By Anne Fonda
In the HVAC industry, electrification refers to the electrification of heat. HVAC electrification is a worldwide movement in residential and commercial applications to move away from heating by burning fossil fuels.
In the home, it means a move toward embracing electric heat pumps and ductless mini-splits as a more AFFORDABLE heating and cooling solution. It also means carbon reductions for those with environmental goals. With advanced technology, heat pump systems are the most energy-efficient HVAC systems on the market today.
Industry experts say about 85% of Americans can meet their heating needs with an energy-efficient heat pump system alone, while only 15% of Americans live in climates that are too frigid for heat pumps to handle the heating 100% of the time.
For those colder areas of the country, a hybrid heating system is a reasonable move towards heating with electricity most of the time but switching to a natural gas (or another fossil fuel) furnace for extreme temperatures. Cold climate heat pumps are another option.
The more energy-efficient your heat pump is, the more you can reduce your energy consumption and your energy bills. Two energy efficiency metrics will have the greatest impact on your savings: Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER2) and Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF2).
While there are other HVAC energy efficiency metrics to consider, these are the two big ones for heat pumps. The higher the SEER2, the more efficient the unit is at cooling and dehumidifying your home. The higher the HSPF2, the more efficient the unit is at heating. Multi-speed and variable-speed units are generally the most efficient.
Among many other things, the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 provides two types of financial incentives to help homeowners pay for a new heat pump system.
Qualifying heat pump systems are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit, which you claim when you file your taxes for the year in which the system was installed. This can reduce your tax liability. You can stack the tax credit and heat pump rebates to save more.
There are two heat pump rebate programs – the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (HEAR) and Home Energy Rebates (HER). Depending on your income and the state you live in, a qualifying system could result in up to $8,000 in rebates.
The HER program is available to homeowners and renters at any income level and requires that projects reduce your home’s energy usage by at least 20%.
For both programs, these are point-of-sale rebates, meaning the cost is taken off the top rather than you paying full price for the HVAC unit and receiving a rebate check.
According to a U.C. Davis study published in Energy Policy, when you replace a natural gas furnace with an air-source heat pump, you can reduce your carbon emissions by 38-53%. While saving money on your utility bills and increasing your level of comfort may be your top priorities, reducing your carbon footprint at the same time is a win for the planet.
At Trane, we’re committed to helping homeowners like you save money on monthly heating and cooling bills with a sustainable heat pump system. We believe information is power, so we’ve developed a library of resources to help you make an informed decision.
We invite you to learn more about this technology and if a heat pump system is right for your home.
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. Electrification of heat fits in with Trane Technologies’ climate commitment, the Gigaton Challenge. Residential and commercial use of our products is our largest area of opportunity to reduce CO 2 emissions.
Through this commitment, we’ve set a goal to reduce one billion metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) from our customer’s carbon footprints by 2030. Our math shows that this reduction equates to 2% of the world’s annual emissions – or, the annual emissions of Italy, France, and the U.K. combined.
By continually innovating and making more energy-efficient and sustainable HVAC systems, we make it easy for you to save money and reduce carbon emissions at the same time. It’s a win-win.
Anne Fonda, Content Writer
A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.
She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.
When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.
Expert review by Josef Hejda, Electrification Commercialization Leader
Heat pumps are HVAC systems that can perform both heating and cooling functions without the use of fossil fuels.
Sustainability is based on the principle that everything we need for our survival, comfort, and well-being depends on our natural environment, either directly or indirectly. To live sustainably means to reduce your negative impact on the environment through pollution and contributing to climate change.
Learn what a carbon footprint is and how to determine your own carbon footprint. Trust Trane® for reliable and sustainable HVAC equipment.
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