Getting a heat pump? Here's how to reduce the complexity of the rebate process

Even before its official launch, the next-generation heat pump company Quilt is hard at work making the purchase process easy.

"The heat pump market is supported by incentives and rebates at all levels of government and policy, and even more are rolling out this year," Paul Lambert, Co-founder and CEO of Quilt, told The Cool Down in a recent interview. "Rebates can be notoriously hard to navigate, so Quilt is making it easy and hassle-free for homeowners."

Lambert, Bill Kee, and Matt Knoll, three leaders from Google, started Quilt in response to a worldwide problem. "Quilt was founded because 20% of US global warming emissions come from homes," said Lambert. "The largest driver of home emissions is burning fossil fuels for heat."

Heat pumps are the heating and cooling technology of the future because their incredible efficiency makes them affordable and eco-friendly to operate. Their one big drawback is installation cost, but government rebates can make up for it.

"We found that most quotes land between $5,000 and $8,000 per room — or $25,000 to $40,000 for a three-bedroom home," said Lambert. "While available rebates vary based on personal situation and specific location, they are often substantial — up to 50% for a whole home installation, and some may qualify for up to 100% based on income."

Claiming a rebate can be complicated for homeowners, which is why Quilt is offering in-house assistance, right from its opening day. A dedicated team will be standing by to get homeowners through the planning and installation process — including helping them apply for as many subsidies as they can get.

"We are going to offer a fully integrated experience with transparent pricing, support through the rebate process, installation, and around-the-clock support," Lambert revealed.

That extra help will make heat pumps and all their benefits a reality for thousands of homeowners who couldn't make the switch before. 

"Over the past 12 months, we announced a successful seed round raise of $9 million and built a multi-thousand-person waitlist of excited homeowners, all before officially launching, which is coming soon," said Lambert. "It's an exciting time for Quilt and the home climate space more broadly."

What makes a heat pump so exciting is its incredible efficiency. This heating and cooling system runs on electricity, an affordable and eco-friendly option for climate control.

But unlike many traditional options, a heat pump doesn't have a heating element. Instead, it works like an air conditioner for cooling, moving heat from the home's interior to the exterior — then does the same thing in reverse for heating, bringing warmth inside.

"Heat pumps are a magical technology," said Lambert. "Today they can reach 300% to 400% efficiency or even higher, meaning they're putting out three to four times as much energy in the form of heat as they're using in electricity."

That incredible return on the energy being used saves homeowners money, and it also helps protect the environment. Unnecessary energy use increases air pollution, and cutting back on your electricity and fuel helps reduce it.

"Switching from a gas furnace to heat pumps is the most impactful thing you can do to reduce your emissions," said Lambert. "Consumers use about 30% more energy in their homes than their cars, meaning you can often make a bigger difference in saving energy by installing energy-efficient appliances than by buying the latest hybrid car."

Not only that, but Quilt in particular is offering a range of benefits above and beyond existing heat pump systems.

"We can't share too much yet, but Quilt will offer intuitive room-by-room control to create the most efficient system on the market," said Lambert. "Most rooms are empty a majority of the time, so why are we wasting energy heating and cooling them?

"With Quilt, homeowners will get intelligent room-by-room control, redesigned and reimagined by industry leaders from Google, Apple, Tesla, and Nest who know how to build thoughtfully designed products spanning from the physical units to the digital touchpoints," he added.

Quilt is set to launch this year. For updates, readers can follow @meetquilt on Instagram or join the waiting list on Quilt's website.

"We are deeply optimistic about the future," said Lambert. "We believe that the future won't just be clean and abundant, it will be much much better. We are building a next generation heat pump that will be smarter and more comfortable than anything else on the market today."

Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more, waste less, and help yourself while helping the planet.