Heat pump program offers rebates for manufactured homes

Heating and cooling costs make up the biggest part of members’ monthly power bills. And while there are measures that can reduce energy use and save money, members living in manufactured homes likely struggle with energy efficiency.

Manufactured homes, especially older models, tend to have issues with adequate insulation and air leaks. Many are equipped with electric furnaces for heating and cooling — a cheaper alternative on the front end that costs the homeowner more later.

South Alabama Electric Cooperative partners with PowerSouth Energy Cooperative to help members upgrade their manufactured homes to heat pumps. While these may be more expensive upfront, they are 50% more energy efficient than electric furnaces, saving members money in heating and cooling costs down the line.

The heat pump program provides a rebate for SAEC members, helping cover up to $400 per ton to convert their manufactured home to a heat pump system.

Mike Majors, member services coordinator for PowerSouth, says operating costs for electric furnaces are substantially higher than for heat pumps. The more energy-efficient heat pumps use less energy and save on electricity bills, an important factor for members, especially during winter months.

Majors offers a simple comparison for how an electric furnace works compared to a heat pump. An electric furnace is like a toaster coil or hair dryer coil with a fan blowing air across it. For every one unit of electricity used, you get one unit of heat.

A heat pump, meanwhile, works differently. It moves heat instead of simply creating heat. Even in cold weather, a heat pump can pull heat from outside air and move it inside the home. Because it is moving heat rather than generating it only through resistance, it can often deliver two to three units of heat for every unit of electricity used.

This matters because heating and cooling make up about 50% of the electricity used each month.

“It’s the largest contributor,” Majors says. “By increasing the efficiency of heating and cooling, in this case going to a heat pump, you’re making the biggest positive difference in your monthly electric bill that you can make.”

For more information on the manufactured home rebate, contact SAEC’s Member Services team at 800-556-2060.