Surprising graph shows the unexpected way many Americans are heating their homes: ‘[It] will take off even further’

Mike Munsell, Director of Growth at Canary Media Inc., shared a chart on LinkedIn that visualizes the increase in Americans opting to buy heat pumps rather than gas furnaces. Last year, Americans actually bought more heat pumps.

The number of heat pumps purchased last year was a record high, with more than 4 million purchased. This is awesome news for many reasons.

Heat pumps run on electricity, unlike their less environmentally friendly counterparts, gas furnaces –– which run on dirty energy. Heat pumps are also substantially more efficient than gas furnaces, up to three times more efficient, in fact. 

Another advantage to heat pumps is their seasonal versatility –– they can double as air conditioners when you have warmer weather.

The boom in heat pump sales and usage can be attributed to their falling costs and technological improvements. While they have been most common in the Southeastern United States, they’re becoming more and more prevalent across the country as these factors are seen by consumers.

We can expect to see heat pump sales continue to boom as the Inflation Reduction Act incentivizes consumers to use them. The act provides tax credits for certain heat pump models and even offers rebates of up to $8,000 for lower-income homeowners.

“I think we can expect that the heat-pump curve will take off even further, and I’m looking forward to the peak in gas-furnace sales where we see that line start to drop,” said Noah Goldmann, a policy analyst at Rewiring America in an interview with Canary Media.

Are you excited about this uptick in heat pump use and subsequent decrease in gas furnace use? So is Carbon Free Homes, who commented on Munsell’s post, “Posting this chart on the office wall. We plan on drawing that green line through the roof!”

If you’re eager to purchase your own heat pump and turn your gas furnace off forever –– check out this link to have all of your heat pump questions answered.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.

Cool Picks

This new law is like a free ‘$8,000 bank account’ for remodeling your home — here’s how to take advantage of it

Here’s how to lower your energy bills in a single click — without getting scammed by electricity companies

This startup helps you save money on your utility bills by switching to solar power — no rooftop panels necessary

Here’s a simple way to turn your old sneakers into actual cash: ‘I can tell you firsthand — it works’