With cold weather approaching, you might be thinking about how well your old air source heat pump is going to operate this year. You might also be curious if now is a good time to do heat pump installation.
A new air source heat pump is more energy efficient and can help you save big on energy bills over its lifetime.
They’re a combined heating system and cooling system. These heat pumps transfer heat from the outdoor air to make your house cooler or warmer. They don’t produce heat or air conditioning like a natural gas furnace or a traditional central air conditioner. A heat pump has indoor and outdoor units that interact to supply your heating and cooling.
We’re going to discuss this topic now, as well as:
- How air source heat pump efficiency ratings like SEER and HSPF affect your energy bill.
- How ENERGY STAR® certification can help you spend less money.
- How to choose an energy-efficient heat pump system for your home.
What Is SEER in Heat Pump?
SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) is a heat pump rating system that measures how efficient air source heat pumps are at utilizing electricity for air conditioning. The greater the SEER, the better they are at transferring heat during the cooling season.
What Is a Good SEER Rating for a Heat Pump?
A heat pump with a SEER between 14 and 16 is regarded as having good energy efficiency.
What Is HSPF in Heat Pumps?
HSPF (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) is another heat pump rating system that calculates how well air source heat pumps will perform during the heating season. The better the number, the better your heating system will be at utilizing electricity for warm air. This is especially important for saving money in colder climates, considering your heat pump won’t have to work as hard as it transfers heat.
What Is a Good HSPF Rating for a Heat Pump?
Heat pump systems with an HSPF between 8 and 10 are regarded to be energy efficient and can help keep heating costs lower during cold temperatures.
What Does ENERGY STAR Mean on a Heat Pump?
ENERGY STAR air source heat pumps meet strict requirements established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for both heating efficiency and cooling efficiency, so you know these high-efficiency heat pumps will run well.
Air source heat pumps qualify for ENERGY STAR if they have:
- HSPF rating of 8.5 or greater
- SEER rating of 15 or higher
- This can reduce your heat pump’s operating costs, plus reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.
How to Choose an Energy-Efficient Heat Pump
When selecting your heat pump’s efficiency rating, just like any other household appliance, the most important thing is to select one that has an energy-efficiency rating that you can afford.
If your budget only fits a heat pump with lower ratings, don’t fret! Even a new model with a lower rating is going to consume less energy than one that’s 10 or 15 years old. Here’s why.
- From 1999 to 2005, federal regulations mandated air source heat pumps to have a 10 SEER rating.
- That number went up to 13 from 2006 to 2014.
- Today, a new heat pump should be at least 14 SEER.
- So, switching from 10 SEER to 14 SEER will make a major difference on your heating and cooling bill.
It’s also important to note that the majority of heat pumps only last around 15-20 years with appropriate service. When yours starts to get close to this age, you’ll want to think about getting a new one.
In previous years, heat pumps were limited to places that didn’t have cold climates, due to of the way heat pumps work to pull heat from the air. Today’s heat pump systems are also made to tolerate colder outdoor air and a cold climate during the winter. This lessens your dependence on a supplemental heat source, electric resistance heating or baseboard heaters during the heating season.
Upgrading your heat pump with Gilray Heating and Cooling may be more reasonably priced than you think it is. Between rebates, special offers and financing for qualified customers, getting new HVAC systems may be more budget friendly than you realize.
It’s not easy to find the time and money to switch aging air source systems. But if you want comfier home temperatures with lower energy costs in the future, it might be beneficial to see our new heat pump units.
At Gilray Heating and Cooling we make updating an easy process by providing free estimate appointments for air source heat pumps. Just contact us at 715-301-0727 to book yours today. We’re proud to offer heat pump installation in Wausau your friends and neighbors have trusted since {year}.