Cut Carbon Pollution and Save Money with a Heat Pump

In general, when most people talk about heat pumps, they're talking about air source heat pumps like those discussed above. Ground source heat pumps (also known as geothermal heat pumps) are also an option and work by taking advantage of the relatively stable temperatures in the soil a few feet below the surface (ranging from 45º to 75º depending on latitude) to perform the same general heat exchange as air source pumps.

For most people, an air source heat pump will be the lower-cost option. If your home or office already has ducts (look for vents in the floor or ceiling), you may be able to go with a standard heat pump with a condenser to heat or cool air and an air handler to deliver it through the building. If you already have central air conditioning or your home is heated with a furnace, chances are you have the duct work necessary.

If your home or office doesn't have ducts and you don't want to take on the cost of adding them, you can likely install a ductless mini-split system. These systems use a compressor and condenser unit outside that pipe refrigerant to one or more head units inside for heating and cooling. Each compressor can feed multiple head units, enabling each room with a head unit to set its own temperature independently.

A qualified heating and cooling professional can help you determine which path is right for you.

Because heat pumps are just moving heat around rather than generating it, they're incredibly energy efficient. Which translates into big savings. Carbon Switch, for example, analyzed 2021 data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and estimated that switching to heat pumps saved customers anywhere from $105 to $1,287 per year on average on energy bills, depending on the technology the heat pump replaced.

That's not all. By taking a major source of oil or gas out of your home or business heating, heat pumps also help you take a huge bite out of climate-changing carbon pollution.

Plus, studies now show that natural gas appliances can leak dangerous chemicals linked to cancer into the air we breathe inside – even when not in use. Removing a boiler or furnace helps create a healthier home or business environment for your family or company.

For most home and business owners, adding a heat pump is a major expense. The good news is that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) offers a range of incentives to make it more affordable to purchase an energy-saving and climate-change-fighting heat pump.

Depending on your location and income, the IRA offers potential rebates of up to $8,000 off the cost of a heat pump. If your income means you don't qualify for rebates, the IRA still offers a tax credit for 30% of the price of a heat pump up to $2,000 to make the purchase easier.

Note that to qualify for these incentives, the heat pump you choose must meet certain efficiency standards. The government's Energy Star program has details to ensure you get a heat pump that qualifies.