Heat pumps can increase home value

To the editor,

I read with great interest the article about heat pumps in the March 11, 2022, issue of the Sentry. I have had a heat pump for nearly 10 years and find it to be very efficient for both heating and cooling.

The column fails to mention that homeowners may see an increase in their South Portland real estate property taxes if they install a heat pump. I dutifully answered a request from the city to update the characteristics of my home. This resulted in an increase of nearly $5,000 in my assessed value (certainly more than what I paid for the system.).

A heat pump is an appliance similar to a stove or refrigerator – but it is exposed to the elements and has a shorter life than most appliances (I am on my second). Why should it increase an assessed value?

Curious, I checked assessed values of other homes in my neighborhood with heat pumps – both as primary and secondary sources of heating and cooling. I found a lack of consistency in how the city is handling taxable values when a property has a heat pump.

Some people had an increase in their assessment; most did not even when the heat pump was a secondary heat source. South Portland is unfairly penalizing those of us who have non-polluting, efficient heating and cooling systems. If the city wants to tout the awesomeness of heat pumps, it should stop penalizing those of us who embrace this technology.

Becky Judd

South Portland