| After our furnace failed during a cold snap last year, my wife and I huddled in our condominium researching how to replace the furnace with heat pumps. The journey led to days of dead ends, confused contractors and wildly expensive quotes. Wait times can stretch for months amid a shortage of machines and skilled contractors. These bottlenecks may worsen as more Americans try to take advantage of rebates under the Inflation Reduction Act. We finally surrendered to the status quo, installing the most efficient gas furnace we could find. Learn from my mistakes. As the United States spends millions of dollars to incentivize new heat pumps, homeowners are wondering: How do I install one? Here's what you need to ask: How old is your furnace? If it's old, start planning. Because heat pump systems are in demand, they're often unavailable on short notice. Is your home well insulated? Without good insulation, your expensive heat pump investment will go out the window. How much should I pay? The average cost is about $14,000 for an entire house — and much less for single-room units. But looking only at the price tag misses key reasons many people make the switch: comfort, health and quiet (get a low-decibel model). How do I find a good contractor? Check contractor lists put out by utilities, government agencies, nonprofit groups and even heat pump manufacturers. The Building Performance Institute has a list of contractors by Zip code who can perform home energy audits and other services. Read the full column here. | 
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