Is it okay to put a heat pump water heater in a crawl space, if it's tight?
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I have a large crawl space.It is around 7 feet high and 80 inches wide.I am looking to replace the 50 gallon electric water heater with a new one made by GE.
The installation of a louvered door can be done in smaller rooms.The Louvers should be more than 200 square inches.
If your crawlspace is conditioned with air exchange from the house to the outside, it will be fine, but may operate at a lower efficiency.
The water heater is a heat pump that uses the air to heat the water.It cools the space it is in.The unit will operate at a lower efficiency if the temperature is below 45F because of the heat pump or just because it is cold outside.When installed in confined spaces, HPWHs take a 10-15% efficiency penalty.
High humidity is not a problem.It will operate better at higher humidity.As well as the obvious danger to your pipes, freezing temperatures are an issue for efficiency.A floor drain or pump/sump will be needed.
What climate are you in?If you are in a hot climate, it is a good idea to have a heat pump water heating system in your home.
I would get approval from GE for this install, as it sounds like the destination is not compliant with some of the technical requirements.
You could satisfy GE if you brought the crawlspace into the conditioned envelope of the house.