Services · Heat Pumps
A heat pump moves heat instead of making it. That's why it can warm your house in winter, cool it in summer, and use a fraction of the energy you're paying for now — even in a real New England cold snap.
Cold-climate heat pump efficiency
"x" = units of heat per unit of electricity. A heat pump pulling 3x is roughly three times as efficient as electric baseboard. Real numbers vary by model, install, and weather.
What it actually does
A fridge keeps food cold by pulling heat out of the inside and pushing it into your kitchen. A heat pump uses the same idea — except instead of cooling food, it pulls heat from outside air and pushes it into your house. In summer, it runs the other direction and works like an air conditioner.
Because it's moving heat instead of burning fuel to make heat, it uses a lot less energy. That's where the savings come from.
"There's still heat in 10° air?" Yes — heat is just energy, and there's plenty of it down to around −15°F. Modern cold-climate units are built to grab that energy and bring it inside.
A liquid called refrigerant flows through coils outside. Even at 10°F, there's enough heat in the air to warm that liquid up.
The refrigerant gets squeezed, which makes it much hotter — the same way a bike pump gets hot when you use it. This is where the electricity goes.
Indoor units (either ductless heads or your existing ductwork) blow room air across the hot coils. The room warms up.
Same loop runs all winter. In summer, a valve flips the direction and the system pulls heat out of your house instead of into it.
Built for the Northeast
The old idea that "heat pumps don't work in cold climates" was true 20 years ago. It's not true anymore. The cold-climate units we install are tested down to well below zero, and we size them for the worst week of February — not the average.
Modern cold-climate models keep producing heat down to around −15°F. We size them so the worst few days of winter are still covered without an emergency backup running constantly.
Most New England houses have heat from one system and AC from a totally separate one — or no AC at all. A heat pump does both. One install, one thing to maintain, two seasons of comfort.
No big "the furnace just kicked on" rush of hot air. Heat pumps run longer at lower power, so rooms stay closer to the temperature you set. When heat pumps are paired with solar, it supercharges your returns while just being a better, more consistent and comfortable home.
What it replaces
The savings depend a lot on what you're replacing. Oil and propane homes usually see the biggest drop in monthly cost. Electric resistance homes see the biggest jump in efficiency.
Oil prices swing wildly year to year. A heat pump puts you on a much steadier electric rate, and a cold-climate unit can typically cover the whole heating load.
Propane is usually the most expensive way to heat a house in our region. A switch to a heat pump often cuts the heating bill by half or more — and you keep cooling in the summer at no extra equipment cost.
This is the most expensive electric heat you can have. A cold-climate heat pump uses two to three times less electricity for the same heat. The bill drop is usually dramatic.
Gas is the trickiest comparison — gas heat is already cheap to run. The case here is usually about cooling, indoor air quality, comfort, and getting off fossil fuel — not just dollar savings.
What it costs
Heat pump pricing depends on house size, number of indoor zones, whether you already have ductwork, and what the electrical panel looks like. Because of these variables, pricing can vary greatly. We prefer to book a consult in order to give you numbers that are specific to your home.
State and utility rebates can play a major role in reducing the lifetime costs of adding these systems to your home.
Get a Real Number for Your HouseWhere it fits in your plan
A heat pump can be the right first step, or it can be the wrong first step, depending on your house. If your panel is full, your insulation is poor, or solar is going in next year, the install order changes a lot.
We don't push a one-size answer. We map your house, your bills, your timeline, and the upgrades you already have — and recommend the sequence that gets you the most for your money, in the right order for your house.
Build Your Energy PlanCommon Questions
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