Energy Savings Disclaimer
Every energy or utility-savings figure on this site is an estimate based on typical conditions. None of it is a guarantee. This page explains what the estimates are, where they come from, and why your actual experience may be different.
What our estimates are based on
Our savings figures use ENERGY STAR-published efficiency ratings (UEF), federal Department of Energy reference usage, common utility rates, and typical household water-heating loads. We weight these against the input you provide in our tools — household size, climate, current water heater type, peak demand, electric rate.
Why estimates vary in real life
- Climate: Heat pump efficiency drops as ambient air falls below 50°F. A cold-basement install will underperform a warm-garage install of the same model.
- Household size and behavior: Two short showers and one dishwasher run a day produces very different demand from a household of six with daily laundry. Mode selection (heat-pump-only vs. hybrid) also moves the number meaningfully.
- Utility rates: A 17¢/kWh rate produces very different absolute dollar savings than a 9¢/kWh rate, even on the same equipment.
- Time-of-use rates: Households on TOU plans can shift heat-pump runtime to cheap hours and beat our flat-rate estimates. Households without TOU cannot.
- Installation quality: Pipe runs, hot-water-pipe insulation, ambient air volume, mixing valves, condensate drain quality, and recirculation pumps all affect real performance.
- Rebate context: Federal IRA, ENERGY STAR and utility rebates can dramatically change payback period — none of those are reflected in raw kWh estimates.
How to use the estimates
Our tools are designed to help you understand the range of likely outcomes and to compare options against each other — not to promise a specific monthly bill. “$330/year” on the savings visualizer means “most households like yours would land somewhere in this neighborhood, with reasonable variance up and down.”
If you need a binding number
For binding savings projections, talk to your utility (many will run a free home energy assessment) and a licensed installer. They can model your specific climate, rate plan and equipment.
About utility and tax credit estimates
Rebate amounts and tax-credit eligibility change. We update our editor content when programs move, but always verify current eligibility with your utility or the IRS before counting on a specific dollar amount.