California is the king of clean energy, which is making environmentally-friendly heat pumps more and more common. Does that mean you should get one, too?
Natural gas scarcity
As you may already know, we are facing a natural gas shortage here in California, with less and less natural gas hookups. Also, over 26 cities and counties have actually banned natural gas in an effort to focus on cleaner, renewable energy! Santa Ana isn’t one of them, and yet, it’s good to keep in mind that California is reducing its reliance on natural gas.
Carbon emissions
Unfortunately, traditional HVAC systems emit a lot of greenhouse gases like carbon. With the worsening air pollution here in California and the fears of climate change, it makes sense that so many cities are pushing to use electric instead of gas. That is also why California leaders are pushing to ban fracking, and for the state to become completely carbon-neutral by 2045.
Heat pumps
Are all of these goals possible? And, what can you do to help?
Having a heat pump installed vastly reduces your effect on the environment, because it operates completely on electricity. Heat pumps use electricity instead of a fuel source, and also, they get heat from the outdoor air in winter, and remove heat from your indoor air in the summer. A heat pump can also save you a lot of money on your energy bills, because it can be 100% efficient or even MORE than 100% efficient, depending on what part of the country you live in!
The way that heat pump efficiency is often determined is by “climate zones.” In the northern U.S., climate zones start with Zone 5 at the coldest, and southern climate zones have Zone 1 at the hottest. Orange County is in Zone 2, but very close to Zone 1, meaning that either a ductless mini-split heat pump, or a central heat pump, would both be very effective in our hot and dry climate!
Should you make the change?
Of course, switching from a traditional HVAC system to a heat pump isn’t right for every homeowner. Often, the upfront costs of a heat pump are higher, but this is made up for over time, as its extreme efficiency reduces monthly energy bills! If you think a heat pump could be the best cost-effective and environmentally-friendly option for you here in Santa Ana, contact us online to learn more. Or, just give us a call: (714) 613-1016!