A homeowner in Massachusetts was ready for their home heating and cooling upgrade, but they didn't like what they were hearing when they got advice from a contractor. So, they reached out to their Reddit community. 

The Redditor told the r/heatpumps subreddit that a contractor advised them against installing a heat pump and instead recommended getting a new furnace and AC. Their existing AC had died, and they were looking to replace it and the heating because they were installed when the house was built in 1996. So, the homeowners were expecting the change. 

Their state offers many rebates for upgrading to a heat pump, but the contractor was set on selling them the furnace, stating it wasn't a good fit due to the size of their ducts. 

One Redditor chimed in and said, "There's no reason why it can't work." 

Others offered detailed responses and acknowledged that there can be particular complexities, and that ductwork can be a consideration. "Nobody in this thread can see your ducting," said one comment.

Others noted that some traditional HVAC installers are less knowledgeable about heat pumps, highlighting that it can be challenging to find the right HVAC installer — though there are also tools to help find optimized systems to save money and energy.

Heat pumps are an excellent option if you're looking to upgrade from your old furnace and AC unit. According to Rewiring America, a heat pump can save you close to $400 a year on your energy bills. 

Results and savings differ by location, local temperatures, and local energy rates, but another homeowner said that, after one month, their gas bill had almost vanished, and they were only paying about $4 or $5 after switching from gas. They also appreciated that their home stayed at a more even temperature than before. 

Heat pumps work differently from traditional AC units because they pull the heat from the ground, air, or water outside of your home, and they transfer this heat into your home. For cooling your home, it does the opposite, pulling the heat from inside your home to the outside. 

The ability to heat makes a heat pump different from a conventional AC unit. Heat pumps use less energy overall and are particularly more energy-efficient than conventional furnaces. They also do not use dirty energy sources directly to heat, which means there are fewer polluting gases that warm the planet. 

Do you feel like your HVAC system works as well as it should? Definitely 😎 Most of the time 👍 Sometimes 😬 Not at all 🫠 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

If you're looking to upgrade to a heat pump, Mitsubishi is a great resource, as it can connect you with trained professionals and help you find affordable options — including for fully ducted systems or cost-effective mini-split systems that heat and cool specific areas of a home.

And while many of the tax credits for home appliance upgrades and solar power are ending this year, rebates for heat pumps are continuing, and you may still be eligible for these incentives. 

If you really want to save money on electricity bills, consider also installing solar panels — they can bring your bill down to $0. 

EnergySage's marketplace is an excellent resource to search for quotes and installers in your area. This energy platform can also help you save up to $10,000 on installation. 

If buying solar panels outright is too big a commitment at the moment, Palmetto's LightReach is another option. LightReach is a solar leasing program that offers plans with as little as zero down to get them installed.

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