Energy Efficient Carrier Heat Pumps
There isn't any homeowner who hasn't heard of the name Carrier. Carrier residential and commercial heating and air conditioning units are installed in homes and businesses all over the world. It's a very trusted name in HVAC. As a matter of fact Carrier has been in business since 1915. Their latest accomplishment has been introducing the Carrier Infinity heat pump with a SEER rating of 21. The continue to win accolades and awards from trusted sources like Consumers Digest and Home Magazine for quality and efficiency.
Carrier offers many different models of heat pumps, Comfort Series, Performance Compact, Performance Series and Infinity Series. All of these Carrier heat pumps use Puron refrigerant, also known as R410A. There are currently units on the market using R 22 refrigerant which is being phased out and will no longer be permitted by 2020. Puron is said to be safer for the environment, more energy efficient and more costly to install.
Another reason to consider replacing your heat pump is that you may receive a tax credit. Heat pumps installed with a SEER of at least 15 and an HSPF of 9 can quality you to get a $300 tax credit when it is installed in your primary residence. Most experts will suggest that if you're planning on living in your home for at least eight to ten more years that you consider installing a new heat pump with a high SEER and HSPF.
The first thing we did when we decided it was time to replace our old heat pump was search the internet looking to compare hat pumps. We found thousands of sites offering information on all the major brands of heat pumps such as Carrier, Lennox, Goodman, Trane, American Standard and York, just to mention a few, and we also found lots of ratings and reviews. It's always a good idea to visit well known and respected consumer ratings sites such as Consumer Reports and Consumer Search.
We looked at the Infinity Series heat pumps, Performance Series, Performance Compact and Comfort Series. We liked the idea that the Infinity Series had a high SEER and HSPF, but as was pointed out to us by the dealer, we live in a fairly temperate area of the country, so we didn't necessarily need as powerful a unit. He actually suggested that we look at the less expensive Performance Series heat pumps.
We also learned that all of the efficiency ratings are based on factors other than the unit itself. In some older homes ductwork is rusted or has split seams which allows for leakage of heat and air conditioning. In order to actually appreciate the efficiency of the unit ductwork must be in good working order.
Once we read all the heat pump comparisons and decided on Carrier it was then time to find an installer. We talked with two different Carrier dealers before deciding on one. We were looking for someone who obviously knew the product he was selling. We asked, and received references to call. We called our local BBB (Better Business Bureau) to make sure there were no complaints.
When you're spending upwards of $5,000 replacing your old worn out and inefficient heat pump make sure you do your homework and get the best value for your money.
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