Winter Heat Pump Tips
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your heat pumps this winter:
Use your heat pumps all winter.
High-performance heat pumps are the most efficient heating system, even on the coldest winter day. If you have both heat pumps and a boiler or furnace, your heat pumps are the more energy-efficient choice.
Set it and forget it.
Heat pumps operate most efficiently when holding a steady temperature. Turning heat pumps down when you’re away or asleep may actually use more energy than leaving them on. The reason is that they have to work harder to come back to the desired temperature than they do to maintain it. It’s best to set them at a comfortable temperature and forget it. Adjusting the temperature for short periods of time, such as overnight, will not save money with heat pumps.
Set temperature for comfort.
Many heat pump indoor units are mounted high on the wall. Because heat rises and heat pumps measure temperature at the indoor units, you may find you need to set your heat pump at a higher temperature than with a traditional wall thermostat setting to feel comfortable. This may be different for heat pumps with floor units or wall-mounted thermostats.
Avoid “Auto” mode.
In “Auto” mode, heat pumps maintain a constant temperature by alternating between the “Cool” and “Heat” modes. To avoid accidentally air conditioning on a mid-winter sunny day or perhaps when a wood stove is running, use “Heat” mode, not “Auto.” Likewise, to avoid accidentally heating on a cool summer night, use “Cool,” “Dry,” or “Fan” mode, not “Auto.”
We hope these tips help you maximize the benefit of your heat pumps. For more tips, go to efficiencymaine.com/heat-pump-user-tips.
Click the links below to learn about residential heat pump incentives.
- Whole-home heat pumps: Incentives up to $10,600
- Supplemental heat pump for low-income households: Rebate up to $4,000
- Federal tax credits:
Hear From Our Happy Customers
At D.A. Cressey, your satisfaction is our priority! See for yourself what our customers have to say about working with us.
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“Dave installed 2 splits for us to replace a gas heater and electric baseboard. They are more than doing the job even on the coldest mornings this winter. He also added in some wiring for a new hot tub that was being installed at the same time.”- Rhonda L.
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“We couldn't be more pleased with our new Mitsubishi dual-head heat pump. Dave is a master electrician who spent many years at BIW. He and his son came when promised and installed exactly what we needed.”- Ken H.
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“Dave recently installed 4 heat pumps on my property. From the initial home visit for a quote to the ordering and installation, Dave was prompt, clear, practical, and efficient throughout the entire process.”- Beth D.
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“He and his team installed our heat pumps and upgraded our electrical panel. He was always reasonable with our recommended system and prices. Never tried to sell us more than we needed. We will certainly come back to him for our electrical and heat pump nee”- Stephen T.
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“David and his son Matt were very responsive to all my concerns. They showed up when they said they would and expertly installed my heat pumps. I would recommend them to anyone!”- Mary K.
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“We called Dave and he came by promptly and figured out a good way to add a new panel and relocate the outside meter, coordinating with Maine Central Power. He did what he said he would do at the price he stated!”- Kevin S.
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“Dave was hired to put a heat pump in for a family who did not have any heat source. Dave and his wife had gone that Friday and had worked from 8am to 7pm to get it installed for them. The family was so grateful and so was I!”- Christina N.
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“David installed two heat pumps at our house in Phippsburg last winter. The heat pumps work great to help us heat and cool the house. I was so satisfied with his work that I also had him complete an upgrade of our electrical system this winter.”- Alwynne W.