How Ames Homeowners Are Reimagining Comfort with Heat Pumps

Drive through Ames and you’ll notice a growing trend: homes with new, quiet, efficient heat pump systems. It’s not just about keeping comfortable. It’s about saving energy, embracing innovation, and joining a community that’s leading Iowa toward a cleaner future.

The City of Ames is helping residents make that change through its heat pump rebate program, and many local homeowners – including several C&K customers – are already seeing the difference in comfort, cost, and sustainability.

A Smart Upgrade Backed by the City of Ames

The City of Ames Energy Services, offers generous rebates for residents who choose high-efficiency heating and cooling systems:

Air Source Heat Pumps

• 15.2–17.1 SEER2 units: $500 rebate
• 17.2 SEER2 or higher: $1,000 rebate

Geothermal Heat Pumps

• Energy Star or Cold Climate Certified: $500 per ton
• All others: $400 per ton

Central Air Conditioners:

• 15.2–17.1 SEER2 units: $200 rebate
• 17.2 SEER2 or higher: $400 rebate

These incentives are part of Ames’ larger effort to reduce citywide energy use and encourage the adoption of high-efficiency technology.

Not in the city of Ames, Iowa? Not a problem. You can find rebates on new heat pump installation from energy providers like Aliant Energy, MidAmerican Energy, Midland Energy, Black Hills Energy, and Consumers Energy Cooperative – to name a few.

Real Stories from Ames Homeowners

In a recent video, the City of Ames featured four residents, each a C&K customer, sharing why they switched to heat pumps. Their reasons were different, but they all came down to one thing: efficiency that feels good.

“It’s fun. I like fun.”
A former Kennedy Space Center educator described his passion for creating a home as efficient as a space habitat. “I was the Education Director at the visitor complex, and the thing we do is we ask kids to consider what it would be like to live in space or live on the moon,” he said. “And here I am up in Ames, Iowa, and we got this house. And I begin to think it sure would be neat to make it just super efficient, kind of in the way that a home would be like on the moon. And I start playing with it and solar panels and then, heat pumps, those kinds of things are just kind of irresistible. And I love playing with the data. I love watching how it performs. I like making it really efficient. So the why? It’s fun. I like fun.”

“It’s a really fascinating piece of technology.”
Another resident said, “Air conditioners are heat pumps, but you just kind of run it in a different direction. It is one of those things where it just seems like you change a little bit, and then you get this wildly big impact. And then just the physics of it — using, just transferring heat rather than creating heat — it is a very fascinating topic.”

“My whole yard is working for me.”
“I can produce electricity on my roof, and if I’m going to produce electricity on my roof, what better than a heat pump to give me the heating and cooling in my house?” he said. “And then my whole yard is working for me, including my rooftop.”

“It’s unbelievably quiet.”
A third resident described upgrading their 1965 home. “We found that [the heat pump] has been very efficient and quiet. I mean, it’s unbelievably quiet,” they said. “It helps us live a better life inside and make sure we’re helping the environment by not burning carbon fossil fuels to heat and air condition the house.”

“We’ve cut our energy use by up to 65%.”
One homeowner keeps detailed spreadsheets tracking energy savings. “I did do a comparison for the last three years compared to what I’ve used this year so far… my energy usage has been down up to 65%,” they said. “If you look at June and July, I’m using 40% of what I used on average in the last three years. There’s quite a bit of savings.”

“It’s just so efficient.”
Reflecting on the economics, one resident said: “If you buy $1 worth of natural gas, you’re only going to get at best $0.97 worth of heat out of it. And if you buy $1 of energy and put it through your heat pump, you’re going to get $3 worth of heat out in terms of BTUs. I can’t find a better way to explain it than saying it’s just so efficient and does an excellent job and cost effective.”

Why Homeowners Choose C&K

C&K has been serving Ames for decades, helping homeowners make smart, informed upgrades. Our technicians are trained not just to install systems but to help residents understand how they work and how to get the most from them.

We help homeowners:

• Choose the right system for their home and budget
• Navigate the City of Ames rebate process
• Explore financing and credits
• Keep their systems running efficiently for years to come

Be Part of Ames’ Energy Future

If you’ve been thinking about upgrading, now’s the time. With city rebates, possible federal incentives, and year-round comfort, a heat pump isn’t just a smart home improvement it’s a forward-thinking choice that pays off for you and for Ames.

C&K is proud to be part of a community that’s leading by example, making Ames cleaner, more efficient, and more comfortable for everyone.

Ready to Learn More?

Visit https://callcandk.com/get-a-quote/ to connect with C&K, explore rebates, or schedule a free consultation with one of our comfort advisors.