If you need a new heating and/or cooling system for your Massachusetts home, there is a wide range of options. Let’s explore them with an emphasis on energy efficiency. Choosing a more efficient system will lower operating costs and reduce your household’s carbon footprint.
Smart Thermostats
All HVAC systems require a thermostat through which you control them. The Department of Energy (DOE) recommends that all households upgrade from a conventional thermostat to a programmable model, and it has estimated that a programmable thermostat can lower cooling and heating costs by up to 10% annually. This is possible through scheduling, profiles, and modes. Smart thermostats add additional features that can help you save. Those include:
- Remote sensors
- Occupancy sensing
- Energy rate awareness
- Demand response support
- Energy monitoring and reporting
Central Air Conditioners
Central air conditioners are the most prevalent way to cool homes in the U.S. These systems provide cooling through refrigeration which requires a blower, evaporator coil, condensate drain, and condenser pump, coil, and fan. Air conditioning is a major contributor to global warming, so the industry has focused on achieving better efficiency. The industry rates that efficiency with the seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER). The higher the SEER rating, the better the cooling efficiency. For 2025, there are models with SEERs in the mid-20s.
Forced-Air Furnaces
A common approach to home HVAC pairs a central AC with a forced-air furnace. The industry uses the annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) to gauge the heating efficiency of furnaces. AFUE is a ratio of the amount of energy used and the amount of heat generated. An AFUE 80 furnace converts 80% of the fuel it burns into usable heat. It wastes the other 20%.
Electric vs. Fuel-Burning
Electric furnaces typically have an AFUE at or near 100, but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Due to the cost of electricity, these furnaces can be expensive to run. For this reason, many experts recommend a heat pump instead if you need to go electric. Most Massachusetts households with a furnace have a system that burns fuel.
Fuel Options
There are three common fuel options for furnaces in Massachusetts: natural gas, fuel oil, and liquid propane (LP). Natural gas is the preferable option because it’s the cheapest and most convenient, but you must have access to a gas line. Fuel oil is the top option for homes that lack that access. LP is another. With both fuel oil and LP, you store it in a tank and get deliveries.
High-Efficiency Models
The standard gas furnace has an AFUE of around 80. High-efficiency models start at AFUE 90 and range up to 98.5. That’s possible through several innovations. Multi-stage furnaces have a high and low mode, so they don’t have to run full bore all the time. Variable-speed furnaces can ramp up and down in 5% increments. Condensing furnaces have a second heat exchanger to capture heat that the system would otherwise lose through venting gases.
Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are similar to ACs in that they move heat from inside to outside. The difference is that heat pumps can move heat in both directions. In other words, they can provide cooling in summer and heating in winter. The industry uses SEER to measure heat pump cooling efficiency. It uses the heating seasonal performance factor (HSPF) to measure heat pump heating.
Hybrid Heating
Geothermal heat pumps can provide heat efficiently, no matter how cold it gets outside. Air-source heat pumps, which are more common, have a cold-weather threshold. Beyond this point, the heat pump loses efficiency dramatically. The solution is what the industry calls hybrid heating or a dual-fuel heat pump. This is where you pair a heat pump and furnace. The heat pump meets about 85% of a household’s heating needs. The furnace provides the rest. While more expensive at the outset, hybrid heating is very efficient and cost-effective in the long run.
Ductless Mini-Splits
As the name implies, ductless mini-splits don’t require ducts. This is possible because the system has an indoor unit for each zone in the home. That means that these systems are inherently zoned, which is a very efficient approach. Mini-splits can either be ACs or heat pumps. Ductless heat pumps often have electric resistive strips for auxiliary heating.
Hydronic Heating
Hydronic heating uses water to heat a home and doesn’t require ducts. Instead, it distributes the heat via hot water or steam through radiators. In Massachusetts, many households get heat from a boiler instead of furnaces. The industry uses AFUE to measure boiler heating efficiency as well. The models available in 2025 range from about 82 to 90. You also have the same fuel options as discussed with furnaces.
Hot Water vs. Steam
Hot water is usually preferable because it’s more efficient than steam and allows for finer temperature control. Most experts recommend steam only when you already have a steam system and are replacing it. The exception is when the heating system requires major renovation. At that point, it’s usually cost-effective to convert from steam to hot water.
Condensing Boilers
Traditional boilers lose heat through their flues just like furnaces. Condensing or high-efficiency boilers are similar to the furnaces discussed earlier. They have a second heat exchanger to help curb those losses.
Radiant Heating
Traditional hot water boilers distribute the water through either wall or baseboard radiators. Radiant panels for floors, ceilings, and walls are a more modern option. It’s a highly efficient approach due to how the heat flows up through the room naturally. You can opt for radiant heating throughout your home or in select rooms, such as bathrooms.
Ductwork
Modern ductwork design is much more energy-efficient. If you have old ducts, consider replacing them. If you reuse your existing ducts, consider maintenance. Air leakage is a common problem. According to the DOE, it can cause you to lose up to 40% of your heating and cooling. Duct sealing can reduce those losses to less than 5%.
Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers
Ideally, maintain a relative humidity (RH) of 30% or higher in winter and 60% or lower in summer. One reason is that you don’t need as much cooling and heating at an ideal RH. If you have trouble maintaining an optimal RH in winter, a humidifier will add moisture to your air. If you have trouble maintaining an optimal RH in summer, a dehumidifier will remove moisture from your air.
HVAC Zoning
Zoning is an HVAC technique through which you organize your home into discrete zones. That allows you to cool and heat those zones independently. The DOE estimates that zone control reduces heating and cooling costs by 30% over a non-zoned system. There are several approaches to zoning. You can add zoning to a central system. Homeowners can opt for a mini-split as a standalone solution or an add-on. Zoning is possible with hydronic heating systems as well.
HVAC System Installation in Falmouth and West Boylston
DeWolfe Plumbing, Heating & Cooling is an HVAC contractor with locations in Falmouth and West Boylston, MA. Our company also serves Yarmouth and the surrounding areas. We have HVAC technicians who install ACs, hybrid heating, mini-splits, furnaces, heat pumps, and boilers. Our company handles smart thermostats and has HVAC zoning specialists. We install humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and our technicians perform repairs and seasonal tune-ups. To schedule a service appointment or an on-site consultation, reach out to us today.
