Mike Roberts, left, and Will Hammond Jr., right, sing the praises of heat pumps. Heat pumps are more efficient than gas furnaces and can significantly reduce carbon pollution in homes.
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Eduardo Lopez/The Switch Is On
You know what’s hot and cool? R&B music. You know what else? Heat pump.
A pair of Berkeley musicians proved that by combining the two in a slow, catchy track called “(I am) Your Heat Pump” — and the unlikely song that delivered.
“(I’m Your) Heat Pump” is full of interesting metaphors, with the heat pump acting as both a lover and a stable, reliable device.
“When you wanna be hot, I’m hot for you, when you wanna be cool, I’m cool, baby,” singer Will Hammond Jr. sings in a line that’s sure to get stuck in your head. “‘Cause I’d do anything for you, baby, all you gotta do is get me high.”
Not only does the song have an incredibly catchy melody, it also educates listeners about heat pumps: how heat pumps help solve the problem of climate change caused largely by burning fossil fuels, how heat pumps work, and why you should consider using this heating and cooling device.
You can watch music videos inspired by the 70s This.
Why write a song about heat pumps?
“People might mistakenly think that perhaps [heat pumps] “They can be a little boring. They can be a little dull,” said Mike Roberts, a part-time musician and part-time music teacher. But he says they’re not.
“I want people to know that heat pumps are really exciting,” Roberts said. They are “a great way for us as individuals to make a difference to the climate and improve our lives at the same time.”
“Like edutainment, we’re educating people, but we’re also entertaining them,” says Will Hammond Jr. of his song praising heat pumps. Heating and cooling indoor air is the largest source of indoor emissions.
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Roberts converted his furnace, water heater, stove and clothes dryer — the most common gas appliances — to electric a few years ago.
He has become such a fan of home electrification since then that he volunteers for the nonprofit organization The switch is onfacilitated the electrification of the home. He had previously joked that he wanted to write music about electrification. And so he did.
The first lyric he wrote was, “I am your heat pump,” Roberts said. “And I just started laughing.”
Band members Will Hammond Jr., left, and Mike Roberts say you need to give heat pumps a chance. “People might mistakenly think that maybe [heat pumps] “It seems a little boring,” Roberts said. “I want people to know that heat pumps are actually pretty cool.”
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Kathryn Styer Martinez/KQED
Roberts recruited his bandmate and music publisher, Will Hammond Jr., to sing the ballad in his deep, resonant voice.
“I felt the ghost of Barry White saying to me, ‘Come on, man, you can do it,'” Hammond said.
Both songwriters wanted the song to be more than just humorous; they wanted it to actually convey a message to people about heat pumps.
“It’s like edutainment,” Hammond said. “We’re educating people, but we’re also entertaining them.”
“I think there’s a lot of demand right now for a little bit of fun in the climate space,” Roberts said.
What is a heat pump?
A heat pump can heat or cool a home, acting like a furnace and an air conditioner rolled into one. The difference is that most furnaces use gas, while heat pumps use electricity. Heat pumps can also heat and cool water, like a water heater.
If this technology sounds strange, you might be surprised to learn that you probably already have some kind of heat pump in your home. This is exactly how your refrigerator works.
Heat pumps can heat or cool a home, functioning similarly to furnaces and air conditioners. The difference is that most furnaces use gas, while heat pumps use electricity.
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Schon/Getty Images
Why are heat pumps important as a climate solution?
The biggest source of emissions in your home comes from heating and cooling indoor air.
Heat pump is Three to five times more efficient than gas furnaces and maybe Cut your home’s carbon pollution by 40%–50%.
California’s power grid is constantly getting greener as more renewable and carbon-free energy sources come online. And the state has target to install 6 million heat pumps by 2030 — which would save millions of pounds of carbon dioxide.
How much does a heat pump cost?
Heat pumps are typically more expensive than gas furnaces but less expensive than the price of a gas furnace and an air conditioner combined (and heat pumps can do both).
Whether building new or upgrading an existing home, The average installation cost is around $13,000 to $23,000 in California.Of course, this varies greatly depending on the size of your home, the type of heat pump you buy, and whether you need to upgrade any other aspects of your electrical system.
There are state and federal programs to help cover costs. You can search for incentives through The switch is on or Rebuilding America.
The nation’s first major climate policy is called the Inflation Reduction Act, which was passed in 2022 and includes a $2,000 tax credit for heat pumps and an additional $11,500 rebate for low- and moderate-income households.
What else do I need to know about heat pumps?
It’s difficult to say exactly how a heat pump will affect your monthly bills. Most Americans see a reduction in their electricity bills when using heat pumps.But in many cases, the high upfront cost of the equipment cancels out the savings.
Some heat pump critics say the devices are not efficient enough to warm a home when the outside temperature is below zero. Heat pumps are less efficient in extremely cold weather, but many models still work well even in as low as -13 degrees F.
Roberts and Hammond don’t think their song will be revolutionary, but they hope it will make you think about heat pumps a little differently.
“I don’t think this song alone is going to make people run out and replace their gas furnaces with heat pumps,” Roberts said. “But I hope it creates a good feeling. ‘Heat pumps are cool. I don’t know why I think they’re so cool or sexy, but I’m going to look into it.’”
