Heat pumps are quickly gaining popularity in Minnesota, and for good reason. These advanced HVAC systems provide energy-efficient heating and cooling and will keep your home comfortable throughout every season.
If you’re thinking about replacing your HVAC system, keep reading. We’re breaking down the top benefits of heat pump heating and cooling systems to help you decide whether a heat pump installation is worth it for your home.
1. Heat Pumps Can Heat AND Cool Your Home
One of the biggest advantages of a heat pump is that it provides both heating and cooling. In Minnesota, we’re usually thinking about heat, which makes sense given our climate. But it’s not freezing all year. When the summer hits, a lot of houses are left with hot, sticky air and resort to portable window ACs for some relief.
Since a heat pump can both heat and cool your home, you get year-round comfort improvements when you install one. It will keep your home warm during the winter and then, when summer comes along, switch into cooling mode to fight off the heat and humidity.
2. Heat Pumps are Energy Efficient
It takes a lot of energy to heat and cool your home. On average, more than half of a home’s total energy usage goes toward heating and air conditioning!
If you want to reduce your home’s energy consumption, installing a heat pump will help. Heat pumps don’t burn fuel to generate heat the way a furnace or boiler does. Instead, they move heat from one place to another, which is a significantly more energy efficient process.
3. A Heat Pump Might Save You Money
Because they’re so energy efficient, heat pumps use less energy to heat and cool your home. That can translate into energy bill savings, depending on the type of HVAC system you’re replacing. According to the US Department of Energy, a heat pump can reduce your electricity use for heating by up to 75% compared to electric resistance heating systems.
But that’s not the only way heat pumps can save you money. Since they run on electricity, a heat pump can be powered by solar panels. If you have or plan to install rooftop solar, a heat pump is a no-brainer. You can power your heat pump with solar and completely eliminate your energy costs for heating and cooling.
4. Heat Pumps Are Eco-Friendly
Heat pumps are one of the most eco-friendly options for home heating and cooling. They use less energy than other types of HVAC systems and don’t burn fossil fuels.
Of course, heat pumps need electricity to operate, and that power has to come from somewhere. Some of it is generated by fossil fuels, but we’re moving toward cleaner power generation. Minnesota currently gets 28% of its electricity from renewable sources. As we continue to clean up the grid, the environmental benefits of heat pumps will only increase.
5. A Heat Pump Will Make Your House More Comfortable
Traditional heating and cooling systems like furnaces and air conditioners aren’t great at maintaining a consistent temperature in your home. In a typical system, the furnace will turn on, blast hot air until your house reaches a certain temperature, and then shut off. The resulting temperature swings make your house uncomfortable and can be extremely frustrating.
A heat pump, on the other hand, runs more continuously, helping your home maintain a stable indoor temperature. Heat pumps also dehumidify better than a standard air conditioner, which will make your house feel cooler and more comfortable during the summer.
If you have specific rooms or areas in your house that are never quite warm or cool enough, a ductless heat pump can make a big difference. Ductless heat pumps deliver heated/cooled air directly into the room they’re installed in. They’re perfect for problem areas and can solve problems like hot and cold spots, a hot second floor, or a cold bedroom above the garage.
6. A Heat Pump Can Make Your Home Healthier
Conventional heating systems like furnaces and boilers burn fuel inside your house to generate heat. They release harmful byproducts into the air inside your home, which can impact your family’s health. They also put you at risk of back-drafting and carbon monoxide leaks.
With a heat pump, you don’t have to worry about any of that. Since they don’t burn fuel, heat pumps are the safest option for home heating and can improve your indoor air quality.
7. Heat Pumps Qualify for Rebates & Tax Credits
Installing a heat pump is more affordable than ever thanks to tax credits and rebates. The federal heat pump tax credit will save you 30% on your heat pump installation, up to $2,000. Xcel Energy customers are also eligible for heat pump rebates up to $2,000.
VisionAiry Heating & Cooling makes it easy to save on heat pump installation. We’ll make sure your equipment meets rebate requirements and handle the entire process for you.
