A few things you need to know about heat pumps in very cold climates.

"Every heat pump owner interviewed for this story said one of the trickiest parts of getting a heat pump was finding a contractor. "

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/03/do-heat-pumps-work-in-cold-places-heres-what-you-need-to-know/

This checks off: I have friends whose plumber dissuaded them from getting a heat pump, and sold them a gas unit plus a separate AC instead.

When we got our heat pump, my first step was to research which heat pump I wanted.

Then I looked for installers for that specific brand. It worked out well for us.

Don't let anyone - not even your HVAC guy - tell you that #HeatPumps don't work in cold regions.

"Sweden, Norway and Finland have the coldest climates in Europe. In all three countries, there are now more than 40 heat pumps per 100 households, more than in any other country in the world. "

https://www.carbonbrief.org/guest-post-how-heat-pumps-became-a-nordic-success-story/
by @janrosenow

Ready to switch to heat pump?

- Do your research first.
- Find someone who has one, and ask them to demo it.
- If you live in a colder climate, get a cold-ready heat pump.
- Find an installer *who does heat pumps*. I've heard installers tell lies ("It won't work for you because it's too cold where you live") simply because they want you to buy the gas heater they do know how to install.
- For anything big like this, always get more than one bid.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/17/climate/switching-to-a-heat-pump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.S04.tv5I.k6A0ZiEXwg3B

In our case, I figured I wanted a MItsubishi cold-ready heat pump, then I found installers who could do it (the company helpfully provides a list), then I asked two for bids. One came highly recommended, and their bid was also 30% lower than the other, so that was easy.

I geeked out and asked the rep a LOT of questions; he was patient with me even if some questions had to go to the Mitsubishi engineers.

We're very happy with the switch.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/17/climate/switching-to-a-heat-pump.html?unlocked_article_code=1.S04.tv5I.k6A0ZiEXwg3B

A good installer will grill you about the state of insulation in your house (windows and roof), and will advise you to get that up to par first, even though that means they can now sell you a smaller unit.

Because negawatts are cool: the best kind of energy is the energy that you don't need! This requires another upfront cost, but will save you big in the long run. Lucky there's federal tax credit for insulation as well as heat pumps.

Again: if an HVAC installer tells you that your home is in a climate "too cold" for a heat pump, they are wrong, and probably not trained to install a heat pump. Look elsewhere.

Cold winters are no match for modern cold-climate heat pumps

"In fact, Norway, Finland, and Sweden have some of the highest heat pump adoption rates in the world."

https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/03/cold-winters-are-no-match-for-modern-cold-climate-heat-pumps/

@CelloMomOnCars

Have two.

They lowered my wintertime energy outlay from nearly $800 to less than $400!