Triple-Integrated Heat Pumps
In 1989, Popular Science magazine
gave one of its top-ten "Best of What's
New" awards to the Carrier Hydrotech
2000 — a sophisticated "triple-integrated"
heat pump that provided yearround
high-efficiency water heating in
addition to high-efficiency space heating
and cooling. Unfortunately,
Hydrotech's high price tag (roughly
$7,000) was too much for the market
to bear and Carrier withdrew the system
from production in 1993. Now
three manufacturers have revived the
concept with less expensive systems.
The Nordyne Powermiser is an airsource
system and the other two —
the Hydroheat, manufactured by
HydroDelta Corporation, and the
Hydro-Temp, produced by Hydro-
Temp Corporation — are both ground-source systems. All
have special refrigerant circuits that allow high-efficiency,
year-round water heating, regardless of