They work like air conditioners to cool, and work in reverse to move warmth from outside air into your home to heat.
They heat homes up to three times more efficiently than forced air and electric resistance heating systems.
Works for homes with and without ductwork.
Set it and forget it. ASHPs operate most efficiently without thermostat setbacks.
Great option when adding or upgrading air conditioning.
Air source heat pumps offer the same cooling benefit as an air conditioner, often at a higher efficiency.
If you want a heat pump to be your primary heating system, you’ll need a "cold-climate air source heat pump" and a secondary heating system.
Variable capacity (inverter) compressor
Source: Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and Center for Energy and Environment
If your home is currently heated with electricity, with a cold climate air source heat pump, you could see 55% bill savings. For propane, 30% bill savings or more.
If your home is currently heated with natural gas, efficient natural gas furnaces have been an affordable way to heat Minnesota homes. A cold-climate air source heat pump or one of the many other heat pump options can provide efficient cooling and economically offset your furnace operation in the spring and fall for heating. A household might consider an air source heat pump in a home heated by natural gas for reasons beyond cost savings — becoming a net-zero energy, solar-ready, or all-electric home.
Center for Energy and Environment research from 2018 shows Minnesota households can expect the kinds of energy and cost savings below.
| Existing Heating System | Energy Savings with ccASHP | Cost Savings with ccASHP |
|---|---|---|
| Propane furnace | 40% | 30% |
| Electric resistance | 55% | 55% |
TIP: To maximize your savings, get a home energy assessment to find out if your home’s insulation and air sealing could be improved — and much more!
Contact your electric utility provider: Learn more about your electric utility's rebates, rate options, and requirements around participating or qualified contractors.
Get 2-3 bids from skilled contractors: If your utility does not have contractor requirements, find one on the ASHP Collaborative Preferred Contractor Network or contact CERTs if you don't see any contractors near you.
Ask contractors the right questions:
• Are they state licensed for HVAC?
• Are they insured?
• How long have they been in business?
• If heating through winter, ask for a cold-climate air source heat pump and a technician experienced with these heat pumps.
• Ask them to calculate your home's heating and cooling load, and evaluate your home's ductwork.
• See more tips on choosing a contractor.
If you have a tax appetite, you can take advantage of a tax credit of up to 30% of the cost for purchase (between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2032) and installation of a heat pump, up to $2000. Learn more about these clean energy incentives on our Guide to the Inflation Reduction Act.
In addition, the Home Energy Rebates available from the Inflation Reduction Act include point-of-sale rebates for households earning up to 150% of area median income that will apply to heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, and heat pump clothes dryers. The rebate has a $14,000 cap.
The Minnesota Residential Heat Pump Rebate Program will provide a rebate of up to $4,000 for the purchase and installation of a heat pump for space heating and cooling in a home.
Find out what your utility offers with the Air Source Heat Pump Collaborative's list of utilities and the rebates they offer for heat pumps.
The Air Source Heat Pump Collaborative also offers more incentives and financing options to consider.
Place the outdoor unit where icicles won't form on an above roof eave and where the condensate water won't form ice on walkways or driveways.
There should be adequate space around the outdoor unit to allow for sufficient air flow.
Advocate for high quality installation of your project by sharing this best practices installation guide [PDF] with your contractor.
CERTs staff tackled some common heating and cooling situations in our Ask Alexis advice column.
Situations include: air source heat pump versus conventional air conditioner, currently heating with electric baseboard and wood-burning stove, currently using radiators and window air conditioning units, and more!
If your organization — electric utility, city or county with energy action plans, weatherization providers, community groups — would like to customize this guide for your use and educational purposes, please download it, add your logo, and make other edits to suit your needs.
