Airtight Insight Replacing Furnaces with Heat Pumps

The Importance of a Duct System Evaluation 

When your furnace needs to be replaced, it may be a good time to consider converting to a heat pump for central heating and air conditioning. It is the most cost-effective way to convert your whole house to heat pump technology and take maximum advantage of the large rebates currently available. Changing out a furnace to heat pump is most often much less expensive than installing many ductless mini-splits for a whole home. However, it must be right. This requires a thorough duct system evaluation both in terms of air-duct leakage rate and system balancing to make sure adequate air volume and BTUs are reaching every room. 

Heat Pumps and Heat Load Calculations 

Heat pumps operate differently from fossil-fuel furnaces and boilers. They cannot be oversized to meet heating loads the way the traditional heating equipment has been and continues to be. Heat pumps use inverter technology to modulate tightly around a temperature set point as opposed to blasting heat off and on.

Therefore, when installing a whole home heat pump system it is critical to do an accurate heating load calculation known as a Manual J. This should not be done just using square footage of a home. It should be done by entering comprehensive critical information about the home into a certified software program. When a properly done Manual J heating load calculation is done, a properly sized system is installed and efficiency and comfort are ensured.

Renovations and Additions

Incentives for homeowners and their builders who are going through renovations and/or additions of existing single-family homes and multi-family buildings, three stories or less. If energy upgrades are substantial the incentive can be as high as $10,000. A certified HERS Rater can do a preliminary energy model and report to estimate savings.
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Residential New Construction – Low Rise

Incentives for builders or owners who are building and designing single-family homes or multi-family buildings that are three stories or less.
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All Electric Homes

Incentives for builders or owners who are building and designing high-performing, all-electric single-family or 2–4-unit homes. There are two levels of incentives. Level 1 can yield $15,000 and level 2 can be up to $25,000 for a single-family home. A certified HERS Rating will enroll the home in the program and is necessary to help meet these levels. Two, three, and four-unit dwellings proved substantial incentives as well.
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Heat Pumps for Heating & Cooling – Residential & Business

Mass Save is making the purchase and installation of energy-efficient heat pumps much more affordable for homeowners and businesses who install heat pumps to supplement or replace pre-existing oil, propane, natural gas, or electric resistance heating systems. Mass Save provides a Whole Home incentive of $10,000 and a Partial Home incentive of $1,250 per ton (12,000 BTUs). A weatherization assessment must be done prior to the heat pump installation.
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Income Eligible Residential Programs

Two income-based programs are available that offer significant incentives. Both start with a no-cost Home Energy Assessment and offer discounted or no-cost products and services.
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Heat Loan Program

Starting in 2023 heat loans are increased from $25,000 to $50,000.
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Water Heaters, Appliances, & More Rebates

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Municipal Electric & Gas Companies Programs

A good place to start with most municipal electric and gas companies is with Abode Energy Management which assists municipalities with heat pump programs. Their website has links to many municipalities and provides step-by-step instructions on how to proceed when considering heat pumps.