Author Archives: Liam McCabe

About Liam McCabe

Liam covers heat pumps and home electrification for EnergySage. He was previously a senior writer at Consumer Reports and The New York Times’ Wirecutter, where he published exhaustive guides to heating and cooling systems, large appliances, and other major household purchases. He’s most of the way through electrifying his 100-year-old house in the Boston suburbs – and even bought his solar panels through the EnergySage Marketplace before he came to work here.

florida-heat-pump-rebate

Florida heat pump incentives: 2023 guide

Heat pumps are a great fit for Florida’s hot climate. One-third of all homes in the state already rely on these electric, energy-efficient, all-in-one HVAC systems, and it’s easy to find models that can meet all your heating, cooling, and dehumidification needs. As of 2023, most Florida residents will qualify for at least a couple thousand dollars in incentives to install a heat pump.

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EV incentives

2023 guide to EV charger rebates and incentives

You don’t have to buy a special charger for your electric vehicle (EV). A regular household outlet will get the job done… slowly. EV owners who install faster chargers at home (so-called Level 2 equipment) tend to be much more satisfied with their cars overall, according to a JD Power survey

Since quicker EV chargers might make people more willing to switch to an electric vehicle, some governments and utility companies offer tax credits or rebates to sweeten the deal and make it a little less expensive to install one. Here’s what you need to know to get started.

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California heat pump incentives: 2023 guide

Heat pumps—the energy-efficient, all-electric, extra-comfortable home heating and cooling technology—are a great fit for the mostly warm, not-so-humid climate in most of California. As of 2023, most Californians will qualify for at least a couple thousand dollars in incentives to install one of these environmentally friendly HVAC systems.

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Colorado heat pump incentives

Colorado heat pump rebates and tax credits: 2023 guide

Ready to swap your furnace and AC for an all-in-one heat pump? Most Coloradans should qualify for at least a few thousand dollars in savings on these high-efficiency, environmentally friendly HVAC systems—including new models that can handle the coldest days of the Colorado winter.

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how do air source heat pumps work

How do heat pumps work?

A heat pump is a super-efficient, all-in-one electric heating and cooling system. Sometimes called mini-splits, they soak up heat from one place, then move it to another: Into your home in the winter, out of your home in the summer.

But what exactly makes a heat pump so efficient compared to a typical heating system? And if they work by soaking up heat, how can heat pumps keep your house warm when it’s cold outside? Is this too good to be true?

As millions of people who already own heat pumps can tell you, they’re legit. Here’s how the technology works.

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Heat pump sizing guide: bigger is not better

The size of a heat pump is a guide to how much space it can heat or cool (basically). The right-sized heat pump for your house will keep your home perfectly comfortable all year, and can save you thousands of dollars on the costs of installation, energy, and maintenance. 

Figuring out the proper size can be tricky. Generally, larger homes in more extreme climates will need bigger heat pumps. But it also depends on the insulation, draftiness, and other factors. Even pro heat pump installers can come up with wildly different estimates, depending on the measurements they take—or guesses they make—about your home.

After speaking with HVAC experts and homeowners alike, we’ve come up with 7 guidelines that can help ensure you’re getting the just-right, Goldilocks-sized heat pump for your home. You won’t find any easy shortcuts in this guide, because they don’t exist. But you will learn how to spot the signs of a thoughtful installer, how to pick between different quotes, and with some work, come up with a decent heat pump sizing estimate on your own.

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