Pump Up Your Savings with Heat Pumps | Department of Energy

Heat pumps are increasing in popularity; as of ,over 17 million housing units had them installed. Because they provide cooling in the summer as well as heating in winter, heat pumps are helpful year-round. Now, they already account for more than half of all residential heating equipment sales across the United States. Today we’re going to break down how they work, why Americans are upgrading to them, and how they can help save you money — via tax credits and rebates!

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Heat pumps are an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space. During cold seasons, heat pumps move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm home. During warmer seasons, they move heat from your home into the outdoors. Because heat pumps transfer — rather than generate — heat, they are significantly more efficient than traditional heating systems.

There are two main types of heat pumps connected by ducts: air-source and geothermal, which differ in where they collect heat from (air, water, or the ground outside your home) and concentrate it for use inside.

The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your home and the outside air. Modern air-source heat pumps can reduce your electricity use by 50% compared to furnaces and baseboard heaters. Until recently, they haven’t been used in areas that experience subfreezing temperatures for extended periods of time; now, they're a legitimate option for colder regions due to advancements in air-source heat pump technology.

Air-source heat pumps are also now available for homes without ducts, using a ductless version called a mini-split heat pump. Another kind of air-source heat pump is called a “reverse cycle chiller,” generating hot and cold water instead of air and compatible with radiant floor heating systems in heating mode.

Geothermal (ground-source or water-source) heat pumps transfer heat between your house and the ground or a nearby water source. They cost more to install but have low operating costs because they take advantage of relatively constant ground or water temperatures.

Sturdy and reliable, geothermal heat pumps can reduce energy use by 30%-60%, control humidity, and fit in a wide variety of homes. Compared to other types of heat pumps, they can also be used in more extreme climates.

You can learn more about the different kinds of heat pump systems — and which one might be best for you — at our Energy Saver site.

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Heat pumps use electricity to transfer — rather than create — heat, making them much more efficient than traditional HVAC systems. Depending what heating equipment you’re upgrading from, you could save up to7.6 tons of carbon emissions per year. With millions of households choosing a heat pump each year, those tons add up to a meaningful impact for our climate. Show your appreciation to our Earth by choosing the clean energy option!

Less energy usage = lower utility bills. Depending on the size of your home, local climate, and how energy efficient your home is, savings can average over$500 per year. Pairing weatherization measures such as insulation with a heat pump can help you save even more – you can learn about incentives for insulation and other technologies in our Energy Savings Hub. When you’re shopping around for a heat pump, make sure to reference EnergyStar.gov for government-certified products to maximize your energy savings.

Through President Biden’s Investing in America Plan, homeowners are now eligible for tax credits when they install an air-source or geothermal heat pump: up to 30% federal tax credit on the total cost of buying and installing a heat pump. Soon, states will be able to provide residents with additional rebates to save money off the cost of heat pumps — with low-income residents eligible for particularly high savings.

Upgrading to clean technology without first ensuring that your home is properly weatherized, or protected against energy loss, can undercut your efforts and eat into your potential savings. A home energy audit will give you a personalized roadmap, tailored to your home and environment, that will help you get the most bang for your buck.

Through President Biden’s Investing in America plan, you may be eligible for a 30% tax credit (up to $150) on your professional home energy audit. To claim this credit, simply submit IRS Form when filing your - taxes.

Learn more ways to save money while also saving the planet at our Energy Savings Hub, and check out our blog post addressing misinformation on DOE appliance standards.

Easy Ways to Save – A Quick Guide to Wiser Energy Use

Everyone loves to find new ways to save money and keep their homes in the best possible condition. These energy saving tips will help you conserve at every corner throughout your home. From heating and cooling, to doing your laundry, we’ve got you covered. And, if you’re ready to replace old, inefficient equipment or appliances, be sure to check out our rebates and incentives to help you save even more.

Heating and Cooling With Optimal Efficiency

Properly installed and inspected insulation in floors, walls, and attics ensures even temperatures throughout the home, as well as reduced energy use and increased comfort.

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• Check your furnace air filter every month, especially during heavy use months (winter and summer). If the filter looks dirty, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every three months. Dirty filters slow down airflow and make the system work harder, thereby wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system, leading to expensive maintenance or early system failure.
• Tuning up your heating and cooling system improves efficiency and comfort, as well as overall performance. Have your heating system serviced once every two years, and never try to repair it yourself. 
• Adjusting your thermostat a few degrees leads to big savings. When home, set it at 78 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for cooling and 68 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for heating. Change the thermostat 7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit each time you leave the house for two or more hours, and then again when you go to sleep at night. If you have a condensing boiler or an air source heat pump, leave your thermostat at a constant indoor temperature. Its technology adjusts your system’s temperature in response to the outdoor temperature.
• A programmable thermostat is ideal for people who are away from home during set periods of time.
• Simply program the temperature to adjust for when the house is empty or when people are sleeping.
• A wireless-enabled thermostat allows you to control your temperature remotely from your computer, tablet, or smartphone, and some even have sensors to know when you’re home, so it adjusts your temperature automatically. Receive alerts by text or if your heating or cooling system isn’t functioning.
• Use the fan setting on your window AC at night when the air outside is cool, or open a window and leave the air conditioner off. Make sure to keep windows closed whenever the air conditioner is on.
• Change your central air conditioner’s thermostat fan setting from “continuous fan operation” to “auto” so the fan runs only when cooling.
• Check and inspect the condensate drain in your central air conditioner. A plugged drain causes water damage in the house and affects indoor humidity levels.
• Clean evaporator and condenser air conditioning coils. Dirty coils reduce the system's ability to cool your home and cause the system to run longer – increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.
• Ducts that move air to and from a forced-air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent — sometimes much more. Have a professional examine your ductwork for leaks. If it’s very leaky, focus first on sealing ducts that run through unconditioned space, such as the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement, or garage. Your contractor should use duct sealant (mastic), metal-backed (foil) tape, or an Aeroseal sealant to seal the seams and connections of ducts. After the ducts are sealed, your contractor should wrap them in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer or cold in the winter.
• If your furnace or central AC equipment is more than 12 years old, or your boiler is more than 30 years old, consider replacing it with a more efficient unit.
• Installing the right size equipment for the home is essential to getting the best performance and comfort. Many homeowners believe that bigger is better when buying new heating and cooling equipment. However, a system that is too large will not keep your home comfortable because of frequent 'on/off' cycling. Incorrect sizing can also put stress on system components and shorten the equipment's life. To ensure proper sizing, your contractor should provide a copy of the home's heat gain/loss calculations for your records.
• A system with the correct amount of refrigerant will operate more efficiently and help prolong the life of the heating and cooling system. To ensure the system is properly charged, a contractor must test it and make the appropriate adjustments by adding or removing refrigerant.
• If the airflow in your heating and cooling system is too high or too low, you may have problems and higher utility bills. A contractor can test airflow and make any needed adjustments for optimal performance. Make sure that all air registers are clear of furniture, window treatments, or carpeting so air can circulate freely.
• Set your ceiling fans to turn counter-clockwise in the summer to cool a room, but reverse them so that they turn clockwise in winter to push warm air back down into a room. Turn them off when you’re not home. Ceiling fans don’t actually cool your home—they only circulate air to make you feel cooler. Therefore, they are most effective when you’re home to enjoy the benefits.
• In the winter, open window dressings during the day to capture warmth and close them at night to prevent heat loss. Close them in the summer to block the solar gain during the hottest part of the day and on south- and west-facing windows.
• Planting a deciduous tree on the west or south side of your house provides shade that will help keep it cool in the summer.

Do Away With Drafts – Sealing, Weather-Stripping, Insulation and More 

• If your home has storm windows, check to make sure that they are closed properly for the heating season.
• Install weather-stripping on doors and caulking around windows and doorframes. 
• Affix a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet or film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame. Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty.
• If you have a sliding glass door, make sure to keep its track clean. A dirty track can ruin the door’s seal and create gaps where heat or cold air escapes. 
• Seal around the attic hatch or door with self-sticking weather-stripping. Put a piece of rigid foam board insulation on the back of the door. Pre-made insulated attic stair covers are also available from home improvement centers.
• Check for air leakage and seal around:
• plumbing, electrical, and ductwork in exterior walls
• chases open to spaces like an attic
• gaps between interior and exterior walls and ceiling sheetrock
• around sheetrock, including between interior and exterior walls, and where sheetrock is sealed to the subfloor
• floors, including cantilevered floors and band joist areas in floor systems 
• knee walls in Cape-style homes 
• joints between existing buildings and additions or modular buildings
• If you have an unfinished basement or crawlspace, check for air leaks around the foundation walls by looking for spider webs. If there’s a web, there’s a draft.
• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter – it allows warm air to escape right up the chimney. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
• Remove window air conditioning units during the cold months to reduce drafts. If this isn't possible, cover the inside and outside of the unit with plastic.

Make the Most of Your Lighting 

• Switch to ENERGY STAR® certified light emitting diode (LED) bulbs. LEDs use up to 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer. 
• Identify the lumens (brightness) you need, and then choose the bulb with the lowest wattage (energy use). An old 60-watt incandescent bulb produces about 800 lumens, while a 100-watt incandescent generates about 1,600 lumens of light. Use brighter bulbs in areas where you do close-up work, such as reading, cooking, and home projects. Use less-bright light in other areas. 
• Light color is measured on a temperature scale referred to as Kelvin (K). A 2,700 K to 3,000 K bulb produces the same warm, soft white of a traditional incandescent. A 3,500 K to 4,100 K bulb is great for kitchens or work spaces. A bulb between 5,000 K and 6,500 K produces “natural” or “daylight,” and is good for reading.
• Turn off lights in any room that you’re not using. 
• Use natural light whenever you can. Make the most of natural light by moving desks, reading chairs, and workbenches closer to windows. Keep in mind that lighter colors for walls, ceilings, and floors reflect more sunlight.
• Keep light bulbs and fixtures clear of dust and other particles. Clean bulbs give off more light than dirty ones.
• Using dimming switches or three-way lamps can reduce energy consumption to the lowest possible wattage and change the mood in a room. 
• For the holidays, choose ENERGY STAR certified LED decorative light strings. 
• Many people like to leave a light on to make it seem like someone is home while they are away. Use a light timer instead for just a little while each evening. This saves energy and gives a more realistic impression of someone being at home.
• Install a motion detector for your porch light to save from keeping it on indefinitely. Use it when you’re at home or away.

Save With More Efficient Electronics 

• Use the power management settings on your computer and monitor so they sleep when not in use. Shut down your computer when you’re done using it. 
• Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when they are not in use Even if they’re not actively charging the devices, adapters plugged into outlets use energy. 
• Use an advanced power strip (APS) to automatically turn off home electronics when you’re not using them. For instance, when your TV is not being used, an advanced power strip can automatically cut power to accessories like DVD players, game consoles, and sound systems, or your computer can cut power to your printer, scanner, and sound systems.
• Turn off your game console when not in use, and avoid pausing for long periods of time. 
• Lower the brightness on your TV or computer to a comfortable level. 
• Use your DVD player rather than a game console to watch movies.
• Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified electronics. 
• Recycle your old electronics to keep them out of landfills and reduce the energy needed to produce new products.

Refrigerator and Freezer – Cool Ways to Save 

• Think about what you’re going to get from the refrigerator before you open the door. 
• Set your refrigerator to 35 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything above that is a waste of energy. Keep your refrigerator and freezer full so they don’t have to work as hard to stay cold. 
• Position your refrigerator away from a heat source, such as an oven, dishwasher, or direct sunlight from a window.
• Leave a few inches between the wall and the back of the refrigerator for air circulation.
• Make sure the seals around the door are airtight. If not, replace them. 
• Make sure condenser coils are cleaned and air can circulate freely. Read the user manual to learn how to safely clean coils. Coil cleaning brushes can be purchased at most hardware stores.
• Consider replacing and recycling older-model working refrigerators, especially those made before . Older model refrigerators often use more than four times the energy of newer models.
• If you’re purchasing a new refrigerator, one with a top-mounted freezer is generally the most efficient. And choose the smallest one that fits your needs. In general, the larger the refrigerator, the greater the energy consumption.

Use Your Dishwasher With Utmost Efficiency 

• Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them before loading them in the dishwasher. 
• Many dishwashers offer different wash cycles to accommodate dishes with heavy soil levels, such as pots and pans. Use less water for regular dishes to save. 
• Run your dishwasher with a full load, and use the air-dry or “no heat” option to save on electricity.
• If you wash dishes by hand, fill wash and rinse basins instead of letting the water run.

Cooking Without Wasting Heat 

• Keep the burners clean on your gas range to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion, while yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently. 
• Check the seal on your oven door for wear. A clean seal provides better heat retention. 
• Keep stovetop reflectors clean to concentrate the heat better.
• Use covers that fit tightly on pots and pans to shorten cooking time. 
• Use the smallest pan and burner needed for the job, and match them. A 6-inch pot on an 8-inch burner wastes over 40 percent of the burner’s heat.
• Using your microwave or toaster oven to reheat or cook small portions saves energy. It especially saves on cooling costs in summer, as less heat is generated when compared to your stove or oven.
• If possible, cook many dishes together when using the oven. 
• Avoid peeking into the oven while cooking. Heat escapes when the door is opened. 
• Thaw food in the refrigerator, rather than going directly from freezer to oven or defrosting in the microwave.
• If you have a self-cleaning oven, turn it on just after use, while the oven is still hot.

Smart Water Heating Saves Energy 

• Set the water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit for normal use. (Note: Some dishwashers may require a higher minimum temperature setting. Check your owner's manual.)
• If you’re heading out of town for an extended period of time, turn your electric water heater off entirely. Once turned back on, most models will reheat the water to the set temperature in about an hour. If you have a gas water heater, turn it down to "low" or "vacation mode." 
• Upgrade your water heater to a high-efficiency model. If your current water heater is 8-12 years old, it’s nearing the end of its life. Replace it now rather than doing an emergency replacement when you have no hot water.
• Most newer water heaters are well insulated. However, if the side of your water heater feels warm near the top, you can cut heat loss by installing a water heater insulation blanket. (First, check your owner's manual to make sure that this step won't void the manufacturer's warranty. If the warranty period has expired, this is not a problem.) Make sure to use the appropriate type blanket for your water heater, whether it's electric, gas, or oil. Follow the manufacturer's installation instructions carefully.
• Wrap the hot water pipes coming out of your water heater with insulation. Wrap those pipes nearest the heater first for greatest savings.

Save water in your bathroom 

• Use low-flow faucet aerators and showerheads to waste less hot water. A low-flow showerhead uses two gallons of water per minute or less. 
• Shower instead of bathe. A ten-minute shower can use less water than a full bath. 
• To avoid moisture problems, control humidity in your bathroom by running your ventilating fan during and 15 minutes after showers and baths.
• Repair any leaky faucets, as even small leaks add up fast and waste water and money. 
• Avoid running water continuously while doing dishes, washing up, brushing teeth, or shaving.

Do Your Laundry More Efficiently