Air Source Heat Pumps and Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps

You want to save money on your electric bills. You want to keep your home comfortable all year long. You know it’s time — maybe past time — to replace the system you have with something more efficient.

You need to consider an air source heat pump. Because consider this: on average, a heat pump can move about three times as much heating or cooling energy as it uses — which means it’s about 300% efficient! That’s a big stretch for your heating and cooling dollars.

How Heat Pumps Work

Why are heat pumps so efficient? They don’t actually make heat. Instead, they transfer heat from inside your home to outside — and vice-versa — via an outdoor unit with a compressor and a condenser that work with the air handling unit inside your home.

“But,” you might protest, “if it’s cold outside, it’s going to be pretty cold inside, too. How can that possibly work?”

Believe it or not, the heat pump can extract enough heat from the air on cold days to heat your home; in fact, new cold climate air source heat pumps are made especially for the colder days we experience in the Midwest. And in the summer, the heat pump moves the unwanted heat from inside your home to the outside, which makes the inside temperature cooler.

Cold Climate (Air Source) Heat Pump? What’s That?

It’s the newest innovation in heat pumps that can reduce your household energy consumption by up to 40% — even when the weather gets extremely cold — thanks to advances in compressor technology. A regular air source heat pump’s efficiency drops to 100% as the outdoor temperature is below freezing and approaches the single digits. A Cold Climate Heat Pump will still be at least 175% efficient at 5 degrees. That means your back-up will run less and you’ll pay less!

How Do I Know if My Unit is a Cold Climate or “Regular” Air Source Heat Pump?

Here’s how to find out:

Check out Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships’ database of cold climate air source heat pumps to see if yours qualifies for a rebate. Simply enter your heat pump’s AHRI certificate number and click Search the List. If you see your heat pump, it qualifies for a Cold Climate Heat Pump rebate. Ask your HVAC contractor or your local co-op energy advisor for more details.

Why Power Moves Heat Pumps are Great

Because some air source heat pumps are more efficient than others.  If your new air source heat pump meets the Power Moves requirements, you know it’s more efficient than other air source heat pumps.  If your air source heat pump is a cold climate heat pump, it will be even better suited for those cold winter nights. And if you’re looking to install one—either a traditional air source heat pump or a cold climate air source heat pump— you may be eligible for a great rebate from Power Moves and your local electric cooperative.

More questions?

Contact your local co-op energy advisor.We’ll be happy to advise you on the best option for your unique situation.