water heater with a hybrid water heater. Don't worry about running out today and getting one, though, as few are currently on the market. Wait a few years and you should have a multitude of options.

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