Find Out if You Qualify for a SunWork Heat Pump Water Heater
The SunWork heat pump water heater (HPWH) program is open to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area and the Central Coast. The easiest sites for HPWH projects have the existing water heater located in the garage with an electrical panel, subpanel, or suitable circuit close by. Projects like these can generally be completed in a single install day led by a SunWork staff member working with volunteer support. Sites requiring longer circuit runs or significant plumbing reconfiguration will typically need an additional preparatory install day by a SunWork staff member. Our core services do not currently include most other auxiliary plumbing, electrical, or carpentry work, but we can potentially help with projects at sites where these are needed if the homeowner is able to take care of required improvements in advance. More detailed requirements and possible exceptions are below.
Qualification Criteria
- Gas water heater size: The existing gas water heater that is being replaced is 50 gallons or less. Heat pump water heaters typically have a lower first-hour hot water rating for the same tank size so it’s important to upsize versus you current water heater, unless a reduction in hot water capacity will still meet needs.
- Gas water heater location: The existing gas water heater is located in a garage. In certain cases outdoor locations are also possible. We can sometimes install in a basement, laundry room, or utility room that meets the following requirements in addition to the other requirements on this list:
- The room must have easy access via no more than 4 stairs that are all in one straight line (no turns), with ample doorway and corridor space of at least 28” in width.
- The room must be a minimum of 450 cubic feet in size due to air access requirements. We are typically not able to install in closets due to this requirement.
- If the current water heater location does not meet these requirements, relocating the water heater is sometimes possible at an additional charge.
- Electrical requirements:
- There is an accessible electrical panel nearby – in the same room as the water heater or just outside of it – with space to add a 240-volt breaker.
- Alternatively, there is a suitable circuit (minimum 30-amp, 240-volt) already running to the water heater location.
- If there is no electrical panel or 240-volt circuit close by, we may be able to install a 120-volt HPWH model.
- If power for the water heater needs to be run from a different part of the house, this is often possible at an additional charge.
- Space requirements:
- Condensate drain requirement: The new HPWH needs a path to drain the small amount of condensate water that is produced to an appropriate location.
- Location of the new HPWH must be “noise friendly” for sound levels up to 45 dB (equivalent to the sound level for “moderate rainfall”).
- There must be parking available nearby for our Project Lead’s truck for the duration of the installation.
Note: Some of the above qualification criteria are model-specific and may change as new equipment options become available.
We are happy to evaluate whether you might be eligible for our program if you can please fill out our qualifications form:
If you don’t qualify for our SunWork program, below are a couple of good resources for alternative HPWH contractors:
