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Join the HeatSmart Campaign!
Saranac Lake is home to many residential and commercial air source heat pumps. There are several local professionals that can install a heat pump. Plus, outside of the few very frigid days, a heat pump can be your household's reliable source for heating your home this winter. Heat pumps can provide heating for the colder months and cooling throughout the summer in a way that is energy efficient and economical.
How do heat pumps work?
Heat pumps shift heat from one place to another, just like a refrigerator. For buildings, that means moving heat from the outside to the inside, or vice-versa.
In winter, they are able to move heat from the outside and release it inside. (Yes, there is heat to be extracted even from cold winter air)! In summer, they do the opposite, gathering inside heat (and humidity) and then releasing it outside.
With cost savings on traditional heating sources, there will be added usage on the electric grid. The cost (while it varies with current electric rates) can be less than existing primary heating systems.
How do rebates and tax credits work in New York State?
Under the New York State Clean Heat Program a rebate for a typical whole house system ranges from $500 to $7,500 and will depend on your custom installation. The heat pump system must be installed by a qualified participating contractor. See the list to the right of qualified installers in this area!
The new federal Inflation Reduction Act includes tax credits for both air-source and ground-source heat pumps. Check with a tax consultant to learn if you will qualify.
Why is the Village of Saranac Lake invested in the installation of heat pumps?
The Village participates in two active programs that help to bring initiatives to New York State communities of our size: Climate Smart Communities and Clean Energy Communities (CEC). The CEC program recognizes municipalities' participation and actions that have been taken toward the overall goal, which is to foster a healthy and sustainable environment using clean energy solutions, by awarding grant money toward future clean energy projects.
The Village can potentially be awarded a $10,000 grant for completing an additional campaign. A complete campaign is the documentation of at least 10 heat pump installations within the Village limits.
Other added incentives to investing time and Village resources into this HeatSmart campaign are to provide general education on cold climate heat pumps for residential and commercial spaces, and to highlight Saranac Lake businesses that A) have heat pumps already installed, or B) are qualified installers. With each conversation the Village is that much closer to the goal of an overall successful HeatSmart Campaign.
Also participating in the campaign are the Town of Harrietstown, Town of St Armand, and Town of North Elba. Given the overlap of Village residents in each of those townships, any heat pumps installed in a Village home will also count town that township's campaign goal.
Where can I obtain more information on heat pumps?
North Country Heat Smart Campaign Flyer (drafted by the Climate Smart Communities Task Force)