In Minnesota, heating accounts for over 70% of the annual energy use of a typical home. By upgrading to a higher efficiency heating system, you can save on energy bills and significantly cut your home’s carbon emissions. The exact system that you choose to improve your efficiency will depend on your current system.
Your Electric Heating Options
Depending on your home’s current heating and cooling system, you have options for how you can electrify. For most people and homes, we recommend air source heat pumps (ASHP) because they offer the best blend of affordability, efficiency, and flexibility.
ASHPs are highly efficient, especially compared to traditional heating systems, because they move heat instead of generating it. The efficiency of an ASHP depends on the outdoor temperature. As outdoor temperatures drop, ASHPs become less efficient, and most Minnesota homes will need a backup heating system for very cold temperatures. For your backup heating system, you can choose either an all-electric system or a dual fuel system.
A dual fuel system uses a combination of electric and natural gas equipment, switching between the two based on the outdoor temperature. This option strikes a balance between reducing emissions and keeping future energy bills close to your current ones.
An all-electric system only uses multiple types of electric equipment to provide temperature control throughout the year. This option will maximize emissions reductions by eliminating natural gas heating from the home.
Regardless of the type of heating system you choose, you’ll want to be sure you have safe, reliable backup heating available for Minnesota’s cold winter weather.
Use Your Current System as a Guide
Your current heating and cooling system can help you decide what electric system might work for you.
Gas Furnace with or without Central Air Conditioning
If you want to transition to a dual fuel system from a gas furnace, you will keep or replace your current furnace, depending on its age and condition, and install a ducted air source heat pump (ASHP), which will replace any existing central air conditioning (AC) and give you the option to use electric heating. The ducted ASHP will provide cooling in the summer and heating in the spring and fall, and the gas furnace will provide extra heat in the winter as needed.
If you want to transition to an all-electric system from a gas furnace, you will remove the current furnace and install a ducted air source heat pump (ASHP) and electric resistance heating for secondary heating in cold months. The ducted ASHP will provide cooling in the summer and heating in the spring and fall. The electric resistance heating will turn on automatically as needed in the winter for extra heat.
Gas Boiler
If you want to transition to a dual fuel system from a gas boiler, you will keep or replace your boiler, depending on its age and condition. Then you will install a mini-split air source heat pump (ASHP). The mini-split ASHP will provide cooling in the summer and heating in the spring and fall, and your gas boiler will provide extra heat in the winter when you need it.
If you want to transition to an all-electric system from a gas boiler, you will remove your existing gas boiler and install a mini-split air source heat pump (ASHP) with electric resistance heating for secondary heating in cold months. The mini-split ASHP will provide cooling in the summer and heating in the spring and fall. The electric resistance heating will turn on automatically as needed in the winter for extra heat.
Electric Resistance Baseboards
You already have an all-electric system, but if you want to increase your heating system’s efficiency, you can install a mini-split air source heat pump (ASHP) to take over most of your heating and keep your electric resistance baseboards as a second source of heat when it’s cold out. The mini-split ASHP will provide cooling in the summer and heating in the spring and fall. The electric resistance baseboards will be available for extra heating in the winter if you want or need it.
Additional Considerations
Choosing an ASHP that will work for your home and lifestyle goes beyond your current heating system and your fuel preferences. While that’s an important consideration, other factors may come into play, like the climate where you live. The Minnesota Air Source Heat Pump Collaborative is dedicated to helping residents like you find an ASHP that meets your needs. For more information on choosing an ASHP for your home, read this article from the Collaborative.
Feel the Heat with Electrify Everything Minnesota
Choosing a heating system in Minnesota is an important decision. If you’re still comparing your heating options, you can use our heating and cooling buyer’s guide for more detailed explanations of the types of electric heating and cooling systems that are available, their benefits, and their lifespans, among other details. If you’d like to talk to someone about your options, we’re always available. Hennepin County and Rochester residents can contact an electrification advisor for free, personalized advice by calling us or submitting a question via email. If you live outside that region, you can contact a trusted Preferred Contractor Network contractor directly for more information.