If you’ve been researching ductless heat pumps for a while, you’ve probably seen claims that they can reduce home heating costs by 40%. In some cases, they reduce costs even more. The exact number varies depending on your home, your climate, and the type of heater you’re using now, but switching to a ductless mini split can significantly help to reduce your winter heating bills.
How do heat pumps keep heating costs low? By combining high COPs, zoned controls, ductless technology, and more. Take a look at the details.
1. High COP
COP stands for co-efficient of performance. It is a ratio that measures how much energy a heat pump consumes compared to how much energy it produces. For instance, if a furnace produces 80% of the heat energy that it consumes in fuel energy, it has a COP of 0.8.
Heat pumps are the only home heating option that has a COP higher than one. This means that a heat pump generates more energy than it consumes. When comparing different heat pumps, look for the highest COP that you can find.
The reason heat pumps have high COP ratios is that they move heat. They don’t generate it. They use refrigerant to absorb heat from the outside and then, they bring it inside. Surprisingly, this can even happen in very cold (sub-zero) temperatures.
2. Zoned Heating
Heat pumps also help you save money on winter heating costs thanks to their zone technology. When you install a heat pump, you put in an outside condenser and one or more indoor air handling units. Each indoor unit is its own zone, and it has its own controls.
That means that you don’t have to heat areas that aren’t in use. If you’re working in your home office, you can just heat that area and turn down the rest of the zones in the house. Or if you’re not using part of your home, you may even be able to turn it off completely.
3. Ductless
The ductless nature of heat pumps makes them even more efficient. Heating systems that rely on ducts to carry hot air through your home tend to waste energy in the ducts. As the air travels through the ducts, it can seep out. Then, it usually ends up heating unused areas such as crawlspaces, attics, or wall cavities.
With a ductless mini split, the warm air goes directly from the indoor air handling unit to the room. All of the warm air heats your home. None of it gets lost in a duct in an unused part of your home.
4. Fans
The fans built into the indoor air handling units also helps to make them more efficient. The fans ensure that the air gets distributed evenly to every corner of the room. Whether you’re sitting next to the unit or on the other side of the room, you should experience the same temperature. Advanced features such as occupant sensors or multi-directional fans can help improve this process even more.
In contrast, with radiant heat, the area around the radiator tends to be the warmest, and other areas may be very cold. As a result, you may be tempted to turn up the heat and waste energy. This drives up your heating bills, and the inconsistent temperatures also make your home less comfortable.
5. Consistent Temperatures
In addition to creating consistent heat throughout each zone, heat pumps also keep your home at a consistent temperature over time. Traditional heating systems turn on when your home’s temperature dips below the setting on the thermostat. Then, when the home reaches the target temperature, they turn off. The on-and-off cycles mean that the temperature is never the same.
Heat pumps protect you from these uncomfortable fluctuations. Once the home reaches the target temperature, the heat pump makes subtle adjustments to keep the home at that temperature until you adjust the thermostat. This keeps you comfortable. It also saves money because constant powering on and off can drive up costs.
6. Integrated Controls
When some owners put in a heat pump, they also keep their traditional heating equipment. Then, they put in integrated controls that switch the heating from the heat pump to the furnace or boiler. Using integrated controls allows homeowners to utilize the system that is the most efficient at the current temperatures.
For instance, if the heat pump is more efficient at 45 degrees, it will work at that temperature. Then, if the oil boiler is more efficient at 15 degrees, it will handle the heat at that temperature. However, a combined system is not required. With hyper heat pump technology, you can efficiently heat homes at sub-zero temperatures.
7. Cleaner Air
Heat pumps come with advanced air filters. They remove dust and microscopic particles from your air. This is very important because all of the air in your home goes through your HAC system. If you have dirty filters or no filters, it can create allergic reactions, increase the chance of illness, or worsen asthma symptoms.
Having cleaner air does not directly impact your home’s heating costs, but it does affect your budget. When you get sick or have low energy levels, you can’t work, and this reduces your earning ability. By improving the air in your home, you help to safeguard your energy and productivity levels.
These are just seven of the ways a heat pump can help you save money on winter heating costs. You can also use rebates to save money on installation costs, and there are finance options that let you spread out the cost of installing a heat pump over time.
Ready to learn more about the advantages of heat pumps? Then, contact us today. At Jones Services, we can help you find the best heating solution for your needs. We focus on making homes happy.
Goshen, NY 10924
24/7 Live Answering