1. Become informed. Navigating an unfamiliar technology and finding a trusted installer can be challenging. Here are a few webinars from trusted sources that may answer some of your questions: Learn about Heat Pumps from Green Energy Consumers Alliance and Heat Pumps 101 Webinar with Abode

2. Insulate and seal your home. Heat pumps work best in buildings that are well-insulated. Sign up for a no-cost Mass Save Energy Assessment to take advantage of incentives to insulate and seal drafts in your home. The energy specialist will also tell you about incentives for heat pumps.

3. Contact qualified installers. Using this link, you can download the most current list of contractors who participate in the Mass Save rebate program in our area. Contractors will discuss your needs, determine the size and configuration of equipment for your home, and provide you with a free estimate. Plan for this in advance, as it may take several months to get on an installer’s schedule. 

4. Explore your rebate and financing options. An experienced installer should be able to inform you about any available rebates or savings and work with you to apply for incentives. In some cases, 0% financing could be available, so be sure to explore rebates and incentives with your installer.

5. Ask for references. In choosing an installer, always ask for local references and seek technical assistance from qualified, objective sources. For guidance in reviewing proposals from contractors, reach out to info@energizewilliamstown.  

How heat pumps work

Heat pumps work much the way your refrigerator does, by circulating a substance called a refrigerant through a cycle of evaporation and condensation. During the heating season, a heat pump moves heat from the outside air to your home. (Since the air outside always contains some heat, a heat pump can supply heat even on cold winter days.) During the summer, a heat pump cools just like an air conditioner, by transferring heat from inside to the outdoors.

Air source heat pumps have two parts: an outdoor condensing unit and one or more indoor air handling units, connected by a conduit through the wall. Some are ductless and some use ducts. 

When to install heat pumps

An ideal time to consider a heat pump is when you are planning to replace your existing heating or cooling system, or adding air conditioning, because heat pumps provide cooling as well as heating. Ideally, the best time to come up with a plan is before your existing system fails: if you wait until there’s an emergency, you will not have the opportunity to shop around and you will likely end up with a simple replacement of your existing equipment. 

Mini-split heat pumps can transform your home into multiple zones, with or without central ductwork. If you are tired of putting in window air conditioners, a mini-split can make your life easier while saving you money and electricity.

Heat pumps work well even in cold weather

Early heat pumps underperformed in frigid weather, but now effective cold-climate heat pumps are available and they work very well in New England, as reported by Rewiring America, an excellent source of information about cold climate heat pumps.

Cost comparisons for heating with electricity

Heat pumps move heat rather than generate it, so they can heat and cool at a significantly lower cost than other systems. In fact, the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships found that in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions air source heat pumps save around 3,000 kWh (or $459) when compared to electric resistance heaters, and 6,200 kWh (or $948) when compared to oil systems. When displacing oil (i.e., the oil system remains, but operates less frequently), the average annual savings are near 3,000 kWh (or about $300). You can use this heating system comparison calculator to compare costs of your current system. 

Do I have to replace my entire existing heating system to use heat pumps? 

No, heat pump systems can be configured in different ways to meet your home heating and cooling needs. 

Tips on selecting the right heat pump for your home 

A qualified installer is your best guide, but if you want to learn more now, check out this buying guide.  

More about rebates 

You can find complete information on Mass Save and federal incentives and rebates at this link. 

Rebates are based on whether the heat pump system will be serving the whole-home or partial-home.

Whole-home rebates are available to customers who install heat pumps as the sole source of heating and cooling with integrated controls. See the Whole-Home Heat Pump Verification Form for details.

Partial-home rebates are offered based on equipment size (tonnage) to customers who plan to keep an existing boiler or furnace in place to supplement a new heat pump system, or who want to add heat pumps to address sections of the home.

TYPES OF AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMPS

The different types of air source heat pumps are described below. Air source heat pumps tend to be the most accessible, although other types, such as ground source heat pumps, do exist.

Ductless vs. Ducted vs. Short-Run Ducted

Ductless applications require minimal construction as only a three-inch hole through the wall is required to connect the outdoor condenser and the indoor heads. Ductless systems are often installed in building additions.

Ducted systems simply use ductwork. If your home already has a ventilation system or you are building a new home, you might consider this system.

Short-run ducted is traditional large ductwork that only runs through a small section of the house. Short-run ducting is often complemented by other ductless units for the remainder of the house.

Split vs. Packaged

Most heat pumps are split-systems—that is, they have one coil inside and one outside. Supply and return ducts connect to the indoor central fan.

Packaged systems usually have both coils and the fan outdoors. Heated or cooled air is delivered to the interior from ductwork that passes through a wall or roof.

Multi-Zone vs. Single-Zone

Single-zone systems are designed for a single room with one outdoor condenser matched to one indoor head.

Multi-zone installations can have two or more indoor heads connected to one outdoor condenser. Multi-zone indoor heads vary by size and style and each creates its own "zone" of comfort, allowing you to heat or cool individual rooms, hallways, and open spaces. This distinction may also be referred to as "multi-head vs. single-head" and "multi-port vs. single-port."