Independent research and homeowner-facing analysis. We don't sell installs and we don't take referral fees from contractors — every number is sourced.
A plain-English primer on how heat pumps move heat instead of generating it, and a side-by-side look at the three types homeowners actually choose between: air-source, ductless mini-split, and geothermal.
The federal §25D Residential Clean Energy Credit — 30% of geothermal installed cost — was repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act for installs after December 31, 2025. What changed, who can still claim it, and the state credits and rebates that remain.
Oversizing is the most common heat pump install mistake and the one homeowners can catch before signing. A plain-English guide to the Manual J load calculation, what a real one looks like, why rule-of-thumb sizing fails on tight homes, and the four documents to require from every contractor.
Side-by-side total-cost-of-ownership math for a typical 2,000 sq ft home: install price, fuel costs, maintenance, and the break-even year. Includes regional adjustments for cold and warm climates.
The federal HEAR / HEEHRA heat pump rebate, state by state: which states are open, closed, waitlisted or never launched, who qualifies, what the May 2026 DOE rule changed, and what to do if your state is not on the list.
What manufacturers mean by "cold-climate certified," how capacity actually drops with temperature, and the field data from Maine, Massachusetts, and Minnesota installs that homeowners should look at before sizing.
About Heat Pump Pricing Index: a homeowner-facing reference for heat pump pricing and incentives. Editorial standards.