Do It Yourself

Heat pump water heaters are impressive, yet still under-appreciated heroes. In every year of operation, they give you all the hot water you want while they save 1 ton of CO2 emissions compared to gas water heaters, and $400-$500 in energy bills compared to electric resistance ones.

While incentives can offset the cost of a heat pump water heater (HPWH), the installation can still be more costly than a standard electric or gas water heater. It may also be more challenging to quickly find an available contractor experienced in installing a HPWH. Many homeowners are choosing to install their own HPWHs and saving money as a result.

Surveys show that significant amounts of HPWH installations (between 30-50%) are DIY (do it yourself) in markets like the Northwest and Maine.

HPWH Installation Step-by-Step

Watch a full HPWH installation, assisted by leading HPWH installers Steve Brotton and Austin from Great Northwest Installations. Get professional tips and tricks for making your installation smoother and more successful.

Watch a DIY HPWH Installation in 2 minutes

10 Steps to DIY HPWH installation

Step 1: What tools do you need?

Step 2: Draining the tank

Step 3: Capping gas and flue lines

Step 4: Disconnecting water lines

Step 5: Removing the old water heater

Step 6: Preparing the water lines

Step 7: Setting the new water heater in place

Step 8: Running water lines

Step 9: Install condensate line and electrical

Step 10: Final steps

More information to come, visit us again here.

This homeowner removed his family’s tankless gas fueled water heater himself after learning about the benefits of changing it out for a heat pump water heater and the cost savings by doing a portion of the work himself.


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