HEAT PUMP MYTHS, FACTS & MORE
FACT: If a heat pump system is properly designed, there should be no need for
backup. Some systems operate efficiently at temperatures as low as 13 °F.
It is increasingly common for new houses to be heated and cooled exclusively with heat pumps. Older homes are also converting exclusively to heat pumps
FACT: Though they lose efficiency as the outdoor temperature drops, even at temperatures near 0 °F, high-efficiency heat pumps can be nearly 200% efficient.
FACT: Properly sized heat pumps can be used to heat virtually any indoor residential or commercial space.
FACT: While this is true for furnaces and boilers, it is not true for heat pumps. Heat pumps save the most energy when allowed to maintain a constant temperature. That’s why we recommend that people find their optimal comfort setting then “set it and forget it.”
FACT: While there are temperatures at which an oil boiler is cheaper to run than a heat pump there are very few hours per year when this is true. Modeling shows the potential savings of switching to a furnace or boiler during those hours is minimal, and failure to switch back at precisely the right temperature could actually increase costs.
FACT: Rather than leaving your boiler on, you can insulate the basement walls or add some antifreeze to the distribution system. Generous rebates are available for weatherization and insulation.
