This story is part of The Salt Lake Tribune’s ongoing commitment to identify solutions to Utah’s biggest challenges through the work of the Innovation Lab.
With heat pumps becoming a more common replacement for traditional furnaces, Utahns are learning new terms to describe the various options available.
Air source/Ground source: “Air-source” heat pumps heat homes by drawing heat from the outside air and transferring it inside. Typically, the compressor is located outside, adjacent to the home like an air conditioner.
A “ground-source” heat pump draws heat from underground rather than the air. Because underground temperatures are warmer than outside air in winter and cooler than outside air in summer, ground-source heat pumps take far less energy to operate all year. But they have higher upfront costs because it requires underground ductwork. Because of that high initial investment, ground-source heat pumps are less common.
Dual Fuel: “Dual-fuel” heat pumps combine a heat pump with a small natural gas-fueled furnace that runs only at the coldest times in winter. They consume less energy and produce fewer emissions than traditional furnaces, but they still have some emissions when the furnace operates. Residents who have both Rocky Mountain Power electrical service and Dominion Energy gas service can apply to both utilities for rebates on dual-fuel heat pumps.
Ducted: Ducted heat pumps produce warm or cool air in one place and use a large fan and traditional ductwork to move it through a house. Ducted heat pumps are often used as replacements for furnaces and air conditioners because they use the existing ductwork. Dual-fuel heat pumps are ducted because the ducts are required to deliver the natural gas-fueled heat.
Mini split: A “mini split” is a ductless system that can serve one or multiple rooms. The refrigerant is piped to condenser/evaporators in each room, allowing greater control over temperature in each room. Because it requires more condenser/evaporators, mini-split systems are generally more expensive.
Tim Fitzpatrick is The Salt Lake Tribune’s renewable energy reporter, a position funded by a grant from Rocky Mountain Power. The Tribune retains all control over editorial decisions independent of Rocky Mountain Power.