With cold temperatures approaching, you might be thinking about how well your outdated air source heat pump is going to run this year. You might also be questioning 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 spend less 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 residence 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, plus:

  • How air source heat pump efficiency ratings like SEER and HSPF affect your energy bill.
  • How ENERGY STAR® certification can help you spend less 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 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 a different heat pump rating system that calculates how well air source heat pumps will work during the heating season. The better the number, the better your heating system will be at consuming electricity for warm air. This is especially important for saving money in colder climates, since 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 deemed to be energy efficient and can help keep heating costs down during cold weather.

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 qualify for ENERGY STAR if they have:

  • HSPF rating of 8.5 or higher
  • SEER rating of 15 or greater
  • This can lower your heat pump’s operating costs, plus decrease 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 pick 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 guidelines mandated air source heat pumps to have a 10 SEER rating.
  • That number went up to 13 from 2006 to 2014.
  • Today, a new heat pump must be at least 14 SEER.
  • So, changing from 10 SEER to 14 SEER will make a major difference on your energy bill.

It’s also essential to note that the majority of heat pumps only last around 15-20 years with proper maintenance. When yours starts to get close to this age, you’ll want to think about getting a new one.

In the past, heat pumps were restricted 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 tolerate 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 Scott Temperature may be more reasonably priced than you realize. Between rebates, special offers and financing for qualified customers, getting new HVAC systems may be more affordable than you think it is.

It’s not easy to find the time and money to replace aging air source systems. But if you want comfier home temperatures with cheaper energy bills in the future, it might be worthwhile to see our new heat pump units.

At Scott Temperature we make upgrading an easy process by providing free estimate appointments for air source heat pumps. Just call us at 785-269-0465 to book yours today. We’re proud to offer heat pump installation in Lawrence your friends and neighbors have trusted since {year}.