The Growing Trend of Heat Pump Installation: What Your Condo/HOA Board Needs to Know
HOAleader.com - Tip
of the Week - July 14, 2023
In this week’s tip, we share with you reports of Canadian condo boards declining owners’ requests for installation of heat pumps or generally pushing back on such requests.
Let’s back up and explain. Heat pumps are gaining ground as a more energy-efficient heating and cooling source for homes. "I know that in Canada, the trend is away from AC units toward heat pumps, which are better for the environment," says Stephen T. Brindle, a
San Francisco-based senior associate at Swedelson & Gottlieb, a law firm that represents associations throughout California.
But their installation has exterior components, and as you begin to get requests for installation, you’ll need
to consider several factors.
"Heat pumps are an HVAC technology," explains Betsy Littrell, owner and architect at Maypop Building Workshop and a real estate agent at Parks Real Estate in Nashville. "It’s an all-electric technology that’s
extremely efficient. It does heating and cooling, which is a big plus, so there are some efficiencies there because you don’t have duplicate energy sources and infrastructure.
"In new homes, a heat pump is better than a gas furnace," she
explains. "Heat pumps have outdoor mechanicals, specifically the condenser."
In a condo community, Littrell says the condenser would likely need to be installed on a balcony. "The good news about heat pump condensers is that they have an
extremely small footprint and low noise, not the loud hum of an AC’s outdoor mechanicals," she notes. "Every condenser has a different noise level. There are a whole bunch of nuanced details on how the mechanicals are connected to the building, but there can be isolation details that make systems quieter.
"So condos might say, ‘We’ll allow this condenser to be on a balcony, but we require you to get this model because it's quieter than others,’" says Littrell. "There are also decoupling tactics you can require to reduce noise, too."
Our experts haven’t yet had owners seek permission for a heat pump installation. But come they will, and you can be ready when they do. To give you an idea of the issues you might need to address, read how the issue might shake out in our new article, What to Know about Heat Pumps, Balcony Installation, and Noise.
Best
regards,
Matt Humphrey
President