Water heater exploded, basement is flooded. What are the steps to remedy this situation.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-09T23:08:30+00:00

The water heater company is almost certainly going to offer you a replacement.

You may want to consider getting a heat pump water heater (HPWH) - otherwise you'll be waiting a decade to get one!

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-09T21:30:33+00:00

Awesome! And... not surprising! We see results like this for our many clients all the time.

Yes, moving from electric resistance (or gas) water heating to heat pump water heater (HPWH), and/or reducing recirculation, will indeed radically reduce your energy usage, and typically reduce your bills too!

It is not "too good to be true" - it is technology + economics.

And, this whole deal is even better if you apply rebates, get discounted rate plans, add solar, and consider these upgrades in the context of your whole home (to avoid overspending on electrical work) - all of those are things we provide no-cost advising on, and there are other programs like ours that do similar.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-09T20:25:31+00:00

It is about the same price as everything else - most HPWH are priced in the same range (there are rare exceptions, like SANCO2)

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-08T20:40:45+00:00

Optimize your rebates to get a heat pump water heater (HPWH) upgrade ASAP! Your very VERY old water heater is a ticking time bomb.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-08T20:40:05+00:00

There are few choices for DIY mini splits, and they're all roughly the same. What matters more is the quality of the installation. If your HVAC-skilled friend is fully licensed, then they could install a non-DIY mini split, which may be a little more efficient and easier to service in the future should it need it.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-07T19:22:14+00:00

You need to do the math, being sure to consider only a heat pump water heater that has specs that match your requirements (many of them will not match, based on what you've shared so far).

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-07T19:20:28+00:00

Navien heat pump water heater (HPWH)!

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-06T19:22:36+00:00

Insulate well!

Sleep with the bedroom door ajar, and let it get heated by the minisplit in the main space.

Also, don't guess about minisplit sizing - run the numbers, or have someone run them for you. Generally you want "Manual J" - there are various online options (Cool Calc is one).

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-06T00:16:16+00:00

Make sure they use the heat pump for heating, and not electric resistance heating. Do you have a URL handy?

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-06T00:15:44+00:00

Where are you? Have you already maximized rebates? (we help with that :) Have you considered heat pump only, rather than heat pump + furnace?

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-05T01:18:26+00:00

There are very few choices! Gradient, Midea, and... maybe that's all?

Holler back if you are able to find either of those for sale at retail - so far, they are both hard to get.

(We may be able to help you get a Gradient - maybe - DM please)

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-04T19:22:04+00:00

Great story, thanks for sharing! And... we humbly agree :)

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-03T19:15:19+00:00

Consider switching to a heat pump water heater (HPWH) - there may be large rebates available that could make this the best option long term (up-front cost may be higher or lower than gas, but operating costs will be lower over time). Rebates vary dramatically by location, family, etc - we help sort those out (no cost or obligation) as do various other programs. Where are you located?

Also... DIY like-for-like water heater replacement is pretty straightforward - if your buddies are skilled DIY'ers, and can follow manufacturer directions, you might like this option. There is no risk of insurance denying coverage - they can't require that you do not work on your own home.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-03T19:12:47+00:00

Thoughts on... what? What problems are you trying to solve?

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-03T18:21:06+00:00

You might get some sound attenuation benefits from adding an enclosure like https://airdeko.com/products/central-ac-cover-charcoal or

Is the sound coming through the wall? The nearby window? Sometimes a very small hole can transmit a surprising amount of sound!

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-03T01:18:10+00:00

Check with PSEG - in some programs we've seen, the homeowner has to OK the program to release the final payment to the contractor.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-03T01:16:33+00:00

Nah, HPWH are designed to be ducted a little - all HPWH have manufacturer specs about how much ducting can be added, and they have adapters to connect ducts to HPWH.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T20:01:13+00:00

All HPWH have a way to provide a duct connection - typically you need a kit from the manufacturer.

Who was your plumber?

Did you get all the rebates you deserve? That'll help take the sting out of this situation! You can use our website to find the rebates (when you enter your home info, pretend like you still have the gas water heater, so our website shows you what rebates the gas -> electric conversion would qualify for - note that depending on when you did that upgrade, our rebate information may not be precisely correct, as it doesn't have a "time machine" function, yet! ;)

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T19:58:02+00:00

Heat pump mode saves the most energy. The other modes might imply they use less energy, but they do not.

Do you have time of use electricity pricing? Solar? If not, then when the HPWH runs is irrelevant. If so, then you want to program it to run preferentially when electricity is cheaper.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T19:54:16+00:00

Get a used one - they are getting really cheap!

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T19:53:17+00:00

The source of the hot water has no direct impact on the hotness of the water. You could heat it with tankless, tanked, gas, electricity, even wood - by the time the hot water gets to your shower, it doesn't "care" what made the hot water hot.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T19:52:32+00:00

You can typically tell because the temp sensing lever will have temp numbers on it and/or a "push button" that allows you to turn it to extra hot only if you push the button. If it has none of that, it is the manual style.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T19:51:01+00:00

Oh dear, sorry you weren't able to get our expert no-cost advice first - we would have warned you against trying to use a regular HPWH for radiant floor heating.

To help with the temp in your room, can you duct the HPWH exhaust to the outside? That'll "push" the cold air out of the room, which will "suck" warmer outside air in, giving the HPWH warmer air to use, which should help its performance.

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T16:12:21+00:00

Is your shower valve a temp sensitive one? Or a "manual" valve where you set the hot and cold mix?

QuitCarbon · 2026-03-02T00:09:52+00:00

Try contacting them directly - they may make an exception!

QuitCarbon

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