“I stressed about the decision to switch fuels for weeks and am happy to ease other customers' minds in the future.”

-Galen L. (Bend, OR)

GALEN’s House

Built: 1970
Location: Bend, Oregon
Square Feet: 1,600
3 Beds / 2 Baths

Case Study Summary

Galen had a 22 year old furnace. He knew it had to go, and he wanted to add AC to keep cool through the summer. So it came down to this:

Should he replace the gas furnace with another furnace and add central air conditioning?
Or should he replace the furnace with an electric heat pump for both heating and cooling?

Galen wanted to go with a heat pump to reduce his fossil fuel emissions, but he had two concerns:

Would a heat pump perform reliably in cold weather?
Would his energy bills increase? An electric heat pump is much more efficient than a gas furnace, but electricity costs more than gas.

Galen took the leap and replaced his furnace with a heat pump. The result? His heat pump performs efficiently even on the coldest nights of the year, and his energy bills have dropped since he made the switch.

Because he felt so conflicted at first, he wanted to share his experience with other people who may have similar concerns. Here’s what you’ll find in the case study below:

What heat pump did Galen install?
How much did the heat pump cost?
How does the heat pump perform in cold weather?
What are his energy bills like now?

If you have questions about installing a heat pump in Portland or Bend, start by giving us a call at 541.330.8767, or book an appointment online:

Book Appointment

The System - Heat Pump Instead of Furnace

Galen went with the 1 Zone Hyper Heat Cold Climate Ducted Mitsubishi Heat Pump. Here’s a shot of the indoor unit that replaced the air handler of his old gas furnace.

And here’s the outdoor unit that we placed by Galen’s garage.

The ducted heat pump system doesn’t require any additional indoor heads or outdoor units. It uses the existing ducts in Galen’s house to distribute conditioned air. Galen’s ducts were in pretty good shape, but he needed some duct sealing and insulation to optimize the performance of his new system.

Energy efficiency metrics for the 1 Zone Hyper Heat Cold Climate Ducted Mitsubishi Heat Pump:

HSPF: 9
SEER: 16

Galen’s project - just like any gas furnace replacement - involved a few important odds and ends, such as:

Removing and recycling the existing gas furnace
Pulling mechanical and electrical permits
Placing a 35A 240v electrical disconnect for exterior compressor
Installing new circuit for backup electric resistance heat strips
Swapping out the thermostat

Galen and his family now control their heat pump with Mitsubishi’s MHK2 wireless thermostat. They could add kumo cloud® to monitor performance and change the temperature from their smart phones.

How Much Did the Heat Pump Cost?

Here’s a breakdown of the costs, cash incentives, and financing for Galen’s gas furnace to heat pump conversion. Please note that pricing and cash incentives are subject to change.

Total Install Cost: $15,495
Diamond Dealer Discount: -$300
Utility Cash Incentive: -$650
Estimated Federal Tax Credit: -$300
Total Net Cost to Client: $14,245

If you have questions about costs and cash incentives to replace your furnace with a heat pump, please give us a call at 541.330.8767, or book an appointment online:

Book an Appointment

How Does the Heat Pump Perform in Cold Weather?

Heat pumps sometimes get a bad rap because they used to fail when it got really cold outside. That stigma continues to this day, but it’s outdated because of modern advances in heat pump technology.

When you buy a Mitsubishi Heat Pump with Hyper Heat technology, you get 100% heating efficiency all the way down to 5° F. As the temperature drops below 5° F, you continue to get heat, but a greater percentage comes from the resistance electric backup. Mitsubishi estimates that heat pumps with Hyper Heat operate at 76% efficiency even at -13° F.

Galen was really concerned about how well his heat pump would perform in cold weather.

“There isn't a lot of info about fuel switching from natural gas to electric, even less about ducted retrofits … Had I lived somewhere with more moderate temps or been able to install solar, it would've been a clear cut decision.” - Galen L.

If you have a furnace, you know what it's like when the furnace kicks on. You get a blast of hot air. The curtains start to sway back and forth. Heat pumps don't do that. They continuously match the heating and cooling needs of the home so that you get a more consistent temperature, even when it's really cold outside. For more, check out our article on how ducted heat pumps work.

Energy Bills After Fuel Switching

Galen thought he’d be paying more after switching fuels. Not only is electricity more expensive, but Galen’s family expanded this year, and they spent more time at home compared to last year.

After totaling up the gas and electricity costs for October through December over the last two years, Galen saw that he paid less for energy since he installed the new heat pump system.

“I totaled up the costs October through December and am pleasantly surprised. Originally I thought I would be paying a lot more a month.” -Galen L.

Modern heat pumps stand out as the most efficient heating and cooling systems on the market. If you’re thinking about replacing a gas furnace and want to add cooling to your home, a heat pump makes a lot of sense. Just ask Galen.

“One quote from an old timer on a forum I was reading cut through the information overload pretty well, ‘Don't be an idiot, choose the most efficient option.’”