Air Source Heat Pumps
RESIDENTIAL ENERGY STAR DUCTLESS & DUCTED HEAT PUMP INCENTIVES
A Cool Way to Control Your Comfort and Save with up to $1,500/ton in Rebates
Need to add heat to an addition? Turning a three-season room into a year-round room? Try an ultra-efficient and quiet ductless split heat pump for your heating and cooling needs.
Reduce Heating and Cooling Costs 25 to 50 Percent
An air source heat pump is a highly efficient heating and cooling system that can operate at a fraction of the cost of baseboards and wall heaters. Their superior air distribution helps make living spaces more comfortable, and they are great for homes with open floor plans.
Ductless heat pumps are very effective for electrically heated homes or areas where ductwork does not exist or cannot be installed. They are easy to install as a new primary heat source, making them a good choice for home remodel projects, additions and new construction.
Studies have shown that air source heat pumps can reduce heating and cooling costs 25 to 50 percent. Systems are competitively priced and available from many well-known manufacturers. Because they are easy to install, installation costs are low compared to other heating and cooling methods.
How We Help
We make it affordable to install an air source heat pump with instant discounts for qualifying units of $250/ton, provided by the Connecticut Energy Efficiency Fund. Equipment must be installed by a contractor participating in the Energize CT Heat Pump Installer Network.
Energy Optimization Rebate
A rebate of $1,000 per ton* is also available in addition to instant rebates on systems used to replace oil, propane, natural gas, or electric resistance as a primary heating source.
How Air Source Heat Pumps Work
During heating season, air source heat pumps draw heat from outside air and move it inside. Because they tap into existing heat in the air, they use less electricity to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. In the summer, they extract heat from the air inside your home and move it outside to provide cooling.
Air Source heat pumps have three main parts:
- An indoor unit that mounts on the wall or ceiling
- An outdoor unit that typically sits on the ground
- A remote control that operates the inside unit
The indoor and outdoor units are connected by small refrigerant lines, which are installed through a very small hole in the wall. The indoor unit circulates the heated or cooled air into the room. The units are smaller than conventional air conditioning equipment and less intrusive. Because expensive and invasive ductwork isn’t necessary, installation is easy, inexpensive, and less disruptive.
A cool way to stay warm!
How to Get an Instant Discount for Air Source Heat Pump Systems
Step 1 - Find an Installer
Work with an Energize CT Heat Pump Installer to receive an instant discount of $250 per ton. Instant discounts are available for UI residential customers.
Step 2 - Be Energy Efficient
Make your home more energy efficient to get the most out of a new heating system. Get started with help from the Home Energy Solutions program.
Step 3 - Select Your System
Select the system you want to install. Your contractor will help you select the right manufacturer and model for your needs.
Step 4 - Receive Your Instant Discount
- Prior to purchase, confirm your system qualifies for the discount with your contractor or by checking the qualified product list.
- Have your Installer provide a quote for qualified equipment from a participating distributor listed on EnergizeCT.com that includes the instant discount.
- Finally, have your Heat Pump Installer purchase and install qualified equipment from a participating distributor and be sure your discount is being applied. It’s that easy!
Step 5 - Energy Optimization Rebate
Complete your installation and claim an additional $1,000 per ton energy optimization rebate on systems used to replace oil, propane, natural gas, or electric resistance (baseboard) as a primary heating source. Claim your rebate online or submit a completed Air Source Heat Pump Energy Optimization Rebate Form by mail.
Tonnage is based on Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) cooling capacity. (1 ton = 12,000 BTUs). Tonnage is calculated by dividing AHRI cooling capacity by ton and rounding to two decimal places.
Minimum Efficiency Levels / Incentive Schedules
Equipment should be installed by a licensed contractor that is certified by the manufacturer of the product being installed.
Equipment must be installed by a contractor participating in the Energize CT Heat Pump Installer Network.
1 AHRI – Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Institute. All equipment must be rated in the AHRI Heat Pumps and Heat Pump Coils directory found online at www.AHRIdirectory.org.
2 SEER – Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio
3 HSPF – Heating and Seasonal Performance Factor
4 Heating Capacity Ratio requirement is the minimum equipment performance for heating capacity at 17º F, divided by the heating capacity at 47º F, expressed as a percentage.
* There is a maximum of $15,000 in combined incentives per home. One incentive equals a matched assembly consisting of one outdoor unit and associated single or multi indoor units.
** To qualify, you must be an electric resistance heat customer who has also participated in a Home Energy Solutions assessment OR a customer converting from fuel oil or propane enrolled in the Heat Pump Pilot Program.
Qualifying Systems
To qualify for rebates and discounts, air source heat pump systems must be AHRI certified with matched assemblies in which both the condenser unit and the evaporator coil are installed simultaneously. A matched assembly is a model combination that is listed in the AHRI Directory of Certified Equipment. A matched assembly shall also include the air handler, furnace, or other component that is used to determine the rating according to ANSI/AHRI STANDARD 210/240-2008. To see a list of qualifying units, visit the CT Qualified Products List (QPL) at EnergizeCT.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ductless heat pumps use variable speed compressors with “inverter technology” (AC to DC) to continuously match the heating/cooling load. This prevents the on/off cycling of conventional electric resistance and central heating systems, which are often associated with uncomfortable temperature variations and high energy consumption.
Ductless systems consist of three main parts:
- An outdoor unit that contains a condensing coil, an inverter-driven variable speed compressor, an expansion valve and a fan to cool the condenser coil
- An indoor unit that contains an evaporator and a quiet oscillating fan to distribute air into the space
- A refrigerant line set made of insulated copper tubing, which is housed in a conduit alongside a power cable, and a condensation drain
Systems also include a remote control to set the desired temperature and program nighttime settings.
Room additions – A ductless heat pump can be a good choice when a room is added to a house or an attic is converted to living space. It can provide efficient heating and cooling without having to extend existing ductwork or pipes or install electric resistance heaters.
New construction – New homes can be designed or adapted to take advantage of the characteristics of ductless heat pumps. Typically one or more systems are installed in various “zones” of a house to simplify installation and minimize refrigerant line length.
- Ductless heat pumps allow the user to control each heating/cooling zone independently, eliminating the costly over-heating and cooling common to central air systems. Why pay to heat or cool rooms that are not currently occupied? While central air systems lose as much as 30 percent efficiency through air leaks and conduction in the ductwork, ductless heat pumps distributing air directly into each zone.
- Inverter-driven variable speed compressors allow ductless heat pump systems to maintain constant indoor temperatures by running continuously at higher or lower speeds. The system can ramp up or down without great losses in operating efficiency, avoiding the energy-intensive on/off cycling common in electric resistance and forced-air systems.
- Modern ductless heat pumps have ultra-high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratios (SEER) between 16 and 26 and Heating Seasonal Performance Factors (HSPF) between 8.5 and 12.