Water heater appliance and a method for operating a water heater appliance

A method for operating a water heater appliance during a hybrid heating mode, comprising:

• measuring a temperature of water within the water heater appliance;
• operating a heating element of the water heater appliance when the temperature of water within the water heater appliance is less than a threshold temperature at said step of measuring, wherein a set temperature is greater than the threshold temperature, a compressor of the sealed system of the water heater appliance turned off while operating the heating element of the water heater appliance;
• deactivating the heating element of the water heater appliance when the temperature of water within the water heater appliance exceeds the threshold temperature after said step of operating;
• activating a compressor of a sealed system of the water heater appliance after deactivating the heating element of the water heater appliance;
• and
• turning off the compressor of the sealed system of the water heater appliance when the temperature of water within the water heater appliance is about the set temperature after said step of activating,
• wherein the set temperature is no less than one hundred and forty degrees Fahrenheit, and the threshold temperature is no less than one hundred and twenty degrees Fahrenheit and no greater than one hundred and twenty-five degrees Fahrenheit.