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The New American Home at the International Builders' Show features heat pump HVAC system from LG.
The New American Home / LG USA / 501 Studios/Levi EllysonLas Vegas NV
There are more than 320 million search results for “heat pump” on Google today. It’s likely that this energy-saving technology didn’t garner a fraction of that response before 2022. What’s changed – and why might you want heat pump technology for your home?
There are more model and feature choices today, and financial incentives for changing your water heater and home heating-air conditioning systems that can offset some of their upfront costs. The federal incentives were built into the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. State incentives vary. Even if rebates didn’t exist or disappear, there are additional financial, safety and wellness benefits to making the switch.
Heat Pump Basics
Heat pumps serve two important functions today: providing hot water to your showers, faucets and appliances, and bringing hot and cool air to your rooms. Since some homes have central heating and air and others don’t, there are different heat pump systems to address each need. The Department of Energy explains each type and use on its website. (Heat pump technology is also being integrated into appliances like clothes washers to make them more energy efficient.)
Many older homes have oil- or gas-burning water or room heating systems that would benefit from an update or replacement. The incentives in the IRA were designed to make the latter easier and more affordable for homeowners. Gas-powered water heaters need replacement roughly every 15 years. If yours is approaching that age, a heat pump-based model would be an excellent choice.
Not replacing an aging unit can result in a major maintenance issue. The Energy Star site warns: “Ignoring these issues can lead to sudden failure of the water heater, cold water, and in some cases, tank rupture and water damage to the floor and carpets.” (The web page also gives you failure red flags.)
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