The Future of Cold Climate Home Heating
States are moving to electrification and away from fossil fuel use. Wintertime heating is a big useof fuel – and switching to cold climate heat pumps is a huge step in the right direction. Many cold climate states have begun setting goals to lessen fossil fuels usage and more heat pump installations: Maine set a target of 100,000 heat pump installed homes by 2025, Massachusetts set a goal of 40% of households to use heat pumps by 2030, and Colorado set a target of 60% installations by 2030.
In the past, heat pumps were not advised to be used in temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit- however heat pump technology has vastly improved in recent years. Modern cold climate heat pumps have been optimized and use advanced technology to work efficiently in these low temperatures. They often have enhanced compressors and improved refrigerants that allow them to extract heat from the outside air even when it’s very cold (-17°F for example). Manufacturers are coming out with systems that have 100%+ capacity at -15°F while still having a COP of 2+. That game changing for the movement to adopt heat pumps.
Help Reduce Costs and Concern
Due to their high efficiency, cold climate heat pumps can significantly lower energy bills compared to electric resistance heaters or propane systems. They are designed to operate efficiently at temperatures well below freezing, which helps reduce heating costs in cold regions.Ensuring an optimized design and installation will ensure the highest possible savings and the highest possible quality of life for you or your clients when the weather turns that way.
Heat pumps can also potentially help you or your clients feel better about their environmental footprint. They can be more environmentally friendly compared to fuel-based heating systems byproducing fewer greenhouse gas emissions and can even be powered by renewable energy sources such as solar or wind. It is important to note that a reduced pollution footprint is not a guarantee due to how entrenched and dominant fuel produced electricity is. Optimized and properly installed heat pumps can reduce electricity use, however, resulting in a lighter bill and cleaner operation.
Let BER Help
With Cold Climate Heat Pump Optimization Design Services, BER can ensure that you or your client’s system is properly sized for your project – ensuring comfort, warmth, and energy savings for you or your client’s home in your climate. Many will look at a heat pump’s rated capacity and think that is how a unit will perform. These numbers are lab tested and may not translate exactly to your area or environment. For example, the same heat pump could perform differently in Tennessee as opposed to Minnesota or Massachusetts. BER can look at you or your client’shouse, your climate, and your energy envelope to determine how a unit will work best for the project. This optimization will ensure that the installed unit provides the required heating and cooling for you and/or your client, leaving everyone happy.
What BER cold climate heat pump optimization will do for you:
- Ensure your heat loss load is properly calculated according to Manual J. We will look at all aspects of your home to ensure the load is adequately calculated for your warmth and comfort all winter long.
- Choose the right heat pump size: Based on the load calculations from Manual J, we will select a heat pump that matches the calculated heating and cooling needs. Oversized or undersized units can lead to inefficiencies and increased energy costs.
- Select High-Efficiency cold climate models: Not all units can provide heating in cold climate areas. We will work with you to ensure that selected equipment will work at the design temperatures all year long.
- Optimize Unit selection for best practices and energy efficiency. We will dive deeper into the technical manuals to ensure the unit you want is the one that will offer the best energy efficiency and savings for you or your project.
- Offer duct design layouts and optimization. Part of ensuring a cold climate heat pump is optimized is ensuring the duct system is also optimized. We will evaluate your plans to ensure that the duct layout, grille placement, and sizing are optimized to reduce operational cost, increase longevity, and ensure comfort.
- Ensure your system is set and designed for the most efficient and optimized operation. By looking at the whole house and energy use our optimization package can help you by saving you money, ensuring comfort, and providing you peace of mind.
Reach out today to discuss or purchase our Cold Climate Heat Pump Optimization service for your project at info@theber.com!