Richard Trethewey is the heating and plumbing expert on the popular PBS home improvement show “Ask This Old House.” For an October 2018 episode, Trethewey met with homeowner Scott Sanders, who needed to replace an ailing 20-year-old electric tank water heater.
Trethewey recommended an electric hybrid water heater to replace the existing tank unit. In this case, he installed the A. O. Smith Voltex Residential Hybrid Electric Heat Pump Water Heater. With a Uniform Energy Factor (UEF) of up to 3.42, the Voltex water heater could significantly reduce the Sanders family’s monthly electric bill. In addition, it could easily be installed without any upgrade to the home’s electrical service.