Hey, Long Island homeowners: there is an option that you may not have considered yet to keep you cool this summer while also saving you some money. If you are in the market for a new HVAC system, consider heat pump air conditioning. Upgrading your home’s HVAC system is a good idea this year, because any homeowner who installs a qualified ENERGY STAR air-source heat pump is eligible for a tax credit on their 2011 federal taxes.
Electric air-source heat pumps are efficient and less costly than other types of systems. Heat pump air conditioning uses the difference between outdoor air temperatures and indoor air temperatures to cool and heat your home. A heat pump is a type of central air conditioning that is also an extremely efficient heating system.

A furnace burns fuel to generate heat. Instead, a heat pump uses electricity to move heat from one place to another. The heat pump actually extracts heat from the air in the wintertime and pumps it into your home for comfort and cost-effective heating in almost all climates. The heat pump system is not recommended for severely cold climates, but will work well in the Long Island area.

The heat pump process is more efficient than standard electric heat or cooling: simply put, it’s less expensive to simply transfer heat that already exists, rather than trying to create it. Furnaces, on the other hand, have to burn fuel both to generate heat and to cool already-warm air.

Studies show that ENERGY STAR heat pumps are roughly 9 percent more efficient than the standard new heat pump models. Better still, they are found to be approximately 20 percent more efficient than the typical models already installed in most homes. Savings like that can really add up over time, especially when combined with available federal tax credits.

T. F. O’Brien has been in business since 1934, proudly serving the Long Island area. Feel free to contact us: we are always glad to offer expert advice and answer any questions about heating and cooling systems, or any other HVAC concerns you may have.

Our goal is to help educate our customers about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about heat pump air conditioning and other HVAC topics, click here to download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

T.F. O’Brien services the Long Island, New York area. To get started, get a quote from us or check out our special offers.