SOMA

Heat pumps offer superior energy-efficiency compared to furnaces and air conditioners. You may have seen them on your neighbors’ homes around SOMA. Don’t be fooled by the word “heat” in the name — heat pumps can both heat and cool your home. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from one space to another. During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house to the outdoors, and during the heating season, they move heat (even when it is very cold) from the outdoors into your home....

Heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) are the most energy-efficient water heaters on the market. Like other water heaters, they use a large tank to store hot water that is available whenever you need it. However, unlike other water heaters, HPWHs transfer heat from the surrounding air instead of creating it by burning fuel, saving energy! HPWHs also differ from tankless water heaters, which use a tremendous amount of energy to instantly heat water when needed....

Weatherizing your home — sealing and insulating a home to maximize its energy efficiency and comfort — can bring significant benefits. Weatherization can reduce the cost of heating and cooling, improve comfort, reduce indoor air pollution, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Heat that leaks through your home’s outer walls, windows, doors, and other openings wastes energy and increases utility costs, while negatively affecting your comfort and even health. A well-sealed home envelope, coupled with the right amount of insulation, can make a real difference on both utility bills and your quality of life....