With cold temperatures approaching, you might be wondering 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 spend less 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 regular central air conditioner. A heat pump has indoor and outdoor units that interact to provide you with heating and cooling.
We’re going to go over this topic today, as well as:
- How air source heat pump efficiency ratings like SEER and HSPF affect your heating and cooling bill.
- How ENERGY STAR® models can help you save money.
- How to select 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 evaluates how efficient air source heat pumps are at using 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 a different heat pump rating system that measures how well air source heat pumps will operate during the heating season. The greater the number, the more efficient your heating system will be at using electricity for warm air. This is especially important for saving money in colder climates, because your heat pump won’t have to operate 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 considered to be energy efficient and can help keep heating costs down during cold conditions.
What Does ENERGY STAR Mean on a Heat Pump?
ENERGY STAR air source heat pumps satisfy 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 operate well.
Air source heat pumps achieve ENERGY STAR if they have:
- HSPF rating of 8.5 or higher
- SEER rating of 15 or greater
- This can reduce your heat pump’s operating costs, plus reduce greenhouse gas emissions that play a role in global warming.
How to Choose an Energy-Efficient Heat Pump
When choosing your heat pump’s efficiency rating, just like any other household equipment, the most important thing is to choose 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 increased 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 energy bill.
It’s also essential to note that most heat pumps only last around 15-20 years with proper service. When yours starts to approach this age, you’ll want to think about replacing it.
In previous years, heat pumps were limited to locations that didn’t have cold climates, due to of the way heat pumps work to extract heat from the air. Today’s heat pump systems are also created to withstand colder outdoor air and a cold climate during the winter. This decreases your dependence on a supplemental heat source, electric resistance heating or baseboard heaters during the heating season.
Upgrading your heat pump with Fal-Ken Heating & Cooling Corporation may be more reasonably priced than you think it is. Between rebates, special offers and financing for qualified customers, buying new HVAC systems may be more affordable 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 smaller energy bills in the future, it might be beneficial to see our new heat pump units.
At Fal-Ken Heating & Cooling Corporation we make updating an easy process by providing free estimate appointments for air source heat pumps. Just give us a call at 631-460-5159 to book yours now. We’re proud to offer heat pump installation in Holbrook your friends and neighbors have trusted since year.