We service and repair all brands

Trane, Carrier, Goodman, American Standard, Rheem, York, Temp Star, Ruud, Bryant, and Amana, among others. We are licensed and trained heat pump experts.

Heat Pump Repair Questions

Does a heat pump really run backwards in the winter?

No, that’s one of the wild tales that never seem to die. Heat pumps actually run the same way all the time, never in reverse or backwards. But what they do is take heat out of the air outside and transfer it indoors where your fan unit can blow it into your home. They also remove heat from your home in the summer and transfer the heat outside. Put your hand over the condensing unit outside in the summer and you will feel extra hot air blowing out. In essence this is “heat” being transferred out of your home.

Which is cheapest to run? A heat pump or gas furnace.

There is not a really clear answer. The truth is that a heat pump is less expensive in the winter at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and a gas furnace (propane or natural) is the least expensive at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Is there a way to have both a heat pump and gas furnace?

As a matter of fact, yes. We call this a dual fuel system and they are getting very popular. I have a dual fuel HVAC system in my house so I’m getting the best of both worlds. My heat pump works at temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the gas furnace works at temperatures below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Dual fuel systems have no “heat strips” or electrical resistance heating coils. The gas furnace acts as the back-up or secondary heating system for the heat pump instead of the “heat strips”.

Is there any difference in the summer between a heat pump and a straight A/C unit?

Basically, no, as long as the SEER rating is the same for both. Air conditioning condensing units sit outside on a pad and are connected to an evaporator at the end of a gas furnace by means of Freon lines. Condensing units and evaporators have to be “matched” by the manufacturer to achieve the desired SEER rating (SEER stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).