HVAC Tech Tip: Heat Pumps Cut High Heating Costs

Electric resistance heaters are widely found in commercial buildings throughout the Northwest. Convenient and low-maintenance, they’re also one of the leading energy-wasting ways to heat a building. Do your customers complain about high heating bills? Sell them on an efficient heat pump solution to lower costs and reduce energy use.

With colder months on their way, building owners will begin to run heating systems the majority of the time. Often integrated with outdoor rooftop units or indoor air handlers, electric resistance heaters raise those cold winter temperatures up to comfortable levels for building occupants. But along with round-the-clock heating comes bigger utility bills for the building owner.

A more energy efficient and still low maintenance way to comfortably heat a space is through a heat pump, which uses refrigerant to move heat from the ambient air to the inside. When sized correctly for the space, efficient heat pumps can result in up to 70% reduction in heating costs* compared with traditional electric resistance heating.

Furthermore, efficient models available today retain most of their rated heating capacity down to temperatures below 5 degrees F. This means there is less of a need to oversize the heat pump to ensure adequate capacity during the colder months, which was a common concern in the past.

If your customer routinely pays too much for heating at this time of year or is thinking about upgrading equipment or reconfiguring their space, help them consider upgrading to an efficient heat pump system sized to meet the building’s needs. Efficient heat pumps are quiet, low maintenance, and offer a good payback on investment, making them a smart choice for building owners looking for comfortable heating options this winter that also save them money.

Heat pump incentives are available. Utility participation varies, so talk with your regional field specialist or local utility before discussing with customers.

For more HVAC tips and best practices, visit the Trade Ally Network NW website or contact your regional field specialist.

* Estimate based off of a COP of 3.5 (AHRI Heat Pump 87.5% percentile performance between 65,000 Btu and 135,000 Btu)