Heat pumps have been rapidly gaining traction in American homes as an energy-efficient, versatile, money-saving upgrade.

Although heat pumps aren't new, technological advancements and an EnergyStar certification in 2009 broadened their appeal. But as home technology evolves and dirty fuel-centric appliances are phased out, consumers often encounter a learning curve.

On Reddit's r/heatpumps, one first-timer second-guessed their decision to install a heat pump.

"I had a heat pump system installed in my 1920s brick home earlier this year for the purpose of AC and it's struggling to hit set temps on days [hotter than 80 degrees Fahrenheit]," the original poster summarized. 

The user's home was in the Northeast, where central air conditioning is less common than in warmer regions. They originally chose a heat pump for whole-home climate control, including cooling, and their concerns centered on the system's apparent inability to cool on hot days.

Heating and cooling homes account for a significant share of any household's total energy expenditure, and upgrading to a heat pump can reduce these costs by around $400 a year. 

Updating your HVAC system is one of the most effective ways to lower household utility bills, with the added benefit of reducing planet-warming emissions. 

Although the process of upgrading can seem daunting, Mitsubishi has free tools to match consumers with the right equipment and the best installer for their specific needs.

The brand's cost-effective mini-split systems both heat and cool homes. While federal rebates and incentives remain in effect, homeowners interested in heat pumps should act before many of these credits expire at the end of 2025. 

Heat pumps, such as Mitsubishi's, consistently outperform traditional HVAC systems in terms of energy efficiency and cost, a point that users on Reddit's r/heatpumps stressed repeatedly. 

Overall, commenters suspected that the original poster simply needed to tweak their system, particularly given that they lived in a century-old brick house. 

Which of these factors would most effectively motivate you to buy a heat pump? Lower energy bills 💰 Better temperature control 🌡️ Helping the planet 🌎 I'd never buy a heat pump 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

"Heat pumps are great," one replied. "[Your] boiler likely burns enough gas to overwhelm even the coldest days. Your house is like a leaking ship, and the heat pump's fulfilling the [role] of a bilge pump." 

Another agreed, "A heat pump system, conventional AC, or geothermal would be hard-pressed to keep a house cool or warm when the heat loss/gain is as high as it is with the lack of insulation."

"Sounds like you're saying the house is poorly insulated and poorly air sealed," a building analyst speculated. "I would get a free state-sponsored energy audit ASAP which will identify more precisely where you are leaking air and having the worst thermal issues." 

That user noted that states in the Northeast tend to offer "great rebates available for updating insulation and doing the air sealing" once an energy audit identifies a causative issue.

Heat pumps offer a "night and day difference in terms of comfort, and financially it's the best thing you can do," they added.

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.