Guides
Heat pump guides
Answers to the questions that come before an estimate, written for Boston-area colonials, three-deckers, condos and older homes.
Whole-home heat pumps
- LearnDo ducted heat pumps make sense for a Massachusetts home?
- LearnDo heat pumps work in Massachusetts?
- Cost GuideHow much does heat pump installation cost in Massachusetts?
- LearnWhat size heat pump do I need?
- LearnHow high should a heat pump snow stand be, and where should the outdoor unit go?
- LearnHow does the Mass Save HEAT Loan work for a heat pump?
- LearnHow do Mass Save heat pump rebates work?
- Decision GuideWhat questions should I ask a heat pump installer before I sign?
- LearnWhat happens during a heat pump installation?
Oil to heat pump conversion
- Decision GuideIs a heat pump better than oil heat in Massachusetts?Running cost worked out from Massachusetts fuel prices and winter heat pump rates, plus the comfort, cooling, tank and hot water questions that come with the switch.
- LearnHow does the heat pump electric rate work in Massachusetts?Which part of your electric bill the seasonal rate lowers, why it applies to the whole house, how enrollment works, and what it means for the switch from oil or gas.
Boiler to heat pump conversion
- Decision GuideShould I replace my boiler with a heat pump?Radiator heat is comfortable and long-lived; a ducted heat pump adds cooling and drops the fuel. The ducts are what decide whether the switch is worth it.
- Decision GuideHow do you put heat pumps in a triple-decker?Three stacked homes under one roof, often with three owners, three meters and one narrow side yard. Here's how a heat pump job works around that.
- Decision GuideWill a heat pump work in an old house?Boston has one of the oldest housing stocks in the country. Age changes how a heat pump goes in, not whether it can heat the house.
Heat pump ductwork
Dual fuel heat pumps
- LearnWhat thermostat do I need for a heat pump, and how should I set it?The control decides whether a heat pump runs on its compressor or on expensive backup heat. Here's what it has to do and how to set it for a Massachusetts winter.
- LearnWhy does my heat pump's aux heat keep coming on?Backup heat is part of every cold-climate system. Here's when it should run, when it shouldn't, and the settings that decide which.
- Decision GuideWhat happens to a heat pump during a power outage?A heat pump stops when the power goes out. So does almost every other central heating system. Here's what backup actually works, and what it takes.
Heat pump replacement
- LearnWhat does the switch to R-454B refrigerant mean for my heat pump?New ducted heat pumps use lower-impact refrigerants. Here's why, what it changes when you repair or replace a system, and what it doesn't.
- Decision GuideWhat's involved in replacing a heat pump in a condo?In a condo, the outdoor unit usually sits on common property, so the association, the master deed and sometimes a historic commission come before equipment.
- LearnWhat do SEER2 and HSPF2 ratings mean on a heat pump?Three numbers on every heat pump spec sheet, what each one measures, and the one figure that matters most for a Massachusetts winter.
- LearnIs a variable-speed heat pump worth it?How an inverter compressor matches its output to the house, what that does for comfort, cycling and humidity, and when a simpler unit is enough.