How Much Space Does a Heat Pump Water Heater Need

A heat pump water heater needs to be placed in an unoccupied space with sufficient room (around a thousand cubic feet of air, or a 12′ by 12′ space) for it to access the heat it needs. It cannot be placed in an area that grows extremely cold in winter such as an unheated garage.

Can you put a heat pump water heater in a closet?

Unlike other types of water heaters, you shouldn’t install an HPWH in a small closed closet because it wouldn’t have enough warm air to power the heat pump. Most manufacturers recommend a space that’s at least 100 square feet.

Can a heat pump water heater be installed in a crawl space?

So, if your crawlspace is vented to the outside, or as HerrBag states, is conditioned, with air exchange to/from the house, it will be fine, but may operate at lower efficiency: Temperature – Like you say, the water heater is a heat pump or “reverse AC”, meaning it heats water by pumping heat from the air.