What’s changed for heat pump owners this winter
Clement Boston Heat Pumps installs ducted systems across Greater Boston. Your first winter with a heat pump starts with three pieces of news: the seasonal rate is back, the federal credit has ended, and Mass Save’s rebate drops for installs from January 1, 2027.
The seasonal heat pump rate
From November 1 to April 30, Eversource, National Grid and Unitil charge households that heat with a heat pump less for distribution on every kilowatt-hour in the house. Eversource also cuts transmission charges; National Grid’s discount is distribution only. Our heat pump electric rate guide explains the difference.
Rebates and the federal credit
The federal 25C heat pump credit is not available for systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Mass Save’s whole-home rebate is $2,350 per ton up to $7,500 for heat pumps installed from January 1, 2027, down from $2,650 per ton up to $8,500.
Check your enrollment in the first bill
The cheapest fix of the winter takes five minutes: make sure the account is on the heat pump rate before the cold months run up.
If your system earned a Mass Save heat pump rebate since 2019, the utility usually enrolls the account automatically. If it didn’t, or you installed without a rebate, sign up on the utility’s website. A heat pump water heater alone doesn’t qualify; the heat pump has to heat the house.
Light plant towns
Towns with their own light plant, such as Belmont, Reading or Braintree, are outside these utility rates. Their customers follow the light plant’s own tariff.
Set the thermostat and leave it
A heat pump works best holding one temperature. Big setbacks overnight force a hard recovery at 6 a.m., the coldest hour, and that’s when backup heat comes on.
- Keep setbacks small. Two or three degrees at most, or none.
- Use the heat pump thermostat it came with. Our thermostat guide covers why a generic one can call backup heat too early.
- Leave the fan on auto unless a room needs constant circulation.
- Expect long, quiet run times. A variable-speed unit runs low for hours instead of cycling.
Defrost, backup heat and cold nights
On damp days near freezing, frost forms on the outdoor coil. The unit reverses for a few minutes to melt it, and you may see steam rise from the cabinet. That’s the system working.
When backup heat should run
Electric backup heat, or a furnace on a dual fuel system, is for the coldest hours and for defrost. At commissioning we record the temperature where backup heat locks out. If you see backup heat running on a 35°F afternoon, call us; our aux heat guide explains what usually causes it.
Boston’s design night is 7°F at Logan. Inland, Bedford’s Hanscom Field averages about five nights a year at or below zero, against fewer than one at Logan. A cold-climate unit sized from a load calculation carries those nights.
Snow, filters and the outdoor unit
Snow is the one thing a Boston winter adds to heat pump care. The outdoor unit needs clear air on every side and room for meltwater to drain.
| Task | When | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Clear snow from around and under the unit | After each storm | A buried coil can’t pull heat from the air or shed defrost water |
| Check the stand clearance | Before the first storm | Units on a snow stand stay above drifts |
| Change or clean the filter | Every one to three months | A clogged filter raises static pressure and cuts airflow |
| Watch for ice under a roof drip | During thaws | Dripping eaves can build ice on the cabinet |
Don’t chip ice off the coil fins. Let the defrost cycle do it, and call if the cabinet stays iced over for a day.
What the bills will look like
Your electric bill goes up and the oil, propane or gas bill shrinks or ends. Against oil and propane, a heat pump on the winter rate usually costs less per unit of heat; against gas, the gap is narrow.
Compare whole-winter totals, not one month. Our guides on heat pump vs oil heat and heat pump vs gas show the arithmetic. If something feels off, a heat pump repair visit starts with the same airflow and charge readings we take at startup, and an annual maintenance visit keeps them on record.