Guides
Heat pump guides
Answers to the questions that come before an estimate, written for Memphis houses on MLGW gas and electric.
Planning a heat pump
Heat pump replacement
- LearnWhy does a heat pump go through a defrost cycle and ice up in winter?Frost, steam, a whoosh and a pause are normal. A block of ice that stays isn't. Here is how to tell them apart.
- LearnWhat belongs on a heat pump installation checklist?The tests during installation and the readings at start-up that separate a heat pump that reaches its rating from one that never will.
- LearnWhere should a heat pump's outdoor unit go, and how loud will it be?Clearances, pads, drainage and sound on narrow Memphis side yards, and when it is worth moving the unit at replacement time.
- Decision GuideShould you replace your central AC with a heat pump?The same cooling, a little more cost, and a second way to heat. When the switch pays and when a plain AC is still the right buy.
- LearnHow long does a heat pump last in Memphis?Year-round running, humid summers and installation quality decide the number. Here is what to expect and what helps.
- LearnHow should a heat pump be sized for a Memphis house?What a load calculation measures, the design temperatures it uses here, and why the right answer is often smaller than the old unit.
- Decision GuideShould you repair or replace your heat pump?Age, refrigerant, the size of the repair and what the system already isn't doing well. A practical way to weigh them.
- Cost GuideHow does the TVA EnergyRight heat pump rebate work in Memphis?Who qualifies, which equipment tier pays what, the contractor rule, and what to expect on the Mississippi and Arkansas side.
Electric furnace to heat pump
- LearnDo you need an electrical panel upgrade for a heat pump?Most heat pump jobs reuse the existing circuits. Here is when they don't, what a load calculation checks, and how smaller strips avoid an upgrade.
- LearnWhat is the difference between auxiliary heat and emergency heat?Two settings that both turn on the strips, why one is automatic and the other is a last resort, and how to keep the bill in check.
- LearnHow should a heat pump thermostat be set up in Memphis?The handful of settings that decide whether a heat pump saves money: the equipment type, the outdoor sensor, the lockout, setbacks and the fan.
Gas furnace to heat pump
- Decision GuideIs a heat pump or a gas furnace cheaper to run in Memphis?The per-BTU math on MLGW's rates, the months it flips, and what it means for keeping, adding to or retiring a furnace.
- LearnWhat happens to a heat pump in an ice storm or a power outage?Ice on the unit, power out for a day, and what to do before, during and after. Plus how gas, strips and generators compare.
Dual fuel heat pumps
Duct work
- Decision GuideShould a Memphis house get a ducted heat pump or a mini split?If the house has ducts, a ducted system usually wins. If a room has none, a ductless unit can serve it. Here is how to tell which you need.
- LearnHow do crawl space ducts affect a heat pump in Memphis?Humid air under the floor, cold ducts, failed tape and small returns, and what to fix before a new heat pump goes on them.
Variable speed heat pumps
- LearnDoes a heat pump remove humidity from a Memphis house?Why 72 degrees can still feel clammy, where the water goes, and the four things that decide how dry a heat pump keeps the house.
- LearnWhat do SEER2 and HSPF2 mean on a heat pump?The two numbers on every heat pump quote, what changed when they got a 2, and how much a higher rating is worth in a Memphis house.