Thursday, September 7, 2023

Wait...The Sun can Heat AND COOL my Home? And Fuel my Car?




 YES!


Some of our favorite projects at Home Performance Pros are for our customers with solar panels, or those who are looking to add some to their home. The more we dive in, the more we see just how much is possible with the power of the sun.


We all know by now about getting around in an electric vehicle. In recent years, technological advancements have made a huge difference in reliability, range, and less pollution for the Salt Lake Valley when it comes to EVs. Most people install a charging station at their home to keep their EV car batteries full, drawing power from the grid and paying the utility company to do so (i.e. Rocky Mountain Power). But did you know that just a few solar panels can do the same by capturing the sun's energy and converting it to electricity? That's right, the sun can power your EV with the cleanest, most renewable energy available!


Solar Heating / Solar Cooling??


Yes! With modern HVAC equipment, and a few solar panels, you can do just that. If you have a forced air HVAC system with ductwork, like most of us in Utah, you can install what's called a Dual-Fuel Heat Pump. When used in conjunction with solar panels, the heat pump will provide all the cooling for the home, and most of the heating. In Utah, the dual-fuel system works like a hybrid vehicle, knowing when it's more efficient to heat the home using electricity and refrigerant, or a high-efficient gas furnace. This is controlled by a "set point," that measures the outdoor temperature (ex. 35 degrees). When the outside temperature is above 35 degrees, the heat pump has the ability to pull enough heat from the outside air into its refrigerant and release it above the furnace to provide all the heat that the home needs. When the outside air is below 35 degrees, the gas furnace will kick on as a backup. With this configuration, you can save 30%-40% of your gas usage during an average winter. The rest of all the heating and cooling for the home is done with the energy of the sun!

Note: Ductless Mini-Split Heat Pumps provide full heating with the outdoor temperature as low as -15 degrees! No need for a backup heat source.


Don't have solar panels?


That's ok! The amount of energy saved and the reduction in gas used with a Heat Pump system still translates to better savings for you. Lower utility bills, more comfort, and less pollution!





Great Incentives This Year!


The local utility companies have put together some incredible rebates and the federal government is also offering some really nice tax credits to incentivize homeowners to help reduce the strain on the grid, as well as help the environment. Solar panels aside (which still have some great incentives), your new heat pump system can qualify for upwards of $5,550 in rebates and tax credits!

To qualify for Rocky Mountain Power/Wattsmart rebates, the work must be done by a contractor on their approved contractor list. Not only is HPP a registered partner with Wattsmart, we offer their rebate as an instant rebate. Meaning, we give you the rebate upfront, and Wattsmart reimburses us for it. This way, you don't have to deal with submitting and waiting for approval. It's all done for you!


To learn more, schedule a free consultation online or call today at 385-503-7767!

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