The answer is a little bit complicated, but the main takeaway is that you don't need to have any plumbing alterations done - you can plug it in and start using it.
Heat pump dryers use electricity to generate heat (so if the power goes out, expect your laundry also to stay wet). They blow hot air through the wet laundry, an action that leads to drying of the clothes. This heat drives moisture from damp clothes and into the atmosphere. Here some of it evaporates back into water which gets collected by the machine and reused.
The water collected at the water container component is not enough to require a visit from a plumber. However, you will need to run the machine through a complete cycle once every two months or so. Some units come with a drain hose pre-installed. You can direct the collected water into your garden or laundry sink.The main indoor component that the clothes pass through is a ventilated chamber, which ensures that humidity levels remain low inside. By the action of the hot air, the ventilation removes water vapours from inside the machine and sends them outside, where they condense into actual water. This process is known as an air-to-water heat exchanger.
There are 3 major variations of heat pump dryers:
Vented tumble dryers extract moisture from clothing without exposing the laundry to any external environment (since there's no venting). In effect, these machines work as regular drying machines but with a twist - their condensers use cold coils to extract moisture instead of using a fan or filter for this purpose. They are noticeably energy-efficient since they do not heat cold air or run fans like traditional dryers. Moisture captured by the machine is used to humidify the room where it's located.
Condenser dryers can be identified by a big vent on one side of the machine. This design allows the machine to expel hot, humid air from inside to reduce humidity levels in homes or laundromats with very low ventilation. The condensed water from this process through a drain pipe can be collected using a condensate tray at the bottom of the unit. The water is accumulated through an external hose attached near the back of the machine (for proper drainage). The energy efficiency of condenser tumble dryers is less compared to ventless heat dryers. However, condenser models are cheaper to buy, have a larger loading capacity, and dry laundry faster.
These models are similar to condensing units, but they don't come with any vents on the actual machine. Instead, they use ducting kits for removing humid air from inside. The evaporator in these machines is usually located behind the unit and can be accessed by removing a small access door. These 3 types of heat pump dryers come in both free-standing and built-in designs. Whether you need a heat pump tumble dryer, the vented or condenser models will depend on your space, washing capacity requirements and budget, among other factors. Built-in models are meant to be installed inside laundromats or commercial laundry rooms, while the freestanding units are best for residential applications. You might have noticed that most heat pump dryers look pretty similar to high-efficiency conventional top load washers. This is because many of them are designed using washing machine parts. It's worth noting that not all electric dryers require plumbing, but these units do need an electrical outlet near where they're being installed because their power cords aren't very long.
No, not really. Most heat pump dryers are vented, which allows them to expel moist air into the atmosphere without requiring a drain. This is in contrast to the workings of a condenser tumble dryer. However, you will have to do periodic maintenance on your machine's evaporator coils (at least once every 2 months) and lint filter by removing any built-up lint and washing down its fins with water and detergent. This will ensure that humidity levels remain low inside the machine, even if laundry has been left inside for more than a few hours.
Heat pump tumble dryers are much more energy-efficient than conventional dryers that rely on a mechanical drum or tumbling action to remove moisture from clothes. The heat pump technology they run on works by extracting heat from the surrounding environment (air or water) and transferring it to wet clothes inside the machine's drum via a cold evaporator coil. Since they use condensation instead of mechanical tumbling, these units can dry clothing faster than conventional electric dryers or even models that rely on direct combustion.
Yes. The heat pump tumble dryers achieve superior energy efficiency because of the underlying condenser dryer technology they rely on. Most models claim to be able to provide similar energy savings as Energy Star washing machines - some can save up to 50% of your electricity bills compared to traditional tumble dryers. They're also very quiet and can do a much better job at preserving the colours in clothing than most typical dryers. Some heat pump tumble dryers come with sensors on the drum that constantly monitor how much moisture is inside clothing. This allows them to automatically switch to low heat settings when laundry is about 3/4 of the way dried, saving electricity and preventing overheating.
Heat pump dryers are much faster than conventional dryers because they rely on heat pumps, not combustion or mechanical tumbling, to extract moisture from laundry. Some condensing models can do this in around 40-50 minutes, while older ventless designs might take a bit longer - between 90 and 120 minutes. It's important to note that these units usually require a lower drying temperature or medium heat setting, which means drying laundry will take a bit longer when using the high heat setting.
Condensation can be a common problem with heat pump dryers. Even the best units might see some moisture collecting around the machine if laundry has been left inside for too long, but this is usually a relatively minor issue compared to most traditional dryers.
If you notice any condensation on your unit's cold evaporator coil - wipe it down as soon as possible to avoid stains and mildew growth. Operating your machine without venting it properly will cause wet clothes to accumulate moisture inside its inner chamber, resulting in unpleasant odours or even damage parts of the appliance over time. Most modern condensing models include a built-in drainage feature that automatically drains water away from the machine when it decides that the ambient temperature is low enough for this to be possible. This drains water from the reservoir through a hose or directly into a sink through an external port.
It's possible to wall mount heat pump tumble dryers, but it usually isn't a good idea. Most units are quite heavy and require 1-2 inches of clearance behind them in order to prevent overheating or damage to the machine itself. Most condensing models aren't designed for this kind of installation, but some ventless units can be mounted on a bracket provided that there's enough space around the appliance.
Heat pump tumble dryers are very efficient and considerably cheaper to use than traditional electric or gas-powered units, but they do cost quite a bit more upfront. Although prices have dropped significantly over the past few years, you can expect to pay around $1000 for a quality ventless model compared to closer to $300 for an older condensing unit. Most of these machines will also require professional installation (around $100-$200), making them cost more to buy and install as commercial or home appliances. There are also reports that some users find these appliances quite difficult to operate at first because of the digital display and different cycles available on modern models - be prepared to spend time reading user manuals before using one. Fortunately, if you do your research upfront, there are some great deals to be had on high-quality heat pump dryers.
In most cases, heat pump tumble dryers need to vent moist air from the inner drum to work correctly. However, there are a few condensing models that don't require any ventilation at all. These can be installed in any small house or workplace where installing a flexible external ducting system is not practical. These units have an internal cold evaporator coil that sits near the rear of the chamber and collects moisture from clothing during a drying cycle before releasing it into the immediate environment through a drain hose or directly into a sink via a dedicated port. You should never operate these appliances without installing them carefully according to manufacturer instructions. Doing so could cause severe damage over time due to water flooding the unit when it cannot evaporate anymore. This phenomenon is known as overfilling.