Electrify Your Heating and Cooling
Why use heat pumps?
Heat, cool and dehumidify in one
Significantly reduce your greenhouse gas emissions
Safer than fossil fuels
Lower cost compared to propane, oil or electric resistance
Mass Save rebates!
If you’re looking for a clean heating and cooling system that can be installed almost anywhere in endless configurations, heat pumps are the versatile and efficient solution for your home.
In winter, a heat pump transfers heat indoors; in summer, it transfers heat outdoors. Think of it as an air conditioner that can also work in reverse.
There are three main types of heat pumps: air-to-air, water source, and geothermal. They collect heat from the air, water, or ground outside your home and concentrate it for use inside.
Air-source heat pumps are one of the most conventional types. They can be ducted or ductless. The ductless is also called a mini-split heat pump. Ductless are a good option for homes without existing ducts. They can also be a good choice for room additions.
Ground-source heat pumps use heat (or cool) from the ground instead of outdoor air to transfer heat. They're also known as geothermal heat pumps because they run on the geothermal energy underground where the soil stays at a fairly constant temperature year-round. They cost more to install and have very low operating costs.
Homeowners want to ensure that their heat pump will work in the cold weather in New England! Watch this Electrify Now webinar for lots of detail on cold weather heat pumps.
Considerations for Cold Climate
A few considerations when purchasing heat pumps for cold climates like Andover:
Make sure you purchase a cold climate unit. There are variations in what it means to be a cold-climate unit. Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP) has a definition, manufactures have their own definition, and there are others. In general it means that the heat pump is purpose built for efficient, cold weather comfort.
Understand how to appropriately size for your home and situation. Sizing appropriately may mean not sizing for extremely cold temperatures. It may mean having a supplemental heat source, like resistance heating, for the few days the temperature goes below -10 ℉. Resistance heating may be electric baseboards in locations like bathrooms or back rooms or you can also install a supplementary resistance element in the air handler within your heat pump for an additional cost.
Carefully select where your outdoor unit will be installed thinking about:
wind direction
water drainage so freezing water doesn’t cause hazards
drip lines and roof lines
air flow around the unit— avoid tight spaces
Providers: Coaches, Consultants and HVAC Contractors
The following are resources local folks have used for their heat pump systems and been pleased with. We don’t specifically endorse any, this is simply a compilation of organizations and companies that individuals living in the Andover area have shared.
Heat Smart Alliance (heatsmartalliance.org) offers volunteer coaches including our own Mark Morgan. Mark can answer your questions on what’s available and help you understand what is best for your home. You can email Mark to get started.
Adobe Energy Management (AdobeEM.com) offers consults for a fee. They supervise home auditors for Mass Save. They have also been hired to do free on-site home evaluations by Acton, Arlington, Cambridge, Lexington, and Melrose.
Jay Moody HVAC in Littleton provides HVAC services
FAQs
Will heat pumps work in winter in Andover?
Yes. Be sure to have a heat pump properly selected, sized— not oversized or undersized— and installed. Watch the Cold Climate Heat Pumps webinar by Electrify Now for detailed information. Cold climate heat pumps have technology like variable speed compressors (as it gets colder the compressor can move faster and work harder) and there are other electronics inside to adjust the functioning depending on the outdoor temperature and indoor temperature request.
In addition, you may want to consider supplemental resistance heating. Resistance heating may be electric baseboards in locations like bathrooms or back rooms or you can also install a backup element in the air handler resistance within your heat pump for an additional cost.
Know that a cold-climate heat pump is likely to cost more than a non-cold climate model as they have more tech and are often the premium models in their line. So be careful to compare apples to apples when you see big differences in heat pump prices.
If my current boiler or furnace is fine do I need learn about heat pumps?
Waiting until your heating system fails may force you to act quickly. Learn about heat pumps now so that you are ready to switch when you need to. Otherwise you may lock in your home’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Do I need to have a supplementary fossil fuel heating source?
Many well-insulated homes in New England require no supplementary heating system with heat pumps. Weatherize your home. Then work with a professional to properly select, size and install heat pumps.
According to Efficiency Maine, 20% of homes built in Maine between 2017 and 2020 had all-electric heating, which was either just a heat pump or a heat pump plus electric resistance. Electric resistance may be electric baseboards in locations like bathrooms or back rooms or you can also install a backup element in the air handler resistance within your heat pump for an additional cost.
Can I use ducts from my current fossil-fuel system?
Current ductwork can often be used. There are also ductless heat pumps.
What about when the electricity goes out?
Heat pumps require electricity. Boilers and furnaces also require electricity and when the electricity goes out they are also nonfunctional. Some folks have a wood stove as an alternative heat source. Some folks install solar and house batteries. Some folks use a generator with fossil fuel.
Are there tips to using a heat pump?
Use your heat pump year-round
Set it and forget it. Heat pumps operate most efficiently when holding a steady temperature 24 hours a day. Turning a heat pump down when you’re asleep may actually use more energy than leaving it on.
The reason is that it has to work harder to come back to the desired temperature than it does to maintain it. If you turn your thermostat down at night the temperature drifts lower overnight. Then at 5am, when it’s time to start heating your house again, you are asking a heat pump to work really hard when it’s hardest to work— when it’s coldest— to get the house back up to temperature! Adjusting the temperature for short periods of time, such as overnight, will not save money with a heat pump.
Avoid auto mode as a heat pump both heats and cools. In “Auto” mode, heat pumps maintain a constant temperature by alternating between the “Cool” and “Heat” modes. To avoid accidentally air conditioning on a mid-winter sunny day use “Heat” mode, not “Auto.” Likewise, to avoid accidentally heating on a cool summer night, use “Cool,” “Dry,” or “Fan” mode, not “Auto.”
Match the summer mode to your needs. “Fan” uses the least energy and may suffice when you need a little relief, but it will not cool the room so be sure to turn it off when you leave. When it’s warm and muggy, “Dry” mode can reduce the humidity and make the room feel more comfortable. “Cool” mode is the best choice for lowering the temperature and may suit the hottest days.
Optimize air flow direction on ductless units. To maximize reach, air should be directed toward the open space that is the farthest away from the indoor unit, and away from any obstructions. You may need to experiment to see what’s most comfortable for you.
Maintain your heat pump! Energy.gov offers tips for proper operation.
How can I figure out the right heat pump for my home?
Heat Smart Alliance (heatsmartalliance.org) offers volunteer coaches.
Adobe Energy Management (AdobeEM.com) offers consults for a fee. They supervise home auditors for Mass Save. They have also been hired to do free on-site home evaluations by Acton, Arlington, Cambridge, Lexington, and Melrose.
How do you know if the contractor is providing you with a good solution?
Finding an experience HVAC contractor may seem overwhelming. However it’s a critical first step as heat pump solutions need to be appropriately designed, selected and installed.
ElectrifyNow.org shares a list of questions to ask any potential heat pump contractor.
How long does the installation take? And how long from the time you decide which company and system to go with until it is installed?
Installation time depends on what the system is and the contractor. We have heard that local contractors generally take about 2-3 days.
Wait times for installation depends on the contractor. There are a number of things to do before the installation, so it's good to start looking into the system when you are not in a rush.
How long does it take to get the Mass Save rebates?
Mass Save rebates come after the installation. Note that ensuring a home has received sufficient weatherization is a requirement for Mass Save whole-home rebates and may qualify customers pursuing partial-home rebates for an additional $500 bonus.