Heat pumps are one of the most efficient ways to heat and cool a home — but they’re also one of the most misunderstood systems I worked on in 45 years in the field. They behave differently than furnaces, they have quirks in cold weather, and most homeowners don’t know what to do when something goes wrong.
In this section you’ll find practical, field-tested articles covering how heat pumps work, how to troubleshoot common problems, when to call a technician, and how to get the most efficiency out of your system year-round. Everything here comes from real experience — not guesswork.
Telling someone to buy a Goodman heat pump is like telling them to buy a Ford or a Chevrolet. I’m a huge fan of one of those, but only in vintage form. There’s a dealer out there in the open market for every brand of HVAC equipment. It’s simple economics; if no dealer exists, that…
How Much Is Too Much Ice On A Heat Pump? Too much ice on a heat pump can lead to extreme problems. As the ice accumulates on the outdoor coil, it reduces the heat pump’s ability to create heat. The difficult part for many of my customers has been for them to understand what too…
Early in my schooling as an HVAC technician, they drilled into my head that the three most common problems with heat pumps are airflow, airflow, and airflow. If you had the proper airflow in the beginning, when your heat pump was installed, then troubleshooting is much simpler. The primary factors that contribute to poor airflow…
A heat pump furnace is the indoor portion of a split system heat pump, as opposed to a package heat pump, which combines a complete system into one package. A heat pump furnace is the section of a heat pump that moves the air through the ductwork. It can be an electric, gas, or oil…
You can run mini-split lines up, down, and vertically. Essentially, mini split lines can run anywhere you put them with a few restrictions. Good refrigeration line principles for mini splits are no different than any other heat pump or air conditioner. You can run a ductless line set up, down, or straight out. Try to…
Putting AC in a food truck has become a popular idea for food trucks. Mini split heat pumps can provide heating and cooling, and even be a good DIY project. Just consider these things before installing a ductless mini split or any AC unit in a food truck. There are some in my industry that…
Cover your b*** when looking at your mini-split warranties! If you don’t register your mini-split with the manufacturer, it could be for a shorter time. In order to have the full warranty you may have to register with the manufacturer. Registering your new ductless air conditioner or heat pump will qualify you for the most…
Ductless heat pumps and air conditioners work by the same principles as ducted systems. An outdoor compressor unit and an indoor air handler (head) to move the air. Ductless systems generally need a separate head for each area or room. For example, Daikin ductless HVAC systems can handle up to as many as eight zones…
Your best backup heat source would depend on your location, your climate, the availability of fuel, and what type of fuel meets the price you want to pay. I’ve worked on, repaired, cut on, bled on, and installed just about all of them except for wood backup. The simplest form of backup heat for an…