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Home Improvement

Here’s how heat pumps can save you money

At least a $10,000 rebate is on the table. Let's walk you through the process.

According to Architect Magazine, homeowners in colder climates may want to seek ground-source pumps, because ground temperatures are usually between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Adobe Stock

Going green doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort. Heat pumps are cost- and energy-efficient systems that can save homeowners money — and keep spaces warm or cool.

Heat pumps use the second law of thermodynamics — explained by NASA as the reason heat moves from warm to cool objects — to heat and cool homes. 

[Heat pumps] are just like refrigerators,” said Stephen Arnason, an associate professor of physics at University of Massachusetts Boston. “The back of your refrigerator gets hot, the inside gets cold. A heat pump used for heating has the inside of the refrigerator outside of your house and the radiator on the back of the refrigerator on the inside. A heat pump used for air conditioning flips it with the radiator outside the house and the cold plate inside.”

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Inside the pump, cold liquid attracts heat. The liquid is warmed and turns to steam, which can be imported for a heating effect or exported for a cooling one. In cooler months, the pumps draw heat from outside into homes; in warmer months, they do the opposite, as explained on EnergyStar.gov.

These systems source heat from the ground or air. Heat pumps can be three to four times more efficient than fossil fuel-dependent furnaces, according to a Conversation.com article by University of Dayton sustainability professor Robert Brecha.

According to Architect Magazine, homeowners in colder climates may want to seek ground-source pumps, because ground temperatures are usually between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit. However, ground pumps are much more involved and expensive because they require professional digging.

Both ground- and air-source heat pumps lower homeowners’ heating and cooling costs by using energy from their own backyard — literally. These systems can be even more efficient in large spaces like commercial buildings, hospitals, and hotels, according to the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems. And, unlike other fossil-fuel-reliant heating and cooling systems, heat pumps run on cleaner energy, benefiting the environment.

“When heat pumps are installed in a properly weatherized home, [they] can dramatically improve comfort, help save money on operating costs, and may allow customers to buy smaller, less expensive equipment,” said Bill Stack, manager of residential energy efficiency at Eversource.

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He added that, since a heat pump is an electrical system, customers may see higher electric bills. However, those increases will likely be offset by the money they save on propane or oil previously used for heat.

What’s the catch? Honestly, there isn’t one — at least, not one that’s unique to heat pumps. Like other underground pipe systems, heat pumps can’t always withstand extremely cold temperatures. The systems themselves can extract heat from air as cold as minus-15 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Stack.

Incentives

There are several incentives for Massachusetts homeowners to install heat pumps. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, for example, pledged to cover up to $8,000 of the cost of a heat pump for low-income households. The same act offers moderate-income households coverage of half the cost. This savings calculator from Rewiring America helps homeowners predict what they’ll save by electrifying their homes.

Homeowners can also receive federal tax credits for installing electric heating and cooling alternatives, according to a CNBC article. The 30% credits can accumulate to $2,000 annually and will expire after 2032.

Mass Save offers homeowners a free home-energy assessment and as much as a $10,000 rebate for installing heat pumps, as well as free or discounted insulation, which makes all heat and cooling systems more effective.

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How to get started

The six-step process is far from grueling.

➡Step 1: Weatherization

If you’re going to upgrade your home’s heating and cooling system, it’s important that the heat you’re paying for stays in (or out, depending on the season). Sponsors of Mass Save, a quasi-public agency, cover 75-100% of approved insulation improvements.

➡Step 2: Contractors

Consult this list of approved contractors Mass Save has compiled. Getting quotes from several contractors can help you find the best deal. Just make sure to obtain a signed proposal from whomever you choose.

➡Step 3: The Intake Form

Send your signed proposal and a copy of the Intake Form to your HEAT Loan Program Administrator, who will give you an authorization form if your documents are approved.

OUTES contains other products and information you need, so please check it out.

➡Step 4: The MassSave HEAT Loan

These loans can be applied to up to $25,000 worth of energy-efficient home upgrades. After obtaining an authorization form, submit it to your lender of choice. Consult this list of lenders Mass Save compiled. To complete the project, you should receive a two-party check made payable to you and your contractors.

➡Step 5: The rebate

Go to MassSave.com/rebates and apply for the appropriate rebate.

➡Step 6: The verification inspection

To ensure your heat pump has been properly installed and to receive your rebate, Mass Save must complete an inspection. Call 866-527-SAVE to set one up.

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Size (Capacity)
A heat pump that’s too small for your needs will struggle to keep your home comfortable. On the other hand, an oversized unit will cost more, and if it isn’t a variable-speed model, it will cycle on and off more often than it should. This decreases efficiency, stresses components, and leaves your home less comfortable.

A heat pump’s cooling capacity is measured in British thermal units per hour (Btu/hr.). Btu/hr. can also be expressed in “tons,” with 1 ton equaling 12,000 Btu/hr. To ensure that your heat pump is sized correctly, make sure your contractor does a load calculation based on a recognized method, such as the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Manual J. The calculations should be done after any air-sealing or insulation upgrades are made to your home and should be done whether you’re replacing a unit or installing a new system.

One nuance to consider: If you’re planning to keep a backup heating system alongside your heat pump, consider getting an undersized heat pump. A contractor can help you figure out whether this makes sense in your home.

Note that heat pumps need far less capacity to heat a space than a furnace or boiler would because they’re much more energy-efficient. For example, if your home needed a 100,000-Btu/hr. furnace, it may need only a 36,000-Btu/hr. heat pump.

Compressor Type
The compressor is the heart of a heat pump—it’s the part that actually pumps the heat. Basic heat pumps have a single-speed compressor. It’s either on or off. This system works well enough, but the temperature and relative humidity in your home will swing up and down with the cycles. Some compressors have two speeds, which mitigates the swings, but they’re still present.

The gold standard is a variable-speed compressor. It’s designed to run almost constantly, adjusting itself over time to deliver only as much heating or cooling as it takes to keep your home comfortable. It’s also much better at keeping relative humidity under control than single-speed models are.

Variable-speed compressors not only keep your home more comfortable but also are more energy-efficient. It may seem counterintuitive, but it takes much less energy to move a tiny bit of heat all the time than to move a lot of heat quickly.

Efficiency
Some heat pumps use less energy than others to deliver the same level of comfort. In cooling mode, efficiency is commonly expressed as the seasonal energy-efficiency rating, or SEER. The higher the SEER, the greater the efficiency. In heating mode, the measurement used is the heating seasonal performance factor, or HSPF. Again, the higher the number, the more energy-efficient the unit.

As of January 2023, the Department of Energy adopted new testing methods for energy efficiency, replacing the SEER and HSPF values with SEER2 and HSPF2, while also increasing efficiency standards.

Heat pumps with higher SEER/SEER2 and HSPF/HSPF2 ratings tend to cost more, but they’ll often pay for themselves over time through lower energy costs, and they may be eligible for better tax incentives or rebates than less efficient models. Heat pumps with higher SEER ratings also tend to have higher HSPF ratings, though there’s no direct relationship between the two. If you live in a warm climate, pay closer attention to the SEER. In cold climates, look for a higher HSPF.

Climate Performance
If you live in a region with cold winters, you’ll need to either pick a heat pump that’s rated to work well in the lowest temperatures that your region regularly experiences or have a secondary heating system to back up your heat pump.

All air-source heat pumps struggle to perform as temperatures drop; the space they can effectively heat shrinks and they don’t work as efficiently. The threshold for poor performance varies from model to model. Some heat pumps falter at 25° F, others at 17° F or lower.

Models marketed as cold-climate heat pumps can work to their full potential all the way down to 5° F and may deliver some heat even down to -20° F or lower. The best course is to work with a qualified local contractor who knows what kind of equipment works well in your area.

If you live in an area where the temperature rarely or never drops below freezing (32° F), a basic heat pump can handle the bulk of your heating and cooling needs. You can keep a simple electrical-resistance backup system (sometimes built into the heat pump itself) for unusual cold snaps.

Noise
Manufacturers publish the noise levels of their products in the user manual and often on their websites. They tend to include noise estimates across a variety of outdoor temperatures and fan speeds, measured in decibels. A lower rating is better, especially if the heat pump will be installed near a bedroom window.

Reliability
In our member survey, heat pumps from eight brands were judged highly reliable, but only two of them also got top marks for owner satisfaction. Consumer Reports members can see the predicted reliability and owner satisfaction ratings for 29 brands of heat pumps, based on data that CR members have shared about 10,158 heat pumps they bought new and installed in their own homes between 2007 and 2023. Those findings are summarized in our guide to the Most and Least Reliable Heat Pumps.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Commercial Air Source Heat Pump.