Nearly all Americans have come to expect modern-day comforts at home, and one of the most beloved is having hot water available whenever we want it. But if we dive into energy costs, the true expense of those hot showers is surprisingly high.
According to census data from the Energy Information Administration, a few categories make up the lion's share of the average home's electric utility bill. Water heating is the second-highest category, following only space heating. In fact, water heating accounts for nearly 20% of the average home's entire energy bill, according to the Department of Energy.
Because of this, more and more homeowners have been upgrading to heat pump water heaters, which use electricity. They are much more efficient than traditional tank heaters, which means a steep reduction in energy bills for homeowners and less pollution entering the atmosphere.
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Cost concerns 💸 Because of these numerous benefits, the Inflation Reduction Act is offering significant incentives to upgrade. They include rebates and tax breaks for making the switch. While the incentives are currently widely used, they may not be available forever, as President-elect Donald Trump has indicated he'd like to roll back the IRA — meaning that choosing to make the switch now could ultimately save you thousands of dollars.
One great option for upgrading is the new Cala "intelligent" heat pump water heater. The first-of-its-kind device uses predictive technology to heat water more efficiently. It considers water-use habits, environmental factors, and variable energy costs.
Cala CEO Michael Rigney estimated that the lifetime savings for a four-person family in the Northeast switching to a Cala heat pump water heater from a propane tank heater is over $6,000.
"That's going to be really inexpensive over time, and it's also going to decarbonize 3% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the whole country," Rigney told The Cool Down.
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