States are moving to electrification and away from fossil fuel use. Wintertime heating is
a big use of 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 by producing 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 ECD Help
With Cold Climate Heat Pump Optimization Design Services, ECD 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. ECD can look at you or your client’s house, 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 ECD cold climate heat pump optimization will do for you:
1- 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.
2- 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.
3- 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.
4- 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.
5- 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.
6- 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@ eliteclimatedesign.com!
Graphics that could be used from DOE:
