Heat Pumps & Water Heaters | lincoln-green-energy

Heat Pumps

Heating homes in Massachusetts accounts for 59 percent of household energy expenditures. If you are thinking about upgrades to your traditional oil, propane, electric resistance heating system, or air conditioner, it’s a good time to look at alternatives that will save energy and money.

A heat pump uses electricity to move heat from one place to another. Because it takes less energy to move heat than to create heat, heat pumps are more efficient than gas or oil burners.

In recent years, heat pump technology has become more advanced and efficient. New Cold Climate heat pumps have been installed in large numbers in Vermont and Maine. Massachusetts wants to increase the trend.

Financial Incentives

Through MassSave.com, Massachusetts offers incentives, such as 0% financing for approved high-efficiency air source heat pumps and up to $10,000 in rebates. There are also income based incentives through MassSave.

For Federal incentives check out Rewiring America's savings calculator.

Resources

Find resources at HeatSmartAlliance.org

For more information see the neep buying guide which has great information on selecting a heat pump. See page13 for vetting installers.

And the MassCEC guide.

A list of installers from the MassCEC

For questions or for a list of HVAC installers from LincolnTalk contact belinda.gingrich@gmail.com

Water Heaters

Domestic water heaters account for about 18% of home energy use, according to energy.gov. If you are considering changing your traditional electric or oil burner water heater, there are alternatives that can save money and energy: solar thermal, tankless, heat pump water heaters, and solar-assisted heat pumps.

Heat Pump Water Heater

Heat Pump water heaters transfer heat from the surrounding air outside the tank to the water inside the tank, like a refrigerator but running in the opposite direction. These can save you money, reduce your carbon footprint, and help you electrify your home. There are some things to consider to be sure they are the right fit for your house and lifestyle.

Heat Pump water heaters can help dehumidify an area.
Heat Pump water heaters pull heat from the surrounding air, so they work best in a warm area like a furnace room where it can use the residual heat. If installed in a living space it will draw the heat from your conditioned air. It should be in a location that is 50 degrees F or greater.
It must be installed in a large enough space so that there is adequate circulation, at least 750 cubic ft.
It should be installed away from bedrooms because the fan makes noise equivalent to a refrigerator or dishwasher, ~50dB.
Air source heat pump water heaters have a fan and condenser on top so they require more headroom than an ordinary hot water tank.
There is a Massachusetts incentive for qualifying tanks.
Air source heat pump water heaters have an electric resistance back up for winter and when the draw on it is high and the water is cold.
Be sure the unit meets the Northern Climate Efficiency Specifications which tests reflect colder ambient air and water intake.
For more info.

Not all Heat Pump Water Heaters are made the same. Make sure your HPWH falls in the Northern Climate or Advanced water heating specification. This is a list of qualifying units.

Solar Thermal Water Heating

Solar thermal water heating (using heat from the sun to warm water) is the most cost- and energy-efficient renewable energy alternative for water heating. This is because renewable electric systems, like solar electric and onsite wind power, have substantial energy loss when converting electricity to heat. With solar thermal water heating, there are a multitude of options, and the best choice for you will depend on your local climate and architectural factors.

You must have space on your roof that gets fairly direct sunlight and it must face in a southerly direction.
You may want a second storage tank to hold the water as it preheats which would require additional space near your existing water heater.
You will need an alternate source of heat during the winter months. This can be an electric element in the tank itself or a fossil fuel system.
You can choose a drain-back system to eliminate the possibility of freezing or overheating.
Maintenance: The propylene-glycol in the solar piping should be replaced every 5 years approximately because it breaks down over time. Some systems have only water in the pipes. Some systems have an expansion tank just as a conventional water heater does. These need replacing every 5-10 years.
Longevity: SHW systems are installed with a stainless steel tank. The system should last 20 years or more but this does depend on water quality.
Cost: These systems run about $9000 but there may still be MA rebates.
There is a 30% federal tax credit (2032 that drops to 26%) on solar hot water heaters.

Tankless Water Heater

Tankless water heaters, also known as demand-type or instantaneous water heaters, provide hot water only as it is needed. They don't have the standby energy losses associated with storage water heaters, which can save you money.

Tankless water heaters are especially good when you spend large amounts of time away, such as in a second home, because they are not wasting energy to keep a tank of water warm when not in use.
Tankless water heaters work best for smaller demands. This may not be the best choice for a family which draws large amounts of hot water all day long.
Gas fueled Tankless water heaters must vent through an outside wall.
Tankless water heaters are much smaller and can fit in more awkward spaces than a full sized water tank.
Gas fueled tankless water heaters need gas piped to their location.
They do not need to be situated next to a furnace/boiler.

Updates:

Heat pump domestic hot water heaters can now be made with an outdoor element ( split system) so that they can be put in a smaller area and not cool their surroundings.
Heat pump domestic hot water heaters that use a 120V outlet are now available. This is a great solution for apartments and condos and homes that have moved from gas to electric.
Read more about Advanced Water Heating Specifications by neep.org
Read California's installation guide from the Advanced Water Heating Initiative and a California electric utility.
Curious how much noise a heat pump is making? Here's an app from NIOSH.
Can you electrify your home with just 100 amps?