Heat pumps are a long-tested, reliable technology for heating and cooling buildings. As demand has grown, their technology has evolved to work under more extreme conditions. However, public information hasn’t necessarily kept up with this improvement, and property owners, rightfully, have questions! Here are some facts (and fictions) that address common concerns about heat pumps as we roll into winter.
Myth: Heat pumps can’t keep up with Colorado winters
Fact: Heat pumps have successfully heated and cooled homes across Colorado for years
To heat a building, heat pumps take heat from outside and push it indoors. At lower temperatures, there is simply less heat outside to grab. Because of this, the original design of air-source heat pumps worked most optimally in warmer climates with moderate to high humidity levels--which led to their initial popularity in places like the American South rather than in cooler, dryer places like the Mountain West.
However, this is a solvable challenge! Heat pump engineers have implemented simple changes-- like improving fans and heat exchangers, introducing variable speed compressors and more--which all work together to move the amount of heat needed to handle the dry, cold winters of places like Colorado. These optimized “cold-climate” heat pumps have specs that vary from model to model but can usually handle temperatures several degrees below zero before the cold catches up.
Myth: I need a gas furnace backup to help my heat pump on cold winter nights
Fact: Properly sized and installed heat pumps can handle the cold snaps typical to the Denver metro area
When sized and installed correctly in a well-sealed and insulated home, heat pumps, especially cold-climate heat pumps, can keep up on even our coldest days. Because heat pumps move heat rather than creating it (like furnaces and baseboard heaters), they are more susceptible to drafts and heat loss. Skilled installers will always run home-efficiency testing, and usually recommend air sealing and insulation improvements, before proceeding with installation. In addition to making your home more efficient, solving any efficiency problems first can sometimes allow for a smaller (and cheaper) heat pump than before. If that feels like a lot of steps, don’t sweat it! Power Ahead Colorado has Energy Advisors who can assist you every step of the way.
All this said, some installers may still recommend a hybrid or “dual-fuel” system, which includes a secondary heat source like a furnace to use as a backup on cold days. If you are installing a heat pump in a space that still hosts a functional furnace, this setup may be a more economical option that allows for a smaller, more affordable heat pump (the downside is having two systems to maintain going forward, rather than just one). However, plenty of homes have successfully switched to rely solely on heat pumps without any issue.