The Gull's Call - Oct/Nov/Dec 2025

ArchitecturalNews What Is a Heat Pump, and Is It Right for My Home? by Anisa Dominguez T HIS YEAR THE COMMUNITY ARCHITECTURAL Committee (CAC) has seen an influx in owners installing heat pumps instead of air conditioners. If you are considering moving away from your gas furnace, replacing your water heater, and/or efficiently heating and cooling your home, a heat pump may just be the ticket. Heat pumps offer an energy-efficient alternative to furnaces and air conditioners for all climates. Like your refrigerator, heat pumps use electricity to transfer heat from a cool space to a warm space, making the cool space cooler and the warm space warmer. During the cooling season, heat pumps move heat from your house to the outdoors, and during the heating season, they move heat from the cool outdoors into your warm house. Because they transfer heat rather than generate heat, heat pumps can efficiently provide comfortable temperatures for your home. The most common type of heat pump is the air-source heat pump, which transfers heat between your house and the outside air. Today's heat pump can reduce your electricity use for heating by up to 75% compared to electric resistance heating such as furnaces and baseboard heaters. High-efficiency heat pumps also dehumidify better than standard central air conditioners, resulting in less energy usage and more cooling comfort in summer months. The mild summers and winters in Alameda make heat pumps ideal. Also, heat pumps are generally much quieter than a traditional air conditioner, making them preferrable due to the close proximity of most homes in Harbor Bay. The average decibel (dB) level for an outdoor heat pump unit is typically between 40 and 60 dB, which is comparable to a normal conversation or the sound of a refrigerator running. While the exact size you need is determined by factors like home size and insulation, many units take up a very small footprint, some only the size of a large suitcase. Depending on the square footage of your home, and if you have one or two stories, you may opt to install two units to heat/cool the home in zones.

GENERAL SIZING GUIDELINES: • 1.5-ton system: Suitable for homes between 600–1,000 square feet. • 2-ton system: Good for homes from 1,000–1,500 square feet. • 3-ton system: Ideal for homes between 2,000– 2,500 square feet. • 4-ton system: Best for homes around 3,000–3,500 square feet. The ENERGY STAR website is a great resource for how heat pumps work, offers a product finder, and lists available rebates for our zip code. Visit energystar.gov/ products/air_source_heat_pumps for more information. Be sure to check your Association's Architectural Guidelines for specific rules and sound limits for these types of units. The information would be under 'Air Conditioners', as the term 'Heat Pump' is so new to us most rules have not been updated yet. As always, be sure to submit an architectural application prior to commencing any work; harborbay.org/archapp. Include a picture and/or diagram showing where the unit(s) will be placed, along with dimensions, and distance to any neighboring walls or fences. Also include the manufacturer, model, and decibel level of the unit.

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