Certified Facility Manager (CFM) Practice Exam

How do heat pump water heaters operate?

1. They use electricity to heat water directly.

2. They extract heat from air or water sources.

3. They heat water through combustion.

4. They rely on geothermal energy.

The correct answer is: They extract heat from air or water sources.

Heat pump water heaters operate by extracting heat from the surrounding environment, which is typically air or sometimes water sources. This process utilizes a refrigerant that absorbs heat and then compresses it to increase the temperature. The heated refrigerant then transfers its heat to the water in the tank, providing hot water for use without direct heating elements. This method is highly efficient because it moves heat rather than generating it through combustion or electrical resistance. Consequently, it can provide significant energy savings compared to traditional electric water heaters that generate heat directly. The other options do not accurately describe the operating principles of heat pump water heaters. Direct electric heating involves using electric resistance elements, combustion relies on burning fuels to generate heat, and geothermal energy applications are specific to ground-source heat pumps, which operate on different principles than heat pump water heaters that primarily use ambient air for heat extraction.