Are Heat Pumps in San Diego Worth It?

The short answer is yes! Heat pumps have several benefits and work excellent in mild climates like San Diego. Especially since heat pumps can heat AND cool your home, they are a great option for the area.

San Diego has mild year-round temperatures, which is why it is the perfect place for homes to use heat pumps. Heat pumps pull warm air from outside and bring it inside to warm your home. Because of this, heat pumps are not as effective in colder regions when temperatures reach below 40 degrees. When this happens, you need a secondary heating system like a furnace to heat your home.

Conversely, if you own an air conditioner to cool your home, you will still need to purchase a heat source for those chilly winter days. A heat pump eliminates the need to own multiple systems to heat and cool your home.

A heat pump transfers warm and cold air instead of working to generate it. Because of this, it uses significantly less energy than its alternatives. Heat pumps can transfer 300% more energy than they consume. Heat pumps are efficient, and because they run on electricity, they are also sustainable in fuel consumption and can be powered by solar energy. This also means reducing your carbon footprint.

As California continues to reduce its residents’ energy usage, the state has created several incentive programs to provide homeowners with the tools and funds needed to lessen their carbon footprint.

The state of California wants residents to be able to easily find trusted contractors to install their new heat pumps. The Clean Energy Connection program provides a directory of heat pump dealers who have been vetted and are licensed to provide you with quality service. Same Day is a trusted heat pump dealer by the state of California.

TECH Clean California’s goal is to reach carbon neutrality by 2045. This $120 million initiative aims to help single and multifamily homes create lower emissions by upgrading heating systems. Families can receive free resources and the opportunity to receive financial aid to support the installation of a heat pump from TECH Clean California.

Utility companies in California also offer homeowners, renters and contractors savings when upgrading to a heat pump. The savings are dependent on your energy provider in your region. Most offers come from a rebate and can be found at The Switch is On.

Due to their ability to heat and cool your home, heat pumps eliminate your need to purchase a furnace.

Let’s weigh our options anyways:

Heat pumps utilize much less energy than a furnace. They take heat from outside and transfer it into your home. Because furnaces must generate heat within your home, they use more energy. Using more energy means higher energy bills.

On average, per winter season, heat costs about:

• $1,500 for propane furnaces

• $800 for natural gas furnaces

• $900 for electric furnaces

• $500 for a heat pump

Furnace installation also costs more than a heat pump, on average, by 20 to 30%.

Air conditioners and heat pumps both fall into similar price ranges. However, it is crucial to consider that if you have an air conditioning unit, they are only able to cool your home. Therefore, you will also need to purchase a furnace to heat your home separately.

Instead of working to generate cool air like an air conditioner, we know that a heat pump only needs to transfer cool air to your home. As a result, a heat pump can use up to five times less energy than an air conditioner.