The thought of using an air source heat pump for primary heat leaves many people cold, but it shouldn’t. Today’s air source heat pumps can provide excellent, efficient ductless heat down to -13°F. (That’s air temperature – not wind chill!) On average, January is the coldest month in Boston, with an average daily high of 29°F and an average daily low of 22°F.
“But that’s the average!” you say. “What about record lows?” The record low temperature for Boston was -18°F, set on February 9, 1934. Boston’s coldest winter on record – 1917-1918 – saw an average daily temperature of 23.9°F.
Air source heat pumps are good enough to provide primary heat for your home during a Boston winter. Better still, they offer a higher efficiency rating than many other forms of heat. In addition, because you can control the evaporators individually, you can customize the heat in your home to match your lifestyle. You can heat the bedrooms at night to your preferred temperature in the winter, while dialing down the heat in the living room and kitchen areas. Unused guest bedroom? You don’t have to heat it at all, or you could provide minimal heat to the space when it’s not in use.
An air source heat pump offer many benefits
Air source heat pump condensers can control up to 8 evaporators, so you can provide heat in all the right places in your home efficiently. Evaporators operate quietly, so aside from the comfortable temperatures in your home, you might not know that the evaporators are on at all!
As a benefit, your air source heat pump will also provide cooling in the summer. The system design doesn’t rely on ductwork, and that’s part of the secret to its efficiency. An air source heat pump minimizes transmission losses because warmed (or cooled) air is generated at the evaporator using the system’s insulated refrigerant lines.
Ductless heat is also beneficial to people with seasonal allergies. The system doesn’t harbor or distribute pollen and mold spores the way a ducted heating and cooling system does. Simple filter maintenance at the evaporator unit keeps your air breathably fresh and clean year-round.
Still not sold on an air source heat pump? Consider this: an air source heat pump doesn’t have to replace your existing heating or cooling system. Because an air source heat pump system is completely independent, you can keep your old furnace, boiler or wood burner until you’ve tested the system’s performance for yourself. Use the air source heat pump as a primary system, and keep your existing heating plant in place as a supplemental system. After using an air source heat pump for a season, you may decide that you don’t need your old system after all!
If you’d like more information about air source heat pumps and what they can do for your home (and energy bills), please give us a call at New England Ductless at (617) 915-2803 or use our contact form to set up a no-obligation consultation.