As temperatures dip in the middle of winter and energy costs continue to rise, people are looking to stay warm and save money any way they can. While heat pumps have proven time and again to be energy efficient and beneficial to an eco-friendly future, misunderstandings about them often prevent them from getting into people's homes and saving them money.
Heat pumps work by moving heat around your home, either pumping it outside to cool it or pulling it inside to heat things up, using a refrigerant that compresses and decompresses as needed to achieve your temperature goals.
According to Wired, there's been a persistent myth that heat pumps don't work well, if at all, in extremely cold temperatures, making them useless to anyone in enduring winter climates.
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Definitely 👍 But that's simply not the case, as Jan Rosenow, with the Regulatory Assistance Project, a policy NGO for the energy community, told the outlet, "Just because it feels cold doesn't mean there's no energy available. There's actually a lot of energy still in the air."
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Wired cited countries known for their chilly climates are running to have heat pumps installed, noting that 60% of households in Norway use heat pumps, and Finland had more installed in 2022 per capita than any other country in Europe. In the United States, Maine has already hit its goal of installing 100,000 heat pumps ahead of schedule.
The popularity of heat pumps can easily be attributed to their efficiency, with a recent study from the UK's Department for Energy Security and Net Zero showing that air-source heat pumps are 265% more efficient than traditional heating and cooling. That efficiency means more money in your pocket, up to $1,000 depending on which state you live in according to Consumer Reports.
Installing a heat pump does have an upfront cost of $4,000 to $8,000 but there are a few ways to save money there too. The 2022 Inflation Reduction Act offers anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000 in tax credits and rebates, depending on where you live and your income.
If you choose to take advantage of the IRA benefits, you may want to act sooner than later. During his campaign, President Donald Trump stated he intends to "rescind all unspent funds under the misnamed Inflation Reduction Act," per the Salt Lake Tribune. Congress would have to approve such an act, and as of yet, nothing has been put in motion, leaving the IRA's fate uncertain.
Finding the right heat pump for your needs is essential, and thanks to EnergySage's Heat Pump Marketplace, you can be connected with trusted installers and contractors who can help make the process as straightforward as possible.
Heat pumps are proving more and more that they're the future of heating and cooling homes across the world. As Paul Lambert, cofounder and CEO of Quilt, a company that makes HVAC systems for homes based on heat pumps told Wired, "We are moving past combustion as our primary heat source, for our homes and our families, for the first time in human history."
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