Pumping Out Savings

The generally warmer North Texas climate is the perfect operating environment for heat pumps and for obtaining greater energy efficiencies in southern residential households. Heat pumps have an optimal operating ambient temperature of 25 degrees and higher, leading to their high popularity in the southern U.S., and they have the highest energy efficiency among HVAC units and water heaters. Their efficiency is derived from their ability to extract heat from their surrounding environment and either transfer it outside the home to cool it or transfer it inside the home to warm it.

HVAC Heat Pumps

HVAC systems are typically the single-largest sources of electric consumption in a residence. And while they provide a comfortable living environment from a temperature and humidity standpoint, it is important to choose the right combination of indoor and outdoor units to provide optimal performance and efficiency. Choosing an undersized system will cause unnecessary wear and tear on the mechanical components and will be inefficient as it continuously runs to keep up with temperature control settings. On the other hand, an oversized system will cycle on and off too quickly to maintain a constant temperature and cause increased humidity within a home. Having a properly sized system will reduce a home’s electric load as well as properly and efficiently maintain a home’s temperature and humidity.

United recommends having an HVAC contractor provide an AHRI (Air-conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute) certificate for both indoor and outdoor units to quantify their efficiency. This certificate will show the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) and/or SEER2 rating for the exact pairing of inside and outside units. While SEER and SEER2 both test how efficient the unit cools, heat pump efficiency, or the heating efficiency, is expressed by a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) and HSPF2. Similar to SEER, higher HSPF denotes greater energy efficiency. In order to compare bids from different contractors, the HSPF and the SEER ratings found on the AHRI certificate are excellent resources.

United currently has an Air-Source Heat Pump Rebate to offset some of the cost. Complete system changeouts are required for retrofit rebates. The inside and outside units will need to be replaced in order to qualify.

Minimum SEER of 16 SEER/
15.3 SEER2 - $200
Minimum SEER of 17 SEER/
16.2 SEER2 - $300
Minimum SEER of 18 SEER/
17.2 SEER2 - $400
Minimum SEER of 19 SEER/
18.1 SEER2 - $500

United members should be aware heat pumps come in many shapes and sizes, including ductless, or mini-split, systems. These ductless systems can be a great option for smaller, open-concept homes or for those who do not want ductwork in their attic. These heat pumps are smaller in size and only require two small wall penetrations for the refrigerant and condensation lines that connect the indoor and outdoor unit. In addition to the space savings, ductless systems are also considerably cheaper than ducted HVAC heat pump systems. The outdoor unit on some ductless systems can also have the option of being connected to multiple indoor units, allowing for multiple conditioned spaces in your home that are separated by walls or doors.

Variable speed function is a relatively new  innovation in residential heat pumps. This feature provides greater efficiency than a standard single-speed heat pump since lower operating speeds in a variable-speed unit allow the same temperature setting to be accomplished at a diminished wattage when compared to the single speed heat pump operating at full speed.

Overall, a heat pump HVAC system (when paired properly) can save homeowners the most money in long-term costs when compared to electrical resistance or propane furnaces.

Despite higher upfront purchase costs, consideration for installing a heat pump should not be overlooked when replacing or installing a new HVAC system.

Heat Pump Water Heaters

A heat pump’s advantages aren’t limited solely to HVAC systems. Heat pump technology has wound its way into water heater design as well, and water heaters are typically the second highest energy-consuming appliance in a home. Water heater heat pumps work identically to their HVAC counterpart, however instead of heating or cooling air, they exclusively heat water. Water heater heat pumps can be thought of as reverse refrigerators.

Instead of producing the heat themselves, they merely transfer heat from surrounding air into the tank and release cooler air back into the surrounding space.

This makes a garage a perfect installation point for a heat pump water heater unless the water heater is confined in a small closet space. The cool air released from a heat pump in an open space can decrease the temperature in the garage by a few degrees year round.

And the transfer of thermal energy makes heat pump water heaters about 2-3 times more efficient than conventional electric resistance water heaters. Currently, United is offering a $150 rebate for any member who decides to install a heat pump water heater in their home (please see the 2024 Rebate Application at www.ucs.net for more details).

Heat pumps come in numerous sizes and applications, including HVAC systems and water heaters, and their higher energy efficiencies provide long-term electrical use savings—especially during North Texas’ hotter months.

United energy experts advise members to research options when an HVAC system or water heater replacement is being considered, and to contact a United energy solutions specialist to obtain more information about the many resources the cooperative has to help its members make their residences more energy efficient.