# Cold Climate Heat

> Source-cited guides to cold-climate heat pumps and mini-splits: 5°F capacity, sizing, altitude, backup heat, quotes, and Colorado rebates. Guides are drafted with AI assistance, fact-checked against cited sources, and informed by field installation experience. The site is owned by Cale Reeves, a lead heat pump & mini-split installer in Colorado. Facts are sourced inline and each guide carries a "facts verified" date.

Key facts we cover: heating capacity at 5°F matters more than a "rated to -22°F" operating limit; size from a Manual J load calculation; ENERGY STAR cold-climate tier = COP ≥ 1.75 at 5°F and ≥ 70% capacity maintenance; the federal 25C heat pump credit ended for equipment placed in service after Dec 31, 2025.

## Guides

- [How to Buy a Cold-Climate Heat Pump That Actually Heats at 5°F](https://coldclimateheat.com/guides/cold-climate-heat-pump-buying-guide/): A source-cited guide to 5°F capacity, sizing, altitude, backup heat, Colorado rebates, and how to check a heat pump quote before you sign.
  - Ignore the "rated to -22°F" headline. It tells you how cold the unit keeps running, not how much heat it makes. Compare heating capacity at 5°F for the exact indoor + outdoor combination.
  - Size from a load calculation (Manual J or equivalent), not square footage or the old furnace's size.
  - Look for the cold-climate tier: COP ≥ 1.75 at 5°F and ≥ 70% of 47°F capacity retained at 5°F (ENERGY STAR).
  - Above about 5,000 ft, ask how capacity was derated for altitude, using the manufacturer's data.
  - Pick a backup-heat strategy first: all-electric, dual fuel, or ductless supplement each changes the right size.
  - In Colorado, Xcel pays per heating ton at 5°F, so the same number decides both comfort and rebate.
- ["Rated to -22°F" Doesn't Mean What You Think: Heat Pump Capacity vs. Operating Range](https://coldclimateheat.com/guides/heat-pump-rated-to-minus-22-meaning/): A low-temperature rating says how cold a heat pump keeps running, not how much heat it makes. Here is how to find the capacity number that matters.
  - A "rated to -22°F" claim is an operating limit. It says the unit keeps running at that temperature. It doesn't say it makes enough heat for your house there.
  - The number that heats your home is capacity in BTU/h at a given outdoor temperature, ideally at your local design temperature, for the exact indoor + outdoor combination.
  - Find it in extended performance data: the NEEP cold-climate list, the manufacturer's submittal sheet, and the AHRI certificate.
  - A sensible floor: ENERGY STAR's cold-climate tier keeps at least 70% of 47°F capacity at 5°F, with a COP of at least 1.75.
  - Brands aren't a shortcut. One brand can sell lines rated to +5°F and lines rated to -22°F.
- [Heat Pump Sizing for Cold Climates: Why Square-Foot Rules of Thumb Get Homes Wrong](https://coldclimateheat.com/guides/cold-climate-heat-pump-sizing/): How cold-climate heat pumps should be sized: load calcs, the four sizing approaches, balance points, oversizing limits, altitude, and ductwork.
  - Size from a Manual J load calculation (room-by-room for ductless or zoned systems), not square footage or the old furnace's size.
  - Pick a sizing approach first: size for cooling, for most of the heating (with backup), or for all of the heating. Each gives a different balance point.
  - Choose equipment from extended performance data at your design temperature, not from nameplate tons.
  - Don't oversize by habit. Variable-capacity heat pumps in dry climates top out around 150% of the heating load and 130% of the cooling load under updated Manual S guidance.
  - In Colorado, adjust for altitude and check the ducts: a heat pump can need more airflow than the furnace it replaces.

## About

- [About the site, its owner, and editorial process](https://coldclimateheat.com/about/)
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