CelloMom On CarsSep 19, 2024

Heat pumps WORK at outside temps down to at least 0F (–18C).

"Under the DOE’s Cold Climate #HeatPump Challenge, three Carrier Infinity variable speed heat pumps with Greenspeed Intelligence and advanced cold climate technology trial units were installed in #Syracuse homes for the 2022-2023 heating and cooling seasons.

The units are reported to have operated reliably at 100% capacity at 0ºF, down to -13ºF in the field and down to -23ºF in Carrier labs."

https://www.coolingpost.com/world-news/carriers-cold-climate-heat-pumps-ready-to-roll/

Carrier's cold climate heat pumps ready to roll - Cooling Post

USA: Carrier has completed the US Department of Energy’s Cold Climate Challenge and will now begin production of cold climate residential heat pumps at its factory in Collierville, Tennessee....Read More...

Cooling Post
Show threadCelloMom On CarsSep 19, 2024

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.

Do heat pumps work in cold places? Here’s what you need to know.

Heat pump technology has come a long way, fast. Newer pumps are even delivering warm air to homes north of the Arctic Circle.

Yale Climate Connections
Show threadCelloMom On CarsSep 19, 2024

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.

Show threadCelloMom On CarsOct 6, 2024

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

Guest post: How heat pumps became a Nordic success story - Carbon Brief

A common criticism of heat pumps is that they do not work in cold weather. But how did heat pumps became a Nordic success story?

Carbon Brief
Show threadCelloMom On CarsOct 19, 2024

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

How Times Readers Made the Switch to Heat Pumps

Hundreds of Times readers wrote to us and shared their experiences of installing heat pumps, including the good, the bad and the daunting.

The New York Times
Show threadCelloMom On CarsOct 19, 2024

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

How Times Readers Made the Switch to Heat Pumps

Hundreds of Times readers wrote to us and shared their experiences of installing heat pumps, including the good, the bad and the daunting.

The New York Times
Show threadCelloMom On CarsOct 19, 2024

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.

Show threadCelloMom On CarsMar 18

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/

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

In fact, several chilly Nordic countries lead the world in heat pump adoption.

Yale Climate Connections
Show threadBobby de Vos
@CelloMomOnCars In the article does -22 mean -22 C or -22 F? Assuming -22 F which would be -30 C (which is cold, granted) but people live in places where it gets colder than that.
Mar 19 at 1:02pmWeb
Show threadCelloMom On CarsMar 19

@devosb

That is just a random temperature, to demonstrate that there is still plenty of heat in the outside air even though it feels cold to humans.

My *guess* is that in extremely cold places the installer would recommend a resistive heating element for backup.

The system installed in my house retains 95% of its efficiency down to 0F; below that it still works, but with lower efficiency. When the efficiency reaches 30% or so, time to switch to resistive.

Show threadBobby de Vos6d ago
@CelloMomOnCars I think you are correct about having resistive heat for very cold situations. I appreciate the additional details of how your system can still work in rather cold weather, but with lower efficiency I had wondered about that trade-off myself.