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how much electricity does a heat pump use

How Much Electricity Does a Heat Pump Use?

Heat pumps are highly efficient units that heat and cool a space, eliminating the need for a separate AC and furnace. With a heat pump, you can heat your home in the winter and cool it in the summer without the need for two separate systems. 

As Americans look for ways to implement greener living, heat pumps are quickly gaining traction due to their extreme energy efficiency. Studies show that they will soon be the preferred heating and cooling equipment for US households. Heat pumps are naturally more environmentally friendly than air conditioners and furnaces that burn fossil fuels.

If you are in the market for a new AC or furnace, consider a heat pump as an energy-efficient alternative. Our heat pump technicians in NJ at Eastern Shore Heating & Cooling can answer your questions about heat pumps, like “how much electricity does a heat pump use?” Read on to find out more about heat pump energy consumption. 

How Do Heat Pumps Work?

Heat pumps don’t generate heat; they simply move existing heat around to cool or heat your home. There are two types of heat pumps: air source heat pumps and geothermal heat pumps.

Air Source Heat Pumps

Heat pumps have two primary parts, an internal component and an external condenser. Whether for heating or cooling, a heat pump is one of the most energy-efficient ways to optimize indoor temperatures. 

During warm weather, an air source heat pump extracts heat from your home and sends it outdoors through vents. To heat your home during winter, the heat pump extracts heat from the outdoors and brings it inside. 

Geothermal Heat Pumps 

If you want to optimize your energy consumption further, it helps to consider geothermal heat pumps. Instead of extracting heat from the air, geothermal heat pumps heat and cool using the Earth as a source of heat. Since the temperature below the surface is a steady 50-60 degrees Fahrenheit, it’s warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. 

The heat pump transfers heat from the ground to the home and vice versa to efficiently cool and heat the interior. 

An electric heat pump water heater can be optimal for providing hot water in the home for showering. Installing a heat pump water heater can help you save on energy costs and will also improve your carbon footprint.

How to Calculate How Much Electricity a Heat Pump Uses

You may be wondering, “how much electricity does a heat pump use?” 

The short answer is that a heat pump uses between 0.802 and 5.102 kilowatt hours of electricity each hour. This equates to $0.10 to $0.98 hourly to operate. Heat pumps use similar amounts of electricity as standard AC units, but when it comes to heating, heat pumps are more efficient than traditional electric heaters. 

The power use and cost are greater if you are investing in a generator-sized heat pump. Larger heat pumps that can handle a generator start-up range from 2.4 to 15.3 kilowatts per hour. 

Heat Pump Wattage

You can determine the wattage a heat pump uses with a simple formula. The first step in the formula is to convert the heat pump’s Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) to its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). 

The formula to convert SEER to EER is -0.02 x SEER^2 + 1.12 x SEER. 

The next step is to divide the heat pump’s capacity by its EER to get the complete wattage. An example of this would be: a heat pump with 12,000 BTU and a 14 SEER rating has a wattage of 1,020 watts. When considering how much electricity a heat pump uses, consider the model of the heat pump as well as its capacity. 

3 Factors of Heat Pump Electricity Consumption

These are three main factors to consider when answering the question, “how much electricity does a heat pump use?” 

The three factors include: 

  1. The heat pump’s size: The heat pump’s capacity or tonnage is a major factor in electricity consumption. 
  2. The heat pump’s SEER rating: The SEER rating shows how energy efficient it is. The higher the number, the less electricity the heat pump uses. 
  3. The heat pump model: The type of the heat pump matters since geothermal heat pumps use less electricity than air source heat pumps. 

Learn More About Heat Pump Electricity Consumption

At Eastern Shore Heating & Cooling, we provide expert HVAC services, including heat pump installation and repair. Contact us to answer questions like, “how much electricity does a heat pump use?” or to get expert help with common heat pump problems. Give us a call at (732) 800-9416 today.