From gas to electric heat pump
We wanted to replace our 20-year old gas furnace with a greener option to reduce fossil fuel use without significantly increasing our heating costs. After months of research, we selected ...
Heat Pumps – Heat and AC
Electrifying your home heating system with a heat pump is one of the most effective ways to reduce your overall carbon footprint and make your home more comfortable. An ideal time to consider a heat pump is when you need to replace your existing heating or cooling system or when you want to add air conditioning, because heat pumps provide cooling as well as heating. Find more details on heat pumps under the Deep Dive tab above, and click on the Testimonials tab to hear from neighbors who have done it!
And, there are several incentive programs to sweeten the deal! See our full write up on state and federal incentives.
But choosing an installer and equipment can be a time consuming and confusing process. We’ve got part of the solution! As a first step, fill in this form to ask for knowledgeable assistance with this important decision from our team of volunteer community heat pump coaches.
In order to qualify for the MassSave incentives, you should first do everything you can to add the maximum insulation and reduce drafts significantly. We have exactly the thing for you: sign up for a no-cost Home Energy Assessment. Find more details on the incentives under the Deep Dive tab above.
Steps to Take
Simple first step:
- Fill in this form to ask for our team of volunteer community heat pump coaches!
- Explore heat pump installers using this list developed by pluginmetrowest.org — a four-town initiative with Wayland, Acton, Framingham and, Natick to promote heat pumps, home solar, and community solar.
- Get quotes and use a quote comparison tool to compare options.
Deep Dive
What are heat pumps?
While traditional heating systems burn fuel to create heat, a heat pump instead works by “pumping” heat into or out of a home. Though they require electricity to operate, heat pumps use 20 percent to 50 percent of the electricity that would be used by traditional electric heaters. A heat pump can supplement your existing heating system or completely replace it. Heat pumps make the most economic sense if your home is currently heated with oil, propane, or electric baseboards.
There are two basic types of heat pumps
- Air-Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) exchange heat with the air outside your home. Some ASHPs are efficient down to sub-zero outdoor temperatures. ASHPs for homes that already have ducting are called central heat pumps, while so-called ductless “mini-splits” are suited for homes that don’t have existing ducting. All ASHPs provide energy-efficient heating and cooling for your home. ASHPs use 30 to 50 pecent as much electricity as traditional electric heaters such as electric baseboards. Download the NEEP Air-Source Heat Pump Buyers Guide for more info.
- Ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs) can provide highly efficient heating, cooling, and water heating by utilizing the nearly constant temperature underground to heat or cool your home. GSHPs are typically the most efficient type of heat pump, but installation is more complex and the initial cost is somewhat higher than ASHPs. There is more info here .
Incentives
- All homes qualify for incentives from MassSave. Some homes may qualify for additional incentives from Home MVP and the Whole-Home Pilot Program . Many households will also qualify for federal tax credits
- For ground source heat pumps there are rebates of up to $10,000 and a generous federal tax credit, with higher incentives for low- and moderate-income customers.
- Your heat pump coach will be able to give you more details.
Testimonials
Air Source Heat Pump
I used Meacham and worked with Brian Cristman. (He is now at Mitsubishi Electric Cooling and Heating). I got the heat pump in November 2015 and I am very happy ...
