Section one
The Primer
Ten short pieces, none longer than a coffee. Read in any order. Together they make the case the rest of the site rests on.
The primer is for the curious homeowner, the renter who has heard the word and would like to know more, the person across from a contractor in a week, and the person who is just trying to figure out what all the fuss is. It assumes nothing and tries to be honest about everything, including the parts that depend.
If you read three, read meet the machine, on money, and reading the quote. Those are the three that change the way you walk into the conversation.
- 01 Meet the machine A heat pump is one device that does heating and cooling, by moving warmth around instead of making it from scratch.
- 02 The trick A heat pump moves heat instead of making it. That is why it can give you more than it takes.
- 03 Cold weather, told straight A heat pump pulls warmth out of cold air. Yes, even when the cold air is cold.
- 04 Ducts, or the lack of them Ducted and ductless are both heat pumps. The choice is mostly about your house.
- 05 On money What it costs, what the federal tax credit is, what the rebates look like, and where the variance comes from.
- 06 Reading the quote What to look for, and what to question, on a contractor's proposal.
- 07 On comfort A heat pump feels different to live with. Steady, quiet, humidity-aware. It takes a week to notice. It takes longer to want to go back.
- 08 The carbon part The honest carbon math, including the grid mix question and the refrigerant question.
- 09 On the matter of looks Design has finally arrived in this category. What makes a unit beautiful, and how to integrate one into a room you care about.
- 10 Built to stay Fifteen years is a fair expectation. With minimal maintenance, longer. Here is what those years actually look like.