With wintertime 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 wise time to do heat pump installation.
A new air source heat pump is more energy efficient and can help you save big on energy costs over its lifetime.
They’re a combined heating system and cooling system. These heat pumps transfer heat from the outdoor air to make your home cooler or warmer. They don’t generate heat or air conditioning like a natural gas furnace or a standard central air conditioner. A heat pump has indoor and outdoor units that work together to provide you with heating and cooling.
We’re going to discuss this topic today, plus:
- How air source heat pump efficiency ratings like SEER and HSPF impact your energy bill.
- How ENERGY STAR® certification 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 calculates how efficient air source heat pumps are at using electricity for cooling. 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 considered to have 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 operate during the heating season. The greater the number, the better your heating system will be at using electricity for warm air. This is especially important for saving money in colder climates, considering 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 regarded 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 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 operate well.
Air source heat pumps achieve ENERGY STAR if they have:
- HSPF rating of 8.5 or greater
- SEER rating of 15 or greater
- This can reduce your heat pump’s operating costs, as well as lower 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 fits your budget.
If your budget only fits a heat pump with lesser ratings, don’t worry! Even a new one with a lower rating is going to use less energy than one that’s 10 or 15 years old. Here’s why.
- From 1999 to 2005, federal guidelines required 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, changing from 10 SEER to 14 SEER will make a major difference on your heating and cooling bill.
It’s also essential to note that the majority of 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 restricted to areas 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 made to withstand colder outdoor air and a cold climate during the winter. This lessens your reliance on a supplemental heat source, electric resistance heating or baseboard heaters during the heating season.
Replacing your heat pump with Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning may be more affordable 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 replace aging air source systems. But if you want more comfortable home temperatures with lower energy costs in the future, it might be worth your while to check out new heat pump units.
At Pure Comfort Heating and Air Conditioning we make upgrading a convenient process by giving free estimate appointments for air source heat pumps. Just give us a call at 630-313-2509 to book yours today. We’re proud to offer heat pump installation in Streamwood your friends and neighbors have trusted since year.