# Heat pump installation in West Memphis, AR > Heat pumps for West Memphis homes, many from the 1960s and 70s: strip-heat swaps, crawlspace duct fixes and replacements under Arkansas's mechanical code. URL: https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/service-areas/west-memphis/ Service area, Crittenden County Heat pumps for West Memphis homes, many from the 1960s and 70s: strip-heat swaps, crawlspace duct fixes and replacements under Arkansas's mechanical code. (901) 657-2200 Last Updated: November 12, 2026 53% gas of homes heat with utility gas; 46% with electricity (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2020-2024) 1975 median year homes were built (ACS 2020-2024) Permit City of West Memphis permit office Utility West Memphis Utilities electric; gas by address ## What brings a house in West Memphis to a new heat pump ### Rooms that get almost no air Crawlspace branch ducts that have come loose or collapsed under an older ranch. ### Strip heat and an old AC An electric furnace and AC from the 1990s or earlier, with winter bills that climb every cold snap. ### A small panel A 100 amp service that limits how big the backup strips can be. ## Older houses across the river West Memphis has the oldest housing of any town around Memphis: the median home was built in 1975, and about 61 percent date from before 1980, according to the Census Bureau. Nearly half heat with electricity. [Bluffline Memphis Heat Pumps](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/) installs heat pumps across West Memphis, from the Broadway corridor to Missouri Street and Ingram Boulevard. ### What an older ranch brings - **Crawlspace ducts** that have been under the house for decades. - **Electric furnaces** with large strip kits and a separate AC. - **Smaller electrical services**, often 100 amps. - **Returns sized for a much smaller system.** ## Fix the air first A new heat pump can only deliver what the ducts carry. In a 1960s or 1970s ranch, the ducts are usually the first problem. Branch ducts under the floor come loose from the trunk, flex collapses, and tape lets go. Rooms at the end of those runs get little air no matter what is outside. ### What we look for under the house - **Branches disconnected** from the trunk or the floor boot. - **Collapsed or crushed flex.** - **Torn or missing insulation**, which makes ducts sweat in summer. - **Seams sealed with cloth tape** that has dried out. We take a static pressure reading and look at the crawlspace before quoting. Fixes go on the estimate as their own line. [Crawl space ductwork](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/crawl-space-ductwork-heat-pump/) explains why crawlspaces are hard on ducts. ## Replacing strip heat Strip heat turns one unit of electricity into one unit of heat. A heat pump delivers two to three on most winter days, so the same warmth costs a third to a half as much. ### What the swap involves In a West Memphis house heating with an electric furnace, the swap cuts the heating part of the bill more than any other change. The [electric furnace to heat pump](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/electric-furnace-to-heat-pump/) page covers the conversion: a heat pump outside, a matched air handler inside with a smaller strip kit, and a thermostat with an outdoor sensor. ### Strips and the panel On a 100 amp service, strip size matters. A 10 kW kit can push the panel past what it safely carries; 5 kW often fits. We size the strips to the house’s heat loss at the 20-degree design temperature and check the panel’s capacity on the visit. The [panel guide](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/electrical-panel-for-heat-pump/) explains when an upgrade is really needed. ## Gas houses in West Memphis About half of West Memphis heats with gas. Where the furnace is sound and the AC is failing, [dual fuel](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/dual-fuel-heat-pump/) keeps the furnace for cold nights and adds a heat pump where the AC was. ### The furnace check We inspect the heat exchanger, the flue and the blower, and take a combustion reading. An older furnace that fails the check changes the estimate to a new furnace or an all-electric system. ## Arkansas rules West Memphis is in Arkansas, so the work follows Arkansas’s adopted mechanical code, and HVAC licensing runs through the Arkansas HVACR Licensing Board under the state’s Department of Labor and Licensing. ### Permits in West Memphis The City of West Memphis issues building permits inside city limits. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection. Addresses outside the city go through Crittenden County. ## Your utility and the rebate West Memphis Utilities, run by the city’s Utility Commission, supplies electricity in West Memphis. It is not a TVA power company, so TVA’s heat pump rebate doesn’t apply here. The estimate prices the equipment as it is, without counting on a utility rebate. ### Running costs West Memphis Utilities’ rates and your gas supplier’s rates differ from MLGW’s across the river. If you share twelve months of bills, we compare heat pump and strip or gas heat from your own numbers. ## What it costs in West Memphis For a strip-heat swap with existing ducts reused, Bluffline’s typical range is $8,000 to $16,000. Every range: | If the job is | Typical range | | --- | --- | | Whole-home system with a new air handler | $8,000 to $16,000 | | Duct repair and sealing with an install | $800 to $3,500 | | Outdoor unit only | $4,500 to $9,000 | | Heat pump on a gas furnace you keep | $5,000 to $10,000 | The written estimate after the visit sets your price. Duct repairs, the panel and crawlspace access tend to move West Memphis numbers most. The [cost guide](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/heat-pump-installation-cost/) explains each driver. ## Crawlspaces in the Delta West Memphis sits on flat Delta ground near the river, and crawlspaces under older ranches can stay damp for much of the year. Damp air under the floor is hard on ducts, insulation and any air handler that lives down there. ### What helps - **A sound vapor barrier** over the dirt, so ground moisture stays out of the crawl air. - **Ducts sealed at every seam**, so the system doesn’t pull damp crawl air into the house. - **Insulation rewrapped** to at least R-8 where it is wet or torn. - **An air handler on a pad above the barrier**, with a drain that leaves the crawlspace. These are small jobs next to the equipment, and they decide whether the new system feels dry indoors. The [humidity guide](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/heat-pump-humidity-control/) explains the connection between duct leaks and a damp house. ## Sizing an older ranch Older ranches often got bigger ACs than they needed, and many have since gained storm windows or attic insulation. We size the new system from a load calculation for the 95-degree summer and 20-degree winter, not from the old nameplate. The [sizing guide](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/heat-pump-sizing-manual-j/) explains why the old size is often wrong. ## For the visit These make the visit quicker: - **Photos of the nameplates**, outdoor and indoor. - **The panel’s main breaker size**, or a photo of the panel door. - **Which rooms get little air.** - **Twelve months of utility bills.** ## Nearby We work across West Memphis, from Broadway and Missouri Street to Ingram Boulevard and the neighborhoods near the river. [Marion](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/service-areas/marion/), a few miles north, has newer houses with attic ducts and its own permit office. For the whole decision in order, start with the [Memphis heat pump buying guide](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/memphis-heat-pump-buying-guide/). ## Services in West Memphis - [Service**Electric furnace to heat pump** Strip heat makes the biggest winter bills in Memphis. A heat pump moves heat instead of making it and keeps strips for the coldest hours.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/electric-furnace-to-heat-pump/) - [Service**Duct work** A heat pump can only move the air the ducts let through. We measure first, then fix returns, seams and crushed runs.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/heat-pump-ductwork/) - [Service**Heat pump replacement** Your heat pump is near the end and you want the next one to last. We size it from the house and match both halves.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/heat-pump-replacement/) - [Service**Dual fuel heat pumps** A heat pump in place of your AC, on top of the gas furnace you keep, with the handoff set for MLGW rates.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/dual-fuel-heat-pump/) ## Dead rooms and strip heat in West Memphis A 1968 brick ranch near Broadway has a 1999 electric furnace and AC. Two bedrooms get almost no air. Under the house, both of their branch ducts have come loose from the trunk. Where West Memphis, near Broadway The house 1968 brick ranch, about 1,500 sq ft, crawlspace ducts Price $9,600 Time on site 2 days 1. Fix the air first The two loose branches are reconnected with new insulated flex and sealed. 2. Panel decides the strips The house has a 100 amp panel, which can carry 5 kW of backup strips but not 10. 3. Heat pump and air handler A 2.5-ton heat pump and matched air handler replace the furnace and AC. 4. Arkansas rules The permit is from the City of West Memphis, under Arkansas's mechanical code. ## How a job usually runs in West Memphis ### Call or send the form Tell us what heats and cools the house now and what's going wrong. ### One visit We look at the equipment, ducts, panel and the spot outside and run the load numbers. ### Written estimate Load figures, matched model numbers, scope and price on one page. ### Install and start-up Permit pulled, system set, line set tested, and the start-up readings handed to you. ## Neighborhoods, landmarks and routes ### Neighborhoods - Broadway corridor - Missouri Street - Ingram Boulevard - Seventh Street - Avalon Street ### Landmarks - Interstate 40 Mississippi River bridge - Southland Casino Racing - West Memphis City Hall ### Getting around - Interstate 40 - Interstate 55 - Broadway (US 70) - Missouri Street (US 64) [Open West Memphis, AR in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=West%20Memphis%2C%20AR) ## West Memphis: questions ### Who handles the permit for a heat pump in West Memphis? The City of West Memphis issues building permits inside city limits, and the work follows Arkansas's adopted mechanical code. We pull the permit and schedule the inspection as part of the job. ### Can a West Memphis house with a 100 amp panel get a heat pump? Usually, yes. A heat pump with modest backup strips, often 5 kW, fits many 100 amp services. We check the panel's capacity and spare spaces on the visit, and any electrical change is a separate line. ### Why do two of my West Memphis bedrooms get no air? In older ranches the usual cause is a crawlspace branch duct that has come off the trunk or collapsed. Reconnecting and sealing it is a small job, and we look for it before quoting equipment. ### Does TVA's heat pump rebate apply in West Memphis? No. West Memphis is served by West Memphis Utilities, which is not a TVA power company, so TVA's program doesn't apply. The estimate prices the equipment without counting on a utility rebate. ### What does a heat pump system cost in West Memphis? Bluffline's typical range for a whole-home ducted system with existing ducts reused is $8,000 to $16,000, plus duct repair at $800 to $3,500 where needed. Your written estimate after the visit sets the price. ## Nearby towns - [Crittenden County**Marion** Heat pumps for Marion homes, split evenly between gas and electric heat: replacements, attic duct work and dual fuel, permitted and inspected by the city.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/service-areas/marion/) ## Guides for houses in West Memphis - [Learn**How 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.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/crawl-space-ductwork-heat-pump/) - [Learn**Do 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.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/electrical-panel-for-heat-pump/) - [Learn**What 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.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/auxiliary-emergency-heat/) - [Decision Guide**How do you buy the right heat pump for a Memphis house?** The whole decision in the order you meet it, from the system you have now to the readings you should get at start-up.](https://blufflinememphisheatpumps.com/guide/memphis-heat-pump-buying-guide/) ## Get an estimate in West Memphis Tell us what heats and cools the house now and what's going wrong in West Memphis. (901) 657-2200