With cold temperatures approaching, you might be thinking about how well your old air source heat pump is going to run this year. You might also be wondering if now is a good 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 home cooler or warmer. They don’t produce heat or air conditioning like a natural gas furnace or a standard central air conditioner. A heat pump has indoor and outdoor units that work together to supply your heating and cooling.

We’re going to go over this topic now, as well as:

  • How air source heat pump efficiency ratings like SEER and HSPF affect your heating and cooling bill.
  • How ENERGY STAR® models 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 utilizing electricity for cooling. The greater the SEER, the more efficient 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 another heat pump rating system that calculates how well air source heat pumps will work during the heating season. The better the number, the more efficient your heating system will be at using electricity for warm air. This is especially important for saving money in colder climates, considering 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 regarded to be energy efficient and can help keep heating costs down during cold conditions.

What Does ENERGY STAR Mean on a Heat Pump?

ENERGY STAR air source heat pumps satisfy rigorous 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 run well.

Air source heat pumps achieve ENERGY STAR if they have:

  • HSPF rating of 8.5 or higher
  • SEER rating of 15 or higher
  • This can reduce your heat pump’s operating costs, plus reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.

How to Choose an Energy-Efficient Heat Pump

When choosing your heat pump’s efficiency rating, just like any other household system, the most significant thing is to select one that has an energy-efficiency rating that you can afford.

If your budget only fits a heat pump with lesser ratings, don’t fret! Even a new one with a lower rating is going to use less energy than one that’s 10 or 15 years old. Here’s why.

  • From 1999 to 2005, federal regulations mandated air source heat pumps to have a 10 SEER rating.
  • That number increased to 13 from 2006 to 2014.
  • Today, a new heat pump should be at least 14 SEER.
  • So, changing from 10 SEER to 14 SEER will make a big difference on your heating and cooling bill.

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

In the past, heat pumps were limited to areas that didn’t have cold climates, because of the way heat pumps work to pull heat from the air. Today’s heat pump systems are also created to endure colder outdoor air and a cold climate during the winter. This lessens your reliance on a supplemental heat source, electric resistance heating or baseboard heaters during the heating season.

Replacing your heat pump with B&B Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical may be more reasonably priced than you think it is. Between rebates, special offers and financing for qualified customers, buying new HVAC systems may be more budget friendly than you realize.

It’s not easy to find the time and money to switch aging air source systems. But if you want more comfortable home temperatures with smaller energy bills in the future, it might be worthwhile to check out new heat pump units.

At B&B Heating, Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical we make upgrading a convenient process by giving free estimate appointments for air source heat pumps. Just call us at 314-668-8530 to book yours now. We’re proud to offer heat pump installation in Florissant and St. Charles your friends and neighbors have trusted since year.