Air Source Heat Pump: Nancy and Charlie’s quest for one system

Nancy and Charlie Cole had been living in their Seneca Lake cottage for the past nine years. With three different types of heating systems, it was still cold during the winter and stifling hot during the summer. The electric baseboards were costly to run, so were not used. The pellets were too heavy to carry down the 51 steps and would heat the home to 120F, which was too hot, and then they would be too cold trying to cool it down. Retired seniors on a fixed income, they worried that they would not be able to afford to stay in their home, both cost-wise and health-wise. And then, with some help, they found that an air source heat pump system would work.

“We struggled for 8 years not being warm enough and we are 10 feet from Seneca Lake, which means the Old North Wind is pretty bad,” Nancy said. “Our heat pump is our new best friend, thank God. The heat is so consistent compared to the propane and pellet stove heat we had before.”

To see if a similar solution could work for you, learn more at smartenergychoices.org.

This case study was adapted from HeatSmart FLX South and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chemung.

Heat Pump Water Heater: Kevin’s easy self-install

Kevin had been researching heat pump water heaters (HPWH) since his old, natural gas one at 27 years old was working poorly. While his heating was rated at an $165 annual running cost in 1994, he estimated that it was costing him over $230 a year over 15 years later. In addition, Kevin and his family had recently purchased 23 panels on Renovus’ purchase community solar farm. All this combined, it made sense environmentally and financially to upgrade to an electric-based, efficient hybrid water heater, otherwise known as a HPWH. He ordered the 65-gallon HPWH online in April 2021 and a month later, in May, it came in! He did a self-install to save money, an option many homeowners choose to explore.

"The old, fossil fuel water heater was costing us $230 a year by my estimate and it was really old!” Kevin said. “Choosing a highly efficient unit that reduced our dependence on fossil fuels and came with many incentives made the most sense."

Learn more about heat pump water heaters by visiting smartenergychoices.org/get-help.

This case study was adapted from HeatSmart FLX South and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chemung.

Air Source Heat Pump & Heat Pump Water Heater: Liz & Matthew

Liz and Matthew were getting tired of hauling, stacking, and buying wood. Wood is sustainable but leaves a lot of dirt, mud, and dust in the home, and it was troublesome to clean. The electric baseboards had their own number dials, but they never knew the real temperature. Aging, they wanted something new. Since they had no ductwork, etc. to retrofit, they were excited to put in an air source heat pump mini-split system. The water heater was the original from moving in 18 years ago, and the insulation was poor, so when windy, the pilot light would go out and need to be relit laying on the cold floor. Their new heat pump water heater provides nice, hot water and helps dehumidify their gravel basement.

"There is insulation, which is not sexy, but really helps your home stay warm,” Liz said. “We also have an air source heat pump for heating and cooling as well as a heat pump water heater. Having all three of these things has made our home so much warmer and we saved a bunch of money."

To learn more about heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, visit smartenergychoices.org/heating-options.

This case study was adapted from HeatSmart FLX South and Cornell Cooperative Extension Chemung.