Install Electric Heat Pump Heater
If it’s time to upgrade your home heating system, go with a highly efficient electric air sourced heat pump heating system. Regardless of what type of heating system you have now, this is the best option for low-cost energy and lowering your impact on the climate.
Your Impact
Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
Why are heat pumps so energy efficient? A heat pump system works the same way as a refrigerator—it takes the heat out of the surrounding air and pumps it into your home. Since heat pumps move heat, rather than converting it from fuel like traditional combustion heating systems, they use less energy to operate.
Heat pump systems also provide both heating and cooling. If you don’t have a cooling system now and are considering installing one, this will provide for both of your needs. Heat pump systems have advanced in recent years and are now able to operate efficiently even in colder climates. Heat pumps just make sense!
1Learn about Heat Pump heating systems
Regardless of your current heating system and your home needs, there is a heat pump system that will fit your needs. Learn more about heat pumps below.
Heat pump system options:
Ducts: Heat pump systems can be installed using either ducts or as a ductless system. If you have ducts currently in your home and they are in good working order, you can use them.
Ductless: Heat pump systems can also be installed without a duct system. If you have a steam or hot air radiator system with no ducts, or don’t have a central heating system at all, it is easy to install a ductless heat pump system without the expense of installing ducts. The added benefit of a ductless system is that there is no heat loss from leaky ducts. This increases the efficiency of the system and lowers your energy and maintenance costs.
Zones: Heat pump systems are also easy to set up in zones. Zones are areas of your home you can set up with separate thermostats or heating controls to increase energy efficiency and comfort.
Geothermal: There is one other heat pump option—a geothermal heat pump system which takes heat from the ground, rather than from the air. These are much more expensive to install but are very inexpensive to operate and there are many rebates and credits to lower the cost. They are a better fit for some areas than others. Check with a local installer to see if this is an option for your home.
Learn more about how how heat pump heating systems work before choosing a system.
Heat pumps can significantly lower your impact. Heat pump heating systems are also one of the best ways to lower your impact on climate and air pollution. If you are currently using natural gas, propane or fuel oil to heat your home, switching to a heat pump heater allows you to power your home heating with clean renewable energy. If you already have electric heating now, you will still increase your heating energy efficiency by up to 60%, significantly lowering your energy use (and saving!).
If you switch to a heat pump heater and also sign up for a green electricity program or install solar, then your home heating will be carbon and air pollution free! If you can’t sign up for green energy yet, choosing a heat pump system is still a good idea. Since renewable electricity sources like solar and wind have become much cheaper, over the next 10-20 years most utilities will install more renewable energy making your home heating cleaner and much lower in impact!
2Learn about cost, savings and when to upgrade
Savings. Heat pump systems cost less to operate than other types of heating systems. If you have an oil or propane furnace or boiler system, the electric heat pump system can save you up to $1,000/year on your energy bills in cold climates, and slightly less in moderate climates. If you have a standard electric heating system (electric resistance), you can save up to $1,300/year in cold climates, and less in moderate climates. If you have a natural gas system currently, the operating costs are comparable for newer systems and an improvement over older, less efficient natural gas systems. If you have another type of system, your savings will depend on the age and efficiency of the existing system and your annual operating costs.
When to upgrade. With the average installation cost of $3,000-$6,000 for a heat pump system, if your annual energy costs drop by $500 or more after an upgrade, then your investment will pay for itself in around 5-10 years. To confirm your savings and benefits, ask a heating professional to estimate your cost savings and help you decide when it makes the most sense to upgrade.
Efficiency first. Before you upgrade your home heating system, consider making energy efficiency upgrades! This will lower the amount of energy you need to heat your home. This is important because when you buy a new system, you need to decide the size of the system that is right for your house. The size will depend on how much energy you need. If you buy a system that is too big, it will cost extra to purchase and operate. So if you were considering insulating your attic or weather-stripping your home, do it before you buy a new heating system! This will lower your energy bills and save money on your new heating system.
3Choose & install your new system
The best way to choose a new system is to work with a professional installer. A few things that should be considered:
Energy efficiency rating. Heat pumps are rated by a heating season performance factor (HSPF) for heating and a seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) for cooling. In warmer climates the SEER rating is more important; in colder climates, the HSPF rating is more important. Look for the Energy Star label to ensure good ratings. Also, consider selecting a unit with demand-defrost control for lower energy use.
Noise rating. Also, consider the noise rating of the unit. Fans and compressors make noise, so choose one with a rating of 7.6 bels or lower and site it away from windows.
Choose an experienced contractor to do the work and check references and quotes before you choose. Finally, once you have installed your new system, maintain it regularly for maximum efficiency, energy savings, and comfort!