Goldfinch clients convert to a heat pump
Meet Chris and Tierney. Last summer when they heard about Goldfinch Energy, and our mission to help decarbonize homes, they got in touch right away for a Cleantech Roadmap. They were relatively new homeowners and their purchase inspection had flagged that their 26-year-old furnace would soon need replacing. And, like many of us, they are climate concerned and want to do their part to cut carbon emissions. Goldfinch was thrilled to help them out.
Goldfinch started by listening to their goals and figuring out how they could be more comfortable in their home. Tierney is an avid gardener and last spring and summer she converted much of the front and back yard into vegetable plots. We noticed when visiting that all the windows were open and they were enjoying the fresh air. The house didn’t have any air conditioning, which wasn’t a problem except on really warm nights in the summer. We took all this information away, did some research, and delivered them a custom Cleantech Roadmap.
In order to achieve their goal of getting off fossil fuels, switching from a gas furnace to an electric heat pump was an easy decision. The harder decision was whether to stick with a centrally ducted system or go with the newer style of ductless heating and cooling. Central heating is great when it distributes air evenly but sometimes it results in too hot or cold rooms that can’t be remedied by a central thermostat. Likewise central air conditioning is perfect for some homes, but if you like the windows open much of the time, and you don’t like a cold basement in the summer (especially when your Covid office is there!) it can be uncomfortable.
Goldfinch Energy helped Chris and Tierney by interviewing four and meeting with two of our trusted installers. We also did a heat load calculation as part of an energy audit to ensure they would purchase the right sized equipment. After careful consideration, they decided to go with a ductless system. This means they now have three wall-mounted indoor heating/cooling units in their home, giving them complete zone control. Each zone has its own thermostat so in the winter the heat can be adjusted in each area. In the summer, it’s even more flexible. The air conditioning can be off in the basement where they don’t want it, on or off on the main floor depending on whether the windows are open, or, only the master bedroom can be air conditioned so it’s comfortable when it’s time for bed. In this way they’ll use a fraction of the energy central air conditioning would require.
With a highly-efficient, zone-controlled heat pump Chris and Tierney’s home is the epitome of climate responsibility. They also choose not to own a car so their carbon footprint is officially tiny. The only fossil fuel appliance left in their lives is their water heater, and we can’t wait to see what smart decision they make on that front. Whether it’s solar, electric, hybrid heat pump… we’ll be sure to blog when their gas meter can be removed completely.
