If you live in a place with bone-chilling winters, you know just how important the choice of how to heat your home is. Traditionally, heat pumps have not been high on the list of heating options. But times (and technology) have changed!
Skepticism over choosing a heat pump if you live in a cold climate is rooted in how they operate—pulling heat from outdoors inside. Now the technology has improved to the point that they are a viable and efficient way to keep warm, even as far north as Alaska. Just make sure you choose a heat pump designed for your cold climate, like the packaged heat pumps from MRCOOL®.
Read on to learn how a cold climate heat pump works, what features to look for, and why choosing a MRCOOL® heat pump is beneficial.
What Is a Cold Climate Heat Pump?
Cold climate heat pumps are a modified version of existing air conditioning technology—heat pumps—that can heat homes adequately in single digit or below zero temperatures. The MRCOOL® Universal Package Heat Pump can keep you comfortable even when the weather outside is -22°F.
As an added bonus, cold climate heat pumps can provide air conditioning in warmer weather.
Do Heat Pumps Work in Cold Weather?
The short answer is: yes! There are heat pumps on the market that are specifically designed to work in incredibly cold places.
Since heat pumps work by absorbing free heat from outside air and moving it indoors, you might think they’re a no-go if you live in a cold climate. While it does seem contrary, heat pumps are actually an excellent choice if you live in a cold environment, even contractors and families living in Maine agree!
How Cold Weather Heat Pumps Work
To understand how a cold weather heat pump works, let’s first look inside. The main components in a heat pump are two coils, a compressor, and refrigerant.
Now keep in mind that warm air likes to move toward cooler air. Heat pumps use this natural phenomenon to their advantage. The refrigerant inside the unit pulls heat from outside to the outside coil, turning the refrigerant into a gas. The refrigerant then moves the heat to the indoor coil where it is condensed and distributed throughout your home.
If you’re scratching your head trying to figure out where heat comes from when it’s below zero outside, we have a counterintuitive fact: even in incredibly cold temperatures there is still energy in the air, and energy creates heat.
Want to learn more about how cold weather heat pumps can keep you warm in winter? We go more in depth in our article on how heat pumps work in freezing temperatures.
Features of Heat Pumps for Cold Climates
Before installing a cold climate heat pump, you should consider the following features so you can make a decision that optimizes both your home’s comfort and the unit’s efficiency:
- Built-in heater: Some heat pumps feature a built-in electric heater or heat strips for an additional heat source on incredibly cold days and to more quickly recover from extreme drops in temperature.
- Variable compressors: A compressor with variable speed is designed to best meet your needs while consuming the lowest amount of power to keep your home at your preferred temperature. This feature makes cold climate heat pumps more energy efficient without sacrificing your comfort.
- Noise reduction: Not many people enjoy the humming of a working heat pump. Cold climate heat pumps may feature anti-vibration pads that minimize unwanted noise.
Improved cycle configuration: The defrost cycle is crucial for cold climate heat pumps as it prevents frost from building up on your system by quickly warming the outside coil.
Benefits of Heat Pumps in Cold Climates
Some contractors may be hesitant to install a heat pump in cold climates since improved technology is relatively new. But homeowners in the northern United States are increasingly choosing heat pumps over gas or oil furnaces as financial incentives ramp up, technology continues to improve, and concern about climate change rises.
Heat pumps are a smart choice whether you want to reduce your household’s impact on climate change or save money on your bills or installation costs.
Air Quality
Since there’s no combustion of fossil fuels like oil, propane, or natural gas with cold climate heat pumps, they reduce your exposure to carbon monoxide and other particulate matter. Cold climate heat pumps also filter your air to significantly reduce pollen and other allergens in your home.
Tax Credits
In the United States federal tax credits, pending rebates, and local incentive programs are making it cheaper than before to install a cold climate heat pump. In some cases, tax benefits can offset the cost of installation.
To discover how much you could save switching to an air-source cold climate heat pump, check the savings calculator from Rewiring America. You can also search the DSIRE database for incentives that are available in your area, since benefit programs vary based on location.
Cost Savings
If you currently heat your home with propane or electric resistance heat, you can save a lot of money by switching to a cold climate heat pump. Savings when compared to natural gas vary, depending on the current price of the fossil fuel.
The most immediate savings from choosing a heat pump are seen during summertime. That’s because heat pumps are much more efficient at cooling than traditional air conditioners.
Energy Efficiency
Cold climate heat pumps are more energy efficient because instead of creating heat like a natural gas or propane furnace, they simply move heat from one place to another.
The heating efficiency when using a heat pump is close to 300 percent which means for every 1 unit of energy used by the appliance it puts out 3 units of heat. For gas and propane furnaces, the efficiency ranges from approximately 80 percent to 90 percent.
Environmentally Friendly
By choosing to install a cold climate heat pump, you can reduce your impact on our environment. In the United States, researchers at the University of California-Davis found that residential energy usage accounts for about 20 percent of greenhouse gas emissions.
Get Your Packaged Heat Pump at MRCOOL®
Switching to a cold climate heat pump is a rational and smart choice for homeowners, even if you live in one of the northernmost corners of the United States. Incentives are available for you to switch to these incredibly energy efficient appliances and leaps in technology have made them more suited for places with harsh winters and subzero temperatures.
If you’re ready to make the jump to a cold climate heat pump, we would love to help you find the right model for your home. For locations of retailers selling MRCOOL® products, check out our map.