The Homeowner's Heat Pump Buying Guide
This guide will get you up to speed with a strong understanding of your heat pump options and the decisions you’ll need to make before speaking with installation companies like us.
Taking the time now to learn about heat pump systems will ensure that you end up with the right one in your home for years to come.
Table of Contents
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Combine your home’s heating and cooling in one system
The unique advantage of heat pumps is simple: they can replace both your AC and furnace or boiler, both cooling and heating your home. Instead of burning fuel to generate heat, they simply transfer it, making heat pumps an incredibly cost-effective and environmentally friendly option.
What to start thinking about when purchasing a heat pump
As the world moves toward more sustainable energy solutions, heat pumps consistently rank at the top of the list of efficient home HVAC systems.
Heat pumps can also be combined with an existing furnace or boiler, to be utilized together as a hybrid system during the coldest parts of the year.
Heat pumps significantly reduce or eliminate your dependency on fuels like oil, propane and natural gas.
The 3 big questions:
1. How much will this cost?
2. What are my options?
3. Am I hiring a quality HVAC company?
1. What Factors Determine the Cost of Your Heat Pump Installation?
Your heat pump installation budget will go hand in hand with your home’s heating and cooling priorities, both within and outside of your control.
The details of your heat pump system selections will directly impact total costs.
Pricing Factors
Some pricing factors may not make complete sense yet, however they’re all covered in detail in later chapters of this Guide.
As you become more familiar with heat pump options you should start to get a good idea of what is, and isn’t, at the top of your wish list.
Pricing Factors:
1. How Does a Heat Pump’s System Type Affect Price?
Heat pumps, like air conditioners, can throttle their temperature output through different compressor types. The decision to move forward with a single-stage, two-stage, or variable-speed system has big implications on the level of comfort you’ll feel, system efficiency, your utility bills, and the wear and tear on the system.
Single-stage heat pumps cost between $12,000 and $20,000
Two-stage heat pumps cost between $14,000 and $24,000
Variable-speed heat pumps cost between $15,000 and $25,000Â
Heat pumps are renowned for their energy efficiency. Unlike traditional heating systems that generate heat by burning fuel, heat pumps only move heat, which requires significantly less energy.
Since they both heat and cool your home, heat pumps get two efficiency scores. Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER2) and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF2) ratings track heat pumps’ energy usage for cooling and heating respectively.
The installation costs of your heat pump are almost always directly related to these scores. Generally, as the system’s SEER2 and HSPF2 rating increase, so does price.
Remember that at some point a high-efficiency heat pump will begin to pay for itself from the long-term utility savings
- Whole-House Dehumidifiers cost between $2,500 and $4,500 to install. Actual prices depend on the size of the space being treated. Â
- Whole-House Humidifiers cost between $900 and $3,500 to install. Actual prices depend on the size of space being treated.
- Whole-House Air Scrubbers cost roughly $1,600 to install.
- Whole-House Air Purifiers cost roughly $1,100 to install.Â
- Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs)Â cost between $3,000 and $6,000 to install.Â
- Fresh Air Ventilators (FAVs)Â cost between $2,000 and $5,000 to install.
- Smart Thermostats cost between $700 and $1,200 and may be required for your home if you’re installing a variable-speed system. Â
Single-Stage Heat Pumps
Variable-Speed Heat Pumps
What is SEER2?
The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER2) is the industry standard measurement for any home cooling system. It’s a scale from 13 to 26 that represents the total heat removed from a space during an annual cooling season.
SEER2 ratings typically increase as you move from single-stage to two-stage to variable-speed heat pumps.
Since heat pumps function virtually identically to AC systems when in cooling mode, their SEER2 score closely resembles the scores of central AC units.
3. Heat Pump Energy Efficiencies: Understanding SEER2 & HSPF2 Ratings
While comparable to the efficiency of a central AC system when in cooling mode, heat pumps are renowned for their energy efficiency when in heating mode.
Unlike traditional heating systems that generate heat by burning fuel, heat pumps only move heat, which requires significantly less energy.
What is HSPF2?
The Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF2) measures the efficiency of heating delivered to your home by a heat pump.
HSPF2 ratings are calculated by dividing the total BTUs (British Thermal Units) delivered to your home by the total expenditure of energy used by the system, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Why Does Efficiency Matter?
The two primary implications of an energy efficient heat pump unit are:
1. Fewer greenhouse gas emissions and a smaller carbon footprint
2. Greater savings on energy bills
4. The Heating & Cooling Capacity Needs of Your Home
Selecting a heat pump system with the appropriate heating and cooling capacity, that matches your home, is essential to optimizing comfort and energy costs, while also promoting the health and longevity of the system.
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How Many BTUs of Heating and Cooling Do I Need?
When selecting a heat pump for your home, you’ll be faced with a range of heating and cooling capacities, measured in British Thermal Units (BTUs), to choose from.
Your home’s square footage is the first variable when determining how many BTUs you’ll need, however it isn’t a simple calculation.
Bringing a professional to your home to evaluate your home is the best way to find a well-suited heat pump.
Manage Your Home’s Humidity Levels
During the summer, humidity inevitably creeps into your home. If ignored, it can lead to musty odors, discomfort, increased asthma and allergy symptoms, and mold growth.
On the flip side, excessively dry winter air can cause itchy skin, dry eyes, peeling paint or wallpaper, and warped wood.
Installing whole-home humidifiers and dehumidifiers will keep your house in the ideal humidity range of 30%-50% all year long.
5. HVAC Accessories
Looking to boost your home’s comfort? Explore a range of additional accessories for your heat pump that enhance your home’s atmosphere through humidity control, indoor air quality improvements, and convenience-oriented smart thermostats.
Consider Your Home’s Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
Every house has some degree of indoor pollutants, also called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), that can cause health problems if ignored. Installing a system designed to improve IAQ will make your home a healthier and more welcoming living space.
Air Purifiers:
Industry-Leading Filtering Systems
Air purifiers use a series of high-grade filters housed directly in your ductwork to facilitate and clean your home’s entire air supply.
They trap contaminants and VOCs that would otherwise roam freely.
Air Scrubbers:
Microscopic Space Cleaning
Air scrubbers attack VOCs microscopically while they linger in your home’s air by sending out UV-C radiation and charged molecules.
This process clumps VOCs together to until they reach a size that can be trapped in your air purifier, or that can land on a surface and be sanitized.
Fresh Air Ventilators (FAV):
Fresh Air 24/7
Fresh air ventilation systems regularly and automatically exchange stale, indoor air with fresh outdoor air through a simple 6″ hole in your home’s exterior.
FAVs produces a constant and subtle flow of fresh air into your home.
6. What Are Your Smart Thermostat Options?
Modern smart thermostats have been completely rethought, even compared to those from only 10 years ago. Discover how a thermostat upgrade can transform how you manage your household.
Not Your Grandfather’s Thermostat
Among the new features now common in all smart thermostats is a geo-fencing capability that will automatically turn your heating and cooling systems on or off as you reach a set distance from your home.
This means that (1) you won’t waste energy while you’re away from home, and (2) your home will always be comfortable when you arrive, even if your schedule changes.
Here’s a quick look at three of the leading thermostats available today.
The ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
Key Features:
Indoor Air Quality Monitoring System
Maintenance Schedule Reminders
Radar Occupancy Detector
Honeywell T10+ Pro Smart Thermostat
Key Features:
RedLINK 3.0 Room Sensors
Continual Energy Efficiency Optimization
Cohesive Control of Multiple Rooms
Google Nest Learning Thermostat
Key Features:
Continual Temperature Schedule Learning and Optimization
Detailed Energy Reporting
Integration with Other Nest Products
7. Choosing the Right Heat Pump Installation Partner
Don’t undervalue the importance of hiring a quality, experienced HVAC company to install your heat pump.
How your heat pump is installed has a direct impact on its performance and efficiency.
Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Choosing a Quality HVAC Installation Company
A referral from a trusted friend is always a great way to start when looking for an HVAC installation company.
Additionally, online resources like Google reviews and social forums with customer feedback are excellent starting points.
When you contact an installation company, pay attention to how each team member treats you. The professionalism shown by one department often reflects the overall quality of service you can expect.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to multiple companies to get a sense of who you’ll be working with.
What to Expect During an In-Home Consultation
Mattioni is proud to offer same-day in-home consultations during which we’ll go through the following steps:
1. Review your home cooling priorities
2. Analyze your existing HVAC system
3. Explore tailored options
In-home Consultations are Crucial to Choosing the Right Heat Pump
An in-home AC consultation only takes about one to two hours and allows you to ask questions to a professional face-to-face.
You’ll be able to evaluate all of your options alongside an HVAC professional if you haven’t already chosen a heat pump model.
Most importantly, your HVAC partner will be able to inspect the unique characteristics of your home to ensure that you install a properly sized system.
Heat Pump Installation FAQs:
1. Do I need to be home when service technicians are in my house?
Some homeowners may want to be home while the HVAC installation crew is working, but it’s not necessary.
2. What day and time can I schedule my heat pump installation for?
Depending on availability, you can schedule your installation for as early as 8AM the next business day.
3. Do I need to clean up before my heat pump installation?
As long as there is access to the installation work site and any other areas that your HVAC installation team may need to operate in, there is no need to clean up beforehand.
4. How long does an heat pump installation take?
While the amount of time needed to install your new heat pump depends on the complexity of the job, it will most likely be done within four to six hours.
5. Are there any short-term heating or cooling options to get you to your installation date?
Most of the year, a quality HVAC company will be able to install your new heat pump within 24 hours. However, for those high-demand situations during the peak of summer, the Mattioni team has a supply of window AC units to lend to anyone experiencing a cooling emergency.
6. What should I do about my pets during installation?
If you have a friendly dog or cat, there is no need to put them in a crate or close them off in a room if, unless you normally do so. We love saying hello to our customer’s pets!
Support After Installation
If you have any questions about your new system or if you need further support to understand how to use it, our team would be glad to assist! You also receive a complimentary VIP Membership with installation which includes maintenance on your system to ensure it continues to operate at peak performance.
Mattioni Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
Family Owned for Over 75 Years
