eco-friendly heat pumps

Heat pumps: the eco-friendly heating system

It is probable you have been recently hearing more and more about heat pump technology. This is because heat pumps are very efficient systems for warming home and have also high sustainability potential. Homeowners all around the world are increasingly using heat pumps for sustainable heating and their implementation is being promoted also by governments.

The name is self-explanatory: they capture the heat from external resources (either ground, air or water), and they “pump” it into your house.

If you want to know more about what a heat pump system is, how do heat pumps work and what are the different types of heat pumps out there, read our complete Guide on Heat Pumps.

In this article:

• Are heat pumps sustainable? All the environmental benefits of heat pumps
• All the perfect conditions for heat pumps to work flawlessly
• In which cases you should reconsider installing heat pumps

There are several factors in heat pumps that make them beneficial for the environment. Here we list some of them:

Enhanced efficiency

Heat pumps get 75% of their energy from the environment and this makes them even more efficient, even at low temperatures. Indeed, heat pumps require electricity only for 25%, as instead of burning fuel to create heat, they transfer it form one place to another.

 This low necessity of additional power makes heat pumps highly eco-friendly, as the usage of harmful energy is significantly reduced, in comparison to a system which uses only or mostly electricity. Energy efficient heat pumps will help you save on expenses, as increased energy efficiency ultimately leads to lower costs (reports say it heat pumps can deliver up to 40% savings on energy bills).

Do heat pumps use gas?

Heat pumps do not burn fossil fuels, so they do not use gas. This is something all traditional heating system do to generate heat. Instead, they move heat, taking it from the environment moving thermal energy. Consequently, heat pumps carbon emissions are way lower than those of traditional heating systems.

Also, remember fossil fuels are not infinite: they are a non-renewable energy source, which means that their availability will decrease with time, increasing their price. Natural resources, instead, are inexhaustible, and most importantly, free.

As you are reducing the emissions your house produce, you are also reducing significantly your carbon footprint, which is extremely important in a world in which the importance of sustainable living has increasing relevance.

If you’re wondering how to reduce greenhouse gases at home, heat pumps are the kind of sustainable comfort you need (we bet you will find it hard to believe they take the heat mainly from the environment once you try them).

Cold or hot, heat pumps can handle both

Heat pumps can face every temperature challenge: according to their model, some heat pumps also have cooling functions, being also a sustainable air conditioning system.

The heat get extracted from your home and is transferred into the ground. Cooling can be active or passive, according to the performance required. While active cooling is more efficient, passive cooling is more natural and therefore less needy of electric power.

This is extremely convenient, both for you and the environment: one single system both for heating and cooling means that there is no need to use any other solution to regulate home temperature, subsequently reducing your expenses and environmental impact.

The individual decision of using a heat pump in your house can have great impact. Heating and cooling account for 38% of CO2 emissions in residential settings, and heat pumps can reduce by a third your emissions.

Unharmful refrigerant liquid

In past years, the first heat pumps ‘refrigerant liquids were not environmentally safe: if they leaked, they would have been 100 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. However, new alternatives have been created to make heat pumps a completely eco-friendly heating: the new refrigerant liquids have very low or no Global Warming Potential.

Simple yet convenient

Heat pumps are not overly complicated: their mechanism is very simple, yet they are considered a high-value technology and with low maintenance cost: an heating pump annual maintenance cost is significantly lower than traditional heaters and their life span is also wider: they can be used up to 20 or 30 years after their installation.

Tech-waste (or e-waste) is a widespread problem in the world, which also pollute more than we think: HP reports that tech waste represents 2% of America’s trash in landfills, which equals to 70% of toxic waste. Tech-waste is not only that represented by computers or hardware, but every kind of unused technology. By employing more durable technologies, which require less replacement, you will reduce your individual tech-waste by a considerable amount.

Heat pumps mania: why everyone loves heat pumps now?

Heat pumps are literally trending recently. Even Bill Gates mentioned it in his 2021 book “How to avoid a climate disaster”. He states that using heat pumps would be a very smart way to contribute to decarbonization and we should be faster about widening their use.

Global stock has already increased by 10% in the last two years, in particular in North America, and governments are pushing more and more to increase the use of sustainable technologies to reduce greenhouse gases. Switching to eco-friendly heating systems is the first step towards a zero-carbon system, which is very desirable in 2022 worldwide.

The implementation of heat pumps is increasing everywhere. Only in Florida, where the necessity of a technology which can both heat and cool is high due to the warm summers and the cold winters, 40% of new systems installed are heat pumps.

Also new legislation is pushing towards more environmentally friendly heating solutions. For example, the US Build Back Better framework includes also utility grid updates, which will produce an increase of sustainable technologies application. The Federal Sustainability Plan is completely oriented towards greener solutions.

While the choice of what to use to heat (or cool) your home still stays yours, it is just a matter of time before either you are left behind, overwhelmed by electricity expenses and sense of guilt towards the environment, or subtly obliged to switch to eco friendly heating, like heat pumps.

If you want to know more, enter in contact with a professional near you to discuss your options. Fill in our form and we will find for you the best expert in your area for additional information.

There are very few cases in which heat pumps won’t work for your home situations, since most of the times they are modular. If you are considering the purchase of a heat pump, check the guarantees: the longer the warranty will last, the better.

If your provider provides long-term warranties, do not waste the chance and proceed with the heat pumps installation. Our heat pumps contractors also guarantee extended warranties, and they will always adapt to your needs.

Even if the maintenance requirements are low, there is always some repair needed from time to time. Before starting your project, always ask for an overview of the care that the system requires. In this way, you will know how much of your money and time it will take.

Do not forget also to check government incentive schemes: you might be eligible for specific projects according to your home and financial situation, or your location. To have an idea of the funding opportunities of the US governments and give a look if you meet the requirements, check the EPA (United States Environmental Protection Agency) webpage.

We imagine that at this point of the article, you can’t wait to install a brand-new heat pump in your home and immediately see the results of their efficiency. However, it is also true that some situations are less favorable than others, and oftentimes your house might not meet certain necessary conditions for a flawless functioning of heat pumps.

First of all, it is good to know at what temperature do heat pumps stop working. Indeed, heat pumps surely works well to heat environments, and they can function also at quite low temperatures. However, there is a limit to everything, and this is why heat pumps ‘performance in very cold climates might be a bit reduced.

This does not mean that you have to remove the heat pumps option altogether if you live – for example – in Alaska, but that maybe it would be better to think twice and extensively discuss the impact of reduced functionality with your installer.

Another problem, which is however relevant to every kind of heating system, is that of home insulation. If your home is not well insulated, heat pumps – just like every other traditional heater – will have a very difficult time regulating the temperature of your environments, and as a consequence they will require more time and an prolonged use to purse their goal, decreasing significantly the convenience of this technology.

In both cases, the sustainability of heat pumps would be at risk: as heat pumps would provide less heat, the system would require much more electricity, therefore ending up polluting more than a traditional heater.

Something else you should consider, in the end, is also the quality of the soil and the air around your house. It is recommended that an expert makes a proper inspection of the area around to define the working potential of your future heat pumps. For example, heat pumps might be producing heat taking energy from a plant that burns fossil fuels, polluting more than planned.

As every house is unique in its conditions, it is always necessary to consult an expert and understand what one can get out of every specific situation.

If you are willing to make the next step towards your green home (yes, we like puns), and you want to learn more about how to choose a heat pump or you are ready to switch to heat pump technology, we would be glad to help you. Reach out to be connected to the best heat pump installers near you.

Last update: 21 Dec 2024