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We are proud to be associated with top-of-the-line companies such as Carrier and Trane. Their products are well-engineered, well-built, and designed for years of worry-free performance. And their warranties are among the strongest anywhere.

What is a heat pump?

Just think of a heat pump as an air conditioner with a "Reverse" gear. A heat pump does two jobs, but it uses the same principles for both. On warm days, it works exactly like a regular air conditioner. It extracts heat from inside your home and transfers it to the outdoors. On cold days, it does just the opposite, pumping heat energy from the outdoors into your home. How can the machine pump heat out of cold air? Because the system's refrigerant evaporates at such low temperatures, drawing heat from the surrounding air. Strange as it may seem, even if it's freezing outside there's still enough heat energy in the chilly air for a heat pump to warm your home. Of course, the colder the weather, the more difficult all this heat-transferring business becomes. So air handlers (the indoor part of a heat pump system) have supplemental electric heating that kicks in when the temperature is extremely low. This makes a heat pump a more-than-adequate heating system for homes in all areas of the country. In the colder parts of the country, some heat pump owners prefer to have a gas furnace to run on the most frigid days.

What should I look for in a heat pump?

Quality
Purchasing a brand name that has a reputation for quality and reliability can save you headaches and extra expense down the road.

Efficiency
Cooling efficiency for heat pumps is indicated by a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating, which tells you how efficiently the unit uses electricity. Heat pumps also have heating efficiency ratings, indicated as an

 

Comfort
Some heat pumps offer additional features that provide greater comfort (as well as additional energy savings). Two-speed units can run on low speed (using 50% of the energy) up to 80% of the time, so they operate more quietly and run for longer periods of time than single-speed models. Longer operating periods translate into fewer on/off cycles, fewer drafts and much smaller temperature swings -- only two or three degrees instead of the four-degree swings common with single-speed units. Plus, better air circulation helps prevent air "stratification" — warm air rising to the ceiling and cold air settling on the floor. In short, you get consistent, even cooling throughout your home. If you purchase a multi-speed or variable-capacity furnace or fan coil with your unit, you will enhance both the comfort and the efficiency of your heat pump system even further.

Learn more about Carrier Heat Pumps and the Trane Heat Pumps.