Mini-Split & Air Source Heat Pump Education

How to Get Started When Considering Heat Pumps and MiniSplits

When it comes to heat pumps and mini-splits, there is a lot to take into consideration. Consider following these steps to help you out! 

Air source heat pumps, sometimes referred to as mini-splits, are an energy-efficient electric heating and cooling system that can be used to heat and cool either part, or all, of your home.

Air source heat pumps consist of two main components: an indoor unit and an outdoor unit. Refrigerant cycles between the indoor and outdoor units, carrying heat from one location to another, similar to how a refrigerator operates. In the summer, heat is moved from inside the home to outside, blowing the remaining colder air back into the house. In the winter, they reverse operation, extracting heat from the outdoor air and transferring it into the home.

How to Shop for a Heat Pump and Find an Installer

While HG&E does not provide a list of recommended installers, we have a few resources to help you find an installer and shop for a heat pump.

Be sure your installer has experience installing heat pump systems as they are a more complex technology than conventional heating and cooling systems. One way to help ensure this is to check to see if the installer has a manufacturer's certificate of heat pump training. Mitsubishi Diamond Contractors should all have a certificate of heat pump training, so searching for Diamond contractors in our area can be a good place to start looking. For a list of Diamond Contractors near you, visit Mitsubishicomfort.com/find-a-contractor then enter your zip code and press 'search'. To find other non-Diamond contractors, you can also do a Google search for 'HVAC installers near Holyoke', or 'mini-split installers', or ask family/friends if they have a company they used and trust. 

When choosing a heat pump installer, its a good idea to get quotes from multiple contractors (at least 3+ if possible), as installation costs can vary widely depending on the company you work with. Different installation companies tend to stick to one specific brand - (for example, they may only install Mitsubishi systems, or only Carrier systems). 

The Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP) has provided an Air Source Heat Pump Buying Guide to help you choose the right system for your needs. See pages 13 and 14 for more information on how to shop for a heat pump including  questions to ask a contractor to ensure they are experienced with installing this system type.

Advantages of Heat Pump Technology:    

    • Air filtration
    • Energy Efficient (Many available systems are capable of an average efficiency of 300% throughout the course of the heating season)
    • Provide both heating and cooling
    • Powered by electricity
    • Low carbon emissions (especially for HG&E customers due to HG&E's high renewable and carbon-free electricity supply)
    • Ability to heat and cool individual rooms rather than an entire house (when installing mini-splits)

Ducted Heat Pumps vs Ductless Mini-Splits

Heat pumps can either be connected to ducts (where the heat travels through your ductwork), or, they can be installed without the need for ducts, known as ductless systems. Ductless systems are often referred to as "mini-splits" and typically consist of one or more wall-mounted indoor units connected to an outdoor unit. 

The main advantages of ductless mini-splits are their small size and flexibility for zoning (heating and cooling individual rooms). Many models can have as many as 4+ indoor units (for four zones or rooms) connected to one outdoor unit.

The image below is of a ductless mini-split heat pump with one outdoor unit connected to multiple indoor heads. This allows different areas of the house to be set to different temperatures. 

Cost to Heat with a Heat Pump vs. Other Heating Systems/Fuels (Based on HG&E's Residential Rates)

There are many factors that contribute to your annual heating costs, such as the efficiency rating of your heating system, the efficiency of your heating distribution system, fuel rates, etc. The chart below provides information on the annual cost to heat with heat pumps compared to other heating systems to help give some insight into average costs for various fuels/heating systems.

Please Note: The chart below assumes the ducted heat pump and the ductless mini-split heat pump have no electric resistance elements built into the system. While it is possible to install electric resistance elements as part of a heat pump heating system, this can increase the annual heating costs. However, it is also possible that installing electric resistance elements, such as electric strip heat, can reduce the system' installation cost. 

If you would like to make a more detailed comparison of heating costs or receive a cost comparison tailored to your home, we have a few resources available:

• Free Home Energy Audits:
  • HG&E offers free home energy audits for residential customers where a professional energy advisor will assess your home and identify ways that you can save on your energy bills. During the audit, you can inform the auditor that you are interested in heat pumps, and the auditor should be able to include the estimated annual heating cost savings in your energy audit report if you install heat pumps (based on the efficiency rating and fuel type of your current heating system). This may be a good place for you to start if you'd like to gain more understanding of the financial benefits of either converting to a whole-home heat pump system (capable of supplying 100% of your home's heating needs) or perhaps installing a smaller system in the rooms you use the most. To arrange for a home energy audit at no cost to you, contact our energy services partner, NextZero, directly at their toll-free number: 1-888-333-7525. They will work with you to schedule the energy audit with our audit partner, the Center for EcoTechnology. Click here to learn more about energy audits and access a sample audit report. 
• Heating Cost Comparison Tool:
  • We have developed a Heating Cost Comparison Tool where you can adjust various factors such as the efficiency of the system, fuel rates, etc. We have both an online calculator available in Google sheets, and a downloadable calculator created in Microsoft Excel.
    • Downloadable Heating Cost Comparison Tool: Click here to download the Excel version of the heating cost calculator. 

How Much Does a Heat Pump System Cost to Install?

Costs to install heat pumps range widely depending on a variety of factors, including the size of the system, how many indoor heads are needed, the installation company used, other design factors, etc. The average cost is $4,190/ton (based on data from customers who've received incentives through HG&E for heat pumps). Costs for "whole-home" heat pump systems (those that can supply all of a home's heating, rather than just some of the heating) tend to be much higher than conventional heating systems, with an average cost of $20,000. Because it generally costs much less to heat with heat pumps than oil or electric resistance, some homeowners will choose to install whole-home systems while others will install a smaller system, often in the rooms they use the most (kitchen, living room, etc) and use it as much as possible for heating and keep their current heating system as back-up. If a home already has ductwork in place, most installers will likely recommend a ducted heat pump system rather than a ductless system. With 'whole-home' ducted systems, its fairly common for installers to propose a system that includes an electric strip element which provides supplemental heat in addition to the heat provided by the heat pump. The electric strip can reduce the installation costs, but, since this electric strip creates heat using electric resistance, heat being produced through an electric strip can cost roughly 3 times more that heat being provided solely by the heat pump. 

Will a Heat Pump Work During Holyoke's Cold Winter Temperatures?

Because heat pumps work by using refrigerant to transfer heat energy from one location to another, and because refrigerant can start boiling at very, very cold temperatures, many heat pump models available on the market today can continue to provide adequate heat throughout the entire winter in Holyoke. If sized correctly, they can even be used as a home's primary, or only, heating system. The Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP) has published a list of verified Cold-Climate heat pump models that are capable of operating at a high efficiency of at least 175% when the outdoor air temperature is only 5°F.  Average winter temperatures in Holyoke fall below 5 degrees for only about 44 hours each year, with a low of negative 8.2 degrees. Therefore, if you are looking for a heat pump that can operate year-round in Holyoke's climate, it is recommended to choose a heat pump that is rated to provide heat down to -9°F.

The Importance of Weatherizing Your Home Before Installation

 Consider preparing your home for the heat pump before it is installed by first air-sealing and insulating to a proper extent. Having a tighter, more insulated home not only reduces annual heating costs, but might also allow you to buy a smaller heat pump system than you would have needed otherwise. HG&E provides free home energy audits to customers which determine cost-effective weatherization improvements you can make to reduce your annual heating and cooling costs. You can also take advantage of Holyoke's weatherization incentives to help cover the costs. 

System Size and Output Capacity: 

HSPF2: 

SEER2:  

EER2: 

Resources on Proper Heat Pump Operation

• How to Use your Ductless Heat Pump: Guidance from Efficiency Maine about the best practices for maintenance and upkeep of a heat pump.
• Who knew? 8 ways NOT to use a heat pump: Read this article from Efficiency Vermont for information on common misconceptions related to heat pump operation. 

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership’s Air Source Heat Pump Buying Guide and MassCEC’s Heat Pump Guide are great resources to review to learn more about how air source heat pumps work, which design is right for your home, size and ducting options, and more!