One of the biggest advantages of a heat pump hot water system is that it can use significantly less electricity than a traditional electric hot water system.
Instead of using electricity to directly heat the water, a heat pump uses electricity to move heat from the surrounding air into the hot water tank. This makes it much more energy efficient.
How Much Electricity Does a Heat Pump Use?
The electricity consumption depends on the system size, household hot water usage, weather and operating settings.
As a general guide, a modern heat pump can use around 1–3 kWh of electricity per day for a typical household, although actual usage can be higher or lower depending on conditions.
For example, a household using around 2 kWh per day would use approximately:
2 kWh × 365 days = 730 kWh per year
Your actual electricity use will depend on how much hot water your family uses.
Why Does a Heat Pump Use Less Electricity?
A traditional electric hot water system uses electricity directly to heat the water.
A heat pump works differently. It uses a refrigeration cycle to transfer heat from the air into the water. Because it moves heat rather than creating all the heat electrically, it can produce significantly more heat energy than the electricity it consumes.
Can Solar Panels Reduce Running Costs?
Yes. If your home has solar panels, you can schedule the heat pump to operate during the daytime when your solar system is producing electricity.
This can help you use more of your own solar energy and reduce the amount of electricity you need to purchase from the grid.
Is a Heat Pump Cheaper to Run?
For many Victorian households, a heat pump can be considerably cheaper to operate than a conventional electric hot water system.
The actual savings depend on your household’s hot water usage, electricity tariff, solar generation and the heat pump you choose.
Thinking about upgrading your hot water system? EvoPlumb Services supplies and installs heat pump hot water systems across Victoria. Contact us for advice on choosing the right size and system for your home.
Electricity consumption and running costs vary between households and products. Rebates and government incentives may also change over time.