By Joe Cobb
Over the last five years, the Energy Co-op has installed over 1,000 ductless heat pumps for our customers and members in northern Vermont. The efficiency and reliability of heat pumps, duct-free installation and dual heating and cooling properties have made them a popular choice and a great investment.
The next step for our service team is to expand on the advantages of heat pumps and offer whole house systems that use the same air-source technology to heat and cool through the existing ductwork of your home.
Ducted heat pumps are an ideal efficiency upgrade for homes with a hot air furnace and ductwork currently in place. A ducted heat pump connects an outdoor unit to a central indoor unit which sits atop your existing hot air furnace and ties into your ductwork to deliver heated or cooled air throughout your home.
Advantages:
- Can use existing ductwork - The biggest advantage is being able to keep each room of your house heated or cooled using the existing ducts in your home.
- Fast Response - The boosted compressor speed of inverter systems allows for quicker, smoother, and more efficient heating and cooling.
- Use Only the Energy You Need - Modulating inverter systems deliver only the amount of hot or cool air needed to achieve the desired temperature – no more, no less, providing you with maximum comfort levels at a minimum cost.
Ducted heat pumps may be a good choice if:
- Your home already has a hot air furnace with ductwork.
- You don't like how ductless heat pump indoor units look on the wall.
- You're building a new home and have the option of installing ductwork right from the start.
Ductless heat pump systems may be a better choice if:
- Your home doesn't have ductwork.
- You currently have electric resistant heat (such as baseboards or space heaters) and want more efficiency.
- You need extra heating and cooling in just certain areas of your home or are adding a new addition.
There's no doubt that air-source heat pump technology works well in our Vermont climate. We are looking forward to expanding the options we offer to include ducted, whole-house systems and continue to help our customers "use less and save more."
For more information about ducted heat pumps click here.